REVIEW: ETHAN HAWKE - A BRIGHT RAY OF DARKNESS

 

4/5

Darkness On The Edge Of Broadway.

Hark! Who goes there? Times Square. All of the lights. Here's what we know about this name written in them. Ethan Hawke first got our attention like "O Captain! O Captain!" as he got on the desk of 'Dead Poets Society' and got that of the late, great Robin Williams. But the 'Training Day' star and Denzel Washington's man (how nice is 'The Magnificent Seven' reunion for Antoine Fuqua?) is more than that, or even that rookie cop, ride along movie. The American actor, writer and director has been nominated for four Academy Awards (half of those for screenwriting) and a Tony. Getting behind the camera for three feature-films ('Chelsea Walls', 'The Hottest State' and 'Blaze'), three off-Broadway plays and a Toronto film festival favourite debuting documentary ('Seymour: An Introduction'). The 'Reality Bites' star is cult best known for his 'Before' trilogy of Sunrises, Sunsets and Midnight's with French megastar Julie Delpy and revolutionary director Richard Linklater ('Dazed and Confused', 'Everybody Wants Some') who also literally directed Hawke over time for the decade plus spanning 'Boyhood' experimental and epic family drama. Or he may be better known for once being married to 'Gattaca' co-star and 'Kill Bill' and 'Pulp Fiction' icon Uma Thurman. Now 'Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood' their daughter Maya Hawke is making her own name as the scene stealing Robin in 'Stranger Things' season 3, amongst forging herself a beautiful music career with her pops barn music video direction. AHOY! Not bad for a 50 year old from Austin, Texas who right now is filming the latest Marvel super-series alongside Oscar Isaac's (what a cast already), 'Moon Knight' were he plays the villain. Like he does here. 

Blazing like saddles of late this man has been on even more of a trail. Critical acclaim came like it should have done with an award for his church chaplin character in Paul Schrader's 'First Reformed' in 2018, but before that he was already mounting up and riding. Donning a stetson twice in a year for something 'Magnificent' and the underrated 'In A Valley Of Violence' (think 'John Wick' in the Wild West...they even kill his dog), face offing opposite John Travolta. After some classic sci-fi cameos in Luc Besson's 'Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets' and a directors cut one in the 'Total Recall' remake opposite Colin Farrell, the renaissance man has been hitting his stride of American legends. Like country and Western singer 'Blaze', or the coil of Serbian-American inventor and engineer 'Tesla'. Playing Pat Garrett alongside 'Valerian' himself Dane DeHaan's Billy in Vincent D'Onofrio's underrated 'The Kid', you'd be forgiven for thinking the man who earned his spurs wanted to keep them. And why not? Who could blame him? His Showtime special on the "instrument of God" John Brown ('The Good Lord Bird') does nothing to abolish that...which you best believe is a good, no great thing. Ethan's first love, however was in theatre and the stage hawker who made his debut in '92 with' The Seagull' most recently retook to the Broadway stage with Paul Dano in 2019 for Sam Shepard's (rest peacefully) 'True West'...oh, another Western. So much in his saloon you'd be forgiven for thinking the man who has just released his fourth novel (his first three include 'Ash Wednesday', 'The Hottest State' and 2015's 'The Hottest State'. Not to mention the 'Indeh: A Story Of The Apache Wars' graphic novel) was releasing a prohibition era one with its burnt orange dust jacket by a struck match looking to set everything ablaze like moonshine. 'A Bright Ray Of Darkness' however sets alight the spotlights of theatre. Stage set, were Hawke's narrator is a movie actor on the ropes of life, dealing with divorce from a much more famous celebrity partner (a rock goddess) and being present with his kids whilst trying to maintain a Broadway run of 'Henry IV' under a media glare like Times Square. Wait a minute! Is he writing about himself? Is this semi-autobiographical? Meta? Surely not. This character is cloaked in so much narcissism, if it is him then this really would be dripping with a gratuitous greed of self-indulgence. We think instead this Hawkeye is just having his fun with us, all whilst taking some shots with the bow at his younger life. Playing Cupid to a Devils advocate. It's awfully stage left close though for a man that even once played Hotspur on Broadway with an off-contemporary twist. The New Yorker magazine calling it, "a compelling, ardent creation." How much more on the nose can you get? Well, the name of this character reciting Shakespeare? No, not Ethan (thank God), but William.

To preen, or not to preen. That is the new social media age old question. Now the legacy 'half' hour of time before an actor takes to the stage they are looking at their reflection not between illuminating flashbulbs, but the distortion of a black mirror. Compelling like his interview cadence or bar room keeping the first act of Aussie sci-fi 'Predestination' in perfect time. Well-written and heartbreaking honest and defiantly devote though in a time were we can curate our own online narratives with little thought spared for anyone else in this merciless purge, Hawke delivers us a nuanced one worthy of the bestsellers. Sure talking about a struggling male, white actor on Broadway in 2020 is seriously selfish. But without wearing a mask even on stage it is so much more self aware than critics will give credit for. Here's a man who in character takes ownership for his side of the street, but won't play into a "wrong side of the tracks" cliche when there's more reasons than the catalyst of cheating to why a marriage breaks down and rings are tore off fingers with no more death do us part. Sure the sex here (espeically in another made bed) is dirty but like Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals (how fitting) once said, "I remember when sex was dirty and the air was clean. And everything worth knowing was in a magazine". I don't know if that means much to this, but it's a hell of a line. Besides the bed side manner here is still written with a blue beauty Haruki Murakami signature with all the passion that comes with it. Playing out in the tabloid scripts, the real expose is the exploration of a man's mind when everything leaves him behind. Friends, family, the industry. The dream he had in his soul. Not the heart of one lost in the bight lights like the big city. It doesn't matter if he's in the Big Apple entertainment core of the world. He's lent up on a dumpster on a Times Square side-street in chain-mail and pigs blood, eating an ice cream sandwich so his voice doesn't pack its bags and leave a ring on the table too. He had the world. He gave it up for night. He thought the people loved him. He's about to hear what they really say behind his back cheered into the masses of a crowd at a safe distance like six social feet. This book is as blisteringly brutal as the bloodthirsty displays that used to play in The Globe. And even if this is theatrical Hawke doesn't escape all that is shed here in the name of his own life, he comes out swinging from the canvas of playwrights. Seconds out. Some may think showing that side isn't really bright (whiskey business). But when all our life is a stage, that's real darkness. And in lifting the curtain and showing us behind the scenes backstage, Ethan Green Hawke deserves his standing ovation. Take a bow. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

REVIEW: HARUKI MURAKAMI - FIRST PERSON SINGULAR

4/5

Singulars Without Plurals.

First things first people, let's get down to the singulars of Haruki Murakami's latest classic collection of compelling short stories ('First Person Singular'). All the lonely people, drifting through Tokyo and the rest of this land as rising sun turns to neon, lost in translation. The kind of hearts you see beating between backstreet bars and midnight diners for their Tokyo stories. The soul of this city. Dressed up like a yukata, but shrouded in the suited shadows of a salary man's uniform. Drowning in sake and regret. Down on their pachinko slot luck. But still so atmospheric and beautiful like the purple or orange sunsets here that remind you of sakura season in all its cherry blossom and still give you hope for the momiji-gari of a red Autumn they hope will never leave. Showing in a fleeting moment and perfect poignancy that there may be darkness to come once the day is done, but still a bright one will follow the light of a brand new sunrise. There's the cat that doesn't get the 'Cream' on a Prince song named somber affair that turns anxiety into a meditating cure to all those ills in a world as stressful as Shibuya crossing at six. Not an actual cat...that one was abandoned on another short story you can find in the legendary magazine 'The New Yorker' were a couple of these tall tales originated from in type. Have you ever been stood up for a date? Yeah...we all have. But imagine being stood up for a concert invitation after ascending the mountains of Kobe to find a bolt on the door like a 'Coach Carter' gym. Talk about performing solo. Did he get the wrong time like when former NBA young gun OJ Mayo asked the late, great Bryant who was named after the same  Japanese city after his pops Joe 'Jellybean' (I see a running food metaphor...and I'm hungry) if he could practice with him? "Sure meet me at 3", 24 replied. Mayo waited at 3PM for hours the next day. No garnish to the Mamba's promise. He called him all mad when he finally gave up the ghost. "Where were you?" "Where was I? Where were you?" The Hall of Famer replied. "I was waiting for you. I was there. Right on time...3AM!"

You think I meander too much into my sportswriting gig? Just you wait. 'On A Stone Pillow' Murakami lyrically laments a lost girl who calls his narrator by another name as the love they make tries to take her higher, or to the past paradise of a love gone with the wind. Leaving her as dead as a head resting on a stone pillow waiting for the other shoe to drop in an execution gavel to a heart that's already stopped beating so long ago it felt like the stone age. Is it insomnia were faithless you can't get no sleep? Or is it a fever dream that brings you to a bar that has 'Charlie Parker Play(ing) Bossa Nova'? Are you as high as a Bird? Or having the same thing Jack Nicholson was in 'The Shining' as the spirit of that iconic Kubrick from King bar sobers the mind? You be the judge here, like who is a character, or who is stranger than fiction, first person Haruki. With this ode to one of jazz music's greatest, playing like a fictional, but spiritual college newspaper album review of a record that didn't even exist, forget the cutting-room floor. Or did it? Nostalgia nuances see a schoolboy crush run past our half-way narrator in uniform with the fact that he never ever saw her again 'With The Beatles' for a man as muse obsessed with the Fab Four as his country (I mean check the 'Rubber Soul' of his signature classic. And when it comes to 'Men Without Women' like Oscar nominated Steven Yeun 'Burning', I want to turn his short 'Drive Mr Car' into a movie starring Hiroyuki Sanada at the Park Hyatt...hey a dreamer that made it here can dream on). Clutching John, Paul, George and Ringo in monochrome under her arm and what could have been. As a life of lust, death and more stood up symbolism permeates an awkward family room wait with the brother of a lover. This and the fellow New Yorker piece 'Confessions Of A Shinagawa Monkey' at a hotel room mini-bar after some too close for comfort hot spring steaming are the highlights of this cohesive collections set. Even if I couldn't get the monkey from the PG Tips advert (the Johnny Vegas one my fellow Brits) out my head...I've done worse when picturing characters. This monkey does not mind his business and you'll go ape s### at his sin. You may even shed a tear at the tragic conclusion to this chapter, but will it be for the primate or some other mate? 

'Carnaval' doesn't exactly keep the party going like you think it would as Murakami's narrator debates classical music and the "ugly" girl he befriends and deems a F*. Although once you get behind the proposal of the ring on her finger, one of the most complex plots of 'First Person' will linger. 'The Yakult Swallows Poetry Collection' will remedy all this darkness with some light-hearted couplets and prose for a team that may be in more despair than the narrators of the other short stories. Although Haruki Murakami admitting this one is him and how his self-published poetry collection from the diamond remains one of his most sought after and high-priced bookshelf finds. Rounding the bases the man who loves baseball and decided to become a novelist at 29 after a run were ball hit bat in a light bulb moment click brings us home with no foul balls. But how about the last curve thrown for the story this book is named after? 'First Person Singular' ends like a descent into hell with a suit and tie and apparition chasing a vodka gimlet in a world were we'd choose one last shot over a last meal. 'Til death do us part. Leaving us with much more than a bitter taste, but so many questions wanting more. This 'First Person Singular' is curtain call concluded perfectly with 'First Person Singular', as the 'Norwegian Wood' man continues his hot streak since the 'Wind' took his 'Pinball' away to the tune of 22 novels like 'Kafka On The Shore' (thanks, sis), 'South Of The Border, West Of The Sun' and the marathon memoir of 'What I Talk About When I Talk About Running' (catch up to it). All in his singular, signature style mixing meataphysic other worlds of dreams too real to wake. With a bruised soul, aching loneliness, chased with explicitly blue beauty in sexuality. The Japanese master who can pen sprawling epics like the Orwellian '1Q84' trilogy and the last full length 'Killing Commendatore' (thanks, Bec), or short stories like this hasn't haunted our loneliness quite like this or since the days of 'Men Without Women'. A friend from back home like the one who told me you wait to turn to the photos in autobiography books when you've read and earnt them said he waits to find each Murakami book he reads by chance, so he can enjoy Haruki's work gently throughout his life with no rush. Instead of having nothing left. It's a romantic notion I've adopted and since moving to Japan two years ago I've found seven. But I couldn't wait for this one. Right now to join a Murakami cafe, there's a library and Tokyo and of course Murakami Radio that has inspired a latest Uniqlo clothing collection curated by Haruki himself (you best believe I copped a few tops). But nothing right now is more personal than this first singular. Just like you should 'Dance, Dance, Dance' with your 'Sputnik Sweetheart' it's time to read, read, read all about it. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Reading: 'Men Without Women', 'Desire', 'Killing Commendatore'. 

BOOK/TV REVIEW: THE QUEENS GAMBIT

4/5 & 4/5

The Crown.

7 Episodes/322 Pages. Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Moses Ingram, Marielle Heller, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Harry Melling, Marcin Dorociński, Isla Johnston & Bill Camp. Director: Scott Frank. Writer: Walter Tevis.

Late to the game, straight hungover out the bath like I was partying in Paris with a model (I wish), it's time to punch the clock. Last fall 'The Queens Gambit' miniseries on Netflix starring 'Morgan', 'Split'/'Glass' and 'The New Mutants' Best Actress Anya Taylor-Joy was a Golden Globe capturing monster. Rising faster than this orphaned prodigy above the ranks. Becoming the streaming services most watched series in a month. Making chess cool again. Because it was always as sexy as it was stimulating...think not? Forget blitz chess. Try playing 'Strip Chess'...trust me. With decadent, debonair direction from the Best Adapted Screenplay twice-over Oscar nominated Scott Frank (the Lopez and Clooney cool 'Out Of Sight' and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine's last stand in the neo Western of 'Logan'), this period piece looked as hallmark haunting to the time as Taylor-Joy's 'Peaky Blinders' to the brimstone of old Birmingham. And what a joy she really was as she played a blinder. But like the chicken and the egg, how about what laid the foundation to all of this? Walter Tevis' terrific book that was doing the Amazon rounds on Black Friday during the shows initial stellar streaming run across the board. So much so after subscribing and purchasing, when we had got round to this book in our pile and show in our continue watching section we decided to watch and read at the same time in this age of binge. 14 for 7. Chapter for episode. No stranger to games over the decades Tevis wrote the book on Paul Newman's young to seasoned Hollywood gambling career. From the pool shark beginnings of 'The Hustler', to back on the green felt for 'The Color Of Money' with another young LA upstart looking to take your money and make change in some kid called Tom Cruise decade's later. Walter also wowed the world with two science fiction epic novel masterpieces that even forefather Philip K. Dick (who gave Cruise's best of the 90's career a fresh, future forward jolt into the new millennium with 'Minority Report') would be proud of ('The Man Who Fell To Earth' and 'Mockingbird'). But which is better? Novel or adaptation? Well for your modern chess openings how about we file how these two would fare battling it out in black and white? Let's play. 

White Queens pawn moves forward two spaces. 

Tevis to his testament knows how to set a scene like a table for dinner or board for game and what he does in this chess stories opening is no different playing his own gambit like Channing Tatum hopefully wants to do one day for the 'X-Men', as Anya already has in the long-delayed 'New Mutants' which came out to little fanfare in last years cinematic quarantine. Definitely in response to this show which has locked down everything else like forcing your hand to make a sacrifice and topple your King. The planets pandemic took to this 'Gambit' like a card dealt poker face. Last year's real marvel in the endgame of movies. The show starts the same. Honouring Tevis' rule book to the letter sportingly like the city and time typography across the screen in all its colour. Killing it like eve. 

Black Queens pawn moves forward two spaces. 

Pills and bottles on the books board instead of knights and rooks, the Queen of this Gambit Beth Harmon was addicted to the adrenaline of more than winning. That's the substance to this stylised story. Scott explores this frankly, but also funnily. One spoonful of sugar scene in the medicine cabinet were a young Harmon (played inspiringly by Isla Johnston) is just as hands in the air holding nothing hilarious as it is when it floors you in the book. You'll fall for it again and again. But it's the stirring scenes with classic character actor Bill Camp (who is always great, but something else entirely here), whose janitor Mr. Shaibel teachers her about this game with chain clicked light bulb and steel table closeted resignation and sportsmanship. Setting the tone for the rest of the series like his character does by the book. It's a beautiful arc in one episode and chapter that in each verse results in earned emotion by the end. So much so you'll feel it dropping in all its water on the pages or your popcorn as you binge the same. 

Queens side bishop pawn moves forward two squares. 

Moses Ingram's influential Jolene will take your heart in this queen of one's like the one Dolly Parton sang about. Whilst 'A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood' adopted mother Marielle Heller will move you to the core with her heartbreaking bruised soul. 'Love Actually' and 'Game Of Thrones' famous face Thomas Brodie-Sangster really comes of age and his own pirated, leather and fedora cool like he did in fellow Netflix miniseries 'Godless' (a godsend to the Western genre like his pistol spinning kid). And even Harry Melling (who was also hauntingly good at being bad in last years Tom Holland Netflix ensemble 'The Devil All The Time') comes out from under the typecast stairs of 'Harry Potter' to work wizardy wonders on a different platform. But it's 'Hurricane' actor Marcin Dorociński who like a quiet storm strikes fear into the hearts of this mental maddening game of cerebral wits all the way to your cerebellum as Borgov. Even his name makes him sound like a Bond villain. Just like the big boss you just can't defeat at the end of a games level. Cold and calculated and sharp as cutting down all your defences, King to Queen. When he strikes your clock it almost sounds like the swish of a switchblade as he looks at you with daggers. To you it's a nightmarish shock. To him a shrug of nonchalance. You can see page to screen, all the actors breathe new life into their characters. But no more than Joy who chin to resting palms stares straight at you. Right through to the soul with a fourth wall break, before she does the ceiling of all the pieces coming to visionary power together. You see the shadow above her crown. It's her throne now. 

Now let the real games begin. 

And with three moves that's 'The Queen's Gambit', but who wins? Call it a draw or an adjournment to a possible season two, but the Netflix show and the Tevis book it was based on mirror each other like the pieces on the board in black and white. But read all about this, when it comes to everything else playing right now...checkmate. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Playing: 'Innocent Moves', 'The Hustler', 'The Color Of Money'. 

BOOK REVIEW: MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY - GREENLIGHTS

  

4/5

All Write, All Write, All Write. 

NOTE TO SELF! Give me the 'Greenlights' like Legend and 3000. Matthew Mcconaughey runs like 'Forrest Gump' or Tom Cruise until he can't run no more. Screaming with lactic acid, euphoric joy in the middle of nowhere. Howling like a wolf. Pointing at the full moon in thanks like when his Jake Brigance 'A Time To Kill' character (the Atticus Ross to John Grisham's Harper Lee 'To Kill A Mockingbird' like courtroom drama) found his lost dog after the Klan burnt down his house. He just got the part in his first big budget movie after future 'True Detective' partner in fighting crime Woody Harrelson's 'Natural Born Killer' was too close to the bone for Grisham...but this is not where our story begins. Dazed and confused? Alright, alright, alright! Let's take it from the top. In fair Austin, Texas is where we lay our scene. Let the man tell it himself. As this amazing autobiography can only be audiobook read and heard in his signature syrupy Southern drawl. It's the only way for your memoirs memory. Besides you can get work done whilst you listen. Your hands are free. Not to do what his 'The Wolf Of Wall Street' character tells you to do a couple times a day, one before lunch. But to work on your dreams, 'Greenlight' goals and life ambitions. The kind that come (no pun intended) to McConaughey in the form of a wet dream (yep, you read it right. You ain't going blind). Or you could just work out as this man in a few quips gives you more exercise tips than influencers Instagram's. You can even read...or well listen whilst "taking a deuce", or I don't know...playing a banjo. It also seems like fans taking the piss at the guy who recently starred in Ritchie's British gangster flick, 'The Gentlemen' are coming up with their own audiobook versions in impression (guilty), which has lead for a game for a laugh McConaughey launching an Instagram story competition for the best, "alright, alright, alright". It's all for a good cause as the man who looks to run for public office just keeps living y'all. And with this hilarious, heartfelt, stream of compelling consciousness memoir that could even bother the noise in Steven Tyler's autobiography (one rocking story from a one-of-a-kind icon deserves another) going head-to-head. Especially with movie autobiographies in general being more rare than steak in a vegan restaurant...or hey, even cinematic releases these days. We need stories like this that inspire these days and are like no other. Let this book of Matthew be your spiritual guide. Take it as gospel. 

BUMPER STICKER! Giving us his life script and time entwined with the Hollywood sign, McConaughey has had more than 'Time To Kill' this quarantined year of COVID-19. He's been working on this 'scribe for years. NOTE TO SELF. I watched the platinum rom-com classic, 'How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days' for the first real time just over a week ago (he's not ashamed of his romantic comedy years and neither should you like the 'Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past' this Christmas). We almost made it to 7 minutes before he took his shirt off. This is more than the movies, but he gets down to the bare essentials for some stripped down stories here. Talking about this 'Larger Than Life', 'Lone Star's' 'Glory Dayz'. Making 'Contact' with Jodie Foster for what ignorantly the industry back then called the "girl role". All before all those rom-com's and 'Failure To Launch' that wasn't his flightplan like...well, Jodie Foster. The man who once buzzed his trademark curls after a close shave with baldness (tell me your secret Matt) for 'Reign Of Fire', headbutting Christian Bale in a close shave ended up turning down 14 Mill to turn his career around. All before 'The Lincoln Lawyer' and Carrey carried on Lincoln commercials changed his life like the 'Mud' of 'Killer Joe'. Than there was the skinny on the muscle bound Hollywood hunk playing Ron Woodroof (a man who suffered from AIDS but changed the medical game) in 'Dallas Buyers Club' and the rest is Best Actor at the Oscars history. One that lead to big pictures on an 'Interstellar' level and slept on indies like his most recent 'White Boy Rick'. But the 'Magic Mike', 'Dark Tower' and underrated 'Gold' like 'Serenity' star who chest thumps so much to get in character that DiCaprio told Scorsese to put it in his 'Wall Street' lunch really had us when he's talking about his most iconic role to date in a one shot. All for the small screen and the Woody to his Buzz in 'True Detective'. How he tells it that he saved the premiere for watching with his wife on home every Sunday like the rest really shows who he is. At the end of the day like all us brothers and sisters, he's just one of us. Just keeping on and living. 

PREEEEESCRIPTION TIME! Even with President Barack Obama's 'Promised Land', rock God, Lenny Kravitz letting love rule in memoir to the release of his debut album, or Alicia Keys showing 'More Myself' in her 'Journey', this is the book you want to find under your tree this Christmas sent from a distance. With 'Notes To Self', 'Bumper Stickers' for your Texas haul em's and 'Prescription's' for you from this actual Professor that is just what the doctor ordered, then what more do you want aside from, 'How To Lose A Guy In 11 Days' (you heard it here first)? Now back to California dreams the reason McConaughey used to wake up with sheets that you could throw against a wall has nothing to do with the fact that he's done multiple movies (call it a couple) with Kate Hudson, Jennifer Garner and Anne Hathaway. More so they were dreams about faraway places beyond even this stars head in the clouds that simply said, "come here". Again no pun intended. He'll travelogue these for you in a guide as gregarious as he or maybe even Paul Rudd is. But from Africa like Toto to saying, "G'day" to a room in Australia, there's nothing like the Texas sun of where he came from like Leon Bridges down this yellow brick road. Strewth! And Matthew will tell you all about his upbringing, from fighting in bars to pissing contests with your dad that could pole vault clear most Olympic Stadiums if we had them here in Tokyo this 2020 which he offers advice for as we look for a way out the abyss. This whole "approach" book that this man wrote in a 52 day electricity exile like only he could or would isn't just like the good friend you asked for, but the coolest one you wish you had. Especially during these trying times. One that began at age 14, writing about these "people and places" in poem and prayer form, from the scraps of his notebook and diary entries. Navigating through his life like that car commercial that still cuts him checks, expect these pages to turn into receipts, but the real gift here is one that you can't take back. Wisdom not knowledge. Inspiration not influence. The man not the actor. Amazing, amazing, amazing. Not alright, alright, alright. Got it? Alright? TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

BOOK REVIEW: LENNY KRAVITZ - LET LOVE RULE

  

4/5

Let Words Rule. 

Eluthera, quarantined. Socially isolated at a distance, there's worse places to be locked down in this weary year than the bountiful beauty of the Bahamas and this inspired island. The perfect place to pen your memoirs as Lenny Kravitz's let's his autobiography story by the book rule like love. Quarantined in paradise like stuck in the studio most singers are finding solace in right now in the vision of this terrible 2020 in hindsight, we haven't heard from Kravitz since 2018 when he 'Raised Vibration' with the Eluthera magic hour tide coming in like the night shore of the background, 'Johnny Cash'. Not to mention classic tracks like the drum roll and video for 'Low' which vibrating on another level really took us higher like 'Gold Dust', 'The Majesty Of Love', or 'I'll Always Be Inside Your Soul', because 'Here To Love', 'We Can Get It All Together'. 'It's Enough'. Although we also saw him go all around the world like daft punks can't anymore with the 'Assemblage' of his beautiful black and white Don Perignon perfect portrait collection. Popping bottles with the likes of Harvey Kietel, Susan Sarandon and his own daughter Zoe Kravitz from back home in his New York to here in Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan. He's also been quarantined in the Louvre of all places like French act Christine and the Queens performing this years anthem, 'People, I've Been Sad' Live for James Corden's 'Late Night', in love like Paris with his socially distanced muse for this year's video of 'Vibration's' 'Ride'. Getting a minute with Mona, riding with France in all it's hallmark, traditional beauty that will always stand strong and tall like Notre Dame forever. But are you going to go his way again? As the 'American Woman' and 'Fly Away' singer isn't staying away from you now like the 'It Ain't Over' Till It's Over' of 'Stand By My Woman' no matter how many tears you cry this calendar. Sittin' on top of the world, like view from a freedom train for the flower child who let's his story bloom over pages of prose like building this garden for us. Taking it back to 1989 for his debut in the same 12 months Haim's album of the year ('Women In Music Pt. III') features the 'Mr. Cab Driver' like discrimination protest song of 'Man From The Magazine', Lenny 'Let's Love Rule' like we all should for his first book named after his first album. Picture perfect portraying a coming of age story in black and white America like 'The Jeffersons' that leads up to the albums original 90's eve release for the chronicles of his volume one.

"Loooooove!" The audiobook opening sings like the first note of Lenny's signature song this very book is named after. The perfect company to fall through this Autumn like leaves as the pages you leaf through turn as smoothly as 'Black Velveteen', or are just told to you like a bedtime story (ladies!) by the 'It Ain't Over' Till It's Over' man himself. Just like 'Me', this time last years memoir by Elton John, prelude and postscript introduced and closed by the 'Tiny Dancer', before the 'Rocketman' who played him himself, Taron Egerton told the rest of his story like a beautiful, bohemian biopic he starred in. As an aside I wouldn't recommend listening to Sir Elton's autobiography if your apartment as thin walls, as every other chapter your neighbor will think you are telling him to shove something up his arse. Just saying. Right now, 'Let Love Rule' will find itself like life's way on your bookshelf next to Alicia Keys' amazing autobiography, 'More Myself: A Journey' next to her latest, first namesake, self-titled, acclaimed album and the space reserved for the audacity and hopeful fathers dreams of President Barack Obama's latest book, 'A Promised Land' coming soon like the place we as a people are getting to now. Coming of age and of stage, this before they were famous, behind the scenes book look is like 'Acid For The Children' by the bass for your face Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers also released at this time last year just in time for under your tree like away in a manger. The chicken before the egg story before the history. You don't get to this destination of his in concert today without this musical journey. From family to rocking like Sly Stone, all the way to the Hendrix covers of a Rolling Stone, just like a black Beatle with Jagger swagger.

Father and son stories like Cat Stevens. A mother's love like our reason for breathing. Gossip folks won't have much to talk about when it comes to the book version of 'Let Love Rule', but adding this album to the singers catalogue offers us a more deeper portrait of the man with those eyes behind the iconic, signature shades that could even make Bono blush. You too will be impressed with the Joshua Tree rock roots of a true hero for songwriting juxtaposition and social justice, especially in these times were Black Lives still Matter in black and white America. Raised my parents from different races, young Lenny faced all types of trouble in a land that still needed to reach the promised one we're still climbing of being judged by the content of your character and not the color of your skin. Still Kravitz let's it and the upbringing of all his uplifting life experiences that counter, to bleed his way into the culture and the arena of mainstream music from New York bars with guys and dolls to selling out stadiums like Guns and Roses, all before performing on the 'Blueprint' of a track by Jay-Z of the same name. Before the Grammy's came a famous family like the one he and former wife and actress Lisa Bonet gave birth too in the flowers for Zoe. The first 25 years of this man's life explored and recounted in just a leaf shade under 300 pages is one many would wish to only live in centuries. Its just that inspirational and iconic in all its influence. Last week in the European like Jiyūgaoka of Tokyo, Japan I masked up to go out for a date with a women I'd been talking to for weeks. As we looked for a place to eat and drink we walked past a coffee store come book shop that echoed down the cobble streets with the words, "so many tears I've cried, so much pain inside, so many years we've tried, to keep this love alive." The lyrics to Lenny Kravitz's sweetly soulful, huge hit, 'It Ain't Over 'Till It's Over' that lost far from family and friends in the Far East needs no translation like Sofia, Scarlett or Mr. Murray. Words and sentiment that right now have so much pure poignancy amongst this perplexed and punctuated year of peril and perspective. Hand-in-hand walking along and carrying on we ain't done yet. It's not over. We've only just begun. Now after letting this book in to our quarantined home this 2020 of COVID-19 lockdown, we can't wait for love to rule again like the embrace of joining hands. Now like waiting for a new year and day, let the needle drop as we turn the page on volume two. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

“I mean, let love rule. That's the statement — and it has been for 30 years,” he says. “And that is the way I try to live my life every day.” - Lenny Kravitz. 

BOOK REVIEW: PRINCE-THE BEAUTIFUL ONES

4/5

Purple Page, Purple Page. 

Bringing to life a vision in the purple one's mind. The late, great Prince's curated memoir 'The Beautiful Ones' shows that sometimes the greatest stories remain unfinished, but still told regardless. Painting a perfect picture, Dan Piepenbring (the former editor of 'The Paris Review' who co-wrote, 'Chaos: Charles Mansen, the CIA and the Secret History of the Sixties' with Tom O'Neill for all you 'Mindhunter' fans) brings the book he was writing with Prince-before the rock, funk, jazz, R&B and every other genre God passed-back to life. Breathing new vision into it after only having 20 pages of an actual autobiography to work with. For this Penguin production, Prince picked Piepenbring as his paperback writer (say that six times) after working his way through the "rhapsodic" raw review writing of blogs (giving this writer further evidence(?) that Prince may have read my gig review back in 2014 when I received an email from "the offices of Prince"...oh and the fact that it's a mystery, makes this one even more beautiful) to write this 'Beautiful' book with him, blackout back and forth between the chapters. And now on some bittersweet way it's all ended up exactly like that. As Piepenbring's prologue penmanship of almost 50 nostalgic pages of a frozen moment in three months with the real king of pop, Prince precursors the even more moving memoir of beauty, and eye icons (not emojis people) 2 U. Wrote in his way that nothing compares to. All before a Paisley Park photo album vault looted comes into play like a perfect memory along with a transcription of the treatment he wrote for the original movie that became a classic album, that became a hit song and forever in hue colour scheme. Something about indigo precipitation?! Let his royal funkness reign.

Hitting and running through all the epic work of his estate almost seems like graveyard robbery on a 'Moonbeam Level'. But from the bare essentials of the stripped down 'Piano and Microphone' show turned soundtrack, to the absolute off the charts 'Hollyrock' and its straight outta Hollywood animated music video, there's just so much work here. The work of genius. And from the Sam Cooke like napkin lyrics of gospel, to the legal pad prose of his first book it all seems meant to be, or at least (we hope) like he wanted it to be shared. Unlike the legend of the duet album with Lenny Kravitz, which on completion he if rumour has it told the guitar hero he references in these pages, "this is just for us". Certainly though with these chapters that sadly will never see an epilogue, but deserve an acclaimed acknowledgement. In 2016 we lost Prince, the King, Ali and Ziggy Stardust himself, David Bowie. And what did we gain? Brexit and Donald f###### Trump. So yeah...we've had better years. That one sounded like something out of the apocalypse although this writer fell for the love of his life...but I lost that too. In the same year the only man to come close The Boss (no not Mr. McGee), Bruce Springsteen released his Kerouac beat like acclaimed autobiography before he hit Broadway and these cinematic 'Western Stars' named after one of his signature songs and sets, 'Born To Run', Prince was writing the same after one of his super singles like a Mariah Carey and Dru Hill classic cover before the picture was smashed. But now 'The Beautiful Ones' is here to stay always. Falling under our Christmas tree in a purple package (excuse me?) underneath the dove decorations (but not the two turtle ones Macaulay Culkin 'Home Alone' found 'Lost In New York' for this guy who even locker room references John Hughes movies) this Christmas like a New Year celebration alongside the legendary likes of icons like Red Hot Chili Pepper Flea's 'Acid For The Children' bass line and the 'Rocketman' farewell tour movie of Elton John's magnificence as he, 'Me'. But still chapter and verse, this Prince project is just as prolific even if his life story is sadly cut short. But only in writing. The real tragedy is the loss of his life. But yet Prince's still lives in his body of work, like the soul of this story.

Mama. It all begins with his mother. Like life itself. All in her eyes. The kind Tupac talked about on 'Thugz Mansion' when he grabbed that nine, contemplating suicide until he saw. And it ends...well it doesn't end now. Life goes on even when it doesn't. In spirit. For icons like the love symbol in sound. And now with this for the record in words. That will love and live on in infamy like King or Rowling. J.K. Or J.R.R. Tolkien for this epic fantasy. Except it's reality. Prince's Paisley one. After Piepenbring's inspired introduction, mapping out the intended gameplan script for this story, Prince begins the beauty of his life and family tree. How the young Rogers Nelson was nicknamed Skipper by his mother, taking that one to school as the teachers couldn't believe this kid was called Prince when they took roll. Well now we couldn't imagine anyone else with this man's decreed name by royal appointment. Not even Harry or Wills (with all bowing due respect). All the way through a childhood that shaped his story and the 'Purple Rain' screenplay. All the way to the first album he made, cutting a record deal with Warner and producing, playing every instrument and even designing the artwork 'For You'. And as his last autobiography words focus fittingly on that look between two lovers as one ("one what") that without a voice appropriately speaks louder than a thousand words, the man that handed in a couple of them wrote down perfectly couldn't say it better. If only he could have memoir said more. But he already did and did so much in his other work. Annotated personal Polaroids, scrawled down lyric sheets bordered by doodles and famous quotes from magazines tell the rest of the story like read all about it. And do even if it seems a little intrusive. Because the more original drafts of classics like 'Purple Rain' you see like you've never heard, the more you feel The Artist you thought you had taken as read. Now making your way through this curated collection like the 'Living In A Material World' George Harrison coffee table one, you may think the story of the man who owned everyone (Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, Jeff Lynne and all of them) freestyling a solo of that Beatles gently weeping guitar, before throwing his axe back into what seemingly felt like the heavens isn't complete (one that was originally meant to touchdown in his indelible Superbowl show). But who's ever is when they inspire enough generations for decades upon decades of a couple of lifetimes over? Like seven hours and fourteen days nothing could take this love away. Baby, baby, baby. In the end it turns out Prince and Piepenbring got to write Skipper's book the way they always intended to...together. Now that's a beautiful one. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Bruce Springsteen-Born To Run', 'Elton John-Me', 'Flea-Acid For The Children'. 

BOOK REVIEW: ELTON JOHN-ME

4/5

His Majesty.

Regaling us with story after story, don't say the glam queen bitch is back. He's been here for years. Taking his farewell tour after decades and decades of star spangled music from the Great British national treasure-from 'The Lion King', to Princess Diana tributes-around the world and Phileas Fogg back again. And this crowning glory has been the 'Rocketman's' year of coronation with his bags packed, zero hour, nine AM. With his 'Kingsman' sequel co-star Taron Egerton taking the throne as him in a beautiful and bohemian biopic from Queen, 'Rhapsody', Rami rivalling director Dexter Fletcher. And now after all this behind the same star sunglasses Arnold Schwarzenegger donned for 'Terminator 3', Elton John gets really personal and diamond sequin and feather boa stripped down and away in 'Me', his long awaited autobiography. Not his first book, his AIDS awareness mission statement, 'Love Is The Cure' demands everyone's attention. But this in the same year as an unsanitized, coke and all biopic-as blow brutal as it is big and beautiful-is his most personal project yet. And probably the best book and most musical, amazing autobiography since Steven Tyler of Aerosmith's 'Noise In My Head', the Red Hot Chilli Peppers' Anthony Kiedis' 'Scar Tissue', or Rolling Stone Keith Richards' 'Life' (we're yet to get to Prince's unfinished 'The Beautiful Ones' out now too. But can hardly wait). "Sea turtles mate". The last one was audiobook read by 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' son Johnny Depp. Even more fittingly here after a perfect prologue read by Sir Elton-before he supposedly goes off to shop-the perfectly named 'Me' is read by none other than, you guessed it, Taron Egerton himself. And this audiobook version of the autobiography (the voice keeping me company so I'm not lost in translation, trying to teach in Tokyo, Japan like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's audiobooks when I was travelling Hong Kong during a depression) needs a lent ear as the relationship between actor and star muse is much more than music, or even acting. Egerton's epic and energetic reading of 'Me' (or him) like his portrayal of the pop star is an incredible dedication to the man. With just as much charismatic character as the words wrote. Dare I say the best one/two, dynamic duo since Bernie and the 'Benny and the Jets' singer? Cue the piano introduction.

You'll laugh at the fact that 'Stan' Grammy collaborator that Elton sobriety sponsors, Eminem calls him a "C U Next Tuesday' everytime he calls. You'll shed a tear at the last story about dear John Lennon. He talks about 'Heartbreaker' Ryan Adams inspiring him despite the cancelling controversy. He tells us while he still plays Russia and would rather "build a bridge" with Putin than "a wall" (take that you know who). He also speaks candidly and fairly about the queen Madonna without backing out of the corner in defending the Godmother of his first child Lady Gaga from Madge's slights. The born star is this way, his way and the highway only. From taking a truck full of bandmates across the country, backing up soul acts who told him to kill Reg Dwight as he ended up taking his bandmates names, to wanting to die on stage like a Last Vegas residency until he started a family that was worth more than all the Troubadour and trouble that got him to this point. A true lion never flickering like a candle in the wind. From Pinner to Disney. Hollywood and Buckingham Palace. A friend of the royals by decree and our king of queens by knighted appointment. The crown is his like Claire Foy or Olivia Coleman and he takes his throne in this entertainment game with a tilt and tip to everyone who helped build his musical castle. And even those who threw rocks at one of rock and rolls greatest like a Rolling Stone. There's even a hilarious story about being "high as a kite by then" and thinking the great American songbook of Bob Dylan was homeless. But much like how John has found a residence in those classic Sinatra standards at his live shows, his own epic, eclectic catalogue of a collection now belongs in the Great British rock and roll songwriting hall of fame with Bernie Taupin like the crown jewels that they are. And you get plenty of words behind the lyrics to go here for a man who has worked with everyone from Fall Out Boy to A Tribe Called Quest.

But this is his song. And none rings truer that the ode to family and matrimony to that. For better or worse, cradle to hearse. It's a little bit funny (as a matter of fact it's f###### hilarious. The amount of times I've bust out laughing in public from him telling someone to take something and shove it up their proverbial arse). But there's so much more feeling inside. Especially when it comes to the Dwight family circle of life. From the 'Tiny Dancer' days of playing in pubs were 'Saturday Night Was Alright For Fighting', to the 'Crocodile Rock', 'I'm Still Standing' and swinging days atop the piano of baseball bat knocking it out the Dodger Stadium park in a jazzled, diamond encrusted uniform, Reg has always kept his family close and the enemies he's made because of that closer. Life wasn't easy for Elton growing up with his parents and that didn't elude him when fame came his way. Coming out to the world and being a LGBT pioneer for being true to who you are before we even put those letters together with us as a society. Not to mention a groundbreaking, life changing advocate for AIDS research, in search for a cure as strong as love. But in a world were were  seems to be the hardest word, Elton still gives his everyone candidly and in hindsight, honestly and reflectively in hope that we will learn from his mistakes aswell as be boldly inspired with the many things he did beautifully right. Overcoming drink and drugs was one of John's greatest struggles and challenges he overcame down the yellow brick road, but some of the people in his circle throughout his life became his true sacrifice. But it's all come back round to a love you can feel tonight like his family with David Furnish. As the man who was once lip synced by 'Iron Man' Robert Downey Jr. (the amazing anthem 'I Want Love') and pop superstar Justin Timberlake (the dressed up 'This Train Don't Stop Here Anymore' which showed J.T. was almost capable of playing Sir Elton like Tom Hardy) in magnificent musical videos now has his own movie and book to take on the road as the show goes on. Heartfelt and hilarious, with so much tongue for your cheek. This is the perfect program for his Farewell Tour like 'Rocketman' is the movie, musical soundtrack that scores like Watford for the chairman of this board, sure there's a lot of me in 'Me'. But what else would you expect from Elton? And I personally wouldn't have it any other way than his way. Me oh my! TIM DAVID HARVEY.