All Or
Nothing
The
Authorised Story of Steve Marriott by Simon Spence
Omnibus Press
(Hardback)
Released 18th
March 2021
All Or
Nothing, Simon Spence’s exhaustive, no holds barred biography of Steve Marriott
is published on 18th of March
Simon
Spence’s ‘oral’ biography of the celebrated vocalist weighs in at 480 pages,
with 125 interviews, warts and all, from cradle to grave. And beyond. Written
with the full co-operation of the Marriott family and including a number of
candid photos, this really is the definitive article.
I’ll be
honest, before devouring this book, I knew very little of Steve Marriott. I was
aware of him being a child actor, the cheeky chappy in Small Faces, and later
of his tragic death. I wasn’t really that familiar with Humble Pie or his life
post the 1960’s. All Or Nothing tells the whole story. Marriott’s rise to fame
and struggle with it, the drugs, the drink and the fights etc. In a similar way
to Jon Savage’s Joy Division book, This Searing Light, the Sun and Everything
Else, the eye witness narrative draws you in and takes you on a journey which
makes it much more emotive than a standard linear text.
I love a good
music biography or documentary that entertains and educates, and this did
exactly that from the off. I was struck by the high regard in which he was held
by his peers and the influence he still has to this day. When you have
accolades from the likes of Roger Daltrey; Robert Plant; Bob Dylan; David
Bowie; Mick Jagger opening a book alongside Paul Weller and Bobby Gillespie you
know the subject matter is something special.
Steve
Marriott’s story is colourful from the off, his early days as a child actor are
fascinating, especially his friendship with Sir Tony Robinson (aka Baldrick)
who Marriott understudied. Robinson tells of a love/hate relationship with the
singer and isn’t the only one.
When
recounting Marriott’s fascination and dalliances with some of the seedier side
of life, no punches are spared, although ultimately he would come to regret
some of these. Perhaps the most famous of these being the relationship with Don
Arden (Sharon Osborne’s Dad… but I guess you knew that).
The tales in
the book are straight out of 60’s music folklore, with Arden ‘owning’ the band,
fixing the charts, and creating a teen pin-up. The latter didn’t sit well with
Marriott and led him to his first serious brush with drink and drugs. Although
‘rescued’ by Andrew Loog-Oldham or rather bought, for £25,000 in a brown paper
bag, there are stories of how low self esteem and disquiet continued. Despite
producing some of the era’s best regarded songs such as Itchycoo Park and Tin
Soldier. Bandmates recount the poor and unfair business deals. Like The Smith’s
in more recent times, most of the money for the Small Faces was split between
writers Marriott and Ronnie Lane with Ian McLagan and Kenny Jones missing out,
but even then, Marriott still got a better deal than his writing partner.
The
precedents are set and the chaotic story plays out for the next 20 plus years,
with complex financial affairs; excessive tastes; troubled marriages and
disastrous relationships; drink; drugs and yet more mobster/gangsters employed
as managers ultimately leading to the inevitable, but somewhat tragic end in
1991.
Even in
death, there isn’t peace. His estate remains contested and there are ongoing
grudges that are covered in great detail. I often found myself reading the book
but shaking my head in disbelief. If HBO turned the Steve Marriott story into a
blockbuster miniseries there could be accusations it was too far-fetched…
For all the
turmoil of the 44-year-old singers’ short life, it’s clear that he lived it to
the full. Conflicted by his own demons, but perhaps not always aware or
conscious of the impact on others. He was revered by his contemporaries
regardless and his legacy lives on. It’s arguable that if it wasn’t for Paul
Weller’s obsession with Marriott for example that The Jam may never have been
and wouldn’t still be recording today.
Steve
Marriott’s body of work, with Small Faces and Humble Pie speaks for itself.
All Or Nothing is the perfect book to compliment those records.
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