Synopses & Reviews
After an idyllic provincial 70s childhood, the 80s took Andrew Collins to London, art school and the classic student experience. Crimping his hair, casting aside his socks and sporting fingerless gloves, he became Andy Kollins purveyor of awful poetry, disciple of moany music and wannabe political activist. What follows is a universal tale of trainee hedonism, girl trouble, wasted grants and begging letters to parents.
Synopsis
After an idyllic 70s childhood, the 80s took the author to art school. He crimps his hair, sports fingerless gloves, and becomes Andy Kollins purveyor of awful poetry, disciple of moany music, and wannabe political activist.
Synopsis
'Higher education comes at exactly the right time: in the twilight of your teens, you're just starting to coagulate as a human being, to pull away from parental influence and find your own feet. What better than three years in which to explore the inner you, establish a feasible worldview, and maybe get on Blockbusters.'
After an idyllic provincial 1970s childhood, the 1980s took Andrew Collins to London, art school and the classic student experience. Crimping his hair, casting aside his socks and sporting fingerless gloves, he became Andy Kollins: purveyor of awful poetry; disciple of moany music, and wannabe political activist. What follows is a universal tale of trainee hedonism, girl trouble, wasted grants and begging letters to parents.
A synth-soundtracked rite of passage that's often painfully funny, it traces one teenager's metamorphosis from sheltered suburban innocent to semi-mature metropolitan male through the pretensions and confusions of trying to stand alone for the first time in your own kung fu pumps in a big bad city.
About the Author
Andrew Collins began his journalistic career at the NME and went on to edit Q magazine. He has written for Select, The Observer, GQ, New Statesman and is now Radio Times Film Editor. He has hosted Radio 4's Back Row, won a Sony Gold award for Collins & Maconie's Hit Parade on Radio 1 with Stuart Maconie and presents Teatime on BBC 6 Music. He was an EastEnders scriptwriter and his first sitcom, Grass, co-written with Simon Day, premiered on BBC in 2003. Author of Still Suitable For Miners, official biography of Billy Bragg, and Friends Reunited, he co-wrote and performed Lloyd Cole Knew My Father on stage and for radio.