Like The Style Council? Well look no further Iain Munn has compiled the most comprehensive book on the world's best pop band to date. If you thought you knew everything there is to know about this band then you definitely don't, I learnt an insane amount from just the first 50 pages. Iain has not missed a single detail from the bands years producing the best pop songs the world has ever heard! From rising out from the ashes of The Jam to singing on the Live Aid single it's all there and in perfect detail. Just by reading this you can tell Iain loves The Style Council and that they have played a large part in his life.The book follows the chronological order of The Style Council's career from their promising emergence to the downfall under Polydor. It details the likes of every honorary Councillors name and what album/song they played on and when. Imagine the book to be a readable Wikipedia of the best pop group to have ever graced the land. Complete with gloss pages and pictures which depict the bands journey the book brings to life the halycon years of pop music and its eccentric characters. Some of the tales which are told will have you going, "As if!" as these are stories you really want to hear! I for one didn't realise how many people and musicians The Style Council effected over their career. From providing Whitey with his first drumming post to giving Tracie Young a platform for her superb voice The Style Council were very much a people's band. A band that helped those worthy enough to succeed. Iain portrays this excellently and gives you a good idea of just how much of a vital cog in the machine that is pop music The Style Council were!
In terms of the book's layout, it comes with gloss pages complete with pictures and photographs of the bands journey. With clothing being a big thing for me, I would always linger on a page where I saw Paul or Mick wearing something particularly eye catching! With the writing style Iain uses, I found this book an easy read which kept me engaged throughout providing me with details even the most obsessive fan probably didn't know. It also has that re-read feel in the sense that you could just pick it up again to check a date or a time. Almost like a Style Council reference guide, with everything you've ever wanted to know. This book is a triumph and needs to be on any Modernists bookshelf. The Style Council like The Jam were a people's band and this book illustrates that beautifully. The bands complete discography is included and every track is there for you to re-discover all over again. This is the Style Council Bible and delves deeper than anything/one has before! Nice one Iain, good work pal!
