The Last Mad Surge of Youth

Tony Michaelides

A look at Mark Hodkinson's debut novel

" A good group isn't about everyone being able to shape it, give it a heart. The best bands, the ones that matter, are a group of people singing about their lives, their mams and dads, the streets they came from, the crap jobs they've had, everything. And serving it all up pure to the public saying, 'This is what we are--do you recognise any of it?' All the better if you were dragged up because punters see a kid of glamour in qualor. Ideally they'd like you to have been brought up by wolves, living half wild on the streets. That's what rock 'n' roll is, why bands from these shit estates get to be massive. And do you know why people like all this? It's because they're envious but rooting for you at the same time. Their own gang-the kids they grew up with-didn't stick together. They see you as someone who made it through and they want to be part of it. That's why they buy the records. It reminds them of what could have been.'

This is a quote from the protagonist in Mark Hodkinson's debut novel, 'The Last Mad Surge of Youth'. It pretty much sums up the book which is a wry but warm look at bands, growing up,becoming famous, staying home, celebrity, success, alcoholism, envy, failure and of course, hope. It's something very close to my heart and it fits in gloriously with my own creation, The Insights from the Engine Room. I have plenty myself to say about all that but I'll save it for a blog and sometime later. This isn't about me it's about a writer who is truly facinated by everything that he writes about. He absorbs himself in that place and for that moment and his writing becomes effortless. He's been that hungry wannabe, he started a fanzine, he's been in bands. He's even supported The Stone Roses! It excites him, he's passionate and you can feel it in every word. As he grew older and life's responsibities kicked he realized that writing was both pleasurable and an easier way to pay the rent. From journalism he started his own PR company which allowed him to look at the music industry from both sides of the fence. Well if you include his childhood as that fledgling rock star..... then more than both!

Both Hodkinson's ' The Last Mad Surge of Youth (http://www.pomonauk.co.uk/shop/stor.php) and Graham Jones' 'Last Shop Standing" (http://wwwlastshopstanding.co.uk/page_1231608885546.html) come highly recommended from this end of Tin Can.

Ps A weird afterthought but both titles have the word 'Last' in them and my radio show of old was called 'The Last Radio Programme.' I'm interesting aren't I? Please forward donations to Tin Can so they can pass them on to me for my treatment.