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Bookazine Book Review: Sorted in 30 Days - Finding Love
by Lang Reid
 This
week’s review book had such an intriguing title I had to have it to
read! It is one of a series of four “Sorted in 30 Days” books which
includes Relationships, Career and Money as well as Love. Sorted in 30
Days - Finding Love (ISBN 1-84222-507-3) is published by Carlton Books
in the UK and is written by Caro Handley who is described as a highly
successful life coach and best selling author of six other books. The
titles of the final two were not given, perhaps their subject matter
takes longer than 30 days.
The promise is in the introduction, “If you’re open and willing, I will
show you, step by step, what you need to do. In thirty days you can
transform your world and make changes you never imagined possible. The
path to finding love is an exciting one and with each step you take you
will feel love draw ever closer.”
The book is then divided up into the 30 days of preparation, waiting for
the knight in shining armour, or the frog kissing prince.
Day one begins with saying “I am ready for love.” However, don’t fret,
you have another 29 days of count-down before blast off. On the eighth
day you spend the 24 hours talking yourself up, so that by day fifteen
you have talked yourself into being fabulously attractive, despite the
recurrent acne. Your prince will easily think you are a frog and kiss
you. With any luck you won’t wake up.
By day twenty seven the book is advising the young lady reader just what
type of men to avoid, and the ones to go for, to hell with “love”, with
or without a capital “L”. The man for you, Cynthia, is generous with his
money and is solvent. In other words, he makes enough to be generous and
still have money to be left over.
The review copy was made available by Bookazine, first floor Royal
Garden Plaza, next to Black Canyon and Boots and has an RRP of 295 baht.
At under 80 pages, this is a lightweight book and the contents likewise.
I find difficult to imagine there are so many gormless people in the
world that they need constant propping up by books such as this. But I
must be wrong, Ms Caro has another three of these books which must sell.
Then of course, I do have the advantage that I can walk down most
streets to a chorus of “Hello, sexy man. Sit down please.” I don’t need
page six with its “evidence that a great relationship is possible is all
around you.” The bar next door considers me sexy too and wants me to sit
down there as well.
I really didn’t know what to do with this book. It is not thick enough
to use as a door stop, but too thick to be used to level the table legs
to stop wobbling. But then, I am not 16 years old and desperately
looking for love, in case I have been left on the shelf aged 17.
Mott’s CD review:
Mott the Hoople - All The Young Dudes
by Mott the Dog
 *****
5 Stars Rating
The album from Mott the Hoople that was considered by most fans to be
the End, the Beginning and the End. Confused? Let me explain. After four
critically acclaimed, but poorly selling albums, numerous sellout shows
all across Europe and early forays into the United States, the group of
five musicians collectively known as Mott the Hoople decided to call it
a day after a particularly disastrous concert in Switzerland. “The End”.
Upon hearing this, David Bowie a huge Mott the Hoople fan, persuaded
them to keep at it, gave them the song “All The Young Dudes”, offered to
produce their next album, persuaded Tony Defines to take the band onto
his management label Mainman, buy them out of their contract with
Island, and got them re-signed on a new contract to C.B.S. The
Beginning.
Although all this brought Mott the Hoople, and particularly Ian Hunter,
international success, it also hastened the departure of keyboard player
Verden Allen, never to be heard of again on the international rock
scene; and guitar player/second vocalist Mick Ralphs, who went off to
form “Bad Company” with Paul Rodgers and we all know what’s happened to
them. The End.
But free from the pressures of their Island contract, Mott, under
Bowie’s guidance, produced an absolute corker.
Opening with a Rockin cover of Lou Reed’s “Sweet Jane”, taken much
faster than “Velvet Underground” would ever have dared, gave the album
an eye opening start. Mott had never heard the original version before
recording it, just following what Bowie strummed on guitar. In fact,
bass player Overend Watts thought the song was called “C.J.” until he
saw the song title written down on the album cover. Nonetheless, a great
song and a particular favorite of Mr. Rock ‘n’ Roll, the D.J. at
Tahitian Queen.
After hard rockin’ self-composed track “Momma’s Little Jewel” comes the
Bowie song “All The Young Dudes”. Released as a single proceeding the
album it had been a top ten hit all over Europe and Motts first top
thirty hit in the United States. Although a Bowie written song, Mott had
made it their own with Mick Ralphs’ guitar playing and Ian Hunter’s
fantastic rap outro. The album continues with three Mott rockers, all
staying in their live set in one form or another until their demise
three years later.
Then comes Verden Allen’s moment of glory, his first solo composition to
be released under the Mott the Hoople banner. Unfortunately it foretold
of future trouble, as the title suggests, poor old Verden felt he was on
“Soft Ground”. It is still one of my favorite Mott the Hoople tracks and
is undoubtedly one of the heaviest keyboard sounds ever laid down in a
recording studio. The lyrics perhaps tell their own story:
“Too many people about,
Telling me what to do with myself,
It’s hard to get around
Walking on soft ground”
Mick Ralphs contributed a superb composition with “Ready For Love”,
essentially one song with two hook lines, which Mick later took and
re-recorded for Bad Company’s debut album.
The album closes with the emotional “Sea Diver” (which was to give its
name to Mott the Hoople’s fan club). For this David Bowie brought in his
co-producer and lead guitarist Mick Ronson, who arranged and conducted
dramatic strings and brass for this Ian Hunter composed song ironically
written about the difficulty of writing a hit single.
The album entered the U.K. charts on 23 September and stayed for four
weeks, reaching number 21. The critics acknowledged that it was a much
cleaner sounding Mott the Hoople and predictably noted a Rolling Stones
“feel” on many tracks. The British album release contained black and
white group photos, the back of the U.S. Jacket featured colour live
shots of the band members. The original album sleeve concept had
comprised a photo of a young boy brandishing a cardboard cutout guitar
by Bob Rock. However, for some reason better known to record company
executives, it was changed to a rather bland illustration of three
finely attired but slightly threatening “Young Dudes”. See which album
cover you think suits Mott the Hoople best. Nonetheless, a ground
breaking album setting Mott the Hoople on the fast lane to Rock ‘n’ Roll
stardom.
Musicians
Ian Hunter - Vocals & Piano
Mick Ralphs - Vocals & Guitar
Overend Watts - Bass
Buffin - Drums
Verden Allen - Vocals & Organ also lead vocals on Ready For Love and
Soft Ground
David Bowie - Saxes
Track Listing
1. Sweet Jane
2. Momma’s Little Jewel
3. All The Young Dudes
4. Sucker
5. Jerkin’s Crocus
6. One Of The Boys
7. Soft Ground
8. Ready For Love / After Lights
9. Sea Diver
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