{"product_id":"berkmans-pop-miscellany","title":"Berkman's Pop Miscellany","description":"Product Description\n\nMarcus Berkmann was for many years the pop critic of the Spectator, waiting like most freelances to get fired. He's also the author of the bestselling Berkmann's Cricket Miscellany, concentrating on the ridiculous true stories and the weird characters of that most eccentric of sports. Here he combines the two, in a wildly entertaining ride through the galloping absurdities of pop, from Elvis Presley's real hair colour, through Janet Jackson's more intimate piercings, to Courtney Love's hatred of cheese. Why does Bono always wear sunglasses? Did Ozzy Osbourne really urinate on the Alamo? What actually happened at Keith Moon's 21st birthday party at the Holiday Inn in Flint, Michigan? There's sex, there's drugs, there's violence, there's even a little rock 'n' roll from time to time. But mainly there are vital questions, now finally answered. Which notable guitarist has unfeasibly tiny hands? Which Britpop star was forced to wear lederhosen as a child? Who said, 'The majority of pop stars are compete idiots in every respect'? And was she wrong?\n\nBook Description\n\nA wildly entertaining ride through the galloping absurdities of pop.\n\nFrom the Inside Flap\n\nMarcus Berkmann was for many years the pop critic of the Spectator, waiting like most freelances to get fired. He's also the author of the bestselling Berkmann's Cricket Miscellany, concentrating on the ridiculous true stories and the weird characters of that most eccentric of sports. Here he combines the two, in a wildly entertaining ride through the galloping absurdities of pop, from Elvis Presley's real hair colour, through Janet Jackson's more intimate piercings, to Courtney Love's hatred of cheese. Why does Bono always wear sunglasses? Did Ozzy Osbourne really urinate on the Alamo? What actually happened at Keith Moon's 21st birthday party at the Holiday Inn in Flint, Michigan? There's sex, there's drugs, there's violence, there's even a little rock 'n' roll from time to time. But mainly there are vital questions, now finally answered. Which notable guitarist has unfeasibly tiny hands? Which Britpop star was forced to wear lederhosen as a child? Who said, 'The majority of pop stars are compete idiots in every respect'? And was she wrong?\n\nFrom the Back Cover\n\nWhich member of the Beach Boys has been married nine times (so far)?\n\nWhich rock legend smacked David Bowie around the chops in a Kensington restaurant and had to be dragged away by his minders?\n\nWhich two 1970s rock stars, entirely separately, passed out face-first into a plate of spaghetti?\n\nWhich member of the Jackson 5 has since moved to Wolverhampton?\n\nWho almost crashed her car the first time she heard 'West End Girls' by Pet Shop Boys?\n\nAbout the Author\n\nMarcus Berkmann has spent more than thirty years sitting in front of various television screens swearing at incompetent England batsmen. In his leisure time he has written columns on sport for Punch, the Independent on Sunday and the Daily Express. He is a regular contributor to Private Eye and film critic of the Oldie, and writes book reviews for the Daily Mail. His books include Rain Men: The Madness of Cricket, Zimmer Men: The Trials and Tribulations of the Ageing Cricketer, Fatherhood: The Truth and A Matter of Facts: The Insider's Guide to Quizzing.","brand":"Little, Brown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40737026998357,"sku":"9781408713853N","price":16.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2481\/5790\/files\/a62a5df0-424c-4f62-b7df-658c1337cd94.jpg?v=1701791943","url":"https:\/\/smeikalbooks.co.uk\/en-us\/products\/berkmans-pop-miscellany","provider":"smeikalbooks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}