BOOK REVIEW. THE RISE THE FALL AND THE RISE BY BRIX SMITH-START

I read The Rise The Fall and The Rise by Brix Smith-Start. Brix was bassist in The Fall (+ was also married to Mark E. Smith) as well as fronting her own band, The Adult Net + being involved in various musical projects. More recently, she opened several designer boutiques in London with her husband + appeared on various TV shows as a fashion expert/stylist (most notably on Gok Wan’s Fashion Fix).

I really enjoyed the book, it crackles along at a fair old pace and is interesting + heartfelt. She’s smart + funny - generally very open about discussing her relationships + ups + downs of life. I thought she was honest + fair even when she is sometimes uncomplimentary about the likes of Mark E. Smith, she does also discuss her own faults. I actually thought one of the most interesting parts of the book was where she talked about she reconciled her own identity/creative pursuits with that of her partners - first, Mark E. Smith and then Nigel Kennedy. She also discusses a lot of the songs she’s written + her musical career (I particularly liked the chapter about the time she almost joined Hole). There are certain parts where she chooses discretion and doesn’t name names so I guess we will never know who the other famous rockstars are she’s slept with or which one of her hen party has the astonishing trick of being able to open a champagne bottle with their vagina but there’s still plenty to entertain. I’m surprised the women’s magazines haven’t picked up on it more, you’d think it would be right up their street.

I also loved the fact that her name Brix is actually a nickname short for Brixton which she was given for repeatedly playing Guns of Brixton by The Clash.

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 2017