I just finished Pattie Boyd's autobiography, and I'm IMMENSELY disappointed. This is the lady that inspired the above songs. That left one superstar for another, who happened to be the former superstar's very good friend. And the love triangle that has fascinated Beatles and Eric Clapton fans forever? It's sort of barely dealt with in this book. I mean, it's straight-forward to Pattie Boyd: George and her were having hard times, so she left and let Eric have her. But come on! This was a tortured four year period for Eric Clapton, and for Pattie Boyd, the four years barely exist. I mean, maybe that's how it was in her head, but I think it's got to be more complicated than that. Doesn't it?
One thing I will say is that when George and Pattie were having problems, I was kind of rooting for George, even though he sounds like a right asshole. I mean, with the cheating and the drugs and the incessant meditating. I know it's history and all--happened--and so rooting for George ultimately means nothing, because historically, George didn't win that fight. But for what it's worth, Eric was probably a bigger asshole than George, because he was not only doing all those things that George was doing, but was doing it while drinking two bottles of brandy a day.
Did I mention that these people's lives were a trifle messed up? Yeah, that.
I wish there were more pictures in the book, because the pictures of Pattie and all these famous people are great. And Pattie's shots from her modeling years are fantastic as well. (Pattie needs to be a guest judge on ANTM with Twiggy, her compatriot and friend.)
Ultimately, though, it's hard for me to recommend this book, because it didn't really bring me very much insight into something I already knew a fair bit about. I'm interested to read Clapton's autobiography to see how much more he goes into the thing.
This is a very good review, it will save me from reading the book. Sounds like she's a bit ambiguous about the man who wrote one of the best rock/love songs of all history. I think I would have been pulling for George too.
Posted by: Layla | October 21, 2007 at 12:10 PM