Record Collector
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 12:08 pm
The Singer's Singer: The Life and Music of Matt Monro - A portrait by the singer’s daughter
Though Michele Monro doesn’t say so, the underlying impression of The Singer’s Singer is that her late father hasn’t received the praise his talent warranted. He had a remarkable voice and several hit records during the 60s. Michele only came to know her father during his later cabaret days. He could have been a Vegas star, but discovered that that kind of life wasn’t for him.
With a vast amount of detail that follows copious research, Michele has written a compelling account about a working musician and his loving family. Not everything he touches turns to gold (or, for that matter, gold records) and we can sense his frustration. Part of the problem was being managed by Don Black, a highly capable lyricist who had his own career to think about. In his own memoir, Wrestling With Elephants, Black wrote about Monro’s heavy drinking without appreciating that he was probably part of the problem.
Michele crams as much she can into this biography and, though it’s very welcome, it can be hard going, as one account of a Philippines tour reads very much like another. Matt Monro himself appears to be of the old show business school that doesn’t criticise others so, even though Michele was living at home, she might not know what he really thought.
****
Titan
Reviewed by Spencer Leigh
Though Michele Monro doesn’t say so, the underlying impression of The Singer’s Singer is that her late father hasn’t received the praise his talent warranted. He had a remarkable voice and several hit records during the 60s. Michele only came to know her father during his later cabaret days. He could have been a Vegas star, but discovered that that kind of life wasn’t for him.
With a vast amount of detail that follows copious research, Michele has written a compelling account about a working musician and his loving family. Not everything he touches turns to gold (or, for that matter, gold records) and we can sense his frustration. Part of the problem was being managed by Don Black, a highly capable lyricist who had his own career to think about. In his own memoir, Wrestling With Elephants, Black wrote about Monro’s heavy drinking without appreciating that he was probably part of the problem.
Michele crams as much she can into this biography and, though it’s very welcome, it can be hard going, as one account of a Philippines tour reads very much like another. Matt Monro himself appears to be of the old show business school that doesn’t criticise others so, even though Michele was living at home, she might not know what he really thought.
****
Titan
Reviewed by Spencer Leigh