164 replies to this topic

[ancre]

I'm reading the book currently. It's well written and honest even though some events are not discussed at all. I really like those small anecdotes that proove Amy's humour and wit, even in the most difficult moments.

Just one funny moment is this for example: When MItch had botox (lol) Amy said to him: "Dad, I don't want you to waste money on drugs".

And this when Amy was in the hospital and asked her dad to bring her some stuff. This is how he himself describes the story:
"Dad, I need some underwear," she said.
"Okay. I'll go to Marks & Spencer and get you some," I said.
"No, Dad, not Marks. Go to Agent Provocateur.
"The fancy lingerie shop? I gulped. "Are you kidding? I can't go in there."
Suffice to say, Amy had her way and I went to Agent Provocateur in Soho, which I found a bit awkward ... I would have been embarrassed saying, "I want to buy some knickers for my daughter," so I said they were for my wife.
Amy was delighted with my purchases, but it was a mistake to tell her how embarrassed I had been. She loved the idea of making me squirm and really knew how to wind me up; she'd done it many times over the years and this time my usual response - "Don't ask me to do this, Amy, ask your girlfriends"- had got me nowhere. The next day she sent me back to buy her a baby-doll nightie.

As for surprising content:

Well, I was really impressed how close they were/are in Amy's family. I just cannot imagin my father doing and sucrifying that much for me.

Unknown facts (at leat for me...):

The precancerous cells story.

And that Amy thought that was pregnant with Reg - twice if I remember right. Reg said he'd marry Amy immediately if she'd got pregnant. He didn't move in to Camden house because he didn't want to be perceived as a sponger that I fully understand but it seems that for Amy it was really hard...

Edited by ancre, 03 August 2012 - 10:59 AM.

[Yuni13eunice]

I'm reading the book currently. It's well written and honest even though some events are not discussed at all. I really like those small anecdotes that proove Amy's humour and wit, even in the most difficult moments.

Just one funny moment is this for example: When MItch had botox (lol) Amy said to him: "Dad, I don't want you to waste money on drugs".

And this when Amy was in the hospital and asked her dad to bring her some stuff. This is how he himself describes the story:
"Dad, I need some underwear," she said.
"Okay. I'll go to Marks & Spencer and get you some," I said.
"No, Dad, not Marks. Go to Agent Provocateur.
"The fancy lingerie shop? I gulped. "Are you kidding? I can't go in there."
Suffice to say, Amy had her way and I went to Agent Provocateur in Soho, which I found a bit awkward ... I would have been embarrassed saying, "I want to buy some knickers for my daughter," so I said they were for my wife.
Amy was delighted with my purchases, but it was a mistake to tell her how embarrassed I had been. She loved the idea of making me squirm and really knew how to wind me up; she'd done it many times over the years and this time my usual response - "Don't ask me to do this, Amy, ask your girlfriends"- had got me nowhere. The next day she sent me back to buy her a baby-doll nightie.

As for surprising content:

Well, I was really impressed how close they were/are in Amy's family. I just cannot imagin my father doing and sucrifying that much for me.

Unknown facts (at leat for me...):

The precancerous cells story.

And that Amy thought that was pregnant with Reg - twice if I remember right. Reg said he'd marry Amy immediately if she'd got pregnant. He didn't move in to Camden house because he didn't want to be perceived as a sponger that I fully understand but it seems that for Amy it was really hard...

Clearly Reg wants to do it in a traditional way even though they slept together; that showed me a proof that Reg is a decent man to Amy and don't want to rush things because to me it seems that Reg loves her very much.

[atlgafan4life]

Manic depression and being put on lithium can really slow you down a lot. My mom took lithium. Manics have an episode and then they crash and become lethargic.Poor Amy I could cry all over again because I have seen what manic depression does and how the disease is not diagnosed properly. My mom would be immaculate.the house spotless and in a manic episode, she would not keep herself up and the house would be a bit scattered. The look on Amy's face reminds me of my late Mom.Sort of out of it and tired. I miss my Mom.

[Courtney_Mo]

I think if all of us put ourselves in her shoes (which mos of us fans prob have) we'd be so overwhelmed and have maybe a little bit better understanding of why she drank/did drugs/self harmed/stayed in a manipulative relationship. Of course it doesn't make it okay, but as we know, all great heroes are flawed, sometimes fatally flawed. I believe Amy fell in this category.

I often thought about how I would fair, If I were famous like Amy. I think the stress and loss of anonymity would drive me crazy. The girl had it tough. I think worst would be the betrayal from "friends" and "family" selling stories , being stalked by the paparazzi, and constant criticism.

I think somewhere in the book, it mentions Amy watching her concerts on youtube at one point. I wonder if she ever read any of the comments or watched some of the less positive videos. People and the press were extra cruel when poking fun or commenting about Amy. Calling her "Wino", "Ugly", "A Waste", etc. Also, that disgusting "When will Amy Winehouse Die" website had to be extra hurtful, if she ever saw it or heard about it (I hope not). Can you imagine battling a serious addiction and people polling to see when you are going to kick the bucket? Or when she had impetigo, the courage it must have taken to go out the house knowing she was going to be photographed and people were going to be talking about how "disgusting" she looked.

She was already so fragile. Fame coupled with any other personal issues would be too much for most.

[dunkinz]

[MENTION=2629]Courtney_Mo[/MENTION]
I think Blake took most part in her downfall too. Became worse when she found out her gf gave birth to their child.. A child that she had been longing for forever.

Poor Amy... I still couldnt read the book again. First attempt brought a lot of tears in my eyes. I even skipped a bit when I thought it's too dreadful to read.

[Amy Jenna Harper]

Yes I agree with you.I think also that Blake was been most part of her life.
I have to say that some parts of the book was really diffcult to read.As you said I agree it is a really honnest book.I was really on tears.Especially when the decline with the drungs,be better the next day and again.

[masterac]

I think somewhere in the book, it mentions Amy watching her concerts on youtube at one point. I wonder if she ever read any of the comments or watched some of the less positive videos. People and the press were extra cruel when poking fun or commenting about Amy. Calling her "Wino", "Ugly", "A Waste", etc. Also, that disgusting "When will Amy Winehouse Die" website had to be extra hurtful, if she ever saw it or heard about it (I hope not). Can you imagine battling a serious addiction and people polling to see when you are going to kick the bucket? Or when she had impetigo, the courage it must have taken to go out the house knowing she was going to be photographed and people were going to be talking about how "disgusting" she looked.

She was already so fragile. Fame coupled with any other personal issues would be too much for most.

Yeah, the part about Amy looking at herself on youtube was something that stuck out to me as well. It did seem like early in her career she would never have bothered caring what anyone else thought about her, but later on, after she'd had all the issues with the drugs and the papparazzi and it had been a while since her last album came out, she seemed to be looking for validation or approval. I don't know if everyone is like this, but I've always been a people pleaser. I crave acknowledgment from other people (which I hate about myself!)

I wonder if this was something that changed in Amy, or if she just hid it well under a false confidence in the beginning of her career? It's hard to tell. From how her dad described her in the book, when she was younger and just starting out around the Frank era, it seemed she genuinely didn't give a f*ck. But I don't know.

Maybe she was really practicing the "fake it till you make it" mantra? Or maybe we're all over confident when we're twenty years old . . .

btw, I'm not at all trying to bash Amy or say that she was fake or anything like that. Just trying to delve into that psychy of hers . . . .

[amylove]

I just hope she saw the positive comments... if there were any before her death. Poor baby. I wish she could see the comments now! I always worried about those "ugly" lists, like I hope she never saw them, but she probably did. I remember that article about how she wouldn't go to her 25th(?) birthday party because she felt too ugly... breaks my heart.
I think the 20s are the worst time for confidence... at least I hope so, haha! But I think everyone puts on a social confidence so people will like them and they get that reassurance. I think Amy lacked self-esteem her whole life but she had such a bright spirit that she was able to push past a lot of it at least temporarily. I believe she was confident in her talent though and it probably gave her such a release to immerse herself in music that she focused on her singing. But who knows.
I wish she had stayed around longer so she could have gotten to the the point of doing interviews and maybe talking about what was really going through her mind at particular times... but we'll never get that. She'll always be a little mystery. I just hope the media/culture can get past her awful drug abuse and see the beautiful, brilliant woman she was. I know she probably won't have a marilyn monroe status, but she's my marilyn.

[LRock10288]

There was one thing that really shocked me in AMD, that I had been somewhat reluctant about bringing to the forums. To be completely honest, I'm not sure I trust what was said in the book regarding Belgrade. I know discussing certain people, and perhaps their credibility, is a sensitive subject here, so I'll try to be as accommodating to that as I can in voicing my opinion.

Page 275, US Version, chapter "Body and Soul" -
"...Ray was trying to pull her off the stage, but she wouldn't leave. She stayed for ninety minutes. Her gigs normally lasted seventy five. It was the worst ever."

I found that excerpt very concerning, considering what Moby himself claimed he saw at the show. Moby is an unbiased party, he has nothing to lose nor nothing to gain by anyone's perception of anyone involved in the entire Belgrade incident. He was simply on the same bill, that's all. He wasn't faced with judgement over what happened, he had no speculation to clear up, he simply stated what he saw during that concert...which just so happened to be seemingly very different than what was briefly claimed in AMD. According to his words, he was backstage and "She was on stage for about 30 minutes, then she left and was lying down on a flight case backstage surrounded by some people...". Nearly every media outlet I could find then said she eventually went back on, but the show only lasted for a total of 1 hour before she was rushed into a car and taken back to her hotel, leaving her band to play the remainder of the show alone in order to fulfill contractual obligations (which I believe was about 10 minutes, as her contract was for a 70 minute concert).

I could be wrong, I wasn't there, and I know that. However, with what Moby said, it didn't sound to me like he was seeing someone who you just couldn't drag off the stage if you wanted to, and every source I've found has said she only took that stage for about an hour. I just can't shake the feeling that something may be fishy credibility-wise in this instance, and if that's the case...what else might've been a bit embellished or twisted in favor of, or against, certain parties?

Did anyone here on the forums just so happen to be at that show? Could you clear up just how long she took the stage?

[MDPA]

I completely agree, LRock. I was hoping for some closure on the subject of Belgrade and there is no way in HELL this book did that for me because it feels as though the truth is being hidden for the sake of other's. I don't think the truth behind Belgrade will ever be revealed.

[JackofHearts]

There was a review that someone linked to here on the forum that was written by someone in attendance the day after the concert. I can't find it now, but I remember the guy saying that she was off stage for a while. I think he also said how long it lasted.
Anyone know the article? It was written on this guy's personal blog and he translated it from his original written in Serbian.

EDIT: Found it! http://iva-is.me/201...by-in-belgrade/

[LRock10288]

There was a review that someone linked to here on the forum that was written by someone in attendance the day after the concert. I can't find it now, but I remember the guy saying that she was off stage for a while. I think he also said how long it lasted.
Anyone know the article? It was written on this guy's personal blog and he translated it from his original written in Serbian.

EDIT: Found it! http://iva-is.me/201...by-in-belgrade/

Great find, thanks! I just don't think that the AMD Belgrade explanation really adds up, to be honest, and even more-so now that I read the story of a fan in attendance.

[ancre]

Mitch wrote that Amy didn't want to talk about Belgrade gig at all, at least with him. Just after the show in the car she asked her manager if it was the worst gig ever so she was conscious that it went wrong, not "out of her head" as some ppl suggested. Few weeks later she confessed to her dad that in Serbia she experienced the most horrible stage fright ever in her life. Those things make me think a lot.

[Divine_Comedy]

I can't help but wonder if Raye tried to take her off stage. Only because by contract she had to perform. I like to believe he did, because they'd been friends for so long. Then again, she was so drunk she was probably didn't want to be taken off stage, drunken logic, maybe? It's still a little up in the air. All I know is that Belgrade was one of the saddest things ever. It just proved she was in a terrible place and needed so much help.

This book was amazing, none of the less. I wasn't really shocked by anything, it was almost like looking at pictures alone told the whole story. She was a free spirit, who really wouldn't listen to anyone. It's just astounding how fragile someone's life can become by just a few years. I loved, though, how nice of a person she really was. How she helped those people. Made me smile. Also, how funny she was. Her sense of humor was spot on. This is a girl to be missed.

[masterac]

There was a review that someone linked to here on the forum that was written by someone in attendance the day after the concert. I can't find it now, but I remember the guy saying that she was off stage for a while. I think he also said how long it lasted.
Anyone know the article? It was written on this guy's personal blog and he translated it from his original written in Serbian.

EDIT: Found it! http://iva-is.me/201...by-in-belgrade/

Wow, thanks [MENTION=3074]JackofHearts[/MENTION], I'd never read that article before. I'm always amazed at the new materials that continuously pop up on here.

I guess it's like [MENTION=2467]ancre[/MENTION] said, since Amy didn't talk to Mitch about it, he couldn't really relate what happend in AMD. I don't think we'll never get more insite on it though. There was just too many people in her camp that night not to have at least some clue as to what was going on (band, management, back-up singers). If, for instance, Zalon wrote a book (which I'm not saying he should), I'm sure he'd have a lot more to say on Belgrade.

But yes, the one dodgy thing that's been said in the media and in AMD is Mitch saying management tried to pull her off stage. I don't know, this is just my amateur observation but, when she's standing there with her arms crossed staring out into the audience, it doesn't look like she's dieing to stay onstage. And maybe this is me being naive, but once she left stage the first time, couldn't they just, you know, force her to leave and not go back onstage?