42 replies to this topic

[dykehaze]

Another book worth reading is Sam Shaker's Loosing Amy. I think it's only available as a kindle book but offers a unique perspective.

[yuni13leopard]

Really good topic:) 

 

I have read both. Really hard to think back on Mitch's as I read it so long ago.

 

I think Amy was totally in awe of Mitch and liked how he doted on her.  The more she played up, the more he was there.  I think Janis however, had her own medical issues and tried to help then took a step back.  Mainly because she knew Mitch could get through to Amy more than her.

 

Both books are so different.  I read Mitch's book before I was a mum and Janis's after so maybe I should re read.

 

Janis was always very close to Cynthia- i think one book mentioned them even holidaying with Alex and Amy as kids minus Mitch. 

 

I miss how active the forum used to be so much. I would look at it once a day usually but with a toddler it's proving impossible. 

 

 Cynthia was in the picture helping raising Amy and Alex because she want to be involved and was afraid that Janis would prevent them seeing Cynthia but Janis chose not to because Janis had a strained relationship with her mum and see Cynthia as a strong female role model I guess.

 

Also I remember in Mitch's book he explained after he left the family home he moved in with his sister Melody and to be quite frank I believe Mitch lied about this part of story. Why would he leave the family home and move in with his sister to be with his lover? Nah he moved in with Jane after he left the family home. 

[yuni13leopard]

I have started to read Janises book, and to me it feels too personal already..

The book started with the story, where amy says (about this book idea) :''Don't do it ,Mum, I don't want people to know who I am", and I sooo understand that. If I imagine my self in her place, I would feel the same way.

 When I read the book it feels a little like when mums tell too much and too private things about their kids to a friends in family dinner.. Like..I don't want for bad peope out there, that only loved the drama and shit about Amy, to read these intim life details about her..

Janise seems like a really nice person, but I just don't understand - Why would you want to tell those thing abot your kid.. 

Maybe its because Im super private person, but it feels too muc 4 me.

Well like what Janis mentioned in the book everything change since Amy died and also due to her MS it doesn't only affect her physically but also her memories so she wants to write the book now before it's too late. 

[yuni13leopard]

it's not a nice thing to say, but I always felt that Mitch kind of used Amy as a springboard for his own attempt to have some kind of fame, and his book didn't exactly dissuade me from thinking this

I would like to say that I agree with you about your comment. Janis explained perfectly well about the personality traits of her kids and Mitch. She mentioned that Alex and her is the quietest, calm, and well behaved. While Mitch and Amy is being loud, sociable, and loves attention. 

 

Mitch's book does offer some reliable accounts about Amy's struggle with alcohol and drugs and Amy's rise to fame because Mitch became involved after Amy signed with her first record label at the age of 18, I read somewhere online according to a close source of Amy's that Mitch was an absent father during Amy's childhood and Mitch decided to get involved when Amy signed her first record label. Mitch clearly expressed excitedly at that time in his book when he learned about Amy's career as a singer and mentioned how rich she will become.

[CRM]

Yes, the rich statement he made kind of gave away his true feelings

[zAMYz]

oh god..poor Amy, she trusted him !!

[zAMYz]

so I FINALLY finished the book "loving Amy", just now.. and it  lef soooo heavy and dark feeling. Amy was in such a dark place in her life and whit that drinking after quiting drugs, I didn't know just how bad her drinking was, but I also was suprised in a BAD way about how rude and disrespectful she was to other people and Janise especially..I think all that drug overdose n'shit turned something in her brain to worse, and that she could never feel happy agaid (heroin does that atfter heavy use).. 

She had some deep and heavy stuff in side her..

I'm a little lost in words..

[yuni13leopard]

so I FINALLY finished the book "loving Amy", just now.. and it  lef soooo heavy and dark feeling. Amy was in such a dark place in her life and whit that drinking after quiting drugs, I didn't know just how bad her drinking was, but I also was suprised in a BAD way about how rude and disrespectful she was to other people and Janise especially..I think all that drug overdose n'shit turned something in her brain to worse, and that she could never feel happy agaid (heroin does that atfter heavy use).. 

She had some deep and heavy stuff in side her..

I'm a little lost in words..

I want to add to your comment is that I am sure you have heard about Amy's documentary that is about to come out this summer. Amy's official documentary Facebook released a picture of a timeline of Amy's life during between 2009-2011 unfortunately it was hard to read because the words is so small and blurry. However I was able to read some timeline and I read about before Belgrade concert she checked into Priory Clinic rehabilitation which we all know about it, but what we all don't know is that according to some sources online that Riva was the one who suggested Amy to check into the rehab because according to the timeline Riva found Amy drunk and self-harming at her Camden home. Unfortunately Amy was already in the dark places when Mitch left the family home. I believed her troubled life started when she was very young. 

[yuni13leopard]

Another book worth reading is Sam Shaker's Loosing Amy. I think it's only available as a kindle book but offers a unique perspective.

I just finished reading Sam Shaker's book. I am amazed at how Sam recounts that Cynthia visited him in his dream to ask him to paint the portrait of her for Mitch. I often wondered if Cynthia had visited Mitch in his dream... Sam was right, Amy is addicted to Blake and she couldn't let him go even though she was with Reg Traviss. 

[yuni13leopard]

I think the timing of the 2 books plays a part in this as well.

Mitch's book comes out right away after she passed and I think he may have wanted her to be seen in a better light. also Mitch was involved in her career and management and therefore was involved in her day to day life. BUT he had very little to write about before her career. Its obvious that he wasnt around as much .. His mother Cynthia seemed to fill the space left by her father who had left home to be with his mistress and her working Mom.

Janiis's book come out later aftet a few years have passsed and she has more to write about in terms of Amy's youth and how she became a singer.

I found Janis's book to be more revealing since she was able to let everybody know who her daughter was before the career and the drugs and she was honest about how much time she spent with her after she became famous. The fact that Mitch met Reg and she didnt just shows that Mitch was around more because he was involved with her management. Most women growing up will bang heads with their mothers , its just normal. I know my mother 

and I could never live together once I turned 18 .. it didnt mean i loved her less .. Also who introduces their mother or family to every man you date?

everyone has secrets and Amy was no different ..Maybe she decided she wanted the relationship with Janis as just mother & daughter ,since there 

was " Daddy Mitch" & Mitch Winehouse manger in her business.  Just my thoughts... 

I am curious about your thoughts on this, Mitch explained in his book when he left home for Jane, he moved in with his sister Melody. Do you believe his story? And frankly I noticed too that Mitch doesn't explain very much about Amy's life before her first label record. I now understood why Cynthia's death was so difficult for Amy because Cynthia was the one who help Janis raising Amy so she was pretty much in her life. 

[yuni13leopard]

I thought reading Amy's journals from her early teens were the most telling.

So much need for control and perfection. It explained a lot.

Where did you find her journals? 

[yuni13leopard]

I want to add to your comment is that I am sure you have heard about Amy's documentary that is about to come out this summer. Amy's official documentary Facebook released a picture of a timeline of Amy's life during between 2009-2011 unfortunately it was hard to read because the words is so small and blurry. However I was able to read some timeline and I read about before Belgrade concert she checked into Priory Clinic rehabilitation which we all know about it, but what we all don't know is that according to some sources online that Riva was the one who suggested Amy to check into the rehab because according to the timeline Riva found Amy drunk and self-harming at her Camden home. Unfortunately Amy was already in the dark places when Mitch left the family home. I believed her troubled life started when she was very young. 

I wish I have Mitch's book with me but if my memory serves correctly- in Mitch's book explained the account of how the decision was made to have Amy's check into Priory clinic. What I remembered is that they found Amy in a state of comatose after binge drinking for days and the doctor wrote a warning letter to Amy. The reason why I brought this up because the Amy's documentary timeline offers a different account which explained before Amy checked into Priory clinic which I explained above is that Riva found Amy drunk and self harming.  Can anyone double check if Mitch mentioned that it was Riva, Alex's then girlfriend now wife who suggested Amy to check into rehab? 

[Uno]

I wish I have Mitch's book with me but if my memory serves correctly- in Mitch's book explained the account of how the decision was made to have Amy's check into Priory clinic. What I remembered is that they found Amy in a state of comatose after binge drinking for days and the doctor wrote a warning letter to Amy. The reason why I brought this up because the Amy's documentary timeline offers a different account which explained before Amy checked into Priory clinic which I explained above is that Riva found Amy drunk and self harming.  Can anyone double check if Mitch mentioned that it was Riva, Alex's then girlfriend now wife who suggested Amy to check into rehab? 

 

Here are the dates from 'Amy, My Daughter'

March 6

Looking back, 6 March seemed like another turning-point for Amy. Riva
called me from Camden Square to say that Amy was drunk and selfharming.
Jane and I immediately drove to the house. When we arrived Amy
wasn’t very drunk, but she had cut herself.


May 17

On 17 May Raye called: Amy had been rushed to the London Clinic
because, after drinking all night, they had been unable to wake her. She’d
come round now, and seemed to be responsive, but she was being kept in
the hospital for overnight observation. The following day she discharged
herself and went home to Camden Square

A few days later I arrived back in London and went straight to see Amy at
Camden Square. She was drunk. Dr Romete was there and told me that
she could no longer be Amy’s doctor as whatever she said to Amy wasn’t
going to stop her drinking. She handed me a letter to give to Amy that set
out all of her medical problems, along with the events of the previous
couple of days. The letter said Amy was in immediate danger of death; it
said she had been in a coma on 17 May, and less than twenty-four hours
later, against medical advice, she had discharged herself from the London
Clinic.


May 24

By 24 May Amy was drinking all the time. Riva suggested that we try to
persuade Amy to go to rehab at the Priory in Southgate, north London.

 

 

I couldn't focus in on any of the words on the Amy documentary timeline photo, other than there were alot of Amys written on it, what were you able to read?

[yuni13leopard]

Here are the dates from 'Amy, My Daughter'

March 6

Looking back, 6 March seemed like another turning-point for Amy. Riva
called me from Camden Square to say that Amy was drunk and selfharming.
Jane and I immediately drove to the house. When we arrived Amy
wasn’t very drunk, but she had cut herself.


May 17

On 17 May Raye called: Amy had been rushed to the London Clinic
because, after drinking all night, they had been unable to wake her. She’d
come round now, and seemed to be responsive, but she was being kept in
the hospital for overnight observation. The following day she discharged
herself and went home to Camden Square

A few days later I arrived back in London and went straight to see Amy at
Camden Square. She was drunk. Dr Romete was there and told me that
she could no longer be Amy’s doctor as whatever she said to Amy wasn’t
going to stop her drinking. She handed me a letter to give to Amy that set
out all of her medical problems, along with the events of the previous
couple of days. The letter said Amy was in immediate danger of death; it
said she had been in a coma on 17 May, and less than twenty-four hours
later, against medical advice, she had discharged herself from the London
Clinic.


May 24

By 24 May Amy was drinking all the time. Riva suggested that we try to
persuade Amy to go to rehab at the Priory in Southgate, north London.

 

 

I couldn't focus in on any of the words on the Amy documentary timeline photo, other than there were alot of Amys written on it, what were you able to read?

Thank you for clarifying, it has been years since I read Mitch's book and plan on reread soon. It made sense on why Amy used a pink and black dress that cover both of her arms on March 23 when she met Tony Bennett and recorded Body and Soul. It's so sad because she didn't realized she is so lucky to record with a person like Tony Bennett, she was so in awe so is her father. Nothing is going to stop her drinking, and I kept wondering since there are some quote online wandering stated that she said she won't stop drinking unless Blake help her out of it, I don't think that is true. She already has her addiction traits way before she met Blake. 

 

As for timeline it's so hard to read but I could see for a fact that the year of 2007 was a VERY BUSY year for Amy, as Mitch stated in his book that 2007 was a very bad year for Amy. So it made sense why he stated that because she went through a lot and fame was getting to her so it all made sense now. 

 

*What I could read that we all most know since it was has been the papers in the year of 2009 when Amy flew to Saint Lucia, she was seen with Josh Bowman and that led to Blake to file the divorce from Amy.

 

*Blake was released from prison while Amy was in St Lucia -2009 

 

*According to timeline Amy lived in Hadley Wood Barnet from March 2009-Feburary 2010. 

 

*Amy punched a fan in London, she later plead not guilty-2009 It was on the news at that time we all already know.

 

*Amy was supposed to fly U.S. to perform at Coachella but cancelled due to assault charge-2009 was in the news at that time.

 

* Amy headed back to the Caribbean to headline the (#?) annual Saint Lucia Jazz Festival. -2009. 

 

* Amy was hospitalized due to dehrydration in St Lucia-2009. 

 

*introducing Dionne Bromfield album is mentioned in the timeline and was released under Amy's new record label.-2009 

 

* After the Introducing Dionne Bromfield album released, Amy's parents Mitch and Janis makes a public plea for Amy to stop drinking due to her drinking habit escalated after quitting drugs while in drug treatment program.-2009

 

* Amy caused a stir at a Cinderella play which led her to being arrested for assault.-2009 was in the news at that time.

 

*One thing I am very confused according to 2009 timeline: Amy and Reg already talked about getting married. If that was Blake they would mentioned about talking getting married AGAIN. Again was not mentioned. This subject has mentioned in Mitch book that they already talked about getting married and have children but to my impression that the marriage subject was brought up recently. So I find this surprising since they have met shortly and already talked about marriage.

 

2010:

 

*Very hard to read but it says that Reg was seen with Raven-ex girlfriend?-2010 

 

*Amy had a tension with her band during the rehearsal (hard to read the reason). AMY HAS WRITTEN A FEW NEW SONGS-2010 

 

*Amy leaves at a restaurant in London looking glum following a _____ with her husband Blake? Amy had Dionne _____________. -2010

 

* Amy pleads guilty to assault a manager and was fined.-2010

 

* Papers reports that Amy is working with Fred Perry-2010

 

*After a couple of weeks papers published pictures of Amy and Reg Traviss together. The Sun reports Amy checked into London Clinic after a heavy drinking session.-2010

 

* Harper's Bazaar released a promoting interviews/pictures with Amy for her clothing line with Fred Perry.-2010

 

*Amy performs at Hawley Arms?-2010

 

* Reported that a wealthy Russian paid 1.5 million dollars for Amy to play a gig in Moscow, Russia.-2010 

 

Amy moved into Camden Sq home in March of 2010. 

 

I cannot read the 2011 timeline very much but will try my best: 

 

2011:

 

*Amy performed at Summer Soul festival 2011 in Brazil.-2011

 

* Amy recorded Body and Soul with Tony Bennett.-2011

 

* Riva finds Amy drunk and self harming at her flat in Camden Sq.-2011

 

It's all I could read on the timeline it's so hard to read so these is what I could make it out from that blurry timeline. 

[Mizzwanned]

She did realize how lucky she was to record with Tony though, she was in awe of HIM and thought lowly of herself. She wanted her singing to be perfect and you could see in the video of her recording with him that she kept stopping because she didn't want to waste his time. I just think that she didn't think she deserved any of it or was worthy enough. Of course I, and many other people do think she was worthy. She was epic.