Hollywood Dream, the Thunderclap Newman Story: Pete Townshend, a Band of Outsiders, and the Birth of British Indie Music

"We were the best worst band. We died but we died in style." - Speedy Keen
Thunderclap Newman stunned the music world in the summer of 1969 with the success of their wonderfully odd debut single 'Something In The Air', which ousted none other than the Beatles from the top of the charts. They followed up with an LP described by Nik Cohn as "one of the finest, most truly bizarre albums of the era" before disintegrating just a few months after its release.This is the story of one of the most unlikely combos in popular music history, and of the four disparate characters who formed its core: Pete Townshend, principal songwriter and guitarist for The Who; his best friend and driver, the singer/songwriter/drummer John 'Speedy' Keen; a fifteen-year-old wunderkind guitarist named Jimmy McCulloch; and finally, an enigmatic telephone engineer who also happened to be a brilliant improvisational jazz pianist: Andy 'Thunderclap' Newman. Rife with both triumph and tragedy, the story intersects with seismic cultural events such as the Apollo 11 moon landing and the massive Woodstock Music and Arts festival, and with legendary artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Thunders, Motorhead, Paul McCartney and The Who. Drawing from exhaustive research and more than fifty interviews with those who were there, Hollywood Dream: The Thunderclap Newman Story provides a detailed, exacting look at the fascinating story of a band who everyone has forgotten but everyone knows.

"I will turn to Wilkerson's book again and again to be reminded of my three dear friends who comprised the band Thunderclap Newman. It's carefully and devotedly researched with lots of input from all kinds of other friends of mine who shared their journey, and that itself builds a unique picture of the kind of Boiler Room world that musicians thrived in during the mid to late '60s. When the Beatles were hauling Mellotrons into the studio Andy Newman was hauling his massive Contrabass Saxophone along with his Kazoo." - Pete Townshend

"Thunderclap Newman were among the most intriguing one-album bands of all time, both for their nearly unclassifiable twist on late-'60s/early-'70s British rock and one of the most improbable mix of musical backgrounds and personalities ever assembled. Hollywood Dream reveals much of the mystery behind the trio's brief but fascinating journey, with an impressive blend of exhaustive first-hand research and deftly entertaining writing and storytelling." - Richie Unterberger, author of Won't Get Fooled Again: The Who from Lifehouse to Quadrophenia

Author: Mark Wilkerson
Publisher: Third Man Books
Published: 10/01/2024
Pages: 424
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.06lbs
Size: 8.00h x 5.00w x 0.99d
ISBN: 9798989908912

About the Author
Pete Townshend is the guitaritst principal songwriter for The Who.

Mark Wilkerson was born in Birmingham, England, in the same year that Thunderclap Newman entered the world. He has written acclaimed biographies of Pete Townshend (2008) and Tomas Young (2016), and coauthored the official Pearl Jam retrospective and New York Times bestseller Pearl Jam 20 (2011). He lives with his wife, Melissa, in Louisville, Kentucky.

His books are:

Who Are You: The life of Pete Townshend (Omnibus Press, 2008). A biography of Pete Townshend, includes an exclusive interview with Townshend, plus interviews with several of his associates and family members. Foreword by Eddie Vedder.

"Extraordinarily detailed... the best Townshend research tool ever." Mojo

"The most detailed, exacting study of his life and music we'll likely get until Townshend releases his own autobiography - and maybe not even then." Rocky Mountain News"

"Endlessly revealing and fascinating... a weighty and articulate study that such a distinguished and monumental musical figure

warrants." Record Collector

Pearl Jam 20, (Simon and Schuster, 2011) ( - New York Times Bestseller. A 20 year official band retrospective, written with the band's full cooperation.

"Essential... Pearl Jam's autobiographical account is one of few that focus on music rather than substance abuse... Attest to their

unwavering connection to their music and their ability to prevent fame from overshadowing art." Library Journal

"A remarkable account of a career... This book will satisfy casual listeners as well as obsessives." Publishers Weekly

"A fun, photo-filled day-in-the-life chronicle of one of America's hardest-working rock bands... Whether or not readers are fans of the

band, the book's coverage of the Seattle grunge explosion during the early '90s is impressive." Kirkus Reviews

Tomas Young's War, 2016, Haymarket Books. A biography of a paralyzed Iraq war veteran and peace activist, based on several bedside interviews with Young and written with the cooperation of his family and friends, including Tom Morello and Eddie Vedder. Cover art by Shepard Fairey; foreword by PhilDonahue.

"Powerful, moving, inspiring." Michael Moore

"Mark Wilkerson's biography of Tomas Young is difficult but essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the ravages of war and the torment suffered by veterans andtheir loved ones." Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!