One For The Road - The Life & Lyrics of Simon Fowler & Ocean Colour Scene

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Revealing a panoply of disparate influences from William Yeats and Cole Porter to David Bowie, Lou Reed and Neil Young, Simon reveals the stories behind the songs, the people and the places that inspired them and how he feels about them now.

Expect a very special evening when we are joined by Simon Fowler, frontman of Ocean Colour Scene for an evening of storytelling and acoustic performance. Discussing his extraordinary book, One For The Road, Simon Fowler recounts his life and songwriting through the prism of 69 songs from all stages of his career, from the first song he wrote when he was sixteen, through his formative groups, The Great Betrayal and The Fanatics, to Ocean Colour Scene and their multi-platinum selling albums in the mid-nineties. Revealing a panoply of disparate influences from William Yeats and Cole Porter to David Bowie, Lou Reed and Neil Young, the book reveals the stories behind the songs, the people and the places that inspired them and how Simon feels about them now. Collaborating with his lifelong friend, award-winning author, Daniel Rachel, One For The Road is presented as an extended conversation featuring 69 personally hand-selected songs by Simon, including never seen before original handwritten lyrics, 13 unreleased songs, and over 350 hand chosen photographs and rarely seen items of memorabilia. This new stunning book offers a unique and illuminating visual record of one of the great songwriters. Simon Fowler is a success because of being blessed with a wondrous voice. He writes stunning songs. And he tells a damn good yarn. They are three critical elements that make this book.’ DANIEL RACHEL Simon will play a selection of Ocean Colour Scene classics from ‘The Day We Caught The Train’, and ‘The Circle’’ to ‘Profit In Peace’ alongside a selection of new and previously unheard songs. Following the discovery of a cassette tape recorded in 1986 featuring over 20 previously unreleased songs, including a handful later recorded by Ocean Colour Scene, Simon will play a selection of these for the first time in public.Discussing his extraordinary book, One For The Road, Simon Fowler recounts his life and songwriting through the prism of 69 songs from all stages of his career, from the first song he wrote when he was 16, through his formative groups, The Great Betrayal and The Fanatics, to Ocean Colour Scene and their multi-platinum selling albums in the mid-nineties. Simon will be joined by his lifelong friend, Daniel Rachel. Having grown-up three doors apart, Daniel lived with Simon through the heyday of the nineties and witnessed first-hand the writing of the multi-platinum selling Moseley Shoals. Discussing their adventures from forming bands in the eighties to the Cool Britannia revelry of the nineties, An Evening with Simon Fowler promises to be a unique and heartfelt journey into fame, friendship and era-defining music. Collaborating with his lifelong friend, award-winning author, Daniel Rachel, One For The Road is presented as an extended conversation featuring 69 personally hand-selected songs by Simon, including never seen before original handwritten lyrics, 13 unreleased songs, and over 350 hand chosen photographs and rarely seen items of memorabilia. To find out more about ONE FOR THE ROAD and receive up to the minute news on the book and special offers, visit www.facebook.com/OFTRbook When I was a teenager, my dream was to become a football commentator. Wanting to become a pop star seemed a stretch too far. It seemed daft enough to want to be John Motson, let alone John Lennon.’ SIMON FOWLER

I think that half of songwriting is actually just sitting down and being bothered to do it. You can have as many genius thoughts that you can prescribe yourself but if you don’t sit down and do it then you’ve got nothing.’ SIMON FOWLER It’s brilliant, beautiful, gorgeous, stunning... the kind of book you want to smell and stroke.’ CHRIS EVANS, VIRGIN RADIOSimon will be joined by his lifelong friend and award-winning and best-selling author, Daniel Rachel. Having grown-up three doors apart, Daniel lived with Simon through the heyday of the Nineties and witnessed first-hand the writing of the multi-platinum selling Moseley Shoals. Discussing their adventures from forming bands in the Eighties to the Cool Britannia revelry of the nineties, An Evening with Simon Fowler promises to be a unique and heartfelt journey into fame, friendship and era-defining music.