Step back in time to early 1970s British pop and then fast forward through punk, rockabilly, New Wave and even some country music. You are living the wacky life of a British music reporter and it’s Too Late to Stop Now!

It is no surprise now to discover that Elton John is a polite nerd or that Sting is an insufferable egomaniac. Most of the musicians that will be familiar to Americans contain few surprises within their chapters. The biggest surprise is found in the chapter dedicated to the Rolling Stones, in which none of the Stones appear. What?

However, I really enjoyed reading the stories of bands that were popular in the UK that never made it to America at all. As I was reading, I asked Alexa to play the songs mentioned. Many of them were great or at least equivalent to American music at the time.

Too Late to Stop Now is a good way to find “new” music to listen to. However, most of the stories are predictable and run together into one blurry memory like the morning’s memories after a blackout drunk session the night before. Also, some of the very British slang and other references may be incomprehensible to Americans. It was too much for my kindle’s dictionary as well.

The book reads less like a tell all and more like a memoir of a nostalgic reporter’s drunken escapades alongside stars of the time. I, for one, feel like I have a hangover headache just from reading it. 3 stars.

Thanks to Bloombury Caravel and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

Too Late To Stop Now is More Rock N Roll War Stories.  This book contains 42 different stories - including such greats as Elton John, Joe Cocker, The Rolling Stones and Elvis Costello and spam from 1974 to 2014! Each Chapter is from a different point in time so you can either read straight through, pick and choose or do a couple every night!  Some of these stories may be hard to believe but are all equally fascinating. At one time I wanted to be a music reporter, so it's fun to see all I was missing out on.  Or was I? 

I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

Too Late To Stop Now: More Rock 'n' Roll War Stories will be released on July 25, 2023. Bloomsbury USA provided an early galley for review.

I had not read Allan Jones' 2017 Can't Stand Up For Falling Down of which this new book is a follow-up companion of sorts. Still, as a music fan, I enjoy hearing the behind-the-scenes details from favorite musicians and such. My hope was to hear some good stories.

Allan's offerings here cross the decades, going from 1974 all the way into 2014. There are several familiar names as well as some that are completely unknown to me (British fans might have the advantage here as Jones wrote and was editor for Melody Maker for a large portion of this time period). His approach is casual and approachable, with each story covered in small, digestible takes. That makes this is easy volume to read and use for reference.

What I got out of his stories (and so many music biographies that I often read as well) is the reminder that these performers that fans often put on pedestals are, in fact, just everyday kind of folks who just happen to have talents and a means to share them with the world. I find this to be a great study in humanity and character. I would recommend this one specifically to folks who like to get behind the music and the stage personas.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Bloomsbury USA for an advance copy of this book of recollections on meeting the famous, the infamous, and the forgotten in both the world of music, film, and other odd places.

The art of interviewing famous people has become as controlled and regimented as just about everything else in the world has. Zoom meetings have taken the place of mass interviews where a star would sit in a hotel and answer the same questions over and over. A member of the star's team would be present, stopping questions outside the project being pushed, or what was discussed earlier. Zoom gives even more power to the stars, as one can be banned, or if done using Twitter or Meta, just blame the horrible programming. The days of the embedded journalist are probably over. For COVID reasons, stars can't get sick, and for cost, no media organization is going to pay for ten nights at the Chez Expensive to find out what an American Idol runner-up is going to do. Plus with podcasts so easy to do, who needs media when Bruce Springsteen can do his own show, and again control all the questions, and who gets to hear it. That's why books like Too Late To Stop Now: More Rock’n’Roll War Stories by rock journalist Allan Jones are so important, and yet seem from a bygone age. Sitting with a star and asking questions, and calling them on their bad answers, is shocking for the rawness and the information that one gets. And is a lot of fun to read.

Allan Jones was lucky to talk to many people, and have a magazine that not only put up with him, but paid him to talk to these people. A talk with Peter Gabriel about justifying his exit from the band Genesis, to talking to Jon Anderson about the band Yes leaving him. Jones is almost rude in his questions, but in his not treating them like porcelain dolls, Jones gets to the truth of the matter with them. Jones was able to speak to people at their best, sometimes their worst, or even more interesting lost. Or drunk, high and full of conspiracies. Jones interviewed Little Feat hours after full cavity searches by English custom inspectors. Drank numerous bottles of champagne with Elton John after his album Caribu came out. Smoked primo dope with Roy Harper while Harper wondered about his career and why it never took off, Embedded himself bands in America, and even drank and got a a decent interview with Lou Reed. That in itself is a story to be proud of.

The stories are told from interviews with a lot of filling in. Sometimes modern mentions can be a little weird like a mention of QAnon in an interview with Peter Gabriel. The stories are interesting in some ways, a few are bands that might have been big in England or Japan, not so much here. However they are mostly interesting, if not outright hysterical. Funny in that idea that there music was going to change the world, or in some bands be remembered forever. Also sometimes Jones tends to talk alot about how annoying he finds some of them, and there are quite a few mentions of hopefully this interview will be over so I can get to the pub.

Recommended for music fans, especially English music fans. The interviews can be quite revealing, and funny. The real feeling is that this was a special time, that could and will never happen again. No media company would print these reviews, or even follow a band for longer than a Zoom call. However for fans like myself who love to listen and read about music, this book is really fun.

Let me start by stating that music is important to my life. I don't play music, but hearing a record for the first time, or seeing my favorite bands/singers live has such an affect on me. There's nothing that soothes my soul more.
That's why I decided to check this book out. I'm a fan or music biographies, or music behind the scenes books. This is one of them. There are some great stories in this book. Sadly, most of them are self-indulgent about the author bragging about getting drunk or high on a lot of drugs with the band. I understand that's part of the rock and roll world, but it's overkill with the author trying to take center stage in some stories. Where the book works, it tells some great stories of the singers/bands talking about how they formed, and behind the scenes of their albums/tours. This was a good book, but I wished for more of the essays that were great such as the ones told about John Cale, R.E,M., and The Clash.

Thanks to Net Galley and Bloomsbury USA for the advanced copy.

#TooLateToStopNow #NetGalley

This was actually about 3.5 stars.

This is a great book full of interviews the author did during his times working for various magazines. It’s all over the place in terms of who he interviewed, so it’s got something for everyone.

Jones doesn’t pretend to like all the people he interviewed and I thought that was one of the best things about him. He shows you can still get a good story without having to suck up to celebrities. It’s refreshing.

Lots of good things here. You’ll definitely find a few you’ll love.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.