Alan Parker interview Part 2

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Alan Parker Part 2

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Following the death of Anne, Alan didn't rush into writing another book about her son even though her consent had been given to do so AP: "Anne’s death was a bullet out of the blue, sometimes when people take their own lives there are odd signs, but that just happened. One minute things seemed fine and not the next. I was offered book deals within a month of her death by many companies, but I turned everybody down." So what gave Alan the impetus to write "Too Fast to Live"? AP: "I guess ‘Too Fast To Live’ came about purely through my involvement with EMI Records, because the CD was agreed on first, and the book sort of happened because of it, slightly later the same day! I was always pleased with it, and again it did wonders for my career."

It was said at the time that with the publishing of "Too Fast to Live" there was not much left to write about Sid. So I asked Alan what was the motivation for him to write the new book AP: "Well, for a start I was with a much bigger publisher, so I was granted far more room to do things, I spent three years on and off re-interviewing everyone, this is the biggest book I’ve ever written, and those few who have read it, tell me I should be proud because it’s flawless! Which is way past flattering." So will this be the last Sid book? AP: "I don’t think there will be need for another Sid book beyond it, not by anyone. I owe a huge debt to Jane Dalton, because I wasn’t going to write it, and she talked me into it, so God bless her for that, more than anything I just hope people understand that this is the Sid book I spilled blood for."

The new book was originally going to be called "20th Century icon", this is now change to what I consider a stronger title, what was the reasoning behind the change? AP: "The publishers never liked the original title, though I was keen on it and so was my agent, so after a while we decided to change it, what they need was something that fitted with the group, but also outlined the story within the book, and I think ‘No One Is Innocent’ just sums it all up nicely." Personally I think the title works on many levels, what does the title mean to Alan? AP: "There wasn’t a living soul who passed through Sid’s life that was totally innocent, and of course, some where more guilty than others!". It is obvious that Alan is proud of this work, in reference to the Master who taught him to write he said AP: "if Dickens taught me anything, then this is my ‘Oliver!’"

Sid has featured to some extent through Alan's career, would Alan have been the successful author he is today without Sid? "...well I’ve managed to clock up nearly a dozen books that don’t mention him once, so I hope I’d have half a chance, and the plan now is to move forward in a very different direction, but I think we are going to be linked forever, that is now inevitable." This I think is very true. It appears to me Alan and Sid are indelibly linked, but I think this is not a derogatory thing, remember it was Sid's mum who invited Alan to write about her son. It was she who recognised that Alan was the author who was most able to do her son justice, something I don't think she believed was achieved during his life, or after.

Having spent time with Alan I was always curious what he would say to Sid if he met him today, maybe over a pint in the "Spice": AP: "I think if Sid was alive today we’d have a lot to talk about, I have been involved in his world one way or another for 22 years now and that’s longer than he lived! Alan Jones said the other day that I’d kept his flame burning which was really nice." I did notice recently a comment on a Sid pic posted on a MySpace site it read "Thanks mate you opened a lot of doors for me", the comment was posted by...Alan Parker.

Postscript:
Jah Wobble (friend of Sid Vicious and John Lydon) recently reviewed Alan’s new book for the Independent, his views though not all negative weren’t exactly complimentary either. In the review Jah Wobble claims not to have been interviewed for Alan’s book. A point Alan does not accept AP: “Firstly myself and Jah Wobble did meet up, with a number of witness' in Soho... We drank coffee and spoke about the old days... So, for me that's cool... When it came to doing the Bob Harris story” (Jah Wobble and Sid allegedly attacked Bob Harris in London’s Speakeasy Club) AP: “We met with Derek Green (A&M Records) and he name checked Wobble, then I went through Mik Wilkojc at BBC Radio and asked of Bob Harris (yeah, the man himself - who for obvious reasons doesn't do Sex Pistols related interviews) just who was it that attacked you at the Speakeasy? His reply was a simple; ‘Wobble - the one who later ended up in PIL!’. Again Jah Wobble has a different memory of that nights events, it was 30 years ago though.

Alan has his own theories why Jah Wobble appears so negative about his latest work AP: “You will also notice that in his Independent 'review' Wobble hints that there was something was a-miss that Malcolm McLaren was paid for his foreword... Well guess what kids? Wobble was paid very nicely by the Independent, we know this because they admitted it to my agents office... Jah Wobble's book is signed to a major publishing company already, and (by all account) will be on sale next year... To date I wish him all the best with it... Hope it reads well...”

<< I've run out of pictures so it's another gratuitous flesh shot I'm afraid!!

So what next for Alan AP: “I am already hard at work on my next book; it's not remotely got anything to do with Punk and is sanctioned 100% by the group I am working with... "

OPG 2007

Alan Parker Part 1