Closer You Are, Matthew Cutter
Closer You Are, Matthew Cutter
1 Rating(s)
List: $31.99 | Sale: $22.40
Club: $15.99

Closer You Are
The Story of Robert Pollard and Guided By Voices

Author: Matthew Cutter

Narrator: Matt Amendt

Unabridged: 13 hr 30 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Da Capo Press

Published: 08/21/2018

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

The authorized biography of Robert Pollard, indie rock icon and founder of the music group Guided By Voices

Robert Pollard has been a staple of the indie rock scene since the early '80s, along with his band Guided By Voices. Pollard was a longtime grade school teacher who toiled endlessly on his music, finding success only after adopting a do-it-yourself approach, relying on lo-fi home recordings for much of his and his band's career. A prolific artist, Pollard continues to churn out album after album, much to the acclaim of critics and his obsessive and devoted fans. But his story has never been faithfully told in its entirety. Until now.

Author Matthew Cutter is a longtime friend of Pollard and, with Pollard's blessing, he's set out to tell the whole, true story of Guided By Voices. Closer You Are is the first book to take an in-depth look at the man behind it all, with interviews conducted by the author with Pollard's friends, family, and bandmates, along with unfettered access to Pollard himself and his extensive archives.

Robert Pollard has had an amazing and seemingly endless career in rock music, but he's also established himself as a consummate artist who works on his own terms. Now fans can at long last learn the full story behind one of America's greatest living songwriters.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Jak on September 07, 2018

The first half of the book is great, who doesn’t love an underdog story? A mid-west jock grows up making tons of fake album covers for bands that don’t exist. He becomes a married middle-aged teacher with kids who breaks up his basement band with a lawyer and someone that works in sandpaper factory......more

Goodreads review by Sarah on September 14, 2018

GBV has been my favorite band since 1994 (although of late they’ve taken a back seat to Wussy, but that’s another story), so this is essential reading. More in-depth and covers more ground than Jim Greer’s book that came out a number of years ago. I don’t think this will appeal much beyond GBV fans,......more

Goodreads review by Wampus on September 03, 2018

This is an expert apprising of the works and processes of Bob Pollard. It's an authorized biography but it does show Pollard's flaws and bad moments. Putting him and his work in the context of life in Cold War Dayton and capturing the theme of Bob's creative output and industry as his way to capture......more

Goodreads review by Cody on September 10, 2021

More informative than Jim Greer’s Hunting Accidents, this ably informs us good kids all we could ever hope to know about “Fretless” Dan Toohey. And if you get that reference, this book is for you. “My tongue that moves slow/a minute before the evil street/ Breath Woman captures a ghost/blurring swea......more

Goodreads review by Danny on August 25, 2018

Not sure if this is of interest to people who don't already like GBV, but it has great psychological insights into what makes Pollard tick. Full cooperation from Pollard leads to great anecdotes and archival stuff, too.......more