All Right Now: Life Death And Life Again

Titre : All Right Now: Life, Death And Life Again

Auteur : Andy Fraser (with Mark Hugues)

Date de publication : Avril 2015

Editeur : Foruli (UK) 

Type : Essai

Andy Fraser en 1972

Bass guitarist Andy Fraser (1952-2015) joined the band Free at the age of fifteen, and was still a teenager when he co-wrote All Right Now. The song became one of rock's most-played and best-loved anthems. After leaving Free in 1972, Fraser went on to write for Robert Palmer (Every Kinda People, Mean Ol' World and Vinegar Joe's Talkin' 'Bout My Baby), Chaka Khan, Joe Cocker, Rod Stewart and many others. A period of personal discovery led to Fraser coming out as gay. He contracted HIV in the late 1980s and fought to survive. After finding the right treatment, he was healthy for a long time and remained active as a musician and songwriter. Andy Fraser died of a heart attack in March 2015, at the age of 62.

In this candid memoir Fraser reflects on early fame, fatherhood, coming to terms with his sexuality and HIV-status, and life on the road in the golden age of rock. He also speaks about his long friendship with Robert Palmer. 

EXCERPT

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"There was a train to Woking from London and someone was coming out to visit, maybe Robert Palmer who didn't drive, and I'd been giving instructions about which train to get. I'd known Robert for ages, back when he was Alan Robert Palmer. Then he got signed by Island as part of Vinegar Joe. He had a flat near Hampstead Heath and I'd go round there a lot. He turned me on to Marvin Gaye. He was a wonderful, sweet, open guy but a serial substance-abuser and I think he'd decided it was probably in his best interests that he didn't learn to drive." 

Robert Palmer couldn't drive