Sir Elton John and Cillian Murphy have penned forewords for Cocteau Twins star Simon Raymonde’s memoir.
The 62-year-old musician – who is the son of late arranger and composer Ivor Raymonde – was the bass guitarist and keyboard player in the Scottish band from 1983 to 1997, and he has announced his upcoming tell-all tome, ‘In One Ear – Cocteau Twins, Ivor and Me’, which is due to be released on September 12.
He shared on Instagram: “So I wrote a book. You know, like a big grown up kinda thing to do.
“It covers all the good and bad bits, falling over, getting up, shorts, big boy pants, [his father] Ivor, and a big ole love letter to Cocteau Twins too. But I can’t tell you everything here that would be silly. You’ll have to read it yourself…”
‘Oppenheimer’ and ‘Peaky Blinders’ star Cillian, 48, wrote: “A beautiful insightful and honest look into the life of legend and musical polymath Simon Raymonde.”
And music legend Elton, 77, penned: “This is a wonderful book of pop music history. A man obsessed with the beauty of creative artists and wanting to create his own legacy and to enable other musicians to have a voice by releasing their magic. We need more of people like him in a world full of mass-produced mediocrity.”
The blurb reads: “The page-turning memoir of Cocteau Twins’ Simon Raymonde, charting his life and legacy in music. As one-third of seminal band Cocteau Twins, Simon Raymonde helped to create some of the most beautiful and memorable albums of the ’80s and ’90s – music that continues to cast a spell over millions. This is the story of the band, in his words.
“Beginning with Simon’s remarkable childhood and exploring his relationship with his father, Ivor Raymonde (the legendary producer, musician and arranger for acts such as the Walker Brothers and songwriter for artists including Dusty Springfield), the book will journey through the musician’s rise to prominence and his time with Cocteau Twins and This Mortal Coil.
“It will also chart the successful career he has forged running his own label, Bella Union, for the past twenty-seven years, discovering and developing globally renowned artists like Beach House, Fleet Foxes, Father John Misty and John Grant.
“And the narrative will lead us back to the present day, reflecting on Simon’s most recent experiences in the music industry – all while going deaf in one ear.
“A must-read for music fans, this is the incredible tale of Simon’s life and legacy.”