Van Morrison: No Surrender
Encyclopedia
Van Morrison: No Surrender is a biography
of musician Van Morrison
, written by Johnny Rogan
. It was first published in 2005 by Secker & Warburg, and another edition was published by Vintage Books
in 2006. Rogan interviewed musicians and friends of Morrison, and spent 20 years researching the book and four years writing it. The book is comprehensive, and goes into detail about multiple facets of Morrison's life. Rogan recounts Morrison's youth in Belfast
, Northern Ireland
, and how early experiences there informed his music. He discusses how Morrison joined various bands before experiencing success with Them
. Morrison later signed a contract with Bert Berns
and moved to New York
, where he became quite popular after recording "Brown Eyed Girl
" and albums Astral Weeks
and Moondance
. Rogan comments on Morrison's exploration of spirituality
, and describes how these experiences influenced his musical work. The biography discusses Morrison's move to Britain
and then Dublin, and his relationship with model Michelle Rocca
.
The book received mostly positive reviews in the media. Kirkus Reviews
called it "a narrative of propulsive drive that is also a reflective, associative piece of social history," and The Sunday Independent described it as "an exhaustive study". The Sunday Times
noted: "What makes this book worthwhile is its fiercely illuminating angle. ... Morrison, as usual, declined to take part but the author's scholarly methods lend this weighty volume a real authority." The Irish Times
referred to the biography as a "superb book", and a review in The Observer
stated "This characteristically accomplished biography shows the singer from every angle." Diarmaid Ferriter
selected the book as his pick in The Sunday Business Post
feature "Authors' choices". The book received negative reviews in The Toronto Star and The Herald
.
, The Smiths
, and Neil Young
. According to Kirkus Reviews
, "there is nary a word directly from the reclusive Morrison's lips" in the book. The Irish Independent
reported that the author relied on interviews with "friends, acquaintances and musicians". Rogan spent over 20 years researching the book, and it took him four years to write it.
Rogan recounted to The Irish Times
the value he obtained from interviews with Morrison's first wife, as well as his partner in a later relationship, Michelle Rocca. "Here was a man who had explored all these mystic religions, had undergone Gestalt therapy, who had been told by a Rosacrucian master that he had something called an 'Angelic Knot', suddenly hanging around fashionable nightclubs and being written about in gossip columns. The relationship with Michelle Rocca certainly helped, in that I got more out of one single interview done by Michelle Rocca than I did, in entirety, from his first wife, Janet Planet," said Rogan.
When it became public in early 2005 that the book would be published, representatives of Morrison contacted the publishers of the book. Said Rogan to The Irish Times: "There has been contact with the publishers, I know that much. When the news broke earlier this year that the book was being published, his lawyers asked to see an advance copy of the manuscript. The publishers refused the request. But then this is a man who when he learnt that there was going to be a plaque erected outside his former Belfast home, got his solicitors to write to the Belfast Telegraph dissociating himself from the tribute." The book was first published in 2005 by Secker & Warburg, and a 2006 edition was published by Vintage Books
. Johnny Rogan appeared on a panel of experts in the 2008 documentary
Van Morrison: Under Review 1964-1974, along with Steve Turner
, author of the 1993 biography Van Morrison: Too Late to Stop Now
.
The biography is comprehensive, covering many different aspects of its subject's life. The author discusses Morrison's early life in Belfast
, Northern Ireland
, and how this influenced his perspective of "no surrender", a reference to Ulster Unionism
. Rogan writes how, a young boy, Morrison exhibited "poor communication skills, aggressive impatience, and absence of empathy", and yearned for positive relations between his Protestant and Catholic
friends. The author notes that a theme of Morrison's youth was his appreciation of music and his pleasure of creating music influenced by gospel
and love. He cites Morrison's cousin Jackie Stitt who said: "He could have been a good sportsman but he had no interest in it at all. He'd play along with you for a while until he got bored - he seemed to tire of it quickly. He'd go indoors."
Morrison did not excel at academics, and focused instead on music. He practiced his music in solitude, and was not skilled at socializing. "One time he said to me it wasn't that he didn't want to talk, but tunes were running through his head all the time. He said he didn't know whether he'd been blessed or cursed because the words and music wouldn't go out of his head," said his mother Violet.
The book focuses on Morrison's musical profession. Morrison joined a band called The Sputniks, which became The Javelins. He joined up with a showband called the Monarchs, then another called Manhattan, and another called the Gamblers. The Gamblers became the group Them
, and Morrison developed his stage presence. "He was a wee runt. Offstage you wouldn't have looked sideways at him. But on stage it was different. There was an animalistic sexuality that he didn't have in his person," said a female fan of Morrison's who witnessed him perform with the band.
The band Them was signed by Phil Solomons, who contracted producer Bert Berns
to work with the group, and Phil Coulter
came on as a musical arranger and lyricist. The group became popular with songs including "Baby Please Don't Go", "Gloria", and "Here Comes the Night". Morrison commented of Them: "Them were never meant to be on Top of the Pops. I mean, miming? lip syncing? We used to laugh at that programme, think it was a joke. Then we were on it ourselves. It was ridiculous. We were totally anti that sort of thing. We were really into the blues... and we had to get into suits and have make-up put on and all that shit."
The group were not sociable with reporters, and according to the book Morrison's drinking habits made him reclusive. "I regret that we couldn't have controlled Morrison better... I think he would have been big if he'd been straightened out at the beginning of his career," comments Phil Solomons about Morrison. "He was on a downer and he was drinking. He wasn't the most bankable of artists. He had been the frontman for another of those R & B bands that had gone up the Swanee and there were three or four versions of Them touring. It was a joke. He was no gift. There weren't record companies falling over themselves to sign him up." says Phil Coulter in the book.
Morrison signed a contract with Bert Berns, and just before he left for New York
made a speech to his friends and ended with: "One day you'll see my picture up on the wall and you'll all say 'I knew him'." An acquaintance who witnessed the speech told the author: "He knew he was different and that his music was good but I thought he was such a nasty character; always rude and quite vulgar." Morrison recorded the song "Brown Eyed Girl
" in New York with Berns, as well as the album Astral Weeks
. He became much more popular with the album Moondance
, and Rolling Stone
commented he had "the striking imagination of a consciousness that is visionary in the strongest sense of the word". Morrison's image graced the cover of Rolling Stone a year after releasing Moondance.
Rogan discusses Morrison's exploration of religion and spirituality. He cites Tom Paulin
, a poet based in Belfast, who notes: "Morrison comes out of not traditional Protestantism, but evangelical Protestantism. That's the foundation of his imagination. He's testifying." Rogan recounts how Morrison became exposed to alternative practices including Gestalt therapy
and Rosicrucianism. According to Rogan, Morrison's exploration of mysticism
, Christianity
, Jehovah's Witnesses
, and Scientology
were influential in his works including Astral Weeks
, "Kingdom Hall", Enlightenment and "Whenever God Shines His Light
". Morrison became wealthy through his music, but he became less successful over the next 20 years of his career. He moved back to Europe
, and lived in Britain
and then settled in Dublin in the 1990s. He met model Michelle Rocca
at a fundraiser held at Leixlip Castle
, and they began a relationship.
described it as a "nearly breath-by-breath biography", and comments: "Rogan's analyses of Morrison's musical palette, critical standing and public image are exhaustive yet never exhausting. ... Sprightly despite its amplitude, a narrative of propulsive drive that is also a reflective, associative piece of social history." The title of a review in the Irish Independent
referred to the book as "an enthralling new biography of the Belfast cowboy", and The Sunday Independent called it "an exhaustive study of Belfast's most famous musical son". A review in The Observer
commented of the book: "This characteristically accomplished biography shows the singer from every angle."
Robert Sandall gave the book a positive review in The Sunday Times
, and wrote: "What makes this book worthwhile is its fiercely illuminating angle. ... Morrison, as usual, declined to take part but the author's scholarly methods lend this weighty volume a real authority." The Journal Gazette called the book: "A definitive, provocative and revelatory portrait of an endlessly complicated man and his music." A review in The Irish Times
characterized the book as a "magical" journey into Van Morrison's life, noting: "Johnny Rogan spent 23 years researching his biography of Van Morrison. It shows. In a book that really should have been titled Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Van Morrison But Were Too Petrified To Ask, this is a magical 'into the mystic' journey which vertiginously takes you from Edward Carson to Leadbelly, from the Mafia to the Rosacrucians, from drinking stories to Gestalt therapy, and from Bernadette Devlin to Terry Keane." Brian Boyd of The Irish Times described Rogan's work as a "superb book".
Diarmaid Ferriter
selected the book as his pick in The Sunday Business Post
feature "Authors' choices". Ferriter commented: "Rogan has to be admired for his perseverance and determination when it comes to chronicling the life and times of contrary musical giants - having previously tackled Morrissey. Well-researched biography is always to be encouraged, particularly when dealing with a difficult and elusive character". David Sinclair, author of Wannabe: How The Spice Girls Reinvented Pop Fam, reviewed the book for The Guardian
, and commented: "Rogan's scrutiny of Morrison's work is undertaken with no less care than that devoted to the details of the singer's life story, and the analysis and appreciation of Morrison's very real accomplishments as a musician provide some welcome ballast to a personal portrayal that is otherwise almost comically unflattering. Rogan's book certainly sheds new light on the life and times of this puzzling and reclusive performer." Sinclair also noted the book takes a negative tone towards some of Morrison's mannerisms, and concluded his review with: "But it may be as well to get hold of a copy before Morrison's legal representatives have had a chance to get out their fine-tooth combs."
Jonathan O'Brien recommended the book in a review in The Sunday Business Post, but noted it focuses more on his life than an analysis of his music: "If you want a meticulously researched, mind-bogglingly detailed account of his early years growing up in Belfast, his schooldays in Orangefield, his time as an unpopular member of the Olympics showband and so on, then, once again, No Surrender is heartily recommended. If, however, you're expecting a rigorous and comprehensive analysis of Morrison's music, of its textures, its surfaces - how and why it sounds the way it does - then you've probably come to the wrong place." O'Brien concluded his review by writing: "For all its flaws, No Surrender is a strong, absorbing biography, and never less than well written. It's just that it could potentially have been far, far better." John Beck of The Press Democrat observed that the biography "paints him [Morrison] as a mercurial genius at best and a cantankerous lout on a bad day". In their 2008 book Northern Ireland After the Troubles, Colin Coulter and Michael Murray referenced the biography and stated it puts forth "the view that Morrison's persona has been shaped by a specifically Ulster Protestant sensibility". Bernard Perusse of The Gazette
described the earlier biography Van Morrison: Too Late to Stop Now as "more superficial but more positive" than Rogan's book.
Kevin Courtney reviewed the book for The Irish Times, and observed: "For fans of Van Morrison's music, No Surrender might seem somewhat blasphemous, focusing not so much on Van the artist, but on Van the not-very-nice man. But Rogan also pays tribute to Morrison's pure, untainted artistry, and details the development - and subsequent decline - of Morrison's muse over the past 40 years or so. For the serious Van-ologist, Rogan's painstaking research yields an abundance of detail about Morrison's early years". Graeme Green of the Daily Express
noted that Rogan "concentrates far more on Van the man than it does on his music, with the singer largely portrayed as difficult, selfish and aloof". He noted that Morrison would turn 60 the year the book was published, and commented "When the singer celebrates his landmark birthday this year, it's a safe bet Rogan's name won't be on the invite list."
Nick Krewen gave the book a negative review in The Toronto Star. Krewen critiqued what he saw as the thesis to Rogan's book, commenting: "Here is the premise of Van Morrison: No Surrender: Because the Belfast-born Morrison was raised in Ulster ... and subjected to violent religious prejudice, the musician embodies a symbolic metaphor of Northern Ireland's defiant nature. That's it." Krewen noted that "the book does capture Van the Man's evolution into an electrifying showman during his Monarchs and Them years." The book also received a negative review from Martin Tierney in The Herald
, who wrote: "The title here is more than a little contrived as Rogan attempts to draw parallels with the sectarian troubles in Morrison's home turf and the maestro himself. It doesn't work, given that Morrison has never been political, thankfully sticking to music. It is, however, detailed and comprehensive in its sources, and as such carries on that great tradition of bashing the odious one."
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
of musician Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
, written by Johnny Rogan
Johnny Rogan
Johnny Rogan is an author of Irish descent best known for his books about music and popular culture. He has written influential biographies of The Byrds, The Smiths and Van Morrison. His writing is characterised by "an almost neurotic attention to detail", epic length and a sometimes hostile...
. It was first published in 2005 by Secker & Warburg, and another edition was published by Vintage Books
Vintage Books
Vintage Books is a publishing imprint founded in 1954 by Alfred A. Knopf. Its publishing list includes world literature, fiction, and non-fiction...
in 2006. Rogan interviewed musicians and friends of Morrison, and spent 20 years researching the book and four years writing it. The book is comprehensive, and goes into detail about multiple facets of Morrison's life. Rogan recounts Morrison's youth in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, and how early experiences there informed his music. He discusses how Morrison joined various bands before experiencing success with Them
Them (band)
Them were a Northern Irish band formed in Belfast in April 1964, most prominently known for the garage rock standard "Gloria" and launching singer Van Morrison's musical career...
. Morrison later signed a contract with Bert Berns
Bert Berns
Bertrand Russell Berns , most commonly known as Bert Berns as well as Bert Russell and Russell Byrd, was an American songwriter and record producer of the 1960s...
and moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he became quite popular after recording "Brown Eyed Girl
Brown Eyed Girl
"Brown Eyed Girl" is a song by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. Written and recorded in 1967 by Van Morrison and produced by Bang Records chief Bert Berns, it was first released in May 1967 on the album Blowin' Your Mind!. When released as a single, it rose to number eight on the...
" and albums Astral Weeks
Astral Weeks
Astral Weeks is the second solo album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in November 1968 on Warner Bros. Records. It was Morrison's first album after Warner Bros. had been able to free him from his contract with Bang Records...
and Moondance
Moondance
Moondance is the third solo album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released on Warner Bros. Records on 28 February 1970 and peaked at #29 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart....
. Rogan comments on Morrison's exploration of spirituality
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
, and describes how these experiences influenced his musical work. The biography discusses Morrison's move to Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and then Dublin, and his relationship with model Michelle Rocca
Michelle Rocca
Michelle Rocca is a Dublin socialite who initially achieved a degree of fame as the wife of footballer John Devine before becoming for a lengthy period the girlfriend, and later, the wife of Van Morrison...
.
The book received mostly positive reviews in the media. Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus . Kirkus serves the book and literary trade sector, including libraries, publishers, literary and film agents, film and TV producers and booksellers. Kirkus Reviews is published on the first and 15th of each month...
called it "a narrative of propulsive drive that is also a reflective, associative piece of social history," and The Sunday Independent described it as "an exhaustive study". The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
noted: "What makes this book worthwhile is its fiercely illuminating angle. ... Morrison, as usual, declined to take part but the author's scholarly methods lend this weighty volume a real authority." The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
referred to the biography as a "superb book", and a review in The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
stated "This characteristically accomplished biography shows the singer from every angle." Diarmaid Ferriter
Diarmaid Ferriter
Diarmaid Ferriter is an Irish author, historian, and university lecturer. He has authored several books on the subject of Irish history. Diarmaid attended St. Benildus College in Kilmacud in Dublin.-Career:...
selected the book as his pick in The Sunday Business Post
The Sunday Business Post
The Sunday Business Post is an Irish national Sunday newspaper published by Post Publications Limited. Post Publications is owned by Thomas Crosbie Holdings. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, Ireland, the average weekly circulation was 57,783 for the period January to June 2009. The...
feature "Authors' choices". The book received negative reviews in The Toronto Star and The Herald
The Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
.
Research and publication
Prior to completing the book, Rogan had written music biographies on The ByrdsThe Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
, The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
, and Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
. According to Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus . Kirkus serves the book and literary trade sector, including libraries, publishers, literary and film agents, film and TV producers and booksellers. Kirkus Reviews is published on the first and 15th of each month...
, "there is nary a word directly from the reclusive Morrison's lips" in the book. The Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
reported that the author relied on interviews with "friends, acquaintances and musicians". Rogan spent over 20 years researching the book, and it took him four years to write it.
Rogan recounted to The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
the value he obtained from interviews with Morrison's first wife, as well as his partner in a later relationship, Michelle Rocca. "Here was a man who had explored all these mystic religions, had undergone Gestalt therapy, who had been told by a Rosacrucian master that he had something called an 'Angelic Knot', suddenly hanging around fashionable nightclubs and being written about in gossip columns. The relationship with Michelle Rocca certainly helped, in that I got more out of one single interview done by Michelle Rocca than I did, in entirety, from his first wife, Janet Planet," said Rogan.
When it became public in early 2005 that the book would be published, representatives of Morrison contacted the publishers of the book. Said Rogan to The Irish Times: "There has been contact with the publishers, I know that much. When the news broke earlier this year that the book was being published, his lawyers asked to see an advance copy of the manuscript. The publishers refused the request. But then this is a man who when he learnt that there was going to be a plaque erected outside his former Belfast home, got his solicitors to write to the Belfast Telegraph dissociating himself from the tribute." The book was first published in 2005 by Secker & Warburg, and a 2006 edition was published by Vintage Books
Vintage Books
Vintage Books is a publishing imprint founded in 1954 by Alfred A. Knopf. Its publishing list includes world literature, fiction, and non-fiction...
. Johnny Rogan appeared on a panel of experts in the 2008 documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
Van Morrison: Under Review 1964-1974, along with Steve Turner
Steve Turner (writer)
Steve Turner is an English music journalist, biographer and poet, who grew up in Northamptonshire, England. His first published article was in the Beatles Monthly in 1969. His career as a journalist began as features editor of Beat Instrumental where he interviewed many of the prominent rock...
, author of the 1993 biography Van Morrison: Too Late to Stop Now
Van Morrison: Too Late to Stop Now
Van Morrison: Too Late to Stop Now is a biography of musician Van Morrison, written by Steve Turner. It was first published in 1993 in the United States by Penguin Group, and in Great Britain by Bloomsbury Publishing. Turner first met Van Morrison in 1985; he interviewed approximately 40 people...
.
Contents
Rogan writes in the book's introduction: "an important caveat to any serious, well-researched biography or study of Morrison's life is that the reader should be aware that a number of allegations against the subject cannot be featured in print for legal reasons. The author may feel that the final portrayal is far too flattering in certain places, while the reader who neglects to read between the lines may think the biographer could have been a little more sympathetic at times. Death alone will open this Pandora's box." Morrison himself is quoted on the first page of the book, saying: "Rogan's got something to hide. What's he hiding? I'd like to do a book on him."The biography is comprehensive, covering many different aspects of its subject's life. The author discusses Morrison's early life in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, and how this influenced his perspective of "no surrender", a reference to Ulster Unionism
Unionism in Ireland
Unionism in Ireland is an ideology that favours the continuation of some form of political union between the islands of Ireland and Great Britain...
. Rogan writes how, a young boy, Morrison exhibited "poor communication skills, aggressive impatience, and absence of empathy", and yearned for positive relations between his Protestant and Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
friends. The author notes that a theme of Morrison's youth was his appreciation of music and his pleasure of creating music influenced by gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
and love. He cites Morrison's cousin Jackie Stitt who said: "He could have been a good sportsman but he had no interest in it at all. He'd play along with you for a while until he got bored - he seemed to tire of it quickly. He'd go indoors."
Morrison did not excel at academics, and focused instead on music. He practiced his music in solitude, and was not skilled at socializing. "One time he said to me it wasn't that he didn't want to talk, but tunes were running through his head all the time. He said he didn't know whether he'd been blessed or cursed because the words and music wouldn't go out of his head," said his mother Violet.
The book focuses on Morrison's musical profession. Morrison joined a band called The Sputniks, which became The Javelins. He joined up with a showband called the Monarchs, then another called Manhattan, and another called the Gamblers. The Gamblers became the group Them
Them (band)
Them were a Northern Irish band formed in Belfast in April 1964, most prominently known for the garage rock standard "Gloria" and launching singer Van Morrison's musical career...
, and Morrison developed his stage presence. "He was a wee runt. Offstage you wouldn't have looked sideways at him. But on stage it was different. There was an animalistic sexuality that he didn't have in his person," said a female fan of Morrison's who witnessed him perform with the band.
The band Them was signed by Phil Solomons, who contracted producer Bert Berns
Bert Berns
Bertrand Russell Berns , most commonly known as Bert Berns as well as Bert Russell and Russell Byrd, was an American songwriter and record producer of the 1960s...
to work with the group, and Phil Coulter
Phil Coulter
Phil Coulter is an artist with an international reputation as a successful songwriter, pianist, music producer, arranger and director. His success has spanned four decades and he is one of the biggest record sellers in Ireland...
came on as a musical arranger and lyricist. The group became popular with songs including "Baby Please Don't Go", "Gloria", and "Here Comes the Night". Morrison commented of Them: "Them were never meant to be on Top of the Pops. I mean, miming? lip syncing? We used to laugh at that programme, think it was a joke. Then we were on it ourselves. It was ridiculous. We were totally anti that sort of thing. We were really into the blues... and we had to get into suits and have make-up put on and all that shit."
Morrison signed a contract with Bert Berns, and just before he left for New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
made a speech to his friends and ended with: "One day you'll see my picture up on the wall and you'll all say 'I knew him'." An acquaintance who witnessed the speech told the author: "He knew he was different and that his music was good but I thought he was such a nasty character; always rude and quite vulgar." Morrison recorded the song "Brown Eyed Girl
Brown Eyed Girl
"Brown Eyed Girl" is a song by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. Written and recorded in 1967 by Van Morrison and produced by Bang Records chief Bert Berns, it was first released in May 1967 on the album Blowin' Your Mind!. When released as a single, it rose to number eight on the...
" in New York with Berns, as well as the album Astral Weeks
Astral Weeks
Astral Weeks is the second solo album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in November 1968 on Warner Bros. Records. It was Morrison's first album after Warner Bros. had been able to free him from his contract with Bang Records...
. He became much more popular with the album Moondance
Moondance
Moondance is the third solo album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released on Warner Bros. Records on 28 February 1970 and peaked at #29 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart....
, and Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
commented he had "the striking imagination of a consciousness that is visionary in the strongest sense of the word". Morrison's image graced the cover of Rolling Stone a year after releasing Moondance.
Rogan discusses Morrison's exploration of religion and spirituality. He cites Tom Paulin
Tom Paulin
Thomas Neilson Paulin is a Northern Irish poet and critic of film, music and literature. He lives in England, where he is the GM Young Lecturer in English Literature at Hertford College, Oxford.- Life and work :...
, a poet based in Belfast, who notes: "Morrison comes out of not traditional Protestantism, but evangelical Protestantism. That's the foundation of his imagination. He's testifying." Rogan recounts how Morrison became exposed to alternative practices including Gestalt therapy
Gestalt therapy
Gestalt therapy is an existential/experiential form of psychotherapy that emphasizes personal responsibility, and that focuses upon the individual's experience in the present moment, the therapist-client relationship, the environmental and social contexts of a person's life, and the self-regulating...
and Rosicrucianism. According to Rogan, Morrison's exploration of mysticism
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
, Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
, and Scientology
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
were influential in his works including Astral Weeks
Astral Weeks
Astral Weeks is the second solo album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in November 1968 on Warner Bros. Records. It was Morrison's first album after Warner Bros. had been able to free him from his contract with Bang Records...
, "Kingdom Hall", Enlightenment and "Whenever God Shines His Light
Whenever God Shines His Light
"Whenever God Shines His Light" is a song written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and released on his 1989 album Avalon Sunset as a duet with Cliff Richard. Although the album was released in June 1989, this song was released as a single in November 1989 for the Christmas...
". Morrison became wealthy through his music, but he became less successful over the next 20 years of his career. He moved back to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and lived in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and then settled in Dublin in the 1990s. He met model Michelle Rocca
Michelle Rocca
Michelle Rocca is a Dublin socialite who initially achieved a degree of fame as the wife of footballer John Devine before becoming for a lengthy period the girlfriend, and later, the wife of Van Morrison...
at a fundraiser held at Leixlip Castle
Leixlip
-Politics:Since 1988 Leixlip has had a nine member Town Council , headed by a Cathaoirleach , which has control over many local matters, although it is limited in that it is not also a planning authority...
, and they began a relationship.
Reception
A review of the book in Kirkus ReviewsKirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus . Kirkus serves the book and literary trade sector, including libraries, publishers, literary and film agents, film and TV producers and booksellers. Kirkus Reviews is published on the first and 15th of each month...
described it as a "nearly breath-by-breath biography", and comments: "Rogan's analyses of Morrison's musical palette, critical standing and public image are exhaustive yet never exhausting. ... Sprightly despite its amplitude, a narrative of propulsive drive that is also a reflective, associative piece of social history." The title of a review in the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
referred to the book as "an enthralling new biography of the Belfast cowboy", and The Sunday Independent called it "an exhaustive study of Belfast's most famous musical son". A review in The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
commented of the book: "This characteristically accomplished biography shows the singer from every angle."
Robert Sandall gave the book a positive review in The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
, and wrote: "What makes this book worthwhile is its fiercely illuminating angle. ... Morrison, as usual, declined to take part but the author's scholarly methods lend this weighty volume a real authority." The Journal Gazette called the book: "A definitive, provocative and revelatory portrait of an endlessly complicated man and his music." A review in The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
characterized the book as a "magical" journey into Van Morrison's life, noting: "Johnny Rogan spent 23 years researching his biography of Van Morrison. It shows. In a book that really should have been titled Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Van Morrison But Were Too Petrified To Ask, this is a magical 'into the mystic' journey which vertiginously takes you from Edward Carson to Leadbelly, from the Mafia to the Rosacrucians, from drinking stories to Gestalt therapy, and from Bernadette Devlin to Terry Keane." Brian Boyd of The Irish Times described Rogan's work as a "superb book".
Diarmaid Ferriter
Diarmaid Ferriter
Diarmaid Ferriter is an Irish author, historian, and university lecturer. He has authored several books on the subject of Irish history. Diarmaid attended St. Benildus College in Kilmacud in Dublin.-Career:...
selected the book as his pick in The Sunday Business Post
The Sunday Business Post
The Sunday Business Post is an Irish national Sunday newspaper published by Post Publications Limited. Post Publications is owned by Thomas Crosbie Holdings. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, Ireland, the average weekly circulation was 57,783 for the period January to June 2009. The...
feature "Authors' choices". Ferriter commented: "Rogan has to be admired for his perseverance and determination when it comes to chronicling the life and times of contrary musical giants - having previously tackled Morrissey. Well-researched biography is always to be encouraged, particularly when dealing with a difficult and elusive character". David Sinclair, author of Wannabe: How The Spice Girls Reinvented Pop Fam, reviewed the book for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, and commented: "Rogan's scrutiny of Morrison's work is undertaken with no less care than that devoted to the details of the singer's life story, and the analysis and appreciation of Morrison's very real accomplishments as a musician provide some welcome ballast to a personal portrayal that is otherwise almost comically unflattering. Rogan's book certainly sheds new light on the life and times of this puzzling and reclusive performer." Sinclair also noted the book takes a negative tone towards some of Morrison's mannerisms, and concluded his review with: "But it may be as well to get hold of a copy before Morrison's legal representatives have had a chance to get out their fine-tooth combs."
Jonathan O'Brien recommended the book in a review in The Sunday Business Post, but noted it focuses more on his life than an analysis of his music: "If you want a meticulously researched, mind-bogglingly detailed account of his early years growing up in Belfast, his schooldays in Orangefield, his time as an unpopular member of the Olympics showband and so on, then, once again, No Surrender is heartily recommended. If, however, you're expecting a rigorous and comprehensive analysis of Morrison's music, of its textures, its surfaces - how and why it sounds the way it does - then you've probably come to the wrong place." O'Brien concluded his review by writing: "For all its flaws, No Surrender is a strong, absorbing biography, and never less than well written. It's just that it could potentially have been far, far better." John Beck of The Press Democrat observed that the biography "paints him [Morrison] as a mercurial genius at best and a cantankerous lout on a bad day". In their 2008 book Northern Ireland After the Troubles, Colin Coulter and Michael Murray referenced the biography and stated it puts forth "the view that Morrison's persona has been shaped by a specifically Ulster Protestant sensibility". Bernard Perusse of The Gazette
The Gazette (Montreal)
The Gazette, often called the Montreal Gazette to avoid ambiguity, is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with three other daily English newspapers all having shut down at different times during the second half of the 20th century.-History:In 1778,...
described the earlier biography Van Morrison: Too Late to Stop Now as "more superficial but more positive" than Rogan's book.
Kevin Courtney reviewed the book for The Irish Times, and observed: "For fans of Van Morrison's music, No Surrender might seem somewhat blasphemous, focusing not so much on Van the artist, but on Van the not-very-nice man. But Rogan also pays tribute to Morrison's pure, untainted artistry, and details the development - and subsequent decline - of Morrison's muse over the past 40 years or so. For the serious Van-ologist, Rogan's painstaking research yields an abundance of detail about Morrison's early years". Graeme Green of the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
noted that Rogan "concentrates far more on Van the man than it does on his music, with the singer largely portrayed as difficult, selfish and aloof". He noted that Morrison would turn 60 the year the book was published, and commented "When the singer celebrates his landmark birthday this year, it's a safe bet Rogan's name won't be on the invite list."
Nick Krewen gave the book a negative review in The Toronto Star. Krewen critiqued what he saw as the thesis to Rogan's book, commenting: "Here is the premise of Van Morrison: No Surrender: Because the Belfast-born Morrison was raised in Ulster ... and subjected to violent religious prejudice, the musician embodies a symbolic metaphor of Northern Ireland's defiant nature. That's it." Krewen noted that "the book does capture Van the Man's evolution into an electrifying showman during his Monarchs and Them years." The book also received a negative review from Martin Tierney in The Herald
The Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
, who wrote: "The title here is more than a little contrived as Rogan attempts to draw parallels with the sectarian troubles in Morrison's home turf and the maestro himself. It doesn't work, given that Morrison has never been political, thankfully sticking to music. It is, however, detailed and comprehensive in its sources, and as such carries on that great tradition of bashing the odious one."
Further reading
Other books on Van Morrison- Brooks, Ken (1999). In Search of Van Morrison, Agenda, ISBN 1 89988295 2
- Buzacott, Martin; Ford, AndrewAndrew FordAndrew Ford is an English and Australian composer, writer and radio presenter.He was Composer-in-residence with the Australian Chamber Orchestra , held the Peggy Glanville-Hicks Composer Fellowship from 1998 to 2000 and was awarded a two-year fellowship by the Music Board of the Australia Council...
(2005) Speaking in Tongues: The Songs of Van Morrison, ABC, ISBN 0-7333-1297-7 - Collis, John (1996). Inarticulate Speech of the Heart, Little Brown and Company, ISBN 0-306-80811-0
- DeWitt, Howard A. (1983). Van Morrison: The Mystic's Music, Horizon, ISBN 0-938840-02-9
- Hage, ErikErik HageErik Hage is an American writer, cultural reporter, and critic raised in Boston and New York State. His books include the critical biography The Words and Music of Van Morrison and the work of literary criticism Cormac McCarthy: A Literary Companion , which was deemed "indispensable," "engaging,"...
(2009). The Words and Music of Van Morrison, Praeger Publishers, ISBN 978-0-313-35862-3 - Heylin, ClintonClinton HeylinClinton Heylin is an English author who has written extensively about popular music and the work of Bob Dylan.- Education :...
(2003). Can You Feel the Silence? Van Morrison: A New Biography, Chicago Review Press, ISBN 1-55652-542-7 - Hinton, BrianBrian HintonBrian Hinton, MBE is an English poet and musicologist. In June 2006 he was honoured in H. M. the Queen’s Birthday Honours List with an MBE for services to the Arts.-Education:...
(1997). Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison, Sanctuary, ISBN 1-86074169X - Marcus, GreilGreil MarcusGreil Marcus is an American author, music journalist and cultural critic. He is notable for producing scholarly and literary essays that place rock music in a much broader framework of culture and politics than is customary in pop music journalism.-Life and career:Marcus was born in San Francisco...
(2010). When That Rough God Goes Riding: Listening to Van Morrison, Public Affairs, ISBN 978-1-58648-821-5 - Mills, Peter (2010). Hymns To The Silence: Inside the Music and Lyrics of Van MorrisonHymns To the Silence (book)Hymns to the Silence: Inside the Words and Music of Van Morrison is a book published via Continuum Books in June 2010, written by English academic Peter Mills. The book is the first full-length study of Van Morrison's work which does not claim to be a biography...
, Continuum, ISBN 978-0-8264-2976-6 - Turner, SteveSteve Turner (writer)Steve Turner is an English music journalist, biographer and poet, who grew up in Northamptonshire, England. His first published article was in the Beatles Monthly in 1969. His career as a journalist began as features editor of Beat Instrumental where he interviewed many of the prominent rock...
(1993). Van Morrison: Too Late to Stop NowVan Morrison: Too Late to Stop NowVan Morrison: Too Late to Stop Now is a biography of musician Van Morrison, written by Steve Turner. It was first published in 1993 in the United States by Penguin Group, and in Great Britain by Bloomsbury Publishing. Turner first met Van Morrison in 1985; he interviewed approximately 40 people...
, Viking Penguin, ISBN 0-670-85147-7 - Yorke, RitchieRitchie YorkeRitchie Yorke is an Australian-born author, broadcaster, historian and music journalist. Born in Brisbane in 1944, while his father was serving with the Australian Army, Yorke developed a passion for rock ‘n’ roll in his early teens.-Biography:...
(1975). Into The Music, London: Charisma Books, ISBN 0-85947-013-X
External links
- Book extract from Van Morrison, at Random HouseRandom HouseRandom House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...