BOOK REVIEW: UNDER A ROCK by CHRIS STEIN

BOOK REVIEW: UNDER A ROCK by CHRIS STEIN
Hachette Australia, June 2024
Paperback, rrp AU$34.99
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
77%

What we knew about Chris Stein before reading his book: he’s the guitarist in Blondie, ex- of Debbie Harry, and he had some weird illness which prevented him touring – or doing much of anything – for years.

In Under A Rock Stein talks about his life with Harry and Blondie, often downplaying his importance in the latter, though that may be more the tone he uses throughout this intriguing autobiography – he plays a strangely detached, almost dour, observational role in his own story.

At first this seems standoffish – bored, even – but as we read on we realise it’s just his way, and I found myself warming to him and becoming quite absorbed in his detailed memories of their bohemian, drug-fuelled New York lifestyle.

New York, in fact, is as important a presence in Stein’s life as Harry herself was and is (the two remain close), even though it’s more the squalid, strung-out New York of gritty, dark melodramatic movies than the glossy, chrome plated NY of the rich and famous.

He drops plenty of names, discusses his illness with less intensity than Harry formerly has, delves into the personnel comings and goings of the band he will always be remembered for, and shows a detailed appreciation of art and regret for selling so many of his prized possessions to fuel his and Harry’s drug habit.

As large a part of Stein’s story as drugs are, there’s no glorification of junkie life here. From dropping so much LSD in the 60’s that he ended up in a psych ward, to selling priceless Basquiat and Warhol paintings to afford a fix in the late 80’s, there’s little to recommend life as an addict.

Now married with children and seemingly far happier and calmer, Stein is reflective in a more academic way than an emotional way. He glosses over some interesting parts of his life (notably his illness and in some cases his music) but remembers some things in astonishing detail (drug buddies, neighbourhoods, rat infestations).

The book concludes with an epilogue which reads like a punch in the guts. “Going into writing all this I hadn’t considered writing about so much addiction and death,” he begins, before confessing that his eldest daughter Akira died of an accidental overdose aged nineteen just a few months before writing. “I thought I presented my own drug experiences in a negative light to our kids, but I’m wracked with guilt that any discussions might have been misconstrued.” There’s no pain like the loss of a loved one, and losing a child must always leave one question above all others: could I have done anything to prevent this?

By the end of Under A Rock we realise that no matter how cooly detached and nonchalant Chris Stein may be in presenting his story, nothing can disguise the fact that his has been a fascinating life.

Category: Book Reviews