Book overview
Mojo Magazine "Compelling from the first page, an assiduously researched biography of The Sound's frontman". ****
Record Collector Magazine: "Compelling biography of an underappreciated cult hero. This homage to the late Adrian Borland is a labour of love, exhaustively researched and deep on detail. A devotional tribute to a tormented titan". ****
Louder than War: "A book of great integrity and substance.The detail is vivid and tangible. As much a reference book as a biography and on both counts it works. Thoroughly recommended".
David Quantick: "A fascinating and emotive insight into Adrian Borland's career. Very powerful".
Penny Black Music "Destiny Stopped Screaming is an informative but sympathetic account of the life of a troubled but gifted songwriter" .
Mick Mercer "A stunning biography of one of Britain's best songwriters. What keeps you surging through it is Simon's love of the music and detailed coverage and examination of the songs, something a biography would usually ignore. Normally the bulk of any biography covers the best known years and then everything tails off, but here we have consistent coverage, which is brilliant. This is a glorious tribute, one of which he can be very proud." .
Post-Punk.com: "A riveting biography, this work stands as a significant tribute to the haunting brilliance of the British singer, songwriter and guitarist."
(sic) Magazine: "Heavisides' hefty tome gives us honest insights into the multi-faceted, real human being at the heart of it all. It is an exhaustive, excellent and, for fans like me, essential read."
Carlo van Putten: "Masterfully balances empathy and objectivity. A captivating portrait of Adrian's musical journey with The Sound that gives the reader a new understanding of the power of music to change and touch lives and hearts."
Adrian Borland, was singer/guitarist and main songwriter with The Sound, a band who between 1979 and 1987 released seven albums that never failed to be at the very least full of passion and raw emotion. They made their debut with the "Physical World" EP but it wasn't until the release of the "Jeopardy" album in 1980 that it became clear how special the band was. Two more albums for WEA followed, "From The Lions Mouth" and "All Fall Down", which resulted in the band leaving the label. Indie label Statik signed the band and released "Shock Of Daylight" and "Heads & Hearts" along with the double live album "In The Hothouse". A move to the Belgium based Play It Again Sam brought with it the band's final album "Thunder Up". They disintegrated at the end of 1987.
Luckily Adrian continued with a solo career that whilst different in many ways to The Sound, still displayed all the rare qualities that made them such a loved band.
His final solo album 5:00 A.M, avoided echoing past glories but re-established the qualities for which the band had become renowned and successfully placed them in a contemporary setting, making this an ideal staring point for the uninitiated. His last finished work was the second White Rose Transmission album "700 Miles Of Desert".
Sadly Adrian often fell into deep depression, with lyrics from his last songs indicating his state of mind before he took his own life on April 26 1999.
Adrian's albums showcased the unflinching honesty and sensitivity that was his forte. In the end it was maybe that self-same sensitivity that made life just too painful for Adrian.
This is his story.
