Al Stewart: The True Life Adventures of a Folk Rock Troubadour by Neville Judd (Helter Skelter, £25).

Forever associated with his 1976 single Year Of The Cat, Al Stewart was plugging away in the music scene long before that excellent summer hit, with its languid piano, romantic lyrics and acoustic-into-electric guitar solo.

Surprisingly, Stewart was considered his school's rebel from a young age he wanted to be in a band (his early dream was to be a rhythm guitarist in The Hollies) and, after leaving the academic world, he joined a series of bands in Bournemouth, including one fronted by soon-to-be DJ Tony Blackburn.

His song-writing came on in leaps and bounds once he moved to bedsit land in London. At one time he shared a house with Paul Simon - Stewart would often be the first person to hear new material from Simon, who would be writing songs like Homeward Bound in the next room.

Stewart also started to gain some success, writing highly-personal lyrics about his life and relationships.

The London folk scene of the mid-sixties is brilliantly evoked by author Neville Judd. Stewart would spend most nights playing in the small, dark cellars of folk clubs to enthusiastic audiences.

Commercial success was a long time coming it happened around the time Stewart switched from a personal to a world view, writing songs about things like the German invasion of Russia in the second world war, or about the prophesies of supposed-seer Nostradamus.

Then eventually came a million dollar record company advance, which followed the huge success of the best-selling Year Of The Cat album.

Stewart moved to Los Angeles and started enjoying the fruits of a rock star's lifestyle.

The big time did not last and album sales dipped. Judd writes how Stewart made some slightly odd career decisions, which perhaps meant he did not capitalise on his success as much as he might have done.

In later years Stewart has continued to release enjoyable albums and still draws crowds to his largely-acoustic live gigs.

Stewart comes across as a likeable man, who is dedicated to his art.

The book is too long but for those who have always enjoyed Stewart's music, it provides an interesting insight into a fine singer-songwriter.

Andrew Thomas

February 12, 2003 14:00