I Tina
|
Please click on
|
Describing this book as a biography could be a contravention of the Trades Description's Act because there are so many transcripts of interviews with Tina that it reads more like an autobiography. Not only is there significant input from Tina, but also from all the other important figures in her life as well. Kurt Loder's contribution is minimal, but what he does he does very well. He has carefully selected the material he wants for his story and links them in a totally seamless way. Each contribution is highly relevant yet the transitions between them are so well written that they pass un-noticed by the reader. In short this is an excellent and carefully assembled publication which was later used as source material for the film of Tina's life, 'What's Love Got to Do With It'. The book begins by tracing Tina's roots in Nutbush Tennessee. She was born Anna Mae Bullock of mixed Black and Indian origins. Her family background is so complex that even after reading it several times I could still not fully understand it. She had a loveless childhood and was farmed out to one relation after another. The book traces her childhood, her meeting with Ike Turner, their subsequent partnership and marriage. Ike Turner is represented as a viscous and brutal man who bullied Tina into marital slavery. He is portrayed as such a monster that its hard to believe any man could be so bad and invites readers to suspect its authenticity. At the very least the observer starts to think, 'Well, this is just one side of the story'. Despite her reasoning it is also hard to believe that she could not have just left him when conditions became as hard as she described. The book concludes with Tina's emancipation and subsequent rise to solo stardom. A similarity I noticed between this and Martha Reeves' story was that both these ladies credited Supernatural Influences with their recoveries after they had fallen to their lowest ebb. Tina thought she was a re-incarnated Egyptian Princess and regularly visited 'Readers'. Why neither of them could acknowledge that their recoveries were the product of their own grit, determination and talent I do not know. Maybe its a lack of education showing through, maybe they are too humble to take the plaudits themselves. Whatever the reason these ramblings always leave the reader questioning their sanity. Tina Turner has one of the most soulful voices I have ever heard, yet throughout the book she never uses the word 'Soul' in relation to her music. Her early work with Ike she considered to be 'R&B' which she categorically states that she did not like and found artistically restricting. Her subsequent work she describes as 'Rock' despite the fact many of her hits (I Can't Stand The Rain - Anne Peebles, Lets Stay Together - Al Green, Ball of Confusion - The Temptations) were re-workings of soul standards. Could anyone ever imagine Suzy Quatro singing with with the same intensity that Tina achieves? So why such a kickback against what is clearly her heritage? Maybe its rejection of anything and everything to do with Ike, maybe she feels Rock is more White Middle Class and doesn't want to be pigeon holed as a 'Black' singer? Whatever the reason she's a woman with natural 'soul' whether likes it or not and it is the soul in her music which makes it so good. 'Private Dancer' could never have been sung by someone without imagination. The only way it could ever be convincing was if the artist could empathise with the prostitutes lives. It is because she is such a rare talent that the Rock world wants to grab her and claim her as their own but I would suggest that its her 'Soul' that they are really after.
|
|
Why Not visit the Authors other Website, 'The Alternative Blackpool Website' at http://www.localdial.com/users/jsyedu133/bpool This Site Last Updated 18/05/05
|
the category you wish to choose from the options
below
