Takin' Back My Name
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Whether Ike is a 'Soul' star, an 'R&B' star or, as he claims, the inventor of 'Rock & Roll' is open to debate. In all honesty I don't think it really matters. Whatever his genre there is no questioning that this publication gives a good insight into what it was like to be black and living in the Southern States during the fifties and sixties. The book was written in response to his former wife's allegations in her autobiography 'I Tina'. Surprisingly Ike refutes very little of what she said, but instead tries to give the story from his own perspective. He was much less happy about the Film 'What's Love Got to Do With It' which was based on the book. They added several additional allegations which did not occur in the original source including a rape which he strenuously denies. He claims that he would have sued Disney had they not duped him into signing an agreement whilst he was high on drugs. Ike tries to induce some empathy in his audience by revealing to them the nicer side of his character. As nobody is 'altogether bad' he is successful in this mission. From me however the empathy is less forthcoming. He clearly has little respect for women, who he used shamelessly, or for either the law or family values. Despite his best efforts he fails to hide a wholly self-centred outlook. The book is written as Ike would have spoken, in a black southern drawl. Whilst this gives it considerable authenticity it does make it hard to read in places. Ike is clearly ill-educated which is apparent by the way he continually writes in double negatives and uses 'fucking' as his main adverb. None the less there is no denying that he has lived life to the full. He spent his formative years nursing his father who became bedridden after being beaten by whites, he had his first sexual experience at the age of six and was a regular stud by the age of twelve, usually with middle aged women. The book covers his time as a pop star, his life with Tina and as a prison inmate. Whatever he says should be taken with a pinch of salt because the book contains so many contradictions. As an example he claims not to be a drugs dealer because whilst he was rich he 'gave' the stuff away but when he was poor he only supplied the people he knew. A strange kind of logic to justify his malpractice's! By the same token he also claims to be too proud to ask Tina for help, but in the conclusion transparently begs her to tour with him again. Somehow I think he has more to gain from such an arrangement than she does. The book is flawed, badly written in places and often inconsistent, none the less I would highly recommend it. Its style seems to give a perfect insight into the irrational character that wrote it.
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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
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