Strangler in the light

[theraven1979]

What makes it even worse is that he thinks the reader is gonna be like "Oh yeah right". The guy has allegedly been a bit money centric or just caring about his income to fund his life. Not like he's Hitler or something

Jim

I also found the whole JE thing bizarre - he builds it up "Oh, we'll talk more about that bastard later"

The Hugh baiting paints JJ in a really unpleasant light in my opinion. Just get over it.

Such an unpleasant and nasty way to refer to a former colleague of 10 years.All for the crime of pulling out of the band.

He can't get over it.Clearly.And it's getting worse as the years go by.

[IamCoop]

Apart from the "why does he hate john ellis so much" mystery, there is one other perpelxing aspect to the book - he descibes having attempted suicide several times, and describes gonig to hang himself in his garage and changing his mind at the last minute. This is described rather flippantly - it would have been interesting to read about what his state of mind actually was at these moments and the mental health issues he might have experienced. A shame that the author didnt probe him on this a little more

Yes, I found it very strange that the author didn’t probe him more on that. JJ says something like “Oh yeah, and there was a time in Cambridge when I went to hang myself in the garage but my wife walked in so I didn’t” and it’s not even followed up on at all, the interviewer just immediately asks a totally separate question. Just seems crazy for what’s supposed to be an autobiography to not explore that statement a little further.

To give JJ a little bit of the benefit of doubt, he’s said he was essentially prepared to answer anything he was asked, and any information he didn’t offer up was only because he wasn’t asked about it, so perhaps the author just wasn’t particularly on point or maybe got some intimidating looks over Zoom when pursuing certain lines of enquiry? I know the guy has written a previous book about the band but the author of Song by Song seemed to really know the ins and outs of the band plus Hugh’s own history, and was therefore really able to press Hugh on details that I just found this book to be lacking in.

EDIT: I am obviously aware Song by Song was a totally different project to this but they’re both interview formats and I think there’s more scope to probe people for honest information than just a straightforward autobiography.

I dunno, apologies for the long post again, but I’m just really frustrated about what a missed opportunity I think this was. We’re almost certain to never get a book out of JJ again so I'm annoyed potentially fascinating parts of his story were touched upon but not fully explored.

[marky]

Mr Burnel has a lot of attention seeking behaviours doesn’t he?

[ThinkTank]

Mr Burnel has a lot of attention seeking behaviours doesn’t he?

Yep he certainly does lol

I could be wrong but the thinking of hanging himself in the garage is not totally exclusive to the book ? That story definitely rings a bell and i have read / seen that somewhere before. Its the sort of thing that a journalist would zone in to immediately for more info so i would think JJ said he wasn't going to go into details about it but wanted the statement left in the book.

[aldinblack]

I dunno about attention seeking, it's probably enough to say he once had thoughts like that. Mental health issues have also been mentioned haven't they ?
I haven't finished the book yet though and haven't gotten to that bit..
I see JJ as quite a sensitive bloke underneath it all. Things obviously affect him and he's not the best at shrugging them off. Like Hugh leaving..

Sent from my moto g62 5G using Tapatalk

[Ruby]

People who are serious about suicide generally don't talk about it.It's a delicate subject close to many people's hearts who have been affected by it and it shouldn't be something mentioned casually.Was his wife there all the time after she walked in ? Was there no further opportunities? I call bull shat.

[aldinblack]

I'm trying to learn to take a lot of things that a lot of people say with a pinch of salt.

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[Yanders]

Maybe the interviewer felt uneasy about probing too much, JJ didnt say more, so it was left awkwardly as something not to be dwelt on?

It might have been better left out completely, but even that wouldnt seem right if JJ said it.

[Greatkudu]

Just back from Ops in East Africa and it's same old,same old, great to be back. Major Kudu.

[ThinkTank]

Just back from Ops in East Africa and it's same old,same old, great to be back. Major Kudu.

Its nothing to do with being the same old!

Its very easy to kill yourself. If someone is very serious about doing such a devastating thing they usually go out deep in to a forest where they cant be found so therefor they cant be saved. Very very sad if someone has got to such a low point in their life and a really serious thing not only devastating for the person in that state of mind but shocking and life affecting for the loved ones around the person it involves.

Failed suicide is very well documented in psychology and in the medical fields of someone that is calling for attention or calling for help. It doesnt work in the way that JJ has described that he was going to do it and then thought because he's wife came in he then changes he's mind with a "oh maybe i wont then" in a very flippant way.

JJ making this an issue in his book with out detail is a very interesting part of JJ's psychology and the previous comments are very valid indeed and totally worth commenting on.

Just because its something that doesnt fit your agenda and trying to make yourself sound like you are speaking out for the majority in a bid to try and make yourself popular or wanting praise of others for sticking up for JJ is not a reason for you to diss an aspect of the discussion that you don't like.

I would like to see you put your point of view that produces discussion with the opposite side of the topic instead of giving the point of view of boring and i have seen this all before give it a rest and move on everyone and masking the topic point in a way to cherry pick points of view that only fit your agenda.

Others have started to make good points in opposite side of the discussion which has enhanced the conversation already and started to make it interesting. Try that approach if you want to add something positive to the topic

It is the usual JJ so i think very relevant to be discussed and i think it is JJ spouting bull shit

[twatinblack]

Just back from Ops in East Africa and it's same old,same old, great to be back. Major Kudu.

Its nothing to do with being the same old!

Its very easy to kill yourself. If someone is very serious about doing such a devastating thing they usually go out deep in to a forest where they cant be found so therefor they cant be saved. Very very sad if someone has got to such a low point in their life and a really serious thing not only devastating for the person in that state of mind but shocking and life affecting for the loved ones around the person it involves.

Failed suicide is very well documented in psychology and in the medical fields of someone that is calling for attention or calling for help. It doesnt work in the way that JJ has described that he was going to do it and then thought because he's wife came in he then changes he's mind with a "oh maybe i wont then" in a very flippant way.

JJ making this an issue in his book with out detail is a very interesting part of JJ's psychology and the previous comments are very valid indeed and totally worth commenting on.

Just because its something that doesnt fit your agenda and trying to make yourself sound like you are speaking out for the majority in a bid to try and make yourself popular or wanting praise of others for sticking up for JJ is not a reason for you to diss an aspect of the discussion that you don't like.

I would like to see you put your point of view that produces discussion with the opposite side of the topic instead of giving the point of view of boring and i have seen this all before give it a rest and move on everyone and masking the topic point in a way to cherry pick points of view that only fit your agenda.

Others have started to make good points in opposite side of the discussion which has enhanced the conversation already and started to make it interesting. Try that approach if you want to add something positive to the topic

It is the usual JJ so i think very relevant to be discussed and i think it is JJ spouting bull shit

Exactly!

[Greatkudu]

Just back from Ops in East Africa and it's same old,same old, great to be back. Major Kudu.

Its nothing to do with being the same old!

Its very easy to kill yourself. If someone is very serious about doing such a devastating thing they usually go out deep in to a forest where they cant be found so therefor they cant be saved. Very very sad if someone has got to such a low point in their life and a really serious thing not only devastating for the person in that state of mind but shocking and life affecting for the loved ones around the person it involves.

Failed suicide is very well documented in psychology and in the medical fields of someone that is calling for attention or calling for help. It doesnt work in the way that JJ has described that he was going to do it and then thought because he's wife came in he then changes he's mind with a "oh maybe i wont then" in a very flippant way.

JJ making this an issue in his book with out detail is a very interesting part of JJ's psychology and the previous comments are very valid indeed and totally worth commenting on.

Just because its something that doesnt fit your agenda and trying to make yourself sound like you are speaking out for the majority in a bid to try and make yourself popular or wanting praise of others for sticking up for JJ is not a reason for you to diss an aspect of the discussion that you don't like.

I would like to see you put your point of view that produces discussion with the opposite side of the topic instead of giving the point of view of boring and i have seen this all before give it a rest and move on everyone and masking the topic point in a way to cherry pick points of view that only fit your agenda.

Others have started to make good points in opposite side of the discussion which has enhanced the conversation already and started to make it interesting. Try that approach if you want to add something positive to the topic

It is the usual JJ so i think very relevant to be discussed and i think it is JJ spouting bull shit

Think-tank I was joking and with all respect I wasn't being flippant about JJs suicide attempt,I tried to take my own life in 1983 with an overdose of pills,thank God I failed,only a hand full of close friends know I attempted it,so now more know,I was going through depression at the time.I think JJ was very brave to talk about it as it's a Taboo.Major Kudu.