Weighted Down: The Complicated Life of Skip Spence

By Cam Cobb, with an introduction by Robin Spence

The first biography of cult musician Skip Spence.

Skip Spence was a soldier, a rock star, a folkie, an innovator, an addict, a cult phenomenon and a ward of the state. The cast of characters in his story include some of the biggest stars in music: Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young and many more. His life is the story of the Sixties – it’s the story of San Francisco, the biggest bands in America and rock’n’roll mayhem.

Although Spence spent much of his life battling addiction and mental illness, during his lucid moments he performed in several bands and is best known for his work with Jefferson Airplane and as the co-founder of Moby Grape. Tracks from his cult solo album Oar has been covered by Tom Waits, Beck and Robert Plant.

With family photos, a foreword by Robin Spence, and accounts from his friends, bandmates and family, Weighted Down is the first book to tell his story in full.

"Vast and compassionate, offering a nuanced look at Spence's life against a panoramic backdrop of Americana" MOJO

"Cobb has separated the facts from the myths [and] added warmth by involving Spence's children. 8/10" Classic Rock

"Cobb's knack of blending undisputed fact with poetic imagery shines through in this woebegone tale, balancing amphetamine-paced action with the undeniable adoration 'everyone' had for the subject." 5***** Shindig!

"Paints a vivid picture of one of rock's great cult figures and saddest tragedies" Record Collector

"Cobb treats Skip Spence’s struggle with mental illness with insight and sympathy. [He] dissects and casts a glowing light on Spence’s slim but resonant work as a composer of some of the most influential music to come out of San Francisco’s psychedelic scene" PopMatters

"Cobb has carefully separated fact from myth to weave all of the tangled, disparate threads of this complicated life into a compelling, richly-detailed narrative that gives us a clearer understanding of who Skip Spence was" Ugly Things

Cam Cobb is a university professor and rock journalist. Cobb’s writing has appeared in such magazines as Record Collector, Shindig!, and Ugly Things.

Publication Date: 04.04.24
ISBN: 9781913172183
Extent: 400 pages
Format: Hardback

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