Client details
Paul Gorman
Writer
| Robert Kirby |
Paul Gorman is a journalist, author and commentator on visual culture. He has published eight books, including the best-selling Straight with Boy George and Nine Lives with Goldie. Three of Gorman’s books are considered definitive in their areas: the music press history In Their Own Write; the story of post-war fashion and music, The Look; and Reasons To Be Cheerful, the monograph of the late cult designer Barney Bubbles which was announced as MOJO magazine’s Book Of The Year in January 2010. The Look is on the recommended reading list of London University Of The Arts fashion courses. In 2007 Gorman was made an associate lecturer at Central Saint Martin’s and his fashion label The Look Presents has produced eight sell-out clothing collections for menswear chain Topman in the US, the UK and Japan. As a design authority of growing status, Gorman is curating the exhibition Process at London’s Chelsea Space gallery, which was staged as part of the London Design Festival in September/October 2010 and launched the second edition of Reasons To Be Cheerful. Gorman runs two regularly updated blogs, respectively relating to Reasons To Be Cheerful – www.barneybubbles.com/blog - and The Look - www.rockpopfashion.com/blog. The latter was described as “excellent and enlightening” by The Guardian Guide in August 2010. In autumn 2010 Gorman launched a personal site - www.paulgormanis.com - as a cultural portal, drawing together the strands of his career and wider interests and presenting exclusive interviews, information and images. |
Reasons to be Cheerful: The Life and Work of Barney Bubbles 
Nine Lives 
The Look: Adventures In Rock & Pop Fashion
| Publication Details | Notes |
|---|---|
| IN THEIR OWN WRITE 2002 Sanctuary | The music press is an astute commentary on contemporary culture. In its time it has spawned prodigious talents who have helped advance - and destroy - new cultural trends. Gorman's latest book, written with contributions from Cameron Crowe, Mark Perry, Chrissie Hynde, Tony Parsons and Garry Bushell, is the first complete account of this phenomenon - from NME and Melody Maker in the 50s; the explosion of new American formats in the 60s with Rolling Stone and Interview; the Punk explosion in the 70s; through Details, The Face and I-D et al and the 80s obsession with materialism and consumer power; to the 1990s with the boom of 'laddism' and the launch of Loaded, Q, Mojo and Smash Hits. Film directors Cameron Crowe (Rolling Stone) and Michael Winner (NME), megabucks screenwriter Joe Estzerhaus (Rolling Stone), to pop stars such as Bob Geldof and Chrissie Hynde, songwriter Don Black and writers such as Julie Burchill, Tony Parsons and Lester Bangs have all emerged from this media background. A fascinating work of remarkable insight, the story ends on the brink of a new media age. |
| NINE LIVES 2003 Sceptre; New edition edition | “Gorman has done a good job in making sense of Goldie’s Nine Lives...a fascinating life story” Lynn Barber, Observer |
| STRAIGHT WITH BOY GEORGE 2005 Century 2005/Arrow 2007 | “The best book I’ve read in a long while. It made me howl with laughter and burst into tears” Paul O’Grady |
| THE LOOK: ADVENTURES IN ROCK AND POP FASHION 2006 Adelita Ltd; Revised edition | “This is the book” Robert Elms, The Times. |
| REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL: THE LIFE AND WORK OF BARNEY BUBBLES 2008 Adelita Ltd | A celebration of the life and work of one of the greatest designers of recent times, the mysterious and tragic cult figure Barney Bubbles. Bubbles - real name Colin Fulcher - was a true giant of graphic design whose prodigious output is revered by musicians, artists, fellow designers and music and pop culture fans. Published to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the artist's death. |
