Chaise Longue - by Baxter Dury (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

'Wild, exhilarating and very funny' Sunday Times
'A must-read for pop culture fans' The Times
'Unflinching' Observer

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Chaos and debauchery defined Baxter Dury's turbulent childhood. Abandoned by his punk rock star dad Ian Dury in the late 80s, Baxter was left in the hands of the Sulphate Strangler: a volatile, six-foot-seven drug dealer who lived up to his name. What could possibly go wrong?

In a period that we can now only imagine, a young Baxter ricocheted from one adventure to another, narrowly swerving one disaster only immediately to collide with another. At times, his situation was perilous in the extreme. Chaise Longue is an intimate account of those escapades, evocatively illuminating a bohemian west London populated with feverishly grubby characters. Narrated in Dury's candid tone, both sad and funny, this moving story will leave an indelible imprint on its readers.

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'Razor sharp and side-splitting throughout, [this] is one rock autobiography not to miss' Mojo

'Amusing, alarming and subtly sad, punctuated by mind boggling anecdotes related with nuance and zest' Daily Telegraph

From the Back Cover

'Unflinching . . . written with linguistic gusto' Observer

Chaos, debauchery and misguided adventures is what punctuated Baxter Dury's turbulent childhood. Abandoned by his punk rock star dad Ian Dury in the late 80s, Baxter was left in the hands of the Sulphate Strangler: a volatile, six-foot-seven drug dealer who lived up to his name. What could possibly go wrong?

In a period that we can now only imagine, a young Baxter ricocheted from one adventure to another, narrowly swerving one disaster only immediately to collide with another. At times, his situation was perilous in the extreme. CHAISE LONGUE is an intimate account of those escapades, evocatively illuminating a bohemian west London populated with feverishly grubby characters. Narrated in Dury's candid tone, both sad and funny, this moving story will leave an indelible imprint on its readers.

'A fascinating and thought-provoking read' Louder Than War

'Enthralling and moving. It is funny and sad in equal measure' Quiet Days

Review Quotes

'Beautifully deadpan' --The Times, Books of the Year 2021

'A fascinating and thought-provoking read'--Louder Than War

'A must-read for pop culture fans'--Evening Standard Best Non-fiction 2021

'Enthralling and moving. It is funny and sad in equal measure' --Quiet Days

'This unflinching memoir by singer Baxter Dury, son of Ian, recalls his chaotic family life with the 'pot-soaked Fagin' and his bodyguard...[It] is written with linguistic gusto. His father would be made up'--Observer

'Wonderfully wild'--DIY

Number 10 in Uncut Book of the Year 2021

'Chaise Longue is a short, amusing, alarming and subtly sad memoir, punctuated by mind-boggling anecdotes related with nuance and zest'--The Daily Telegraph

'A bright, bruising account of growing up in the blast zone of a chaotic parent. Chaise Longue is wild, exhilarating and very funny'--The Sunday Times

'A compact book crammed with details about a particular periods of Baxter's life, there is less a whiff on nonsense and more of authenticity'--The i

'Fittingly chaotic and non-linear, but razor sharp and side-splitting throughout, Chaise Longue is one rock autobiography not to miss - a Withnail I-style cult classic in waiting'--Mojo

'It's an honest account of a difficult and at times slightly insane upbringing, which refreshingly these days was all written by Baxter himself in his own unique voice'--The Malestrom

'Not unlike Ian Dury's nuanced musical portrait of his own father, "My Old Man", Chaise Longue fathoms Baxter Dury's complicated upbringing in the company of his dad and minder Pete Rush, a "six-foot-seven malodorous giant" better known as the Sulphate Strangler. "There was no school, there were no rules about drinking, there was no dinner," Baxter writes. No boots, no clean panties'--Uncut's Best Music Books of 2021

About the Author

The soya latte poet laureate of London's Ladbroke Grove, Baxter Dury has spent the last 15 years uniquely chronicling the inner workings of his (and everyone's) human condition over six critically acclaimed albums. His latest, The Night Chancers, was released in March 2020.