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The Absence - by Budgie - 1 of 1

The Absence - by Budgie (Hardcover)

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FormatHardcover

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About this item

Highlights

  • 'Intimate.
  • About the Author: Peter Clarke (Budgie) was born in 1957 in St. Helens in the Northwest of England.
  • 320 Pages
  • Biography + Autobiography, Personal Memoirs

Description



Book Synopsis



'Intimate. Wounded. Sensational. I didn't just read The Absence. I devoured it' - RUPERT THOMSON

As a member of Big in Japan, The Slits and, most famously, Siouxsie and The Banshees and The Creatures, 'Budgie' was an era-defining drummer in the much-mythologized post punk scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s. But before he was Budgie, Peter Clarke was a boy growing up in working class St Helens in the 1960s. The loss of his mom at a young age created the absence that haunts the pages of this book.

As a teenager disenchanted with art school in Liverpool, Peter became Budgie and befriended the likes of Jayne Casey, Pete Burns and other luminaries of the legendary Eric's Club before taking off for London and the big city heat of punk. Budgie's unique technique and musical sensitivity endeared him to the all-female group The Slits, who asked him to play on their debut album Cut. Subsequent touring with former members of the Sex Pistols and others from the post punk aristocracy firmly established Budgie's reputation for innovation.

But the beating heart of this at times painfully honest account of a life often sabotaged is, of course, his long-term position as Siouxsie and The Banshees' drummer and co-writer alongside his ex-wife Siouxsie Sioux. Their creative partnership produced some of the most seductive and celebrated pop music of the decade. Eventually, their personal relationship started to fall apart, with inevitable consequences for both bands. The Absence is bravely unflinching in its dissection of how and why this happened, and powerfully moving in its account of the angels that emerged to heal both these wounds and those of a mother's lost love.

A man and musician whose creativity and singular style came to define the goth-pop 1980s, Budgie's life is both fabulously glamorous and a cautionary tale. For the first time the story of the era's most exalted and mysterious bands has been told by one who survived inside the belly of the beast.



About the Author



Peter Clarke (Budgie) was born in 1957 in St. Helens in the Northwest of England. He studied Fine Art at the Gamble Institute and at Liverpool College of Art, before taking a sabbatical in 1977 to join a band... or two. He is known internationally for his unique style of drumming on 'The Slits' debut album, Cut (1979), and as writer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist, with both Siouxsie And The Banshees (1979 - 1996) and The Creatures (1981 - 2004). Self-taught, his influences range from Ringo to Rothko (via Ravel). Budgie was described by John Cale of 'The Velvet Underground' as a 'musician's musician'. He lives in Berlin, Germany with his wife, two children, three cats, and a Giant Schnauzer.
Dimensions (Overall): 9.45 Inches (H) x 6.39 Inches (W) x .98 Inches (D)
Weight: 1.23 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 320
Genre: Biography + Autobiography
Sub-Genre: Personal Memoirs
Publisher: White Rabbit
Format: Hardcover
Author: Budgie
Language: English
Street Date: October 21, 2025
TCIN: 1002216925
UPC: 9781399621564
Item Number (DPCI): 247-33-1102
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 0.98 inches length x 6.39 inches width x 9.45 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 1.23 pounds
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Q: What is the format of 'The Absence'?

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  • A: This book is published in a hardcover format.

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Q: What is the total number of pages in the book?

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  • A: The book contains a total of 320 pages.

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Q: What is the suggested age for readers of this book?

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  • A: The suggested age for readers is 22 years and up.

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Q: What is the genre of this book?

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  • A: The book is classified under Biography and Autobiography, specifically focusing on Personal Memoirs.

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Q: Who is the author of 'The Absence'?

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  • A: The author of 'The Absence' is Budgie.

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