My Idol Years

$29.99

Format: ISBN: 978-0-9953594-7-5 Trade PB 296pp including 8pp illustration insert Rights: World Release / Publication Date: 01 /05 /2017
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Description

From Carnation Kid and early pop stardom to LA songsmith and actor to producer and manager to Idol judge to barrister, Mark Holden’s memoir is always startlingly honest, a unique portrait of the music and TV industries, of family and ageing in the public eye.

In 2006 Mark had a premonition that 2007 was going to be his last year on Australian Idol and kept a revealing record of what happened behind the scenes. That diary provides a central thread in this hugely entertaining portrait of his rollercoaster life. Yet My Idol Years covers it all, including growing up in Adelaide, the Countdown years, and the wild side of making music and living in Los Angeles in the 1980s. It is a funny, warm and generous book full of stories about personalities including Elton John, David Hasselhoff, Molly Meldrum, John Paul Young, and of course his fellow Idol presenters. Mark also tells the story behind the Bobo the Clown incident on Dancing with the Stars, something that caused a media sensation at the time. But in what is arguably one the most candid memoirs in recent times, Mark isn’t afraid to reveal his own vulnerabilities, failings, and challenges, as well as the triumphs. Ultimately My Idol Years is a touchdown, both a celebration of the music and the entertainment worlds and a moving testament to the value of family, friends and the many lessons learned along the way.

Mark Holden made his name in the mid-1970s as the good-looking carnation-carrying pop star who sang hits like ‘Never Gonna Fall in Love Again’ and ‘Last Romance’. Mark was signed by EMI Australia, for whom he went on to record three albums. In the 198Os he relocated to Los Angeles’ Laurel Canyon where he became much in demand as a songwriter, penning the Temptation’s Top Ten hit ‘Lady Soul’ and a #1 dance hit with Kathy Sledge. Cover recordings of his songs were made by artists as varied as Belinda Carlisle, Steve Jones of The Sex Pistols, Jose Feliciano, Fleetwood Mac, David Hasselhoff and Brandford Marsalis. He has also produced and managed artists both in the U.S. and Australia including Milla Jovovich, Joel Turner, and Vanessa Amrosi. His songs continue to be recorded by artists such as Delta Goodrem and Sophie Monk. He is also well known to Australian audiences for his time as a judge on Australian Idol and his many media appearances. These include radio, Celebrity Come Dine with ME with Red Symons and Dancing with Stars, where his character Bobo the Clown created a media storm. He continues to explore his family’s rich musical and performance traditions in The Holden Brothers Travelling Circus. At the end of 2009, Mark achieved a long-term ambition when he graduated from his law degree and was admitted to the Bar.   More at:   www. markholden.net.au