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Beware of the Bull
Paul Thompson
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From the publisher
'The labour and the love seep from every page. For Old Molly Metcalfe, for Leopold Alcocks, for Sister Josephine, but mostly for yourself, if your hands aren't too encumbered, gather a book or two for Jake..." – Jon Richardson
"A timely paean to a velvet larynxed, storytelling wonderman..." – Cerys Matthews
by Paul Thompson and John Watterson
Beware of the Bull – The Enigmatic Genius of Jake Thackray is the first, much-anticipated biography of the late, great Yorkshire singer-songwriter.
Admired by Neil Gaiman, Cerys Matthews, Alex Turner and Jon Richardson, among others, Jake is increasingly recognised as one of the greatest and most original artists of the twentieth century; a unique talent and master storyteller, whose songs are full of wit, poetry, irreverence and humanity.
The book reveals a life as extraordinary as his writing: the difficult upbringing in the terraces of Leeds; strict Catholic education and transformative experiences in France and Algeria; first career as an inspirational, unorthodox and highly creative teacher; Jake’s meteoric development as a writer and performer, and subsequent discovery by the BBC; the Abbey Road recordings and his unexpected influence on The Beatles; the fame and fortune brought by a remarkable television career... and Jake’s rejection of it all.
This is the story of a complex, charismatic and self-effacing man whom many loved, but few understood. Beware of the Bull has been written with the full support of the Thackray family. Granted exclusive access to personal papers, it shares a wealth of previously unpublished lyrics, poetry and letters, and is illustrated with rare and never-before-seen photographs. Through it all, Jake’s unique voice is heard afresh and his life and work better understood.