Karma is the second autobiography from singer Boy George; the first was Take It Like A Man, written when he was 30, in 2012. This covers a lot of the same ground, albeit from a new perspective, and updates his career. This has a loose 'as-told-to' style (like his previous autobiography, this was written with Spencer Bright). Fans will find a lot to like.
He grows up gay and discovers the club scene, fashion, and music. Briefly singing with Bow Wow Wow, he forms the band Culture Club, writing all the words and melodies. Most of the lyrics for their international hit songs are about his relationship with bandmate Jon Moss - when people sing Karma Chameleon and Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?, do they know it is about their love affair?
This is steeped in the fashion culture of the 80's. The look was New Romantic and Vivian Westwood, but when Culture Club took off so fast, they went on stage to see a crowd in ribbon braided dreads. Their first tracks dropped in 1982 - and by 1986 it was all over.
He admits the drama he caused, born out of anxiety and the glare of a sudden spotlight. Touring the world with his bandmates Jon, Roy, and Mikey, and (under protestation) doing cocaine to keep up. This lead to a heroin addiction, with some hilarious stories of George and friend Marilyn going to any length possible for the high. All this time trying to put out new albums and acting the part of Grammy-winning pop stars. The rumours of drug-fuelled mayhem peaked in 1986 when he was charged with heroin possession - "It's not true and it never will be true" - looking rake-thin and smashed out of his head.
After jail, he wrote a musical about Leigh Bowery (the Tony-nominated Taboo), started a fashion line (B-Rude) and a music label (More Protein), and made dance albums, while DJ-ing and continuing to get high on drugs (doesn't seem like he ever stopped). He returned to jail a few times, then abruptly begins chapter 7 with the news he went to prison, sentenced to 15 months in 2009. No lead up as if we are supposed to already know this information.
Culture Club reunited in 2014, which was a nightmare. Jon left the band, and legal battles ensued.
He gets some facts wrong, has lots to say about people you don't know, repeats a few stories, and tells anecdotes about people he doesn't name until later (so you don't know who he is talking about). The kind of thing that might happen if you are retelling a story instead of writing it down. He talks about his good friend Marilyn (who earns a full chapter), and until she gets her own book, is the best portrait so far.
He comes across as finding a serenity at 62, and throughout this autobiography, a man who lives music. An artist of our generation who continues to perform and record like Madonna, Cyndi Lauper and Annie Lennox. I continually bought his solo albums and besides having read his previous autobiography, there is so much juice in this I recommend it to any fan.
Besides, if you are not a fan, you wouldn't even be reading this post.
2024 / Hardcover / 360 pages
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