After so many interviews and face-to-face meetings with Desmond Child, I’ve heard so many stories, anecdotes, trivia, incredible information, details about songs, or moments from his illustrious career, that buying this book was a no brainer
Starting with the GOAT of all his songs,” “Livin’ On A Prayer,” which rightfully makes it into the title, Desmond unravels the colorful thread of his life from day one. He talks about growing up without knowing for many years who his real father was, the turbulent and sometimes competitive relationship with his mother, his initiation into the wonderful world of music, the struggle for success and recognition – which never stops, the story of his partner, Curtis, and of course, his magnificent concert at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, which was also the reason for the delay in completing this work.
Desmond’s narratives and confessions become the cohesive link for all the stories that have been published over time, enriched with even more. They put things in order and a chronological framework… usually! This is Desmond Child’s story, but not the story of his music. Don’t expect to read about all his collaborations, compositions, and the inspiration for the great hits he wrote alone or with a partner. Note that for six consecutive decades, he has had No.1 hits in America, something that no one else has achieved.
If you are a fan of his work, reading it will definitely help you understand his psyche better, but even if you’re not, this moving success story won’t leave you indifferent. As for Greece, which he loves and visits every summer, his impressive effort for the reunification of the Parthenon sculptures, which culminated in the concert in Athens, deserves praise, admiration, and gratitude, and it has a special chapter in the book. The narrative is torrential and overwhelming, like having Desmond in front of you talking, jumping from one story to another, making jokes, and laughing. There is quite a rich visual material with many photos from his entire career.
I will avoid spoilers, but I will mention that I was surprised by the artist with whom Desmond did not have a good relationship, their collaboration was fraught with difficulties, but he writes a special dedication at the end. Also impressive is which collaboration he considers the pinnacle of his life and his greatest regret. These, you will discover on your own.
