A new tone of music memoir

Music; Teenage Kicks – My Life as an Undertone; By Mickey Bradley; Omnibus, £13.50

The Undertones in 1981, from left: Billy Doherty; Damian O’Neill; John O’Neill; Feargal Sharkey and Michael Bradley Picture: Getty

If there was a competition for a music memoir to tell a tale without boasting or showboating, then this book would win it. Indeed, the memoir (by Mickey Bradley, the bass player, then and now, of Derry pop/punk band, The Undertones) is as close as you can get to a narrative approximation of the band’s music: short, sharp, amusing and terrific fun.

If you’re looking for a warts-and-all, in-depth, diligent diary-driven overview of ...