Biography & Autobiography Composers & Musicians
Just Between You And Me
A Memoir
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
- Initial publish date
- Oct 2016
- Category
- Composers & Musicians, Personal Memoirs, Post-Confederation (1867-)
-
eBook
- ISBN
- 9781443446723
- Publish Date
- Oct 2016
- List Price
- $11.99
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
Singer, guitarist, writer, producer and leader of the band April Wine, Myles Goodwyn’s passion and drive shaped and directed the group from its earliest beginnings. He is the only remaining original member of the group since the inception of April Wine in 1969. Goodwyn grew up poor and is the classic “small-town kid makes good” success story. As a young teen, Goodwyn honed his skills, playing in bands such as East Gate Sanctuary and Woody’s Termites. From the very beginning, Goodwyn plotted the course of the band. His unique but classic rock voice gives April Wine a distinct and immediately recognizable sound. Ranging from hard rock classics to soulful ballads, his vocal range and style can really grab a hold of you. His songwriting skills are prolific. He has penned virtually every April Wine song. He has a knack with words and seems to have an ability to write a catchy tune at will. Through the ups and downs and changing faces of the band, the one thing that has remained constant is Myles Goodwyn. Even today and with their latest release and shift in direction, his voice is as strong and apparent as ever. Now in its fourth decade, April Wine continues to charge ahead as one of Canada’s very best rock bands. And as far as rock history goes, Myles Goodwyn is already a living legend (especially in the annals of Canadian rock history), being known as one of the all-time greats.
In Just Between You and Me, Goodwyn shares the story of his upbringing, first at home in rural New Brunswick and then in the music business as the lead singer of one of Canada’s most popular bands ever, April Wine.
About the author
Myles Goodwyn was born in Woodstock, New Brunswick, and raised in Waverley, Nova Scotia. He is a founding member of the iconic Canadian rock band April Wine, from its modest garage-band roots in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1969 to international acclaim, with sales exceeding 20 million records and CDs worldwide. In 2002 he was presented with the Socan National Achievement Award and in 2003 with the ECMA Lifetime Achievement Award for his impact on the music industry in Atlantic Canada. In 2009, he and his fellow April Wine members won the coveted Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Award, and in 2010 April Wine was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Goodwyn has also garnished numerous personal songwriting and publishing awards internationally. Over the last decade, Goodwyn and April Wine have been active in raising funds and awareness for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Canada, and in 2014 Goodwyn co-founded, along with friend Dr. Stan Van Duyse, Soleful Caring: Shoes for the Homeless, a charitable foundation that provides footwear for the homeless. Goodwyn has homes in Montreal, Quebec, and Halifax, Nova Scotia, as well as in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.
Editorial Reviews
“I have known Myles and been the band’s booking agent for over 40 years, yet I still found many new things of interest. Myles gives a straight-up account--the good, the bad--and doesn’t shy away from the tough topics. Well done, Myles! This is a must read.”
George Elmes, Booking Agent, The Feldman Agency
“You know the music behind the man, now meet the man behind the music. Myles’ saga from childhood to rock star--with all the trappings of sex, drugs, money, triumph and heartbreak--captivates from page one.”
Gary Yates, award-winning director of the film <em>High Life</em>
“In his memoir, Myles talks about his childhood, his struggles and the history of one of the greatest Canadian rock bands, April Wine. This is a fantastic read!”
Barry Stock, lead guitarist for Three Days Grace
“Myles is a bona fide enigma-part guitar god and part tender balladeer and a true titan of Canadian rock. In this fascinating glimpse into his private world, Myles cracks open his heart to reveal the man behind the myth and the stories behind the songs.”
Sass Jordan, Juno Award-winning singer and performer
“This book captures the ‘70s and ‘80s scene and all its excesses with vivid realism, as well as delving into his personal tribulations with great candor . . . For fans of April Wine this book is a must-read!”
Lee Aaron, rock and jazz recording artist
“The iconic real rock voice of Canadian hard music and legendary band April Wine, songwriter Myles Goodwyn has always had the magic with his songs in my humble view, creating a legacy of timeless, unforgettable music that remains relevant to this day forward.”
Robb Reiner, drummer for Anvil
“I swear, so much of this could be my story, too. So many parallels, the same memories, only the names have changed. This book is a great trigger, a catalyst--it brought so much of my life back to me, stuff that otherwise probably would’ve been gone forever. Thanks, Myles!”
Paul Dean, lead guitarist for Loverboy
“A candid look behind the curtain of one of Canada’s most popular bands.”
Ian Thomas, Juno Award-winning recording artist
“I met Myles at nineteen years old when I worked an April Wine tour in 1976 . . . I truly love the man. His memoir is wonderful and a must-read for all fans of Myles and his band, April Wine.”
Paul Bronfman, Chairman/CEO of Comweb Corp. and William F. White International Inc. and Chairman of Pinewood Toronto Studios Inc.
“Whether you are a fan or not, this is a really heartfelt autobiography that offers insight into the life of one of Canada’s finest pioneering rock musicians/songwriters, making his way through the wilderness and beyond. It is quite simply a damn fine read!”
Tom Cochrane, lead singer of Red Rider and an Officer of the Order of Canada
“Goodwyn is the perfect example of the ‘triple threat’: great lyrics, killer guitar, and the voice to drive it all home. He continues to give us songs that we will be singing along to for years to come and riffs that will make us crank our stereos to 10.”
Matt Andersen, Juno Award-nominated blues singer-songwriter
“Being onstage is the easy part. If you dare, let Myles walk ya through the rest.”
Kim Mitchell, singer, songwriter, performer, and radio personality
“Just Between You and Me reflects the changed reality for Canadian classic rock bands. . . . With strings, frets, talent and wits they carved out places for themselves in the music industry. Lovely, in yer face story storytelling, Myles!
Bill Henderson, singer and founding member of Chilliwack and recipient of the Order of Canada
“After a friendship of more than five decades, I thought I knew Myles Goodwyn. That is, until I read Just Between You and Me. The up-close and personal writing style of his memoir make it an easy, entertaining and revealing read.”
Jim Henman, singer, songwriter, and original member of April Wine
“What a wonderful read. Myles walked me back through much of my own past telling his unique and fascinating life story.”
Bruce Guthro, award-winning Canadian singer/songwriter, singer for Runrig
“Myles Goodwyn is unequivocally Canada’s greatest rock ’n’ roll songwriter. This book chronicles Myles’s personal journey, as only he can. His chart-topping success with April Wine are a testament to Myles’s talent. This book is a testament to his humanity.”
Gil Moore, drummer for Triumph and owner of Metalworks Studios
“Myles Goodwyn has walked the walk and rocked the rock world. He now talks the talk, in this no-holds-barred, quintessential Canadian rock star memoir.”
Jack de Keyzer, Juno Award-winning blues guitarist and singer
“Straight to the point and straight from the heart. That’s Myles Goodwyn. This book gives you an insight into his life, the life of a Canadian rock legend who has had one hell of a ride, one heck of a life and is still rocking. Myles is the real deal.”
Paul Sanderson, Entertainment Lawyer, Sanderson Law
“A must read from the heavyweight champ of Canadian rock! As a producer Myles singlehandedly delivered Teaze’s finest moments.”
Mark Bradac, guitarist for Teaze
“In these pages, Myles chronicles the journey of April Wine, Canadian hard rock trailblazers, but also presents his personal life stripped to the core, warts and all. It’s a story many will understand and appreciate.”
Alex Lifeson, guitarist for Rush, Order of Canada
“April Wine was my Entertainment 101 for my career. They’re a hard-working band that taught me that it is all about entertainment. And all the lessons I have learned since them (or then) stand on the foundation they set for me.”
Garth Brooks
“Although most may know Moe (my Jewish name for Myles) as a skilled musician, singer, songwriter, and producer, to me Myles is my comedy muse. Whenever I’m in need of a laugh, a visit or call to my buddy is all it takes.”
Rick Bronson, comedian and TV host
“Wow, what a book! So honest, lots of detail and a great read. Myles Goodwyn is a powerful songwriter, singer, and musician. He is a respected survivor of the turbulent music industry, while being a loved and admired Canadian . . . Myles, I salute you, thank you, and will forever admire your talents as an artist and a man!”
Deane Cameron, President/CEO, Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall, former President of EMI Music Canada, Order of Canada, Member of the Order of Canada
“As one of Canada’s foremost rock songwriters of the past forty-plus years, Myles Goodwyn clearly demonstrates a unique talent for writing undeniable hooks and timely and accessible lyrics, and the wherewithal to make some great records with his Juno Hall of Fame band April Wine.”
Frank Davies, President, Let Me Be Frank Inc., Founder of the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame
“Myles Goodwyn’s great songs and punishing guitar assault on the radio forged my musical tastes . . . This is a great story filled with colourful anecdotes on how it was to be a successful Canadian musician in the ‘70s and early ‘80s, and how it is today.”
Jeff Stinco, Juno Award-winning guitarist for Simple Plan
“As a massive April Wine fan, I could not lay down this memoir. . . . I loved reading about every twist and turn. Just between you and me, folks, this is a great read!”
Alan Doyle, lead singer of Great Big Sea and bestselling author of <em>Where I Belong</em>
“Just Between You and Me reveals the genesis of the artistic temperament of a particular Canadian rock musician, Myles Goodwyn, and his influence not only on April Wine, but the overall Canadian scene of popular music. A very good contribution to the history of rock ‘n’ roll’s emergence into the Canadian culture.”
Robert Henman, author of <em>The Child as Quest</em> and <em>Behind the Altar</em>
“This book will be read and loved by many who are not fortunate enough to know Myles Goodwyn personally, as I have. He is truly one of the Canadian pioneers who helped bring Canada to the forefront of the stage of international music.”
Burton Cummings, former lead singer of the The Guess Who and Officer of the Order of Canada
“An inspiring and all too close-to-the-bone read for anyone who’s ever played, or dreams of playing, in a rock ‘n’ roll band. All of the beauty and all of the demons.”
Sam Roberts, Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter