Can't Stand Up For Falling Down

The Sunday Times' Music Book of the Year 2017
Allan Jones launched Uncut magazine in 1997 and for 15 years wrote a popular monthly column called Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before, based on his experiences as a music journalist in the 70s and 80s, a gilded time for the music press.
By turns hilarious, cautionary, poignant and powerful, the Stop Me... stories collected here include encounters with some of rock's most iconic stars, including David Bowie, Lou Reed, Leonard Cohen, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Elvis Costello, The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Smiths, R.E.M. and Pearl Jam. From backstage brawls and drug blow-outs, to riots, superstar punch-ups, hotel room confessionals and tour bus lunacy, these are stories from the madness of a music scene now long gone.

Allan Jones is an award-winning British music journalist and editor. In 1974, he applied for a job on the UK's best-selling music paper as a junior reporter, signing off his application with "Melody Maker needs a bullet up the arse. I'm the gun, pull the trigger". He was editor of Melody Maker from 1984 to 1997 and until 2014 editor of music and film monthly Uncut.

Introduction
Leonard Cohen: London, June 1974
Tony Iommi: Iommi Mansions, Warwickshire, July 1974
Van Morrison: Knebworth, July 1974
Ray Davies: London, September 1974
Roxy Music: Cardiff, September 1974
KC and The Sunshine Band: London, October 1974
Lemmy: London, January 1975
John Martyn: Leeds, February 1975
Dave Brock: Devon, February 1975
Joe Strummer: London, February 1975
Wayne Nutt: Aberdeen, March 1975
Mick Ronson: Newcastle, April 1975
Alex Harvey: Glasgow, September 1975
Gordon Lightfoot: London, October 1975
Be-Bop Deluxe: Shrewsbury, January 1976
Patti Smith: London, May 1976
Phil Lynott's Mum: Manchester, August 1976
Bryan Ferry: London, January 1977
The Byrds: London, April 1977
Angie Bowie: Somerset, April 1977
Lou Reed: London | Stockholm, April 1977
Olivia Newton-John: Lake Tahoe, Nevada, April 1977
The Sex Pistols: London, May 1977
Elvis Costello: London, June 1977
The Sex Pistols: London, June 1977
Stiff Records: London, July 1977
The Mont De Marsan Punk Festival: Southern France, August 1977
David Bowie: London, September 1977
Dr Feelgood: Leicester, September 1977
Nick Lowe: Glasgow, October 1977
Gregg Allman and Cher: London, November 1977
Nick Lowe: Finland, February 1978
Tony Iommi: Glasgow, March 1978
Elvis Costello: Belfast, March 1978
Lou Reed: Philadelphia | New York, May 1978
Kenny Everett: London, July 1978
John Peel: London, August 1978
The Legendary Ariola Juncket: New York |Los Angeles | Portland, August 1978
Al Stewart: Los Angeles, September 1978
The Clash: London, November 1978
XTC: New York, December 1978
The Boomtown Rats: Los Angeles | Atlanta | Dallas, January 1979
The Clash: Cleveland | Washington DC, January 1979
Mike Oldfield: Berlin, April 1979
Lou Reed and David Bowie: London, April 1979
Robert Fripp: Bournemouth, April 1979
The Pretenders: Chester | Blackburn, July 1979
The Searchers: Rhydyfelen, South Wales, November 1979
Jerry Dammers: Hemel Hempstead, December 1979
London Calling: Melody Maker HQ, December 1979
Squeeze: Australia, February 1980
Def Leppard: Glasgow, February 1980
The Police: Bombay, March 1980
The Police: Cairo, March 1980
The Police: Milan, April 1980
Elvis Costello | The Specials | Rockpile: Montreux, July 1980
Monsters of Rock Festival: Castle Donnington, August 1980
Ozzy Osbourne: Texas, March 1982
Morrissey: Reading, February 1984
Johnny Marr: Reading, February 1984
R.E.M.: Athens, GA, June 1985
Van Morrison: London, June 1986
Eddie Grant: Barbados, October 1986
Townes Van Zandt: London, October 1987
Lou Reed: London, February 1989
Neil Young: London, October 1989
R.E.M.: Athens, Georgia, December 1991
Warren Zevon: London, September 1992
Bob Dylan: New York, October 1992
Neil Young: London, October 1992
Pearl Jam: New York, April 1994
The Afterglow