I've not seen this book before - does anyone know the history/background? Is it rare?
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Yes, it's a collection of Nigel Griggs' photos of Split Enz that was published around 1983. Rumour has it Nigel was not very happy with the book, for some reason, and it doesn't even rate a mention in Mike Chunn's Stranger than Fiction. Copies pop up for sale online occasionally - I have two. Unfortunately it seems the book was not well bound - in both my copies, the pages are falling out.
Flicker's right. It used to be incredibly rare, but more copies of it seem to have been popping up in recent years. Definitely worth having.
Signed copies were sold by the fan club back when the book was released. They were signed, not just by Nigel, but by all the members of the band. I never see a signed one come up for sale though. I got mine from the club, so it's signed.
Nigel was highly annoyed by all accounts at the initial printing; the adhesives used + the printing dimensions were substandard so there was an initial delay until the summer of ‘83/‘84 before Book Enz was officially released. He put it all together when Tim was recording his Escapade; a huge focus stems from the post-Mal/pre-Paul era. I find that the article clippings and band member quotes to be as fascinating as the photography. Nigel has a unique approach to capturing a visual moment; very similar to his aural approach to music as a bass player….surprises galore yet he always makes it work with his subtle stamp in making original and memorable creativity. Do grab the book if you can. I find Nigel’s book to be about the band as a whole at a specific time at a specific whereas the Mike Chunn effort is more of his own interpretation of the band, especially post 1977….1978 as their most crucial year barely warrants 2 pages. Have ‘Time & Tide’ (40 years old this month?) playing when you read Book Enz; hope that you enjoy it.