Stuart Braithwaite – Spaceships Over Glasgow – Book Review
by Killian Laher

Published by White Rabbit Books

It seems a little strange, the main man of a predominantly instrumental band, writing a 300-page plus autobiography.  Would Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai produce something completely unconventional?  Well, he has chosen the relatively straightforward route.  For those who don’t want to plough through 120 pages about a musician’s upbringing, this is ideal as the book is very much focused on music.

In the opening chapters, Braithwaite describes his formative live music experiences, remembering with great detail some of the many gigs he attended.  He writes about them with a real sense of joy.  The book then moves into how Mogwai came together, giving an in-depth account of their early years, which seemed to consist mainly of drunken debauchery.  It’s a wonder Stuart and co got anywhere as they seemed to be going nuts on booze constantly!

There’s scant attention paid to the last 15 years or so, and insights into more recent albums remain hidden.  The book ends around the passing of Stuart Braithwaite’s father.  All in all, it’s not one for the casual reader, but fans of Mogwai will love it.