From the voice of a generation: The most highly anticipated autobiography of the year, and the story of a man who. . . is a Londoner and a Mod. . . . wanted The Who to be called The Hair. . . . loved The Everly Brothers, but not that "drawling dope" Elvis. . . . wanted to be a sculptor, a journalist, a dancer and a graphic designer. . . . became a musician, composer, librettist, fiction writer, literary editor, sailor. . . . smashed his first guitar onstage, in 1964, by accident. . . . heard the voice of God on a vibrating bed in rural Illinois. . . . invented the Marshall stack, feedback and the concept album. . . . once speared Abbie Hoffman in the neck with the head of his guitar. . . . inspired Jimi Hendrixs pyrotechnical stagecraft. . . . is partially deaf in his left ear. . . . stole his windmill guitar playing from Keith Richards. . . . followed Keith Moon off a hotel balcony into a pool and nearly died. . . . did too much cocaine and nearly died. . . . drank too much and nearly died. . . . detached from his body in an airplane, on LSD, and nearly died. . . . helped rescue Eric Clapton from heroin. . . . is banned for life from Holiday Inns. . . . was embroiled in a tabloid scandal that has dogged him ever since. . . . has some explaining to do. . . . is the most literary and literate musician of the last 50 years. . . . planned to write his memoir when he was 21. . . . published this book at 67.