Robert Pollard has written an entire library’s worth of songs and poems, so it’s only fitting to have a book devoted to the telling of his own life’s story (thus far). Closer You Are: The Story of Robert Pollard and Guided By Voices achieves this task magnificently. Author Matthew Cutter, a longtime friend of Pollard (and a musician himself) delves back into Pollard’s childhood and continues the tale all the way up to the present day, with a strong focus on his musical aspirations and career—particularly through Guided By Voices, the main vehicle for Pollard’s musical output.
Cutter draws from interviews given by friends, family, past and present bandmates, and Pollard himself to tell the inspiring story of a man who overcame all obstacles in his path—including feuds with bandmates and negative reviews from critics—to fulfill his destiny to rock by leaving “the routines of living behind.” The result is a biography that transports the reader into the Pollard household, in various recording scenarios, and onto the stage, among other settings; I found myself totally immersed in the narrative, feeling like I was next to Pollard every step of the way.
Along Pollard’s journey, Cutter includes many “nuggets” for the fans; bits of inside information from those in-the-know, such as the origins of song titles, lyrics, album art collages, and recording techniques. He also peppers the text with references to Pollard song titles and lyrics. It’s these examples of deep-level fandom that make it obvious why Cutter is such a perfect choice to author this bio; his love of Pollard’s art clearly shines through in his text.
If I have one complaint about Closer You Are, it’s a very minor one: I would have loved a more in-depth look into the formation of some of Pollard’s side-projects, especially those that came after the era of The Electrifying Conclusion. The only real mention of Boston Spaceships, for example, is a quote from Pollard: “Boston Spaceships was better than Guided By Voices.” With that kind of high praise, it would have been nice to be able to read more about how Pollard wound up collaborating with some of these other musicians. Then again, that’s just the opinion of one very greedy GBV fan, and the omission of that information certainly takes nothing away from the overall greatness of this book.
I highly recommend Closer You Are to any fans of Robert Pollard’s music, but I also believe it would be an enjoyable read for those less familiar with his work. Matthew Cutter’s writing style is clear and vivid, and the quotes from interviews lend a personal touch from those who know Pollard best. I consider this text to be an essential part of any fan’s collection, and am definitely looking forward to multiple future readings!
Closer You Are: The Story of Robert Pollard and Guided By Voices is available now from Da Capo Press, and you can order your copy at this link.
