"My real story starts with a disaster, an unmitigated,
pull-the-rug-from-under-you, clean-out-the-bank-account disaster. But
had it not happened, The Police would never have risen to become the
biggest rock band in the world; Jools Holland would not have ended up on
TV; The Bangles, The Go-Go's, R.E.M., and many other music stars might
never have made it either. It's strange how a fluke, a disaster, an
unlikely event can lead to incredible results. But that is in essence
what happened to me . . ."
Two Steps Forward, One Step Back tells the extraordinary story of
Miles A. Copeland, a maverick manager, promoter, label owner, and
all-round legend of the music industry. It opens in the Middle East,
where Miles grew up with his father, a CIA agent who was stationed in
Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon. It then shifts to London in the late '60s and
the beginnings of a career managing bands like Wishbone Ash and Curved
Air--only for Miles's life and work to be turned upside down by a
disastrous European tour.
From the ashes of near bankruptcy, Miles entered the world of punk,
sharing a building with Malcolm McLaren and Sniffin' Glue, before
shifting gears again as manager of The Police, featuring his brother,
Stewart, on drums. Then, after founding IRS Records, he launched the
careers of some of the most potent musical acts of the new wave scene
and beyond, from Squeeze and The Go-Go's to The Bangles and R.E.M.
The story comes full circle as Miles finds himself advising the Pentagon
on how to win over hearts and minds in the Middle East and introducing
Arabic music to the United States. "Never let the truth get in the way
of a good story," his father would tell him. In the end, though, the
truth is what counts--and it's all here.
