Freak Unique - Autobiography Mini Review

 

I have never admired a man more than I have ever admired Pete Burns. Pete Burns was the lead singer of Dead or Alive, the band. Dead or Alive saw small time fame, or one-hit-wonder status with the song “You Spin Me Round” from their Youthquake album. But I admired him the most because he always put himself out there in the clothes that he deemed “genderless” he was the icon of my early recognition of being trans.

I splurged for the print version of the book because I wanted a copy of the “exclusive” pictures of Pete including photos by his spouse. I wanted to bring his book into the forefront of my blog because he means so much to me as an inspiration, artist, and all-around-bad-ass.

His autobiography was co-written with Ian Cranna, but you can tell it is Pete writing. Or I can tell, because I have listened to many interviews of his where he speaks his mind. That is something the world will miss about Pete, he always spoke his mind (for better or for worse!).

There were many things about his life that I did not know. I knew a little bit about his mother and her makeup–Pete’s aspirations to be like her. But, what I never knew was the extent of her depression and alcoholism. I definitely felt that Pete was vulnerable about the demons in his past. But, he is also very compassionate. I particularly enjoyed how he speaks of his mother in the end: “I wouldn’t have had it any other way.” He writes, “I wouldn’t have wanted a mundane mother who said…whatever it is that mundane mothers say. Not by any means. How awful!” How very much like Pete! In the face of the reality of a unique mother he found compassion for her, love for her, and that is something so precious.

And no writing about Pete Burns can be complete without talk about his plastic surgery! I do not like it when people alter themselves surgically. It just feels like too much risk, too much change, and what if people are just looking for something temporary. It is too much to bear for me. But, Pete is super vulnerable about the surgeries, the reconstructive surgery, and the plastic surgeries.

Freak Unique is definitely an easy read. It is written for people who love Pete Burns and for those who need a little push to be themselves. I will definitely be reading it again.