Book – Chris Evans, It’s Not What You Think
We’re the same age, love music and are fascinated by radio.We also both stayed on to 6th form even though we couldn’t wait to get out of education and become independent but for differing reasons; I stayed on to take a year out. I figured I had nothing to lose with close to three million unemployed in the UK so I may as well stay on to do more of my favourite subject, English language and learn to type. Mr Evans however, had the entrepreneurial streak, setting up an alternative tuck shop to compete with the schools’ own, to earn money and get himself out of suburban, council estate existence.The only other thing we have in common is that I too love lists, as readers to this blog will testify.I first came across the DJ in c1991 when he did the GLR (Greater London Radio) Saturday morning show. My friends knew that I would not leave the house until 1pm until the end of the best radio show I’d ever heard. I followed him through to the Big Breakfast even though I’d not previously watched breakfast TV but lost him at the same time he lost himself. Around that time I found myself standing in line behind him at the Harvey Nichols food store in London. He was much taller than I realised.So, in true Chris Evans style, things I didn’t realise about Chris Evans:1. He turned down Richard Branson’s offer to host the drive time radio show on Virgin radio, after he walked out on the career pinnacle, the Radio 1 breakfast show. He didn’t want to anything other than breakfast.2. He got Richard Branson to fly BA with him, on concord, as that’s the only time they had to talk about the above contract. Mr Branson reluctantly agreed to fly BA but would not fork out for the ticket the fly via his rival.3. He was an absolute idiot, fame and money totally got to him.4. Is, ¬-- was a womaniser of sorts, one of those guys that overlaps on girlfriends, moving on to the next one before officially ending it, even as a kid.5. Bought Virgin Radio from Richard Branson – or rather got the investors to buy it as he only put in £2 million of the £87 million – 6 months after turning down the drive time show.6. Worked at Virgin radio for 10 weeks whilst the station was in the process of being sold to Capitol and ended up buying it from under their noses.7. Has absolute respect for people, especially those of the opposite sex.8. The gob smacker, he has a grown up daughter from a very early relationship.Despite or because of the lists and the very short chapters, I found the book an easy read although with a disappointing ending. Now I know why he’s already tweeting about book two, this is only part one and reads up to the day he took over Virgin. Very clever. 7½/10 Inspiration factor 7½/10Follow my updates on TwitterIt's Not What You Think
