Stay Alive: The Life and Death of Stuart Adamson

‘An authorised biography that doest pull any punches. An at times heartbreaking account of Adamson’s issues with alcohol and mental illness before his tragic death in 2001. A much needed acclamation of a huge talent’ * A Best Pop Music Book of 2026 - The Herald *
‘Stay Alive is suffused with bleakness, yet Rowley’s vigorous writing is also alert to the joy and absurdity of being in a band. There’s familiarity to the alcoholic’s hidden bottles, the bright eyed band wrecked by the industry. Yet Rowleys account allows the distinct sadness of Adamson’s life and death to cut through. (An) excellent biography’ * The Sunday Times *
‘A brilliantly told and long overdue account’ – John Niven
‘Rowley frames (Adamson) as a character at odds with the cartoonish popstars that prevailed in the 1980s. Exuberantly drawn 8⁄10’ * Uncut *
‘Knowing only the barest bones of its story, it took me just a day and a half to burn through every page of Stay Alive. Had it been laminated, I would have taken it in the shower. This biography of a man who may well have been unknowable, even to himself, is the best music book I’ve read in the past four years’ * The Telegraph *
‘A gripping portrait. Rowley has movingly chronicled the rise and unravelling of a beloved but often understood and underrated artist’ * The Irish Examiner *
‘A fantastic book which explores the musicians talents and demons 25 years on’ * The i-Paper *
‘A full, excellently researched, and comprehensive book that involves interviews with many of the people closest to Stuart, including his bandmates, his managers, his wives and his children. Rowley has given us a book that takes a deep dive into Stuart Adamson’s life and gives us a real, personal feel for who he was’ * Louder than Words *
‘Frankly, something of a revelation’ * The Herald *
‘Beautifully told, uplifting, heartbreaking – it just made me miss him so much’ – Mark Bonnar

Scott Rowley is content director for Future PLC, working across their stable of music publications from Classic Rock to Metal Hammer to Guitar World. He was editor in chief at Classic Rock for ten years. He is Scottish and lives just outside London.

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