I loved the idea of this book and really enjoyed the memories in there. Kim was certainly a pioneer and a trailblazer and clearly very good at her job too! However I found the narrative jumped around a little and I would have preferred a more linear style with her telling us how she came up through the ranks. On the whole I thought it was a little bit too 'on the surface', like a series of anecdotes rather than an in depth non fiction read

Kim Hawes is an inspiration. Her career trajectory is the stuff of teenage dreams and parental nightmares. That said, she was lucky to have a very supportive Mother. I hope 'Lipstick and Leather' gives some wee girls some big dreams.

When I was younger I had one ambition in life and that was to stand at the side of the stage at rock concerts and gigs and to follow a band on tour. Blame Almost Famous. I craved it so much but alas it wasn't the life I ended up having.

It is still something I wish had happened but I have come to terms with the fact that it hasn't happened for me. One of the ways that I deal with that blow is to read rock memoirs so that I can experience things vicariously. Lipstick and Leather was a perfect read for me in that respect. I was never going to be a musician or a roadie but I would have loved to have been a tour manager like Kim Hawes.

Lipstick and Leather is a warts and all memoir about what life on the road was like. She shows you the highs but brings you back down to reality with the lows. What you get when you read Lipstick and Leather is a sense that Kim Hawes has no regrets over the experiences that she had. She recognises the privilege of her experience and knows that very few get to do what she did. However, rather graciously she has invited you to ride pillion with her in her memories. What a gloriously rock and roll time she had.

I'm envious but thankful for the vicarious experience.

Lipstick and Leather - On the Road with the World's Most Notorious Rock Stars by Kim Hawes is available now.
For more information regarding Kim Hawes (@KimTM) please visit www.kimtm.com.

For more information regarding Sandstone Press (@sandstonepress) please visit www.sandstonepress.com.

As a fan of a few of these bands mentioned, I found this an interesting read. It was at times chaotic which fitted with the idea of life on the road. In a male dominated industry it was refresh8ng to get a different perspective,

My thanks to NetGalley and Sandstone Press for a copy of “ Lipstick and Leather “ for an honest review.

An interesting memoir of how Kim Hawes worked her way up from selling band merchandising to becoming , what is mainly see as a male role, tour manager to several heavy rock groups.
The book is full of many eye opening anecdotes ,that you would expect from the life spent with drink and drug fuelled rock band members, Through her hard work and strong character she has had a successful career and this makes for a very entertaining read