[ebooks] Broken on the Back Row: A Journey through Grace and Forgiveness by Sandi Patty in Arts-Photography

Description

The women of the iconic eighties band the Go-Gorsquo;s will always be remembered as they appeared on the back of their debut record: sunny; smiling; each soaking in her own private bubble bath with chocolates and champagne. The photo is a perfect tribute to the fun; irreverent brand of pop music that the Go-Gorsquo;s created; but it also conceals the trials and secret demons that the members of the groupmdash;and; in particular; its lead singer; Belinda Carlislemdash;struggled with on their rise to stardom. Leaving her unstable childhood home at the age of eighteen; Belinda battled serious weight issues; having been teased for her pudginess throughout grade school; and grappled with her confusion about being deserted by her biological father as a child. This talented but misguided teen found solace in the punk rock world that so openly welcomed misfitsmdash;even though acceptance had its price. Not long after forming; the Go-Gorsquo;s became queens of the L.A. punk scenemdash;they sold out venues; attracted a fiercely loyal fan base; and outpartied almost every male band they toured withmdash;and in the process kicked down the doors to the all-boysrsquo; club of eighties rock and roll. With a chart-topping debut album; Belinda found herself launched to international superstardommdash;and with that fame came more access to A-list parties; and even more alcohol and drugs to fuel Go-Gorsquo;s mania. Inevitably; Belinda began to self-destruct. Lips Unsealed is filled with the wild stories that Belinda Carlisle fans are dying to hearmdash;stories about the bandrsquo;s crazy days on tour with acts like the Police and Madness and the fabulous parties and people to whom the Go-Gorsquo;s had exclusive access. But more than that; this candid memoir reveals the gritty flip side to the glitz; as Belinda shares her private struggles with abusive relationships; weight; and self-esteem; and a thirty-year battle with drug and alcohol addiction. This spellbinding and shocking look at her rise; fall; and eventual rebirth as a wife; mother; and sober artist will leave you wistfully fantasizing about the eighties decadence she epitomized; but also cringing at the dark despair hidden behind her charming smile. One of the rare adventures through rock stardom told by a woman; Lips Unsealed is ultimately a love letter to musicmdash;to the members of the Go-Gorsquo;s; whorsquo;ve maintained lifelong friendships; and to the beloved husband and son who led Belinda to sobrietymdash;and the story of a life that; though deeply flawed; was; and is still; fully lived.