Description - Long Dave Fanning's boyhood dream was to become a firefighter. Here are tales of a lost era of fire fighting using a hook and ladder to climb from one floor to the one above, where health and safety concerns for firefighters were not at the forefront, and where new forms of fire training were developed by him and his team. These are the stories of a legacy of firefighting in Liverpool, England, in an era that had challenges of the sort no longer faced by firefighters today. This was a time when more than 700 ships a week offloaded their often highly volatile cargoes in the docks of the River Mersey. It was a time when firefighters had to master the use of the hook and ladder to enter buildings ablaze, and when little regard for Health and Safety saw them wearing what were no more than the equivalent of gardening gloves as they undertook their duties. It is in this context that Dave Fanning brings us his memories of leading firefighting on Merseyside. Poignant, funny, and full of down-to-earth detail and valuable lessons for any leader of people, these stories bring to life the Liverpool of the 1970s, 80s and early 90s, with humour and insight typical of the people on Merseyside.

Described as the Irish John Peel, Dave Fanning has been a major player in the Irish and global music scene for over 30 years. In this compelling memoir, RTE Radio 2 DJ Dave Fanning will give the behind-the-scenes story of all the international musicians he has met, including The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, David Bowie, The Who and many, many more. Dave's story starts in the 60s, when he discovered his love for Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and of course, The Beatles through the family subscription to the NME. This was to be his first glimpse of a world he would soon become an important part of. Graduating from pirate radio and a stint as Editor of Scene magazine, Dave joined RTE radio 2 when it launched in 1973, and quickly became the voice of a generation. Billboard magazine hailed him as the man solely responsible for the growth of Ireland's music industry. Renowned for supporting young, new Irish talent, Dave Fanning will detail the unique story of his role in the launch of U2 and his ongoing friendship with the band, delving into their humble beginnings and rise to fame. Including never-before-seen photographs and images from Dave's huge personal collection, this is an absolute must-have for any music fan and will be a significant contribution to the history of music.