Reluctant Heroes: The Story of Elbow

Book excerpt: When Elbow won the Mercury Prize in 2008 for their fourth studio album - The Seldom Seen Kid - the accolade followed an organic 17 year long career marked by four classic albums and a cult following that cast them in the role of Manchester's best kept music secret. Elbow started out at a time when great songs and evocative lyrics were not generally recognised. Their music transcended genre, age and image, eventually finding its own distinctive global audience as Guy Garvey evolved into one of the most brilliant and intriguing lyricists of recent times. Reluctant Heroes charts Elbow's long journey from humble roots through modest success to international recognition. It features interviews with the band and those close to them to form the most complete band history to date.