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On The Table Read Magazine, “the best arts and entertainment magazine UK“, discover the hidden secrets and tragic truth behind the shocking suicide of rock icon and The Collective founder Jimmy Stephens in Neil Coley’s gripping new novel, Once Below a Time.
Jimmy Stephens cemented his status as a legendary figure in the music industry as the visionary founder of the seminal rock band The Collective. To the public, his career appeared prosperous, storied, and endlessly successful. However, beneath the glamour of chart-topping hits and adoring fans lay a profound mystery: why did an icon of rock and roll choose to end his own life?
Neil Coley’s novel, Once Below a Time, explores this haunting question. Written after Coley retired from a 35-year teaching career and shifted his focus to full-time writing, the book traces Stephens’s journey through a gripping lens of fame, failure, and the ultimate cost of pursuing a dream.
Inside the Television Investigation
The narrative unfolds as a dedicated television documentary crew sets out to uncover the truth behind Stephens’s final days. Rather than relying on surface-level biography, the filmmakers dig deep into the musician’s psyche, interviewing his friends, former colleagues, and even adversaries.
As the investigation progresses, the documentary crew uncovers layers of the rock star that the public never saw. The inquiry traces Stephens’s roots back to a challenging upbringing in 1960s Birmingham, painting a vivid picture of the environment that shaped him. Through these revealing testimonies, readers are left to ponder what secrets Stephens hid behind his larger-than-life persona, including the mysterious circumstances surrounding his final words.
I wanted to write about what it was like growing up in Birmingham in the 1960s but soon realised that that alone wouldn’t be at all interesting to most readers. Therefore, I incorporated some of my own experiences into a story about someone who was roughly my age and who, through a mixture of luck and raw talent started a pop group at school which went on to become hugely famous and influential in the music world. I also wanted to explore themes such as friendship, nostalgia, regret, family ties, disappointment and loss and blend those into a structure loosely based on that of one of my favourite films, Citizen Kane.
-Neil Coley
Capturing the Vivid Soundscape of the 1960s and 1970s
Once Below a Time serves as more than just a character study; it is a time capsule of an unforgettable musical era. Set against the vibrant backdrop of the 1960s and 1970s music scenes, Coley’s vivid recreations will deeply resonate with anyone who remembers the raw energy, thrills, and cultural shifts of that iconic decade.
For readers who enjoy music-driven fiction—particularly fans of novels like Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins-Reid and The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton—Coley’s latest work offers a compelling exploration of legacy, ambition, and the heavy price of rock and roll stardom.
Find more from Neil Coley now:
Kindle: https://amzn.to/4wXyOVC
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4bzaX6c
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