Truly Gifted Kids: A Book About a Band Called Prefab Sprout

A celebration of a much-cherished pop group and a long-overdue companion to their unique musical output. Rolling Stone called him ‘the last pop genius’, while Richard Osman claimed he is ‘the most unfairly overlooked lyricist of his generation’. Paddy McAloon is undoubtedly one of the great songwriters of the last half-century.As the leader of Prefab Sprout, he’s overseen ten heavily praised albums, including the classic Steve McQueen, along with a trail of hit singles, among them ‘When Love Breaks Down’ and ‘The King of Rock ’n’ Roll’.His songs have been sung by Kylie and Cher. Others were written for Madonna, Sinatra and Streisand. But despite the commercial success and abundant critical acclaim, McAloon remains an enigmatic figure within the bright, brash world of pop.The semi-reclusive Prefab Sprout have seldom followed paths trod by others.They rarely toured. They took their time to make records. They always danced to their own drum. A lifelong fan of the band, acclaimed writer Ni