Rough Description

“Based on his days as a fly in the mosh pit of the nascent punk scene in Toronto and decades of drumming for some of my favorite beat groups, you would think that Don Pyle has a lot of great stories to tell and insight to share. You are not wrong. Come for the Guelph Riot, and then see if you can guess which Shadowy Man tossed a lovingly compiled Grateful Dead cassette from a moving vehicle.” — Ira Kaplan, co-founder, vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter from Yo La Tengo


Don Pyle’s tantalizing memoir, Rough Description, recalls first bands, the absurdity and incredible rewards of touring, and dubious-dealing stories of the groups he’s been in, most prominently as drummer and co-founder of beloved group Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet. It recounts friend and work relationships with musician Dallas Good, venerable producer/engineer Steve Albini, iconic comedy troupe Kids in the Hall, whose series and theme his group created, and others.


Alternately melancholic and hilarious, this book chronicles Pyle’s bonkers experiences while attending hair school, his evolving relationship with his mother, how the Ramones affected his young teen brain, a life-changing car accident, and other situations from a creative life lived fully, providing oodles of salacious dish. You’ll discover how a punk rock pen pal led to a career in showbiz and how to put out the same record over and over again.


Photography, performing and writing music in bands, recording and producing numerous other artists, writing about music, and scoring for film and TV are all part of Pyle’s distinct observer’s eye — one that sees all creative media as aspects of the same stream.