Death of an Unsigned Band
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
Being an unsigned band isn't a situation - it's a mental illness. Few people realise they're suffering from this affliction. Russell Groom knows, and he wants to change things fast. But Russell doesn't fit the traditional rock-star mould, and his woefully unexceptional band are headed nowhere, inhabiting a world of cramped and sweaty rehearsal rooms, crap day jobs, empty gigs and interminable trips down the A303 to dodgy festival slots in Wiltshire. Enter Josh - the enigmatic and arrogant son of a successful record producer - with an offer it's impossible to refuse...
Tim Thornton's new novel is a hilarious fly-on-the-wall trip round the outskirts of the music industry, with a valuable lesson: unsigned bands never become signed bands. They have to die first.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Thornton (The Alternative Hero), the drummer for U.K. band Fink, wittily ridicules the lengths to which musicians will go to realize their dreams. Russell Groom, a mildly successful British songwriter, pianist, and guitarist, reunites with old band mates Jake, Karen, and Ash. They've released three demos in two years and a self-financed EP, but the A&R man they'd hoped to impress walks out of their latest gig. Unbeknownst to the band, Russell agrees to the demands of Josh, the ne'er-do-well son of a record producer, who promises to turn Russell's trajectory from "B-road to Shitsworth in the London Borough of Nowhere" to "a first-class ticket to Fame Central," with just one hitch: Jake is out, and Josh is in as lead singer. When Jake storms off after a successful festival show and a big manager comes calling, Josh and the newly configured band finally get their chance. But stardom comes with less stardust and glory than Russell imagined; venues get nicer as success grows, but choices become harder and loyalties strain. Steeped in the world of small-time British music, Thornton writes hilarious dialogue and laces his story with authentic, if depressing, details. A must-read for wannabe musicians with stars in their eyes.
