FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK: A ROAD MAP TO BEING IN A BAND by Dave Bidini (Tundra), 130 pages, $12.99 paper. Rating: NNNN
Rating: NNNN
Ever dream about becoming a rock star? Playing in a famous band? Crossing the continent via air-conditioned bus with legions of groupies hanging onto your every word? Ramming – or having someone else ram – illegal substances into any available orifice?
Well, forget about it, bub, cuz it just won’t happen.
That’s the message we get in this charming how-to book for aspiring Kurts or Bonos out there.
Not that it’s all doom and gloom, though. Like his Canadiana classic On A Cold Road, Bidini’s passion and belief in the power of rock ‘n’ roll practically ooze out of his prose. And his vignettes on the trials of playing in an almost-famous Canadian band, interspersed with historical rock anecdotes and nostalgic childhood memories, make for a brisk and often hilarious read.
If Bidini’s trying, as he says in the book’s opening passage, to attract a younger audience, he might have missed the mark. Names like Rush, Max Webster and the Cramps may ring hollow for anyone under 25.
Still, it’ll make a perfect stocking-stuffer for any music fan – groupies and drugs not included.
