Customer Reviews

Getting in Tune

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Twenty-year-old Daniel Travers lives and breathes music. And so far, music has been good to him and his band The Killjoys; they always get local gigs and are by far the best band in their hometown of Creedly. But this is both a blessing and a curse because Daniel has dreams of following in the footsteps of his rock and roll idol Pete Townshend from The Who and escaping from his pathetic excuse for a home. Music is all Daniel's got because the rest of him is beyond screwed and falling apart, and not only because of his pill popping and those voices in his head. So when he's offered a gig at someplace called the Mai Tai Hotel, he jumps the chance to finally make it--out of Creedly and into the punk scene, so he hopes. But Daniel can't hide from his problems forever, especially because they originate from himself.

Getting in Tune is a musical coming-of-age novel dealing with the fuzzy line between real and fake. Even through the drug and alcohol distorted world Daniel lives in, there is something so genuine about his character. He's at odds with himself and stuck between being true to his music and finding the Real Him and doing anything to get out of Creedly and launch the Killjoys to success. I wouldn't say the Daniel's very likable, especially due to his frequent drinking and drug usage, but he is very easy to understand, especially when he spells out the root of all his problems. I enjoyed the deeper, almost philosophical, meaning behind the novel more than the actual plot, which was a slightly repetitive blend of drinking, smoking, playing music, and figuring out how to get from Point A to Point B. the story means more than just that, and Daniel exemplifies this search of sorts for the truth through his internal struggles. I didn't like how the portrayal of life in a rock band is stereotyped, though many of its aspects are probably true.

Getting in Tune appeals first and foremost to all rock music lovers, particularly fans of Stephanie Kuehnert's I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone, even if Getting in Tune isn't as unforgettable as Stephanie Kuehnert's musical novel.

Getting in Tune is set in the mid-1970s. Daniel feels like his band, the Killjoys, is going nowhere fast after playing for four years in Creedly, or the boonies of Northern California where they live. That's when he gets a call from promoter Rick Astley, asking if they'd like to play a gig at the Mai Tai Hotel in Washington. Daniel takes this as his chance to get out of his messy life, and move on to bigger and better things. After his band mates Mick, Rob, Yogi, and Sam warily agree to it, they hit the road. The Mai Tai is not what they expected it to be, and they soon find out it's a hangout for the Hell's Angels. At the end of their week-long trip, they are offered a huge opportunity to play a major concert locally. But at what cost will it be for Daniel and the rest of the Killjoys.

Getting in tune follows the band on their journey to Puente Harbor where they have their gig at the Mai Tai Hotel, supposedly where Jim Hendrix and Heart played before they were big. The hotel is a dump, the bar smells of stale beer and cigarettes, and the hotel owner doesn't seem to like the guys. They meet some of the locals Kitten, Cecil, Beanie, and Evangeline who give that feeling of ending up somewhere you never imagined and being stuck.

Daniel is likeable and the drastic change in his mood when he is on uppers is realistic. He's looking for that one thing that can change him, and his life, for the better, and thinks that the band will take him there. He makes some bad decisions that end up costing him in the end, but they are a crucial part of him figuring out who he is as a person. Yogi the drummer, who I think is the most underappreciated character in the book, is sweet, he busts out with song lyrics at random moments, and also hoards food. You know, like Yogi Bear? The other members Mick, Rob, and Sam are constantly fighting (usually about Mick's outlandish behavior), and often talk about leaving the band. This and dealing with the dark underbelly of the music industry put a big damper on Daniel's big plans for the Killjoys

Although I was born in the early 80s, the late 60's and 70's have always had a special place in my heart. I grew up listening to amazing rock music thanks to my totally rocking dad. So Getting in Tune was a cool way to get a look into the lives of a budding rock band in the 70s at a time when Punk was just starting to break through. Roger seems to know pretty much everything there is to know about rock music, and playing instruments, which makes the story have a real legit feel to it.

I really enjoyed this story, because I'm a huge music fan in general. Aren't we all right? The balance between the band drama, the love story, the comedy, and the business side was spot on making it easy to fall right in and take the ride with Daniel. It wasn't a typical sex, drugs, and rock and roll book. Even though all those things take place through out the story, there is real emotion behind the actions of the characters that isn't represented in most "musical fiction" books.

Getting in Tune is a true rock and roll story, and if you're a fan of Stephanie Kuehnert's I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone then I think you will enjoy this one.

As a writer, I like this book because there's nothing fussy about the prose. It's clean, straightforward, and the characters are engaging right off the bat. Yes, they're recognizable types, but they feel true. Equally entertaining is how much Trott captures the details and mood of an era. Was cracking up all the way through. The water bed right at the beginning, the phone booths, the songs playing in the background. Hell, the word bodacious, the smell of the amp tubes and the wires and litter on the stage floors. This book captures the energy and drive and confusion of a particular culture. Even better, it recreates the high of loud, rocking music when everyone's locked in to the same groove.

Getting In Tune was great fun to read. The book is a rock 'n roll romp through the '70s that has that authentic feel of the period. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Perfect summer time reading. It's made even better because Trott, the author, is a musician. That comes through. Only someone who has played in rock bands knows how to write about the experience. Perfect.
I want to go on the road and play rock!

When I was ten years old I told my parents I wanted to be a rock star. Then I started signing U.S. Blues by The Grateful Dead while playing the 'guitar' on a mop duster. (It was video taped too, and it's rather embarrassing to watch.) Then the next week I decided to be Harriet the Spy. Although my rock star detective dream never panned out, this book gave me a taste of what that life would be like. (Minus the detective work.)

Twenty year old Daniel Travers's life hasn't been the same since the day his brother was killed in Vietnam. His father has left, and the relationship with his mother has gone downhill ever since. With Pete Townshed's voice in his head as he searches for the Universal Chord, he deals with it all with two things: music and pills.

When the opportunity knocks for his band the Killjoys to get a week long gig at the Mai Tai Hotel, Daniel knows this could be the chance he has been so desperately waiting for. From that point on you are thrown into the lives of not only Daniel, but the whole band. With lead singer Mick and his fake British accent who thinks he's God's gift to women. To more level headed bassist Rob who can't figure out if he really wants in or out of the rock n' roll dream Drummer Yogi who is just plain adorable with his random outburst singing. (We would make a great duet on a random musical). Then there is Sam who played more of the middle guy, the one every group needs to keep everyone from killing each other.

Each day there is something new whether it's Mick trying to score with the girls, an animal cracker attack, a bunch of drunken cowboys trying to kill them, or finding out that the Mai Tai Hotel is a place the Hell's Angels like to hang out at. It doesn't help matters that while Daniel is trying to keep the band together, and his head straight, he meets up with Kitten, a woman who promises them big time gigs, but for a price that might not be worth it.

The book is set in the fall of 1976, and written so well you will feel like you were right there with the Killjoys. I absolutely loved every bit of this book, and will probably read it again. And maybe by the end, you might even find the Universal Chord for yourself.

Have you been in a Rock and Roll band? Do you know someone who has been in a Rock & Roll band? Wanna visit or revisit the 1970s? Read Getting In Tune.

There is something endlessly fascinating about seeing the early growth of an artist one knows and follows. It's like having a peek at the childhood sketchbook of an old master, or the early Play-doh work of a great sculptor. Wouldn't it be great to sit in on some of Led Zeppelin's practices in 1968? Or follow Jimi Hendrix around London as he played obscure clubs before creating the Experience? Roger Trott's new novel Getting in Tune offers readers this sort of fascination as they follow Daniel Travers and the Killjoys to their first big gig and an opportunity at rock band stardom. More than just a fascinating peek at the growth of a band at a seminal point in the history of rock and roll, this is a good story.

Every good story is one part comedy, one part drama, one part love story, one part adventure - nearly every genre should make an appearance. If we could add something like 'Introspective' to the genre list, it would also apply here along with the others. The dynamics of the Killjoys brings out a few laughs, though a couple band mates appear wooden beside the depth of Mick, Rob, and Daniel. The tension created by the various relationships in the novel, especially that of Daniel, Nita and Kitten and Rob and Candi kept me interested, but the adventure of the band on the road and Daniel's inner journey seem the highlight of the book.

Daniel's psychological growth is central to the novel, representing in his transition not only the artistic transition of rock music to punk music, but the personal transition of many people in his generation who felt frustrated and alone. Luckily, Daniel has the company and the advice of an internalized personal guide, a bit like Don Juan to his Carlos Castaneda, who has taken the form of Peter Townshend from The Who. The difference is that Daniel's prefers uppers to peyote, and Peter Townshend is only in his head, ironically helping Daniel to find the "Real Me", the essence of who he is among an amalgamation of discordant elements, here in the form of band squabbles, misdirected affection, substance abuse, and dishonesty that when arranged in the right way creates the "Perfect Chord", if only for a moment.

Much like Daniel's transcendent realization about the "Perfect Chord", Roger Trott's Getting in Tune brings together comedic, dramatic, romantic (not the cheesy sort), and adventurous elements into an arrangement that harmonizes well with my literary tastes. Listen closely, and you'll hear it, too.

--
David M Glines
Literary Lounge Book Reviewer

I knew nothing of rock n' roll life in the 70's before picking up this novel so not only was the book entertaining, it was educational. The book gave a raw, honest perspective of life in a band - the good, the bad, and the ugly. I would never have expected to be able to relate to characters that are so completely different from myself but I found myself understanding, sympathizing, and caring for the guys in the band. It was a sad moment when I turned the last page; leaving Daniel, Rob, Mick, Yogi, and Sam behind. I would snag the sequel in a second. Great read.
(Favorite quote: "It's turned black! And it's all your fault!" page 166)

I'm honored to be able to review "Getting in Tune." Roger and I spent many a night with our writing group editing each other's work. I never doubted he would be right here selling his book. Anyone that loves rock'n roll will enjoy making the journey from Creedly, California to Puente Harbor on the Olympic Penninsula with Daniel, Rob, Mick, Sam and Yogi--the Killjoys--in search of Pete Townsend's Universal Chord and the big break that will rocket them to fame. A great summer read, winter read, spring and fall. Congrates on a great accomplishment!

Getting In Tune is the kind of hands on, authentic rock'n'roll story that can only be written by someone who's lived the experience. You're taken not just to the front and center of the stage, but inside the head of a talented musician who seeks the transcendence that only music can provide. Trott gets all the details right as he chronicles the highs and lows of a 70s band on the verge of realistic success, and I was pleased that I found it was 4:00 one morning when I set it down; I was reading it all night. It's that kind of book. I look forward to his next outing.