Customer Reviews

Like A Rolling Stone: The Strange Life of A Tribute Band

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Kurutz loves his rock and roll, and LIKE A ROLLING STONE revels in the good ol' days when rock was king and musicians drank and did drugs like there was no tomorrow. His affection for rock shows through in every line, and before you know it you're right there in the van with Sticky Fingers, the east coast's most popular Stones tribute band. In one way or another it's been around since the 1970s, and its present leader, Glen Carroll, is an irresistible subject, sort of like the Falstaff of the tribute world. Yes, he drinks too much and yes, he's a liar, and no, he's not really a good singer, but Kurutz' writing is so persuasive I wanted the book to come with a DVD so I could see Sticky Fingers in action at one of the rundown nightclubs or frat houses they're booked to entertain in.

Sometimes it's life at the top, but more often Sticky Fingers' erratic financing make for tensions within the band. All of this is really intriguing, but the problem is of course, that it's really not enough material to make a book out of, and one gets the feeling Kurutz did all this research and then halfway through realized he had enough for a great magazine article, but that he was going to have to add more storylines if he wanted to get a book out of it. Thus we go back in time and meet with the original tribute band, the Broadway cast of "Beatlemania." Thus we go on the road with a second Stones tribute band, the damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't Blushing Brides from Canada. Thus we are introduced to other sorts of tribute bands including some with real success stories, Dark Star Orchestra (DSO) which does the Grateful Dead, and ZoSo, the "ultimate Led Zeppelin experience." And in doing so, the focus of the book inevitably shifts away from Glen Collins and it becomes more about hardcore dollars and cents.

The cash nexus is never far from concern, yet what makes these tribute bands so endearing is that these guys aren't in it for the money--no, not really--they're doing something because they love it. And don't let me forget, also because evil life has got them in its sway.

I picked up this book over the weekend and could not put it down until I was finished. Author Steven Kurutz captures "the sights, the sounds, the smells, of a hard-working rock band on the road" to quote "This Is Spinal Tap", with both hilarious and sometimes pathetic outcomes.

In the book, Kurutz travels cross country with two leading Stones trib bands, Sticky Fingers and Blushing Brides, and in documenting the highs and (very) lows, he manages to capture the humanity in what is becoming a dying industry - Live Music.

While reading this book one realizes that both Maurice Raymond and Glen Carroll (the Brides' and Fingers' Micks, respectively) are doing their thing not only because they crave the attention of being a faux Mick Jagger, but because they genuinely love the music of the Rolling Stones, even if it is being played to a handful of people in a dive bar.

And that being said, which is more rock and roll to you: A drunk singer shouting over too loud guitars to 50 sweaty drunks, or 100,000 people at the EnormoDome who paid $300 to watch the Stones on the JumboTron?

I choose the former.

If you're gonna buy one book on rock and roll this year, this is it!

It has already been noted that the author, Steve Kurutz, has written this book with affection and the thoroughness of an anthropologist. Both of those are true. What made this book a great read for me were the many humorous anecdotes sprinkled throughout- though never at the expense of his subjects. This is the real "Spinal Tap". It just proves the old adage that the truth is always stranger than fiction. A fun, entertaining book- a must read for any rock n'roll fan.

I deeply enjoyed this book. The subject, Tribute Bands, could seem a bit off-putting. But it's the company of the writer that makes the project work. He's loose, humane and charmingly open about his own attractions to rock and the stardom fantasy. In the Stones-alike band Sticky Fingers and especially in the Mick-figure, Glen Carroll, he's got wonderful material. He handles it with kindness, intelligence and good will. He's got Whitman-like generosity--democratic good vibes.

Wow, what a cool and fun look into the music business. I couldn't put this book down. It was a blast to go on this journey with the book's author as he spent time on the road with these musicians. Not just cover/tribute bands but truly great musicians that love what they do. That's what it's all about, right?
I love going to see these bands and getting a peek inside what it takes to pull off their shows night after night was really interesting. They really do love the music they play and their dedication is proven by what they experience every day.
If you love rock and roll, you will love this book. Well written and researched.
If you've never seen a cover/tribute band.....you will want to after reading this book, and if you have you will need to read the book too!
Thank you to the Author and the bands that play the music we all love!

Steven Kurutz is a first class writer who can weave a fascinating tale about a long misunderstood facet of American society: the tribute band. Anyone who has any desire to learn the machinations of this particular pop culture phenomenom would be well served by reading this book!

The older we rockers get, the more absurdly ironic becomes the practice of the art form by its original purveyors. This book takes a very skillful, insightful and loving look at what has become of us and our music. Reading this made me want to hang out with Glen Carroll and his mates. I think they'd probably be more interesting than Jagger and Richards at this point. And I may never choose to see the Stones again (cost, time and general usefulness), but I probably will go see Sticky Fingers if I ever get the chance.

Great book. A total insight to the tribute band world. The author uncovers all the good and the bad, and doesn't sugar coat anything. He also delves into the psychology of this scene which is great. The highlight of this book is when he mentions my band, "1988," in chapter three! (along with about 150 other bands!)

Yes, rock and roll, much like the priesthood, tends to weed out all but the most hardy and dedicated. If you have ever taken a serious whack at the game, then you owe it to yourself to read this book. You'll laugh, you'll cry... Well, okay, you won't cry, but you'll certainly identify with the ups and downs, triumphs, failures, dysfunctions, stresses, joys, and fiascoes that are a part of that life. And if you threw in the towel a long time ago, you might just pat yourself on the back.

There are a lot of books about famous rock bands, but not too many that describe what it's like to be an average working musician, whether in a tribute band or not. The "tribute band" aspect lends an extra degree of absurdity to the whole business, especially today, when rock seems to be going through another one of its periodic death throes. (Believe it or not, a lot of us thought rock died around 1975. Shortly thereafter, disco was declared dead. Then punk also kicked the bucket. Remarkably, they all keep going.)

Among musicians there has always been a divide between the "cover band" types and the "original" types. This is even more pronounced when it comes to "tribute bands." There are those who find the concept repulsive, while others take a pragmatic view: "Hey, if you can play music and make money, why not? Beats digging ditches."

Well, maybe not. Rock and roll is sometimes incredibly hard work. A passage from the book summarizes things: "The members of Sticky Fingers and the Blushing Brides faced near poverty, small crowds, exhausting cross-country drives, and indifference from their peers and the world at large, in exchange for a few dollars and the chance to be onstage for a few hours."

Still, a good gig in front of an enthusiastic (albeit drunk) crowd is one of life's greatest highs, so that keeps these guys going.

Nevertheless, there is something unsettling about middle-aged men putting on wigs and doing impersonations of aging rock stars. A couple buddies and I could have formed a killer Elvis Costello tribute band back in the 1980s, but I'm not sure I'd want to be doing that now. You have to wonder how long the phenomenon will go on. Will it end with the last of the baby-boomers? Or will the nostalgia of the future involve aging hip-hop wannabes doing impersonations of Snoop Dogg? Stay tuned.

In the meantime, all you old school rock 'n' rollers and other aspirants to fame and fortune should get yourself a copy of this book. You're guaranteed to get a kick out of it and maybe even pick up some tips. It's a fast and fun read.

I'm not sure what expectations I brought to this book, which I bought half price, but it was one of the most boring books I have ever read. It just went on and on and on, and to say that "a lack of urgency makes the narrative stall at times" is too diplomatic. Maybe it's just that the subject matter is boring because I can't say it was bad writing, this guy clearly knows his rock history, it just droned on for too long, this isn't a book.