This week’s Booking Through Thursday question asks what our recent best read was. They were a bit more eloquent in the wording, however.

I was thinking last night, before I saw this question, that it’s been awhile since I mentioned some really good reads. Let me fix that now:

I think Bound by Honor, Colette Gale’s latest, is her best yet. The emotions run deeper here; more’s at stake. And from my limited knowledge and innocence, I’d say this sort of scenario isn’t that out of the question.

The Pleasure of My Company proved that Steve Martin isn’t a fluke as a writer. He has a knack for picking up really odd characters — the exact kind I can’t stand — but infusing them with a warmth and emotion that can’t be denied. I wound up loving Daniel. There’s nothing pathetic about this guy, as it seems at first glance.

I’ve raved about Hank Philippi Ryan’s Prime Time before. I’m gonna do it again. As others have said, it’s totally refreshing to see a character in her mid forties be so … normal and contemporary. It gives me hope I won’t have to turn into a fuddy-duddy as I age.

That’s it for now. I haven’t been reading as much of late — there are books of my own to promote, and books of my own to write. And the past few weeks, I’ve been giving up on more than I have thus far this year. Maybe because I’m trying to read more. Maybe I’m just on a streak.

Either way, it’s making Mt. TBR shrink, and that’s a good thing. It’s a bit daunting, my TBR mountains.

Yes, boys and girls, you can’t get enough of Trevor, Mitchell, and the rest of the gang. By popular demand…

1. On September 12, you’ll be able to buy The Demo Tapes: Year 2.

2. I’ll be debuting it at the Bridgewater Book Fest outside of Pittsburgh. That’ll be your first chance to hold it in your hands.

3. You can preorder it now from me. I take PayPal. It’s $13.98 (shipping included) if you’re in the States. I’ll mail out your preordered copies on September 14.

4. Need Years 1 and 2 for some reason? Until September 12, you can get them for $23.96 — a $2 savings on the books themselves.

5. Autographs are up to you. If you want ’em, I’ll give ’em.

6. Electronic versions are in the works. You can get Demo Tapes 1 at the Kindle store now, however.

7. If you’re outside the US, contact me for shipping charges.

8. Now that we’ve gotten THAT out of the way… what ARE the Demo Tapes and why do you need them???

9. If you’ve met the fictional band ShapeShifter here on the Meet and Greet, you know how much fun they can be. And how frustrating it can be to read their adventures out of order.

10. The Demo Tapes collections take one year’s worth of fiction that I posted here at the blog and puts it onto a timeline. This lets you follow the band’s growth.

11. You also get to revisit some old favorites, like the story of how Mitchell got his pierced ear. Part of that story made up a Thirteen, if you recall.

12. There’s even a bonus piece, that never appeared on the Meet and Greet. Pretty cool…

13. So c’mon. Join the Trevolution. Pick up either version of the Demo Tapes and have some fun for yourself.

Nincompoop

It’s too easy to say that Mitchell’s a nincompoop and that’s all there is to it. Trevor Wolff does not take the easy way out. Ever. So that means I gotta say more about nincompoops.

We meet fans who are nincompoops all the fucking time, youknowwhatI’msayinghere? Fans who gotta brag to us about how great they are. Fans who tell us we suck or other stupid shit like that. If you think we suck, why the fuck are you listening to us? Why the fuck did you buy a ticket and a t-shirt and the CD and probably the official ShapeShifter stuffed dragon? You do know, asshole, that we made those dragons for the girls who dream of fucking Mitchell, right? Put a dragon in your bed and it’s the next best thing. It’ll let you spend the night, too, which Mitchell never would, even in the days before Rusty.

And then there’s the people we meet on the road. The fucking nincompoops who gotta make a big deal of our hair. Yeah, so it’s long. That doesn’t mean we want to be girls, you loser jackass. It means the girls dig our hair. They dig running their hands through it. They get off when we let the ends of it tickle their bare bellies.

Assholes like that are probably too stuck on themselves to know what it means to give a girl some pleasure. Real pleasure. Not the kind those losers see in porn flicks and think happens in real life.

Real life is way better, losers.

Look, the world is packed chock full of nincompoops. Surviving this shit we call life turns into Nincompoop Avoidance. And if that doesn’t work, go for Nincompoop Humiliation.

Just so long as Trevor comes out on top, it’s all good.

I met at new friend via Win a Book yesterday. Her name’s Martha and she blogs over at Reviews by Martha’s Bookshelf.

She knocked my socks off when she said she’s only been blogging a month.

And then she tossed those socks out the window (bummer. They were SmartWool) when she told me I inspired her.

Inspiring others is second only to being inspired by you guys. That’s definitely Only the Good.

Be sure to stop in at Shelly’s to see who else has Only the Good to talk about today. Or better yet, be inspired by me and join us!

I asked the cast of characters around here what’s worth conviction. You know: standing up for, no matter what.

I really ought to know better…

1. Trevor: Sex
(Susan would like to point out that Melody is pouting. That was her answer.)

2. Mitchell: Music
(Susan would now like to point out that Chelle is upset. That was her answer.)

3. Eric: Guitars
(Susan would now like to point out that was Mitchell’s next answer.)

4. Daniel: kindness
(Susan would now like to point out that everyone is looking at Daniel funny. That was no one’s answer.)

5. Kerri: Chocolate
(Susan would not like to point anything out. Including the half of a candy bar jammed in her mouth.)

6. Mitchell: A good show
(Susan would like to finish her chocolate bar before pointing anything out)

7. Trevor: Girls
(Susan is joining Kerri and the band in rolling her eyes. And finishing the candy.)

8. Lyric: Feeling good about yourself
(Susan would like to point out that’s what Lyric’s store is all about)

9. Trevor: Meatball subs
(Susan would like to point out that no one was going to say this.)

10. Mitchell: Love
(Trevor would like to point out that shit like this makes him gag.)

11. Eric: Faith
(Trevor would like to point out that this is more shit that makes him gag.)

12. Eric: Family
(Susan would like to point out that the band has started to think of themselves as family.)

13. Mitchell: ShapeShifter
(Susan doesn’t need to point out that everyone agrees.)

Stay tuned for news of Demo Tapes: Year 2, gang. We’re close!

“Roberta! Roberta, where are you?” Daniel yelled as the band dragged into their dressing room.

That had to be, Mitchell thought, one of the truly dumb questions in the world. Ma always said there were no dumb questions, but come on. Daniel knew damn well that Roberta was behind them, handing out the towels and bathrobes as they came off stage.

“She’s not here,” Loren said, peeking around a corner. “She’ll be back in a few. What can I help you with?” A hip appeared around the corner. Nothing more. Just the hip.

Loren wasn’t long for employment by ShapeShifter, Mitchell thought. Not if that hip was some sort of sexual thing.

Daniel plopped down on the couch, pulling the hood off his robe and tossing his towel beside him. He crossed his right foot over his left knee and pulled at a flap of rubber on his shoe.

Mitchell and Trevor peered over the back of the couch at it.

That flap of rubber made up the edges of a hole square over the ball of Daniel’s foot. He’d worn through his favorite pair of stage shoes. Mitchell peered more closely. Sure enough, he could see skin through there.

“Are you fucking crying?” Trevor asked, attention focused on the drummer’s face.

Mitchell shoved Trev so hard, the bass player stumbled a few steps to the side. He bit back the smile; it had been a good line. Daniel did tend to get a little bit too attached to certain things. These stupid shoes were one of them. If they’d been Mitchell’s, they’d have been trashed awhile ago.

“What’s wrong?” Loren asked. This time, they could see all of her. Skinny black jeans. Black t-shirt that clung. Why did they keep hiring these skinny twigs as wardrobe assistant? This one looked more like a boy than a girl. She even wore black Chuck hi-tops and an earring in only one ear. Her dyed-black hair was still short enough to be gelled into spikes on top.

“My shoe,” Daniel said, plucking rhythms out of the raw edge of the rubber.

Mitchell had to give the guy credit for not whining. To Daniel, this was the same sort of tragedy as a bad review — something to sulk about and get cranky over. Only this would last for days. Maybe longer, if the new ones took awhile to break in.

Loren shrugged. “I’ll go out with Roberta tomorrow and get you a new pair. What’s your size?”

“I want the same style.”

The girl held out her hand.

Mitchell gaped at her. Eric audibly gasped. She was actually asking Daniel to take off his shoes? While she was right there, in front of him? She really wasn’t going to be long in this job, but this time it was because what was going to come out with Daniel’s feet was going to kill her. Already, Eric and Trevor were moving off, and Mitchell was straightening up, ready to bolt.

Daniel shrugged and pulled at the laces. Mitchell retreated to his wardrobe case. It was past time for a shower, anyway. Maybe he’d get lucky and be gone when the shoes came off and the funk came out.

No such thing. Holding his breath, he darted for the shower. On the way, he noticed Loren, cradling the shoes to her chest, oblivious.

He froze. Eric did the same thing beside him. They couldn’t help but stare at the girl. She acted like this was some prize she’d been handed. Something precious, like a newborn baby.

Mitchell knew she wasn’t cut out for the roadie life.

“Maybe she’s got no sense of smell,” Eric whispered.

Mitchell nodded agreement. It was better than admitting they’d hired another groupie.

Roberta arrived, her nose squinching up. “Let me guess. Daniel’s shoes are off.”

Loren held them out. “He got a hole. We gotta get a new pair.”

Roberta waved at the offering. “What we need to get is a couple of pairs of the same style, like Mitchell has. Give them time to air out between shows.”

“No!”

“Yes,” Roberta said.

Daniel stood up and turned to face the wardrobe manager. “No,” he said again.

Trevor chuckled and lit a cigarette. “This could be good,” he said.

Mitchell agreed. Daniel didn’t get assertive very often, but when he did, look out. Same for Roberta. Watching these two go at it was going to be worth the delayed shower. Even if his back was starting to itch.

Loren still cradled the shoes to her chest.

“We’ll buy them and set them out the way we do Mitchell’s shoes. What you do from there is up to you,” Roberta said.

Daniel looked at Mitchell. “Is it awful? Can you feel the difference?”

Mitchell shrugged. Like he cared about his shoes when there was so much else to worry about during a show. Was he hitting his marks? Reading the set list right? Controlling the crowd? Playing well and singing better?

Yeah. He had time to freak about his shoes. Uh-huh.

With a heavy sigh, Daniel stood up and unbelted his robe. Eric took that as a sign and moved off. Mitchell turned to follow, but stopped when he noticed Loren.

She was rubbing Daniel’s shoes over the front of her t-shirt, her face screwed up in the pain she hadn’t shown earlier.

“That oughta keep that fucking creep off me,” she muttered and tossed the shoes into the trash. “I gotta fucking job to do. I’m not here for him.”

Mitchell made a mental note to find out what that was about. First, he had to take care of his back. An itch this bad meant it’d break out for sure. And then his guitar strap would rub, making the zits hurt every time he moved, which was pretty fucking often during a show.

Daniel, Mitchell decided, was getting off light if all he had to worry about was his feet.

Yes, this is one of the scenes that Iron Maiden inspired! Don’t ask how or why; I couldn’t even begin to tell you. I will say, however, that there’s more. I’ve been intrigued by Loren and while I don’t think she’ll be a regular around here, we’ll definitely see more of her. In the meantime, as I play with Loren, you should go visit the other people who took up the Sunday Scribblings challenge this week.

I am reading Eragon right now, Christopher Paolini’s debut novel. You guys know the story: originally self-published, it was picked up by a major publishing house, became a best-seller, and found its way to the Silver Screen. (Am I the only one who uses that phrase anymore? Why? It’s such a nice one.)

The rest of this post is NOT a reflection of Eragon.

You see, I was having trouble staying awake; it’s been stressful around here, both good (company!) and bad (don’t ask. It’s actually sort of embarrassing even as it colors the rest of my life). So I’m worn out.

To stay awake until bedtime, which isn’t as dumb as it sounds, I flipped on the TV to see what was on. Even though I wanted to keep reading.

I found a movie. And no, it wasn’t the film version of Eragon.

It was Iron Maiden‘s Flight 666.

I slept really well last night. Woke up much happier than I have been. And brimming with inspiration for the boys in the bands. Yep, bands.

What? You forgot about Deadly Metal Hatchet, too?

Sheesh.

Here’s a teaser: they appear in Demo Tapes: Year 2. Sort of. It won’t be long until you see what I mean… September 12, boys and girls. Preorder info coming soon.

To Bruce and the boys, thanks. I needed that last night. Even if I kept reading Eragon during the commercials…

Check out other Only the Good Friday folk at Shelly’s.

Hey, guys. I’m hanging today at Music Savvy Mom, one of my most favorite of new discoveries in the blog world. I’ve added my own shuffle to the mix — but not the typical way (perish the thought of *me* ever doing anything the typical way!). Instead, I captured what was playing on my preset XM radio stations at the moment I composed the e-mail.

Come join me. I’m serving up some cool stuff, and some stuff that… just… shouldn’t… be.

When I first heard of Do the Devil’s Work For Him: How to Make it in the Music Industry (and stay in it!), I knew I had to get my hands on this book. After all, I’d been in the music industry. I was set to make it my life. It was that staying in it part that turned out to be impossible. It wasn’t that I wasn’t good. It was that I had another calling.

I think you guys know what that calling is.

Anyway, Devil’s Work co-author Rick Florino got in touch with me and asked if I’d like to hook up and talk about the book. How could I refuse?

Q: Let’s switch to the book. Why did you and Amy decide it was necessary?

I wanted to create a collective of different perspectives that provided kids with insight on how to get their foot in the door of the entertainment industry at large. Most books about this subject have simply one perspective. Our book has over 20. There are my and Amy’s perspectives. Then all my friends…Chino Moreno of Deftones/Team Sleep, Munky of KoRn, Matt Sorum of Velvet Revolver, Shavo Odadjian of System of a Down/Achozen, Dez Fafara of Devildriver, Troy Sanders of Mastodon and then industry folk that have really inspired me—such as Mitch Schneider of MSO PR and many many more. This book gives kids numerous perspectives on how to break in. There isn’t one right way or correct answer. It’s not simply black and white. I wanted to prove that with the book. So we got all of these amazing people to contribute and it’s now an entire tome of knowledge-not just mine and Amy’s either! Plus, I wanted to write something that was fun, fresh and easy. It catalogs my experience in the business, and there’s an element of fun for me in that. I’ve had an awesome ride and I’ve learned so much. I wanted to share that with readers. I want to show kids if they have passion and they believe in something—anything whether it’s music, movies, fashion, basket weaving, wine making ,cooking, sports, whatever—that they can be a part of it no matter how far away it seems. In Boston, there was no opportunity to be a part of this world. I feel blessed every day that my mom encouraged me to move to L.A. and pursue my dream of being in the entertainment business and being a writer. I had no clue that half of the jobs in the biz even existed. Now, I’m thankful to have a full-time career doing something creative that I love. Anybody else can do this too, they just need to make the jump. I wanted to share that with people. That’s why this book was necessary.

Q: You published it with a small press. Why? How’s the experience been? Are you able to hit your target audience with it, and if so, what are you doing to reach these wanna-bes?

The experience has been great, and I’m glad that the book is out and doing so well! We have been able to reach our target audience. I have an amazing publicist named Mike that’s gotten us some incredible interviews. Also, it’s really about people like you that take the time to interview us. You’re the reason I’m reaching people, thank you.

Q: What sort of reaction are you getting from others in the industry? Yep, you’ve gotten a lot of input in the appendix, but beyond that? Are they hoping this will help weed out some of the duds and bring back some of the true characters of the business? (I can name names, but I don’t think you need me to)

The support has been overwhelming! People have been incredibly positive and it inspires me every day that everyone has reacted so favorably to the book. Most importantly it paves the way for my next book –Lila. Lila is incredible. You are going to trip out on it. It will give you nightmares, and I’m psyched about that. It’s the first in a series of ten illustrated novels in a larger saga called Dolor. One of my best friends, Tony Caso, drew the art, and it is haunting. It’s a supernatural thriller, and that’s all I’m going to say. It’ll be available online for free on October 20th here www.bookofdolor.com and you can find more info on www.rickflorino.com. Be ready…We’ll have to do another interview about it.

Kerri had just gotten comfortable holding up a new section of the wall when she heard the fan say it.

“Admit it, dude. Your voice’s weak.”

She wasn’t the only person to stare, open-mouthed, at the kid. He was Mitchell’s height, but with one of those beefy, burly builds and short dark hair that made him look almost menacing. The ugly tattoos on his arms didn’t help, either. Kerri wasn’t sure, but she thought he actually had a mermaid on the left forearm. Clearly, the guy’s brains had migrated to his muscles.

“Weak?” Mitchell growled. “As in you can tell I’ve been on tour for nine months, or weak as in–”

“As in,” the guy said, nodding. Like this was a happy conversation he was having and he totally wasn’t insulting the singer of ShapeShifter. The notoriously asshole singer of ShapeShifter. The one who’d think nothing of removing the guy’s head from his shoulders.

“What the fuck’s your problem?” the guy next to the rabid fan asked. Kerri looked him over, taking an immediate liking to him: short brown hair the same color as Trevor’s, wire-rimmed glasses that made him look almost nerdy. A black ShapeShifter t-shirt and in his hand, a silver Sharpie that he’d respectfully asked Mitchell to return.

“I think the guy’s got a weak voice.” Rabid fan turned to almost-nerd. “Got a problem with that?”

Mitchell crossed his arms over his chest and looked back at Kerri. He cocked an eyebrow at her, as if to say, “Get a load of this.”

“Yeah,” almost-nerd shot back, taking a step forward.

Tony, the band’s head of security, appeared out of nowhere and hovered over Mitchell’s shoulder. Kerri frowned; he was blocking her view. She wanted to ask him to move but knew he’d go ballistic if she did. He was, after all, only there to make sure Mitchell stayed safe.

“You see,” almost-nerd said. Kerri could see one of his long-fingered hands come up, index finger extended and poking in Rabid fan’s shoulder. “It’s harder than Hell to get a backstage pass to meet this band–”

“You’re telling me?” Rabid fan asked. “Know how long I’ve been waiting for this? To look him in the eye and tell him he’s not the god everyone makes him out to be?”

“Wow,” Mitchell said, stroking his chin. “Thanks a fucking lot.”

Kerri caught the edge behind the friendliness in his voice. She braced herself and noticed that Charlie did as well.

Almost-nerd was shaking his head. “Thousands of real ShapeShifter fans out there and this asshole has to win the backstage pass. Where’s the fucking justice in that?”

Mitchell snorted. “I’ll say.”

Kerri bit her lip; laughing right now would be bad. But Mitchell’s performance was stellar. Almost Trevor-like.

“You know,” Mitchell said in his most innocent way, “maybe we ought to start giving out a quiz to anyone who wants to win a pass. We can weed out the assholes.”

“I am a ShapeShifter fan!” Rabid fan yelped. He took a step toward Mitchell, his own hand held up the way Almost-nerd’s had been, but Tony stepped in the way and pushed the guy’s hand down. Rabid fan didn’t seem to notice. “This band would be so much better with another singer. I’m allowed to be a fan and not like the way certain things get done, you know!”

“Oh?” Mitchell crossed his arms over his chest. “Another singer, huh? Like… say, you?”

“Yeah!”

Kerri didn’t bother to hide her grin. Rabid fan was about to be very sorry.

Mitchell took a step back, bumping into Tony. He tossed a confused look at the security guy as if he hadn’t been aware of him until just then, but didn’t let that stop his fun. He held his hands up and yelled, “Hey!”

The entire hallway they were standing in went still. Even Trevor, Daniel and Eric looked up, startled, as if they were expecting to be told they needed to evacuate immediately. A few crew members stopped walking and stared, questioning looks on their faces.

“This guy thinks he’s a better singer than me,” Mitchell said. “Let’s give him an audition, should we?”

“I’m not warmed up!”

“So? Neither am I,” he said and launched into a few lines of Behold Me. “Shut the fuck up and sing!”

Kerri wanted to laugh at the panic that flashed across the guy’s face. The rest of the fans broke out of their carefully ordered line and began to gather around. More ShapeShifter staff appeared and Kerri helped them form a barrier between fans and the band.

“Well?” Mitchell asked. “We’re waiting, you know. Some of us have shit to do tonight.”

The guy glanced at his audience. Almost-nerd was softly suggesting ShapeShifter song titles that Rabid fan could sing.

“Oh, fuck it!”

“That’s some good singing,” Trevor told him. “I’d hire you over M, any day.” He nodded.

In one of those casual, easy movements that Kerri loved, Mitchell swatted the back of Trevor’s head.

Rabid fan turned red and opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

“Go on,” Mitchell urged. “It’s not like we’re gonna fucking judge your ass or anything.”

Rabid fan opened his mouth again. This time, a small, trembling tenor emerged — straight from the guy’s nose.

People laughed and went back to their spots on the wall, some people trying to slide down a bit so they’d get another shot at chatting with the band. Others called them on it and made them go back to where they’d been. Tony jumped and suggested that he’d be glad to escort anyone back into the venue’s public areas. Ducking his head, Rabid fan took him up on it.

Mitchell winked at Kerri and turned to Almost-nerd. “Thanks for the backup, man. Charlie? Do we have anything we can give this guy? He probably saved that dude’s life.”

“I’m sure we can find something,” the band’s tour manager said as Almost-nerd sputtered a thank you. His face turned red with the shock and pleasure of being singled out.

With things returning to normal, Kerri went back to holding up her wall. Mitchell could sing for her later on; if anyone knew how to best appreciate the Great Mitchell Voss, it was his wife. She’d make sure he forgot all about Rabid Fan — at least until he saw the sketches she was already busily drawing in her mind.

Last week, I was trying to figure out where I was.

This week, I seem to be, physically at least, home from Scout Camp. Can I take a few minutes and rave about the staff? It’s hard to remember that the staff is made up of young men and women, some as young as 15 or 16. They are all Scouts and Venturers and … wow. They are some of the best example of what Scouting should be; it’s what I want for both of my kids. I do wish these men and women could be a more permanent part of our lives. Even I would welcome the role model they provide (the issues with the Polar Bear swim aside. These are, after all, young kids).

So kudos to the 2009 staff of the Heritage Reservation, especially those at Camp Independence.

This being my life, though, there’s more good (to balance out the bad that we’re just NOT going to talk about). My friend Serena, who blogs at Savvy Verse and Wit, has a side gig. And she interviewed yours truly for it. That means I’m over at the Examiner, too. No wonder I’m so tired.

Here’s the link to part one.

Here’s the link to part two.

I’m sure there’s more. Like the bit about the staffer who told me that our Pack wasn’t just the best, but all the staffers were talking about yours truly. Seems that a lot of moms bring their sons to camp, only to stand in the background and pop forward only long enough to tell their kids no.

And then there’s me.

Dancing with staffers (He walked up to me and said, “Dance with me, lady!” and I said, “NO!” but he didn’t cave. I danced.)
Laying on a camp mattress with my son as he shoots BB guns.
Organizing our three tables (10 people each; we were one of the largest Packs there this week) in chants and demands that staffers ride the broom around the room. And announcements of One Dead Cow.
Riding BMX bikes.
And taking pictures. LOTS of pictures.

I know YOU guys aren’t surprised to hear this about me. You know I am one of those people whose approach to life involves experiencing things (I even asked one of the staffers about his Boy Scout Troop and if there was room for parents like me who want to have these great experiences with or without their kids. He laughed.). I know I’m unique (to put it mildly). I’m one-of-a-kind, like Trevor.

But I didn’t realize just how much that’s true, until I heard that comment about how my kid (and my Pack) and I had set the camp on fire.

Thanks again to the Camp Independence staff. You guys set MY camp on fire. In the best way possible.

Be sure to stop off and see the other goodness happening at This Eclectic Life. Tell Shelly I sent you.

If you have been here this past week, you know I’m actually out of town until around noon on Thursday. But… why let something like that stop a girl? That’s what auto-scheduling’s all about.

Regardless of where I am, I am very excited about the interview we’re halfway through. I posted the first half on Monday, and will post the second half soon. But it made me think about me and my own love of music. Reading Do The Devil’s Work For Him was like stepping back in time. All of it came rushing back to me. What’s it, you ask?

Well…

1. IT was first awakened… shoot. I don’t know. In the 1980s, when hair bands reigned supreme. I think it began when I sat at lunch and listened to a friend gush about her love of Bon Jovi.

2. Maybe it was before that, because I think I already had my part-time job at a record store (anyone remember those?) by then. So maybe it was working at the record store that gave IT to me.

3. Hair bands aside, the late 1980s was a great time to get into music. It was so vibrant, so alive. Innocent, even. And at the same time, so cool.

4. I loved that rock star look. The glamour. I wanted to help make it come true.

5. Through my work at the record store, I met representatives for the various record labels, who came in to build displays featuring the bands they repped. They told me that I, too, could do what they did. I began to dream.

6. When I went to college, it was fully with the idea of a future working in the music biz. So I landed myself a job at the Union’s record store. I met more label reps, who turned me on to some very cool music. (Dan Reed Network? Midnight Oil?)

7. Even before that, I got involved with my campus radio stations and became a licensed radio operator (My FCC license was approved on December 24. Even though I don’t celebrate Christmas, I loved the timing. What a present, indeed.)

8. When I left that college for Pitt, I took over WPTS-FM like a storm. Soon, I was running the show. Later, I ran the department I created. I was the first in town to give airplay to bands like Alice in Chains. Yep, I knew the late, great, Layne Staley. I took him out for O fries one night. That’s the sort of radio chick I was.

9. Part of my responsibilities involved talking to the reps from various record labels and letting them know where their bands fell on my playlists. I made many friends, all of whom knew my career ambitions. A few even took me under their wings. I’m still friendly with four of them, today.

10. Job offers rolled in. I spent spring break of my senior year in New York, shadowing one of those four friends. What would my life be like if I took this job? I could do it, but…. when would I write? I’m built to write. Always have been.

11. In the 11th hour, I walked away from a job in the music business. At times like this, when the planets are in the right alignment and the present day reminds me of what I left behind, I ache for it. I miss being part of it. But I don’t regret walking away.

12. My parents still, to this day, ask when I’m going to outgrow my love of the music biz and metal. After all this time, I can’t see it happening.

13. So what is IT? My love, my passion, my need, my desire. As I need to write the way I need to breathe, I need to have music around me. Good music, stuff that makes me come alive and react much the way my fictional Mitchell does. It’s what I need to fuel my fiction, even when I’m writing characters like Lyric, who have very little to do with music.

More about all this to come…

This is another new one for me. Back when I wrote about how much I coveted a chance to read Do the Devil’s Work for Him: How to Make it in the Music Industry, I never expected co-author Rick Florino to get in touch and ask if I’d like to interview him. I don’t usually do these things, I said, but … what the heck. I used to conduct interviews all the time and lately, I’ve had the tables turned and have been doing interviews of my own.

So… Rick kindly sent me a copy of the book. I devoured it, much as you’d expect. And then I drew up some questions for him. This got long (well, MY idea of long), so I’ll split it into two parts.

Q: Reading Devil’s Work was like taking a step back in time for me. I left the industry in 1991 and from the book, it seems that not much has changed since then. Yet the music biz is an entirely new world.

Given that, why do you still recommend the tried-and-true internship as a way in, versus setting up a shingle on a website somewhere and getting busy? What are the advantages of interning that a website can’t give you?

The best way into this business is through networking—building relationships with colleagues in the industry. The most effective way to start networking and making those contacts is through physically working with other people and interacting with them on a day-to-day basis. At the end of the day, there’s nothing better than face-to-face interaction. Allow your co-workers the chance to get to know who you really are and what you’re capable of in a work environment. I think the best solution is to do both. Get an internship at a record label, management company, publicity outfit or law firm and then start your own web site on the side. Really, get two internships and have your own thing going online too! It’s best to infiltrate the industry in every facet that you can, but you need contacts. Make them in every arena available to you.

What are the chances of someone who sets up a website getting an offer to jump to a label?

It all depends really. If your skills evinced on the web site fit the job you’re looking for then your chances are as good as anybody else’s. However, it’s mainly about personal interaction and cultivating those relationships. If you’ve already interned for someone and they know you, you’re more likely to get hired.

What are the advantages of making that leap and working for someone, rather than hanging out at home, doing what you’d like all day long?

Hopefully if you want to be a part of the entertainment industry, working for someone will be something you’d like to do all day! This is isn’t an industry where a degree guarantees entry. You really need to hustle, make contacts and build a personal brand. If you’re working for someone and you deliver on every promise, the personal satisfaction will be immense and you’ll begin your long journey on a career.

What about street teams? Are they really still around, active, and viable ways to get your name out? (I haven’t heard a whisper of one in eons! Yet you do mention them in the book.)

Street teams do still in fact exist but, more often than not, they know rule the electronic realm. Teamers will typically promote artists and projects on MySpace, Facebook and numerous message boards, as well as other online outlets. However, you will see the occasional group of teamers handing out stickers or other swag outside of concerts.

Q: The book is geared mainly to the people who aspire to enter the biz as writers. Yet it seems relevant for anyone who’d like to do anything at a label. Is that because once you’re in, you can move around, or are there certain label jobs (A&R) or biz jobs (management) that require different entry methods?

Yes, most definitely. There are a few basic skill sets, and then the sky’s the limit. I feel like once you’re in the proverbial door, you can do anything if you’re willing to work with those around you and listen. It’s fun to move around too!

Q: At the end of the book, when you give others their say, one theme that keeps popping up is the idea that labels are on their way out and the entire model of how music is distributed is changing. Your views?

I think the industry is definitely undergoing an evolution. The old model, the label system, has become archaic. Even though it seems like Rome is burning, there is an immense amount of freedom for artists these days. There is no set way to become a success in the music world. It’s really up to you. Given that labels aren’t a surety, give us something we haven’t heard, seen or felt before and I guarantee you you’ll get what you want. Keep the past in mind, but look towards the future—I think Matt Sorum said that in my book, hahaha. Listen to him, not me!

Q: In the past ten years, corporations such as LiveNation have taken over the concert industry. I’ve heard from many friends, from stage crew on up to label folk, that they’ve ruined a good thing. Do you see a chance for the little guy to come back into live music, from the concert promotion end? Where is live music headed?

Live music will always be a necessity. I do think there is a chance for the little guy to come back. It’s a matter of doing things differently though. If there’s a new band on MySpace that comes up with some revolutionary idea, they WILL get noticed. That’s the climate we live in these days. People are so starved for original ideas. Think of something new, take a risk and go for it. Also, buy our book…just kidding. In all seriousness, live music is undergoing the same revolution. Festival culture is a big part of the American music landscape now, and it’s fantastic because you can see M.I.A. and Mastodon on the same bill. That wasn’t necessarily the case even a few years ago. There’s a Lollapalooza feel to it, and people are more open to those things now, which is fantastic. Even if LiveNation or AEG or whoever is at the top, if someone comes up with something new, they will all take notice. That’s the most important thing.

What about the fact that concerts were once events? That’s gone — or is it? How do you view the changes in the fans who come out to shows?

I don’t think that feeling is gone at all. Quite contrary, Coachella is bigger than ever. There’s Outside Lands in San Francisco now. Lollapalooza in Chicago. Stagecoach and now Epicenter in Southern California. That’s the one I’m most excited about. You can’t beat a bill with Tool, Alice in Chains and Linkin Park. If that’s not an event, then nothing is! Fans will always go to show, and there’s always a younger generation to get excited about seeing their favorite bands for the first time. I think the format has changed a little bit but I feel like the love, passion and excitement are no less palpable or genuine than in any other era.

And how do all these changes affect the desire of music fans to go into the music biz?

There will always be people who are passionate about music. I don’t think that any exterior changes can shake a real fan’s fervor for the ‘biz. If those changes do, then said fan should probably find a new hobby!

Q: How about radio? With the XM-Sirius merger (a move I, a subscriber, regret), are there fewer opportunities for a band to break on air? Is college radio still a testing ground? Or has that early synergy moved online, to places like MySpace, where people can stream music?

Radio is a funny game these days. Kids discover music online these days. They watch MTV for The Hills not for their favorite band’s new video. I don’t think they typically find new bands on the radio either. It’s really word of mouth, MySpace other online outlets and video games. So many kids have found their new favorite band in Guitar Hero. As strange as it sounds, it’s true. So, yes I feel like that synergy has moved online.

Same question: in my day, demos were the things we talked about, passed around. They built community. That’s all gone now… so how does it affect the desire of fans to work in music?

Again, I think true fans will always want to be a part of the industry. I started in 2004 during the download era and the decline of major labels. I didn’t experience college radio or demo-trading in that way, and I feel like I love music and being a part of this just as much as anyone else. I just came from a different era. But passion is passion, you know? I don’t think there should be any deterrents.

Q: I am seeing publishing making many of the same mistakes that the music biz did — dealing with piracy, with clinging to outmoded business models, with increasing prices when the clamor is for less. If you were the Metal Guru with a long history of awesome advice that never leads the listener astray, what would you say to the publishing industry?

I’d say embrace the new model and roll with it. Don’t shun it, but utilize it to your advantage and truly build authors into brands online.

Thanks, Rick! I’ll have part two up next Monday, but in the meantime, check out Rick’s website. Be sure to check out the videos on the links page — do any of these real-life rock stars make you think of a certain fictional band who likes to hang out here?

It’s Friday night as I’m writing this. I’m tired. Overtired. I spent the day doing this:

That definitely qualifies as Only the Good. The steel mill behind the coasters, not so much. Unless you’re at the top of the coaster’s hill looking down at it. Then it’s pretty cool.

Saturday’s a rest day. Good thing I’m Jewish; for us, Saturday is also the Sabbath (not that I’m terribly observant, but it’s cool that the two days for rest dovetail so nicely).

It’s also a day to pack. Yup, it’s the most wonderful time of the year — I’ll be spending Sunday through early Thursday here. In fact, I might even be staying in THAT VERY tent on the right. What tent, you ask? Well, the one in the picture that’s mysteriously disappeared. Seriously. The Tour Manager’s been looking for it for a good 20 hours now. So if you see pictures of Cub Scout Camp that claim to be mine, would you send them home, please? They are wanted. And missed.

Back to the story of my tent. I won’t know until we get there if I’m going to stay in my regular home; I’m thinking of moving more central this year even though it means it’s a bit farther to hike to the bathroom (I figure doing that is a good way to help keep our campsite’s latrine clean!).

This picture does NOT show MY favorite tent. It does show our campsite, though. And a bunch of kids I’ll pretend like I don’t know even though one of ’em’s mine.

I’ve got two posts scheduled to go up while I’m gone. I don’t know if the Tour Manager will have the time to moderate comments or anything, so if you leave a comment but don’t see it, it’s probably held in moderation until I get home.

Have a great week, everyone. Be sure to visit Shelly’s other Only the Good friends, as well as the other Sunday Scribblers. Blogging’s all about community. Let’s build ours together.

I did something today that has me shaking my head at myself. One of those things that I think is totally stupid and will, maybe, one day, maybe make a story that we’ll laugh about.

Maybe one day you’ll hear about it. But don’t count on it.

Thus, I figured it’d be fun to bring you…

Thirteen Things They Can’t Believe They Did

1. Mitchell likes to eat entire pizzas.
(Aww, come ON. You know this is one of my all-time favorites!)

2. Mitchell once fell off the stage and broke his nose.

3. There were all those Halloween costumes, bad AND good.

4. Trevor once found a cat living under their trailer. Why it picked THEIR trailer, he couldn’t understand. He still can’t. The Wolff household was barely human-friendly. What was a cat doing there?

5. Daniel can’t believe he took Val to a private, after-hours, underground sex club. And they liked it. So they went back again. And this time, they could believe they went. And liked it.

6. When Eric first joined ShapeShifter, it was the first time he let his parents know he owned a denim jacket. And dreamed of growing his hair long. Now, he can’t believe he was ever scared to tell them.

7. Trevor still can’t believe he owns a Vincent motorcycle. Or that he was able to figure out how to rebuild it with pieces from a junkyard.

8. Trevor can’t believe that Mitchell and Daniel were able to take over the band’s business affairs so easily. Of course, finding JR, their manager, helped.

9. Then there was the time that Trevor figured out what phallic meant. He was embarrassingly (to him) old when he learned that one.

10. Kerri. Artist. The dream came true. Some days, it doesn’t seem real.

11. Eric and his Easter Eggs. We’re still not allowed to talk about this one.

12. Mitchell can’t believe he found a woman like Kerri.

13. Trevor can’t believe Kerri’s hung in there with Mitchell for so long. Or that everyone likes her. Or that Mitchell found a woman at all, let alone without Trevor’s help. Or even that Trevor, himself, might sort of like her. Or something.

If you’ve been hanging at Win a Book at all lately, you’ll know that author Stephanie Kuehnert has been hosting authors to come and talk about their ballad, a song that affected them deeply and has altered who they are. This has been the way in which she’s been gearing up for today’s release of her second novel, Ballads of Suburbia.

So. Being me, I turned the tables on Ms. Kuehnert and asked her THE question: What song makes you think of your book?

Here’s what she said:

Choosing just one song that I associate with Ballads of Suburbia is difficult. After all I put together an entire 33-song soundtrack for the book. I was leaning toward “Suburban Perfume” by Office, which I used in my book trailer for Ballads and I think captures the feeling of innocence lost in the book. Office is a Chicago band and so is Screeching Weasel and their song “Hey Suburbia” I think captures the flipside of the lost innocence feeling– the I just don’t care and I’m gonna have fun aspect of the book. Or there are a couple punk songs that inspired the whole ballad/storytelling aspect of the book: “Story of My Life” by Social Distortion and “The Young Crazed Peeling” by The Distillers. But honestly, the book that I think would capture the overall feeling of the book best and that I listened to repeatedly while doing revisions is “The Kids Aren’t Alright” by the Offspring. In fact, the song used to frustrate me because they distilled what I was trying to say in 300+ pages into a 3 minute song with a catchy chorus. But there it is.

Here’s the link to the song. I sorta dig the Offspring, myself. Okay, more than sorta dig.

Need to know more about Ballads of Suburbia? Me, too!

Here’s the blurb:

There are so many ballads. Achy breaky country songs. Mournful pop songs. Then there’s the rare punk ballad, the ballad of suburbia: louder, faster, angrier . . . till it drowns out the silence.

Kara hasn’t been back to Oak Park since the end of junior year, when a heroin overdose nearly killed her and sirens heralded her exit. Four years later, she returns to face the music. Her life changed forever back in high school: her family disintegrated, she ran around with a whole new crowd of friends, she partied a little too hard, and she fell in love with gorgeous bad boy Adrian, who left her to die that day in Scoville Park. . . .

Amidst the music, the booze, the drugs, and the drama, her friends filled a notebook with heartbreakingly honest confessions of the moments that defined and shattered their young lives. Now, finally, Kara is ready to write her own.

You guys know what a music junkie I am. I’ve GOT to read both of Stephanie’s books. She and I are, I suspect, cut from similar cloth.

Check ’em both out. Ballads of Suburbia and the debut, I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone.

I don’t usually join the Mailbox Monday meme. I’ve never met the host, Marcia at The Printed Page.

Well, time to change that, huh?

While this won’t be a weekly thing — there’s still the Monday Poetry Train to consider — it’s fun to do every now and then. Sort of like the other memes I do from time to time.

This week seemed like the best week to join in because I got three books I wanted to blab about.

Two of them came from my friend Dar, at Peeking Between the Pages. She knew I was drooling at the mere thought of

the Painter from Shanghai, written by Jennifer Cody Epstein
and
Mating Rituals of the North American WASP, written by Lauren Lipton.

So she sent them to me. I’m touched and a little overwhelmed; I love sharing books with fellow book lovers. I can’t wait to read these. But sheesh! Have you seen Mt. TBR lately?? All my neighbors comment on it: “Oh, you’re the one with all those books!”

*sigh*

The other book I got this week came from my dear friend Ann. We’ve known each other for years, thanks to BookCrossing.com. (In fact, the link will take you to her BookCrossing profile.)

It’s Night Echoes, written by Holly Lisle.

Once upon a time (Waaaaaay back in 2005), these would have represented one week’s worth of reading. But … not anymore. Which is why I can’t shrink the stupid TBR mountain that my neighbors comment on.

Still, you guys know me. I adore books. These three will be appreciated and hated as they tempt me to abandon the band and read them instead…

Ever notice how life sometimes seems to run on a pendulum? Lately, it seems that my pendulum is swinging back toward the whole music thing.

For you who don’t know, I came THIS close to going to work in the music business, for a record label. I made the very difficult, heart-wrenching decision to seriously pursue my fiction at the last minute. And while I still regret having to MAKE that decision, I have never regretted choosing fiction over music.

My goal in life has always been to meld the two things. My fiction and music. Thus, Trevor and the rest of the ShapeShifter gang.

I’m glad I did. I’ve got more freedom this way. Freedom to do things like a post about books I covet. Anyone remember this one? When I said I totally wanted to read Do the Devil’s Work For Him?

Look for an interview — maybe a multi-part one — with author Rick Florino here sooner or later.

And then there’s my entire history with legendary guitarist Alex Skolnick. I’ll be turning the tables on this man I interviewed a few times in my old radio station days. Or he’ll be turning them… I don’t know. Take your pick. Suffice it to say that I’ve got the interview questions here and that yes, Alex Skolnick is enough to make me break my no-pictures-of-Susan rule. He’s got a series on his blog (which might find its way to its own blog) about Everybody Metal. How us metal heads have grown up and saved the world.

Or something scarily similar to that.

Enough music yet?

NEVER.

One more for ya.

Thanks to Lindsay and the Devilish Southern Belle, I’ve found a group of women I might actually, sort of, in my own way fit in with. The blog is called Music Savvy Mom. When we get closer to the release of The Demo Tapes: Year 2, look for me to do a shuffle of my own there. And nope, ShapeShifter won’t be on my playlist. After all, they’re not real — hard as THAT can be to remember at times.

So. That’s my very metal, very upcoming Only the Good this week. Got good of your own? Why not join me in joining Shelly in celebrating the good? Lord knows, this week, I need a dose of the good.

But more on THAT later.

Rock on, boys and girls. Rock hard. And Rock Loud.

So what do you do when you need to get away from it all? Yell, “Calgon, take me away!” and soak for a few hours in a luxurious tub?

Or do you do what the ShapeShifter boys do…

1. I’ve mentioned before that Trevor rebuilt a Vincent motorcycle from the spare parts he found behind Hammer, Wrench, and Torque’s garage. That’s where he found the frame, too.

2. Mitchell likes to swim. In Daniel’s pool.

3. Daniel is a news junkie. He’ll watch CNN and read all about current events.

4. Eric writes letters to the many girls he’s made friends with along the way.

5. Eric’s also the band’s Internet junkie.

6. Daniel used to oversee the band’s fan club. Mostly because Val ran it and he lived with Val, so he was sort of stuck with it. Then the band hired one of those services to run it. No one misses the time invested, but they’re not so sure the quality’s there.

7. Mitchell likes to ride his mountain bike up in the hills overlooking the city.

8. Trevor hangs out in strip clubs. In the pre-Kerri days, it’s not uncommon for Mitchell to join him.

9. Daniel and Val have more … cutting edge tastes. Don’t ask; you may not want to know.

10. Mitchell likes to hang out at Lyric’s store.

11. Eric hangs out with various members of his family. He’s got a big family.

12. Trevor will deny this to the grave, but he’s got a soft spot for old movies. The black and white classics. Casablanca. Rebel Without a Cause. Breakfast at Tiffany’s. And the old, cheesy horror flicks, too.

13. Me, I spend time with my fictional band. I’d love it if you joined me — if you haven’t, already.

I think I’ve done a similar list… does anyone remember? Can you find one in the archives? If so, speak up. You might get a present from me!

Someone commented that Mitchell and Trevor are their favorite members of ShapeShifter. No wonder, I thought. You guys rarely if ever get time with Eric and Daniel. So here’s something from Daniel’s viewpoint.

It was lucky, Daniel thought, that Val was with them on the road when they got the news. Massive had just gone Platinum. ShapeShifter finally had their first million-seller. Celebrating with your girlfriend rather than some faceless, nameless tits and lips was definitely the way to go.

“Here we go!” Val cried, opening a tin of pate. “We’re the big time now. Gotta party like rock stars!”

Daniel didn’t ask where she’d gotten it. Or the caviar. Or the little squares of cracker-like bready stuff that she said they needed in order to eat it properly. He figured it was some chef’s magic. Some secret knowledge of where to buy it all, even when you were in some city you’d never been to before in your life.

Mitchell leaned over the pate and took a whiff, his nose wrinkling and his face paling. “Uhh, no thanks. I’ll be over here with the strawberries.”

“You are what you eat,” Trevor told him. “Fucking fruit.”

Mitchell picked up a strawberry by its green top. “Dip this baby in some chocolate and girls’ll be all over it. Dip that in chocolate and what’ve you got?”

“Wuss,” Trevor said. “It’s about the image. Who cares how this shit tastes when it means you’ve made it? Would Val have showed up with it if we weren’t a Platinum band? Fuck, no. So shut up about the stupid shit and focus on what it means already.”

Mitchell shrugged and ate another strawberry.

Trevor took a step closer to Val, looking over her shoulder. “So that’s what a fish egg looks like, huh? Are they really as salty as jism is?”

“Trev…” Mitchell growled. He tossed the top of his strawberry at the bass player.

“Hey,” Daniel said, stepping between the two. “Let’s not ruin this with the usual shit, okay? We’re here to celebrate.”

“Where’re the girls?” Trevor asked. “We can’t celebrate without the girls.”

“Charlie’s rounding some up,” Mitchell said. “They’ll get here.”

“We trashing the room?”

“Only if you’re paying for it.”

That meant, Daniel knew, that Trevor wouldn’t even move the chair away from the desk. He wouldn’t even mess up the bedspread until the girls showed up. Once they did, though, forget it. Bedsheets weren’t the only things that would be flying.

Despite the very real threat to his wallet, Trevor was grinning. “Look at this. If we do this for Platinum, what are we gonna do for multi-platinum?”

“More,” Mitchell said and picked up a third strawberry. “Bigger.”

“We’ll give Val a budget,” Daniel said and leaned around from behind her to kiss her cheek.

Eric popped the cork on the first bottle of champagne. “Before the girls get here,” he said. “Just us. We need to drink to our first Platinum album.”

Daniel expected someone to hand the stupid plastic cups around. Instead, Eric held the bottle up in a gesture of a toast, took a swig, and handed it to Val.

Trevor sulked at that move, but he also didn’t take the bottle away from her.

“To Platinum!” Daniel said when it was his turn.

“To Platinum!” Mitchell laughed. “No,” he said, stopping with the bottle touching his lips. “To our first Platinum! All the old shit’s gonna follow, and so is everything we do after this.”

“May the good Lord be willing,” Eric said and dug into the pate. “Am I doing this right?” he asked Val, who beamed and turned to help him out.

And then the girls arrived, led into the room by Charlie, who cracked a smile at the sight of the caviar. He picked up the little spoon Val had produced and shoveled some of the dark eggs onto it — and then right into his mouth.

“Mmm. Man, I love this shit,” he said and started to go for seconds.

Daniel grabbed the spoon away from and immediately had a girl hanging on his wrist, asking him to feed her a taste.

And the party was off, with the food the center of attention, at least to start.

It was official. ShapeShifter. Rock Stars. One and the same.

Behind him, he could hear Eric saying, “Dream on. For dreams are sweet. But the champagne you get when the dreams come true is way better.”

Daniel freed himself from the girls Charlie had rounded up and grabbed Val. Dreams may have been sweet and the champagne better, but having Val there was best.

Not only did this indulge the Sunday Scribblings, but it also works for Carry On Tuesday. Gotta love it. And don’t forget to ride the Poetry Train!