First published 2024
The protagonist grips his guitar in another dimly lit venue where cigarette smoke mingles with the scent of spilled beer. Around him, amplifiers hum with electric potential while he prepares for yet another late-night performance. He navigates the gritty landscape of the 1980s and 1990s underground music world, moving from one beer-soaked stage to the next. Industry politics and backstage conflicts threaten to derail his ambitions at every turn. Fellow musicians rise to unexpected heights while others crash spectacularly, their dreams dissolving as quickly as they formed. Through it all, he continues his relentless search for that elusive perfect musical phrase that will justify years of sacrifice. The tension between artistic vision and commercial reality shapes every decision he makes. His journey reveals the true price of pursuing creative passion in an industry that chews up dreamers and spits them out.
Genres: fiction, drama, contemporary, music
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, gritty, suspenseful
Tropes: artistic-vision-vs-commercial-reality, pursuit-of-dreams
Period: 1980s, 1990s
193 pages · Paperback · Scott Patterson