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Off
The Record
(Writers Club Press 2000)
by David Menconi
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Reviewed by Alex Teitz
There are few times
when anyone is willing to tell the truth about the music industry. Usually
it is because you can be blacklisted, or worse. The one escape is to write
it as fiction where the names are changed to protect the guilty. Menconi
is the only one who knows how many parts of Off the Record are based
on real events. The rest of us are left to wonder.
Off the Record is the story of the Tommy Aquilar Band (TAB) as seen
through the eyes of a music critic, a club owner, their manager, their label,
and through the eyes of the band itself. The band is comprised of Tommy
Aquilar, guitarist and deeply troubled muse. Michelle Rubin, the classically
trained bassist, and Ray, the drummer.
TAB's rise to fame is not the fairy tale bands seek. They play the dive
bars, and clubs, and through the help of their first manager, Bob Porter,
make demos and do regional touring. The tours themselves become adventures
in repairs, bad nights, and cursed luck. Their "luck" miraculously
turns around when they drop Porter for Gus DeGrande, Promoter Extraordinaire.
DeGrande is a villain that would make Darth Vader run away from. He oozes
charm but can manipulate venues and bands like a Grandmaster Chess Champion.
His skill in contracts is more than evil; it's blackmail, so commonly found
in this industry.
Menconi paints a picture of all levels of the industry with skill and knowledge.
His characters and easy to recognize by fan and band alike. The story is
much more than just the band's rise but to say more would reveal too much.
This is a book that should be read, re-read, and re-read by anyone who dreams
of working in the music industry. Any band playing out now should memorize
it. It has more truths than many of the music business books out today.
Menconi also has an excellent website with additional information on the
characters and ordering information found at www.offtherecordbook.com.
