- Format: Kindle Edition
- File Size: 4930 KB
- Print Length: 335 pages
- Publisher: Cornerstone Digital (5 Mar. 2019)
- Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B07FK8KZP7
Synopsis
They were the new icons of rock and roll, fated to burn bright and not fade away.
But on 12 July 1979, it all came crashing down.
There was Daisy, rock and roll force of nature, brilliant songwriter and unapologetic drug addict, the half-feral child who rose to superstardom.
There was Camila, the frontman’s wife, too strong-willed to let the band implode – and all too aware of the electric connection between her husband and Daisy.
There was Karen, ice-cool keyboardist, a ferociously independent woman in a world that wasn’t ready for her.
And there were the men surrounding them: the feuding, egotistical Dunne brothers, the angry guitarist chafing on the sidelines, the drummer binge-drinking on his boat, the bassist trying to start a family amid a hedonistic world tour. They were creative minds striking sparks from each other, ready to go up in flames.
It’s never just about the music…
_________________
Review
Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a book that I have really been looking forward to reading and I have finally managed to fit it in to my reading schedule. The eponymous title refers to Daisy Jones, a wild child of the 1960’s who gets into the music business almost by accident. The Six are a band who have had a few successful hits, and record a duet with Daisy that leads to her joining the band and they become one of the most famous bands of the 1970’s. What makes this book a different read is that it is written as an interview with the Daisy, the band members of The Six and their friends, family and work colleagues, so there are many perspectives of the rise and fall of the band and the events that happened. This is a real sex, drugs and rock n’ roll story.
Taylor Jenkins Reid’s writing style of this book as an interview or biography is an interesting idea and one that lends itself brilliantly to the subject matter. The different perspectives and memories of what happened add layers to the prose and to the characters as well. When reading this book I had to keep reminding myself that this was a piece of fiction as there was a verisimilitude to the writing and characters that made this book seem like an actual biography. There are a lot of references to the songs written by Billy Dunne, singer with The Six and by Daisy Jones and what made this book extra special for me was the inclusion of the lyrics to these songs at the back of the book; a truly magical touch.
Being about a band and the music scene of the sixties and seventies there are a lot of larger than life and colourful characters. Daisy Jones was a real wild child who was going out in Los Angeles at 14 and got into the drinks and drugs scene; pills to stay awake and pills to go to sleep. She was a character I warmed to, her parents let her do what she wanted, there were no real rules and I don’t think much love. She comes across as a sassy, no-nonsense confident young woman, but underneath that was a vulnerability, a need to be loved and wanted. Drugs and drink was also an addiction for Billy Dunne, frontman of The Six. Like Daisy he is a strong character who knows what he wants, where the band should go, how they should sound, but again we see an insecure side in his relationship with his wife who tries to keep his feet on the ground. His personality and control of the band causes tension that starts to eat away at the other band members and cause friction. Billy is the rock god of this book, everything a rockstar should be and together with Daisy there is a chemistry that adds to the steaminess and sexual tension that falls from the pages of this book.
Daisy Jones and The Six is one of the best books I have read in a while, and I was gutted when I finished it. The style of writing draws you in and makes you forget you are reading a piece of fiction, and will make you a fan of the band. There is a rawness of emotion that comes through in this book, a real no holes barred look at the music industry with its issues around addiction, sex and pressure. Daisy Jones and The Six rocks on every level, and will surely be a hit for Taylor Jenkins read, maybe as iconic as her characters.
If you enjoyed my review then I hope you can like and share my review.
