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This firsthand account of the author’s decades-long experience in the music industry begins with his discovery of his father’s records and a makeshift drum kit of cardboard boxes, pots, and pans in the basement. As luck would have it, the first chair snare drummer for the United States Coast Guard Academy’s Marching Band lived across the street, and soon Landry had a new snare drum and the neighbor’s offer of free lessons. Landry divides his book into two parts. The first, entitled “Theory, Rudiments & History,” covers the author’s early experiences as a budding musician. His mother’s provision of a studio basement afforded him the opportunity to grow up creating music while surrounded by the musical creativity of others. The second section relates the sometimes exhilarating, sometimes rocky life of a working musician in a rock and roll band.
Landry fills his book with fascinating stories and details about the music industry and his life on the road. He straightforwardly relates behind-the-scenes antics that are par for the course when talented individuals find themselves in a family consisting of rockers. His love and understanding of music are evident, yet he writes in such a way as to bring non-musicians into the fold, if only in their imaginations. Anyone who has ever wondered what life might be like for those talented enough to make a living in the music industry will find this book mesmerizing, as will those who are rock fans in all its various outlets. The author’s love and knowledge of music and desire to share with his reading audience are at the heart of this work. His book is almost a song in itself, one of nostalgia brimming with the rhythms and beats of one man’s life.