Rating: 4 stars
The premise of Rock Bottom is straightforward: what happens when a band consumed with sex, drugs and rock-and-roll excess finally bottoms out, long after destroying their career? They were labeled racists for lyrics only slightly worse than the Rolling Stones, yet they engage in urban brawls with skinheads. They have permanent records from fistfights with fans about amputee sex. Their cell phones have drug dealers on speed dial. They wake up next to peanut butter-covered European girls of questionable legality and suffer snubbings by Dutch hookers.
Nothing is impossible in the lives of the Blood Orphans on the last day of their farewell tour. The question is not whether anyone will be there to watch the final show, but whether the band will still be walking free to play it.
Bobby Campbell: no-talent bassist with hands made of cottage cheese. Darlo Cox: satyriasis-suffering drummer born to porn royalty. Adam Nickerson: lead guitarist with all the musical chops and zero balls. Shane Warner: singer and pedantic theologue. Joey Jane Fredericks: coked-out band manager hellbent on global domination in stiletto heels. Together they comprise Blood Orphans, the next big thing that never really was. A fraternity of rockers who hate each other more than they hate Spin magazine.
When I first saw the book, I was dismayed by its length, thinking there was no way anyone could fill out such a simple concept to that extent. It's sex, drugs and rock-and-roll. How deep can that really be? However, the story is told from the rotating perspectives of the five main characters, which does a lot for fleshing out things. It also creates an interesting "spiral" structure; the chapters seem to become progressively shorter and tighter the closer you -- and the band -- come to the finale. I was happy to note a number of smaller story arcs woven throughout, thereby providing more of a backstory and greater depth for the characters.
Shilling's debut novel is a solid read overall, likely because he has a musical background on top of a degree in Creative Writing. The Blood Orphans are outrageous; the humour is blacker than a cur dog in the night, Murphy's Law clearly has a hand in every moment of the day and there's just enough angst to make even the most unlikeable character somewhat sympathetic.
However, there are weak spots. Some of the story arcs are left without satisfying resolutions and the character of Bobby Campbell is sketchy compared to the other band members. The ending is somewhat disappointing; it's like ending an Apocalyptica concert with an encore by Juice Newton. It's not to say it was a bad ending, just that I found it jarring and unsatisfying.
Even though there are minor issues, Rock Bottom is well worth the money and time invested in procuring and reading it. It's enjoyable, and will lead to smirks time and again - particularly for anybody who has ever been close to the rock-and-roll scene (especially in the 90's). For those who would like to get to know the Blood Orphans a little better, check them out at their website: www.bloodorphans.com.
-------------------
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Back Bay Books; 1 edition (January 9, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0316031925
ISBN-13: 978-0316031929