Synopses & Reviews
Fourteen-year-old Alex is a short, pasty, shy, greasy haired, kid with a face full of acne. The kids in her middle school call her zit fit. She looks like she is ten. One day her brother gets the bright idea she should play bass in a rock band. WHAT??? Alex can barely snap her fingers, much less play an instrument.
At first her notes just sound like farts. But as she practises...and practises...slowly they begin to sound less like farts and more like real music. Something else is happening, too. The better Alex gets on the bass, the more self-confident she's becoming. No more Geek Girl. Alex is Cool Rocker Chick now!
But unfortunately, Alex is going to find out being a Cool Rocker Chick isnt always so great.
Review
"Yay, Alex! Girls must rock like never before,and#160;and here's the guide for a new generation of young girls. Rock on!"and#8212;Exene Cervenka of the band X
"Alex is a great and complex girl (as we all are).and#160;She is strong and sensitive, brave and nervous, giddy and gritty, wise and young. And she rocks!and#160;Literally and figuratively. This is a true-feeling story about the power of picking up a guitar or some drumsticks, making some noise, and finding your voice.and#160;This is how it feels."and#8212;Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses, The Breeders, Belly, and the Tanya Donelly Band
"I love this book. I only wish I could have been able to read it when I was 14 and getting into music."and#8212; Mary Timony of The Mary Timony Band, Wild Flag, and Helium "When I was a young teenager trying to learn how to play guitar and start a band I felt very alone. Girls today can turn to this book when they need some sisterly solidarity and guidance."and#8212;Juliana Hatfield of The Blake Babies, Juliana Hatfield Three, and Juliana Hatfield "[Joyce] continues to be a remarkable female roll model in my life and I am so excited to know she will influence and inspire hundreds if not thousands of more girls from a whole new generation. Truly awesome stuff."and#8212;Lightning's Girl, blogger " . . . Chuand#8217;s doodles and Raskinand#8217;s concluding personal experiences, as well as tips on playing the guitar and writing song lyrics, will strike just the right chord."and#8212;Booklist
Synopsis
Rock 'n' roll isn't just about sex and drugs. It's about self-expression, lasting friendships, and self-empowerment. That's what Alex learns after she starts playing bass for a rock band in this almost true story. Joyce Raskin, author and musician, culls from her memories to create this funny, touching, and honest look at what it's like to be a teenager, a girl, and a rock star all at the same time.
Also included are a note from the author, instructions on how to play basic guitar chords, advice on songwriting, and more
Synopsis
Fourteen-year-old Alex, a short, pasty, shy, greasy-haired girl with acne, gains self-confidence when her brother convinces her to play bass in a rock band, but she finds that being "cool" has its drawbacks.
Synopsis
and#160;Rock and#8217;nand#8217; roll isnand#8217;t just about sex and drugs. Itand#8217;s about self-expression, lasting friendships, and self-empowerment. Thatand#8217;s what Alex learns after she starts playing bass for a rock band in this almost true story. Joyce Raskin, author and musician, culls from her memories to create this funny, touching, and honest look at what itand#8217;s like to be a teenager, a girl, and a rock star all at the same time.and#160;
Also included are a note from the author, instructions on how to play basic guitar chords, advice on songwriting, and more!
About the Author
Joyce Raskin started playing guitar and bass when she was a young teen. She continued playing until, after graduating from RISD, she joined the rock band Scarce. Scarce signed with a major record label and was set to release its first album when the lead singer suffered a brain hemmorage. Luckily, he survived, but the band could not. Ten years later, Joyce self-published a book about her experiences in the band entitled
Aching to Be. She has since gone on to become a designer of children's books. She lives in Braintree, MA, with her family. An aside, Scarce has since gotten back together and can be seen playing in Boston, Providence, and New York City, along with many other places around the world. In their last issue of 2009, Spin Magazine named Scarce one of the top 50 bands you should know but probably don't. Scarce's new album is releasing in the spring of 2010.
You can check out more about Joyce and Scarce on facebook, twitter, ilike, reverbnation, lastfm and myspace.