Wow! What a band! Daisy Jones and The Six rocked the 70s! Remember when we were kids and we’d dress up like Daisy or get all dreamy-eyed over that far out poster of Billy Dunne? They were our hopes and our dreams and the soundtrack of our formative years. And then they broke up and ripped our world apart. Where can I buy these records? Because I really, really want to listen to them again now that I know the stories behind the band.
Of course, I can never listen to them because both Daisy Jones and The Six are fictional recording artists. But, whatever. I want what I want and what I want right now is Daisy Jones and The Six.
So, the question you might be asking is who exactly are these musical artists I can’t get enough of even though I’ve never heard any of their music? And, in fact, their music doesn’t even exist? The fact is, these icons are created by one Taylor Jenkins Reid in a sublime book titled – what else? – Daisy Jones and The Six. One is an up and coming rock group, the other is an ex-groupie “It” girl with a rising solo career. It’s the 1970s with all the sex, drugs, ill-fated relationships, rehab stays, and over the top drama that only rock and roll can breed. Think of bands like Fleetwood Mac or The Eagles – brilliant musical minds with the excesses of fame and fortune thrown at their feet and internal fights that reverberate for decades. This is the world of Daisy Jones and The Six. Separately, they are on the verge of greatness but when they come together for what is meant to be one song, their fame explodes like fireworks at Disneyworld. As the tale unfolds, you learn about the struggling beginnings; the juxtaposition of two great talents; the ruling of worlds that only great bands can manage; and the inevitable fall back to earth as they implode from their success.
The book is brilliantly told from current day perspectives – sort of like the shows Breaking the Band or Behind the Music. Each band member gives their reminiscences of the rise and ultimate fall of Daisy Jones and The Six. It’s raucous and heartbreaking, poignant and bittersweet. Stories of the band sometimes differ according to who is telling them, but the tale is woven together in a way that makes it very grounded and coherent. You follow along, becoming fans of this group of musicians along the way. The story has some twists and turns, and the end might just make a tear or two well up in your eye. I listened to the audiobook which has a full cast recording that includes the likes of Jennifer Beals and Benjamin Bratt, so you really get the interview experience while listening.
You know I hate spoilers, so I won’t delve much into the dynamics of the band but I will highly recommend this audiobook. And, we may yet get to actually hear some of the songs discussed in the book when Reese Witherspoon’s televised version airs on Amazon Prime. Although there is no release date yet, we do know that Riley Keough, granddaughter of Elvis Presley, will play the enigmatic Daisy Jones. That’s a promising start!
Author Taylor Jenkins Reid gave an interview with Rolling Stone (also featured prominently in Daisy Jones and The Six) that you can read here and another review of the book from The New York Times here. One of the dilemmas Reid discusses in an interview is the struggle to create songs for the series that will live up to the hype they are given in the book. As she so aptly put it, she’s glad it’s not her problem. Here’s hoping someone breathtakingly talented takes up the gauntlet and rocks it. Meanwhile, you have the audiobook and your imagination to tide you over. Peace out!
Bibliogasm 