Books: Rough Description: Love Letters and Ghost Stories from a Life in Music

Rough Description: Love Letters and Ghost Stories from a Life in Music is Don Pyle’s tantalizing memoir, recalling first bands, the absurdity and incredible rewards of touring, and reflections on groups and situations he’s been in, most prominently as drummer and co-founder of Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet. He recounts friend and work relationships with musician Dallas Good, venerable producer/engineer Steve Albini, comedy troupe Kids In The Hall, whose series and theme music his group created, and more.

He describes experiences attending hair school, his evolving relationship with his mother, how the Ramones affected his young teen brain, a life-changing car accident, and other situations from a creative life lived fully, with a bit of dish. Hear how a punk rock penpal lead to a career in showbiz, and how to put out the same record over and over again.

Photography, performing and writing music in bands, recording and producing numerous other artists, writing about music, and scoring for film and TV, are all part of Pyle’s distinct observer’s eye that sees all creative media as aspects of the same stream.