I don’t get much time to be on here these days, but I hope that some of you may be interested in a little project that I’ve been working on. It’s called “Rockshelf”, and it’s an attempt to try and catalogue fiction about popular music.
This endeavour has already resulted in me discovering and enjoying new books, and there’s many more I’m looking forward to getting hold of. Maybe it might do the same for you.
There are over 200 novels already published over on http://rockshelf.blogspot.co.uk/ – and nearly a thousand more I need to review, so plenty to look at.
We’re completely genre agnostic, whether that be fiction genre or music genre. We hope to capture as many novels set in the world of popular music as we can.
You can search for music genre or publication decade through the “word cloud”.
There’s a separate tab that lists all the novels by the bands that we think inspired the acts in the stories, so if you want novels about or inspired by (e.g.) The Beatles, you can find them easily.
There’s also a Facebook page which will be used to announce new additions to the site and flag up a few of our favourite discoveries.
Rigid Digit says
Looks interesting – might fall down the rabbit hole pretty soon.
As is my want, the first thing I tried to do was suggest stuff you’d not got – but every one I came up with was already there.
BaldySlaphead says
Excellent!
Kid Dynamite says
There’s some really good books there (Hard Core Logo! The Singer!) but one I looked for that I couldn’t see was The Thrill Of It All by Joseph O’Connor. It might just be me messing up a search, because I would have thought it was more well known than a lot of books you have covered, but it’s a great book, and I enjoyed it hugely.
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-thrill-of-it-all/joseph-oconnor/9780099481539
duco01 says
And, of course, Joseph O’Connor is the brother of controversial songstress and Nothing Compares 2 U hitmaker Sinead O’Connor!
BaldySlaphead says
The Thrill Of It All is on the long list of 1,000 to be reviewed.
badartdog says
Cool site.
What about the Dwarves of Death by Jonathan Coe? Anyone else read that?
Funnily enough I was thinking about the Singer at the week-end. I read it when it came out no enjoyed it, though felt a little underwhelmed by the ending. Who did you see in your mind’s eye when reading it? I had Nick Cave and Liz Fraser in mind, myself.
Kid Dynamite says
Oh, definitely Nick Cave, circa The Birthday Party
BaldySlaphead says
Dwarves of Death is on the long list of 1,000 to be reviewed.
Mr H says
Had me clicking onto Amazon within minutes. Damn you!
BaldySlaphead says
Marvellous!
Mr H says
Have just finished Dead Man’s Blues by Ray Celestin, plus his previous book The Axeman’s Jazz are both worthy of entry. Recommended!
BaldySlaphead says
Thanks – added to the long list!
Twang says
Have you got the one by our own @timtunes?
BaldySlaphead says
I’m not sure! I’ve got one novel by a Tim on the long list: The Alternative Hero?
timtunes says
Well, cheers @Twang for the thought – but unfortunately – whilst i have always been meaning to write a dynastic novel about a French Krautrock collective – whatever you are thinking of, it’s not me
Twang says
OK my bad…..must be another Tim….it is about a Watford based blues band in the 60s. Not at home so can’t check!
fortuneight says
Tim Turner – “First Time I Met The Blues” – can’t recall his name on here, but it’s a good read and on Amazon I think.
Twang says
That’s the one! Recommended!
BaldySlaphead says
Thanks both – on the list.
timtunes says
..that so isn’t me..Watford in the 60’s?..there I was hoping it could at least be debauchery with the flower children in Laurel Canyon
duco01 says
“The Last Mad Surge of Youth” by Mark Hodkinson is a pretty decent novel about a rock band. And of course the title is taken from the intro to the Chameleons’ “Script of the Bridge” album.
BaldySlaphead says
That’s not on my list, so thank you!
Freddy Steady says
@duco01
What on earth are you talking about?
Johnny99 says
“Blues Highway Blues’ by Eyre Price is a fairly decent read.
BaldySlaphead says
Added to the list – thanks!
Colin H says
Have you got the great Alan Plater’s ‘Misterioso’, set in the jazz world? Peter Duker’s 1980 novel ‘Given Half A Chance’ is all but impossible to find but its central character is a British trad jazz veteran who revisits his haunts.
BaldySlaphead says
Both added to the list – thanks!
BaldySlaphead says
Duker’s book is proving elusive. I’ve not been able to find much more than you’ve provided above. I don’t suppose you know the publisher, do you?
Dogbyte says
Shameless self-promotional moment, but I think mine qualifies for inclusion:
http://www.iandavidbarker.co.uk/html/fallen_star.html
Also a book by a former colleague:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25588323-the-second-coming-of-diamond-head-crater
BaldySlaphead says
Yours was already on the long list, but I’d not got Mr Thomas’, so thank you!
Ralph says
What a lovely site, thank you.