In the interest of honest disclosure, I know the gentleman who wrote this book and count him as a friend.
However, if I am to be completely honest, I have read things by friends and acquaintances that I didn’t care a whit for. Some of it has been downright painful. So please understand that while I may be a friend of the author, I am also a reader and if I don’t care for what he has written, I will say so, or, more likely, I wouldn’t say anything at all.
Behold! We May Rock You! by Jim Kuenzer is a very funny novel. Before we go any further, I ask to take a moment to consider how many genuinely funny novels you’ve read. Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett wrote quite a few, as has Christopher Moore. A Confederacy of Dunces was terrifically funny. But beyond those few, there aren’t many, are there? There are many, many humorous memoirs and collections of stories, but when it comes to novels? It’s a pretty short list, and Behold! We May Rock You! is now on it.
Not only is it funny, but it doesn’t read like an attempt to imitate any of giants of the genre. Kuenzer has his own, unique voice that will frequently make you laugh, or at least grin, without being exactly certain why. There’s no “hipper-than-thou” showboating, no attempt to be edgy. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite of edgy while being sublimely absurd at the same time. By the way, trying to describe humor is quite difficult and I’m certain that I’m not getting it exactly right, but I hope I’m somewhere in the ballpark.
Behold! We May Rock You! is the story of the least-likely success story in the history of music. You may think you’ve heard that story before, but this is even less likely than that one. The rise and…not so much fall as dilution of the band zips along with its own odd but somehow inevitable logic. It’s a quick read, far more importantly, it’s a fun read. You really ought to check it out.
-RK
P.S. I’m also inspired to write some softer, less aggressive music. No snide remarks about that not being possible, if you don’t mind.