They Were Called Records, Kids

A few poems into James Rodgers' book and you realize just how much he lovesmusic. He loves it the way we love long summer days. He loves it the way kids lovesplashing in water. He loves it the way we love our favorite book or our first kiss.He loves it the way we love road trips or sleeping under a blanket of stars. He lovesit the way I do! Music has been the soundtrack to his life, like it has been to mine.There, every step of the way, sometimes in the background and sometimes definingthe moment, defining a relationship, or marking a beginning or an end. Withmusic as the centrepiece, James shares snippets of his life that go from touching orhumorous, to sad or devastating. He writes about love, innocence, nostalgia, death,friendship and family, and does so in a way where you can relate. Whether he writesabout growing up on vinyl, working at a record store, or watching a stripper danceto Paul Simon's Graceland, you feel you are right there with him. There is an honestyand humbleness to his writing which is engaging and endearing. You can add JamesRodgers to the list of authors who write about music the way Nick Hornby or JohnCarney do. I loved this collection of poems and I know you will too.--Tom Landa, founding member of Juno Award winning band, The PaperboysIn this exuberant collection of keenly observed poems, NW poet James Rodgerscelebrates the contemporary music scene: the people, the places, the tunes thatare the soundtrack of our lives. Above all, this book is a tribute to the experienceof listening, watching, taking it all in--participating in the act, the fact, the sheerjoy of making and hearing music. Rodgers shares his personal take on the musicof Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, Prince, David Bowie, Elvis, The Paperboys, SarahVaughan, and a friend named Mark. This poet/word musician, travels with us toNew Zealand, Ireland, from the Jokhang to the Oktoberfest to Kathmandu, fromThe Rainbow Cafe and Zola's Cafe to concert halls and open mic venues where heobserves audiences and individuals with delight.--Marjorie Rommel, Poet Laureate of Auburn, WA from 2015-2017