Peter McDade: Carrying 'The Weight of Sound'

U.S. publisher Wampus Multimedia introduces 'The Weight of Sound,' the debut novel from Decatur, Georgia-based author and musician Peter McDade.

'The Weight of Sound' is the tale of aspiring rock musician Spider Webb, who announces to his parents that he will skip high school graduation and move to Athens, Georgia to launch his career in the birthplace of R.E.M. and the B-52s. Over the next 25 years, a chorus of narrators, including bandmates, roadies, girlfriends, record executives, and fans, illuminates the joys and travails of a rising rock and roll musician.

As drummer for the rock band Uncle Green, McDade spent most of the '80s and '90s traveling America in a series of Ford vans. While the band searched for fame and a safe place to eat before a gig, he began writing fiction. Uncle Green retired from the commercial scene after four labels, seven records, and one name change - and McDade began to think about his novel.

The result is a poignant look at how music shapes not just musicians, but fans who explore their lives through song.

'The Weight of Sound' comes with a companion album, 'The Weight of Sound: Original Soundtrack,' on which characters from the novel, portrayed by a talented cast of musicians, perform original songs from the book.

Advance praise for 'The Weight of Sound':

"If music is the space between the notes, a musician's life is found in the spaces between the shows and the strange quiet that settles after the final chord has dissolved. Peter McDade's 'The Weight of Sound' unearths those hidden moments with heartbreaking precision. It is a panoramic reading and listening experience that will forever deepen your understanding of what you see happening on the rock and roll stage." -Jacob Slichter, drummer for Semisonic and author of 'So You Wanna Be a Rock & Roll Star: How I Machine-Gunned a Roomful Of Record Executives and Other True Tales from a Drummer s Life'

"What's so marvelous about this composite novel, apart from its insider's knowledge of the music industry, is the way the story unfolds at so many angles and distances from the center: if not a band member at the mic, it might be a promoter, a tour manager, a girlfriend, a parent, a fan, whose separate story forms a piece of a poignant collage. This is no fantasy of stardom. It's a much truer story." -Sheri Joseph, author of 'Where You Can Find Me' and 'Stray'

"Reading Peter McDade's 'The Weight of Sound' is like rummaging through a used record store on a rainy day. Sounds wonderful, right? It damn sure is." -Anthony Tambakis, author of 'Swimming with Bridgeport Girls'

Wampus Multimedia is an independent media imprint run by artists, for artists. Its credo is simple: to introduce the world to bold content rendered by unique artists. In addition to its publishing arm, Wampus is home to a growing roster of musical artists in the pop, AAA, Americana, alternative, ambient, blues, and folk genres.

'The Weight of Sound' is available in print and ebook editions from retailers everywhere.

Peter McDade
http://peterjmcdade.com

Wampus Multimedia
http://wampus.com

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