RIDE is an entertaining account of a garage band The Fury attempting to take on the world as the central figure, the drummer, struggles with his artistry, his comrades & the battle against his own excessive behaviours. It offers an intimate behind the scenes look at what it's like to be in an original rock band throwing it all on the line.
The Fury is an eclectic 4-piece ultra Indie pop ensemble out of Melbourne. Charlotte Higgin’s silky smooth vocals compliment Ronnie Savage’s blazing psychedelic riffs. Nick Suede’s driving bass and backing vocals form an unshakable rhythm section with the thunderous Tommy Chaise on drums. These guys will hit you in the face with a furious live show like no other.
A band is a relationship & like any good marriage it takes work. If you throw a bunch of sleep deprived, excess fuelled creatives with loud instruments in a room with no windows, navigating the friction is like trying to nurture a lit fire cracker seconds from exploding. Add to it the pressures & logistics of touring, playing live & the influence of the record industry, you have a rock n roll rocket soaring into space with a meteor flying directly at it.
Ride welcomes you backstage at some of Melbourne's most established live venues including the Espy & Revolver. It sits you on the leather sofa at the recording desk as you observe the band attempt to make the next big hit. It puts you in the driver seat in the Australian landscape & on a double decker bus. It takes you to sound check in London & on stages formerly graced by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Dylan, Nirvana & Led Zeppelin. You are there with the band as they push their instruments through the streets of Brixton in a shopping trolley to rehearse under a convenient store on Electric Avenue.
For Tommy, chasing fame & adulation is fraught with danger. The gorilla in him that fuels his drumming is in danger of rattling the cage so hard it damages himself & others. We have all heard the stories of rock n roll legends spiralling out of control past & present so why is this story any different? The tortured rockstar is a common archetype with members of Rock n roll's infamous 27 club sadly at its helm. Cobain, Joplin, Whinehouse to name a few. Tommy is knocking at that same door & it's only getting louder. If he can find the courage to do so, he can steer the rollercoaster in the direction of self truth & step away from that door.
Ride is a book about self-discovery, ego, sacrifice, risk, success, failure, Melbourne, life in a new city, London, collaboration & good old rock n roll antics. It is the first novel from Danny Thomas.
