Red Letter Days

by Matt Pryor, Ian King (editor)

The debut memoir by Matt Pryor
(The Get Up Kids, New Amsterdams, The Terrible Twos)

Red Letter Days follows the life of a musician growing up, on the road, and following his dream of being a successful musician. Taken from journal entries from 1990–2000, the book is a collection of short vignettes about Pryor’s experiences crisscrossing the country (and the continents) with the band and the cast of characters he meets along the way told via first-person accounts of his most memorable moments.

Including rare and never-before-seen photographs by Paul Drake, Michael Dubin, family members, and more.

Genres: Music

281 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2024

Reviews

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for fans of The Get Up Kids, obviously, but also for anyone interested in the realities of life as a working band. Although the level of fame is different, the realities of life on the road reminded me of 'So You Wanna Be a Rock And Roll Star' by Jacob Slichter, drummer for Semisonic (best known for their hit 'Closing Time'). It's mostly mundane, with bits of chaos thrown into the mix.

I'm a huge fan of Pryor's music, and although he can come off as a little prickly (which I think he would admit to, and more or less does, throughout this book), he's very genuine and it's great to hear his memories of the early days of The Get Up Kids and formation of The New Amsterdams. He's a rarity in music -- a (mostly) clean-living guy who just loves his wife and has stayed loyal to her and his band for over 20 years, and it's clear he and his bandmates are all good guys (which is probably why they're still able to go on tour 20 years after their peak, unlike so many of their contemporaries who have been effectively cancelled).

I do wish there was a little more shared on the broader emo/punk scene around that time, because it was really a golden age. He says that if you're interested in those stories, they've been shared elsewhere, to which I say - where?! I want to read them, Matt, point me in the right direction! I did love his Vagrant Records 20th anniversary podcast from a few years ago, and that definitely scratched that itch. The one with Jim Suptic delved a bit into why The Get Up Kids never became as big as they should have -- essentially, Matt missed his wife and was sick of touring, and they missed their shot. It's a shame, because they were infinitely better than some of the bands that stepped into their place (and better guys, to boot), but that's life. They still lived their dream and can make a living on it, which is more than most can say. Still, it would have been nice to hear a little more about that, and how he feels about it now in more depth. Maybe for his next book...

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come tomorrow I’ll be on my way back home!!!

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave it the extra star for allowing me to remember fondly my days going to shows in Lawrence/KC. Pryor is a natural storyteller, in print or in music; in a band, solo, or in children’s songs. Great read.

[Troy Sennett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love reading about the early days of the emo scene and Kansas City specifically, but as a book it feels a little scattered. All the pseudonyms bothered me too — I found it harder to keep track of who was who than if Pryor had just used their real names, and it's not like he's saying anything too crazy about them.

I did love this though: “Just because one excellent band from DC took a vow of poverty, doesn’t mean we all have to.”

[Ashley Gyurik · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know how when you find something you like, you want to know everything about it, and so you spend the next few hours or days or whatever tryimg to scratch that itch by researching the shit out of the topic until you've learned every minute and insignificant detail?

Reading this book was kinda like that for me. Like, do I *need* to know detailed information about the potato soup Pryor was eating with his roommates when he moved into his first apartment? Probably not. But I'm glad I do.

This was a fun and easy read, and Pryor is able to translate his storytelling into written word seamlessly so that it feels natural, like a transcript.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a person who briefly lived in this world (as a like-jobbed Wonder Kid...you've got to read the book to get it), and as a huge fan who was at some of the shows mentioned in the book, I definitely found myself within the pages of this book. It reads as more memoir than biography, a retelling of Matt's experiences, done with the sincerity present in his music. Perhaps lacking in direction, though it does circle back to Honey White in the end, the whole of the book does a solid job of letting readers revel in the TGUK legacy once again.

[Michael Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. I am biased, though, as i love this band. This probably won't be as interesting if you are not into the Get-up Kids, unless you like reading about indie music and touring.
I learned through a youtube video about this book and that Matt is diabetic, which I am, too. I was not diagnosed until I was an adult, but I go through similar struggles with diet and insulin. It was interesting reading about his experience as a touring musician, especially in an era with less medical technology.
Great read for anyone that likes anything behind the scenes.

[Katlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much! I’m a huge GUK fan. I remember their retirement tour when I was in high school and the come back tour when I was in college. I recently saw them on the Something to Write Home About anniversary tour and they brought me back to my youth and ripped! The only thing I dislike about the book is the abrupt ending- it felt like when a conversation gets short and you can’t pick it back up.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice bit of nostalgia in these pages if you were in a band or part of the scene that embraced the Get Up Kids during that 90's and '00's era. Matt "spills a little bit of tea" on some of the folks that he encountered. It's an entertaining read.

[Kevin Tudball · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read for a Matt Pryor fan and fun to get some behind the scenes stories. My only critique is that it feels incomplete and ends a bit abruptly. But selfishly I may have wanted to hear more about On A Wire.

[Randi Edelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for any fan of his or his many projects. The only critique I have is that in my opinion I felt like it ended abruptly - but only in the sense that it ended 20ish years ago, so I’m left wanting more! I hope he writes a second book about what came next or even present times.

[Adam Santiago · Rating 2 out of 5]

Musings of a guy who doesn’t seem to understand how much his music shaped a genre and a scene, written from that perspective and without offering any real insight now that time has passed… also it just ends.

[Jonathan Horowitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it because it was very "inside baseball." Lots of venue, band, show details/references, and lots about touring and living that life. You're probably not reading this unless you already think Matt Pryor rules, though, so it's a good choice!

[Robert McClimans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a good read from a good man.

[Dana Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wish there was more about writing the songs, but still enjoyable and took me back to the last 90s

[AlexWK · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Hope he writes a follow up for the next 10 years or so

[Bryan Nevarez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thorough, but also kind of felt like he was too cool even for his own autobiography

[Derek Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I hate surprises, even good ones; she knows this, but doesn’t seem to care. I tell her that this feels like one of those trust-building exercises and I am going to fall over backwards, and she’s is going to drop me. “Don’t worry”, she says, “I’ll catch you.” “You’ll catch me?” I timidly ask. “Yeah babe, I’ll catch you.” - Matt Pryor

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always imagined touring to be different for the more popular bands. But it’s nice to know many of the struggles and joys were the same regardless. Great book! Thanks!

[10thumbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Besides being a damn good singer and songwriter, Pryor -- here and on his podcast -- is a skilled storyteller. This was a quick, enjoyable read. And I hope its the first in a series from Pryor — or his contemporaries.

[Erin Doughty · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you grew up in a certain "scene" - we won't use the E word - this will be a happy reminder of your young adulthood. Matt is honest and open about his experiences, both in the book and in person. Loved it!!

[Rohan DSouza · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.3