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All Over and Over
In 2003, living on constant tour through the dark days of the dawn of The War on Terror, Joan of Arc decided to regroup as a political hardcore band. Make Believe was born. For the next few years they maintained a grueling schedule. Both the travel and the performances were excessive and exhausting. These are the journals Tim Kinsella kept on their final full U.S. tour—the tour on which he had to admit that the cost-benefit ratio of this lifestyle had toppled and he needed to stop.
Self-determination is largely about guiding which momentums you allow to propel you. This book serves as further evidence—as if any more were necessary—that change and growth are both often painful.
Self-determination is largely about guiding which momentums you allow to propel you. This book serves as further evidence—as if any more were necessary—that change and growth are both often painful.
- GenresMusicNonfiction
300 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 9, 2016
Man, I loved this book. One of my favorite "rock and roll" books ever.
He mentions Dostoevsky and Rilke and their influence(s) are evident in the narrative style: lots of brief character sketches and set pieces. Kinsella is a great "noticer," like Rilke, and has that 19th Century Russian attraction to the so-called "black" humor. But that's not fair; the funny stuff here often verges on bro-humor. He doesn't hide his own peccadilloes, doesn't skirt embarrassing details about his own life, doesn't skim over the kinds of details most people would withhold.
Hanging over all of it is the line from the first page that I probably would have used for my title (maybe somebody already wrote/stole it?): "Wasting About 23 Hours a Day."
I'd always thought touring with a band would be fun for a week or two at most. Kinsella's book confirms this. I can't imagine driving fourteen hours to play a show for 15 people and $150 to split between four people. And then driving the same to do the same multiple times in one week. Let alone doing this for a decade or more. Throughout the narrative he frequently mentions death--it hangs over every city, over every interaction, over every glimpse into his home life--and yet he never overwhelms with detail the way a less-skilled writer might.
I don't know his music very well and from his musical references we probably couldn't share an IPod (if he could "figure it out," as he says in the book). That didn't stop me from identifying with him and his struggles and his flaneur style. I'm looking forward to reading his novels.
He mentions Dostoevsky and Rilke and their influence(s) are evident in the narrative style: lots of brief character sketches and set pieces. Kinsella is a great "noticer," like Rilke, and has that 19th Century Russian attraction to the so-called "black" humor. But that's not fair; the funny stuff here often verges on bro-humor. He doesn't hide his own peccadilloes, doesn't skirt embarrassing details about his own life, doesn't skim over the kinds of details most people would withhold.
Hanging over all of it is the line from the first page that I probably would have used for my title (maybe somebody already wrote/stole it?): "Wasting About 23 Hours a Day."
I'd always thought touring with a band would be fun for a week or two at most. Kinsella's book confirms this. I can't imagine driving fourteen hours to play a show for 15 people and $150 to split between four people. And then driving the same to do the same multiple times in one week. Let alone doing this for a decade or more. Throughout the narrative he frequently mentions death--it hangs over every city, over every interaction, over every glimpse into his home life--and yet he never overwhelms with detail the way a less-skilled writer might.
I don't know his music very well and from his musical references we probably couldn't share an IPod (if he could "figure it out," as he says in the book). That didn't stop me from identifying with him and his struggles and his flaneur style. I'm looking forward to reading his novels.
May 10, 2017
I mostly enjoyed this book. This is the first time I've read someone else's diary/journal other than my own, and it made me feel like I need to up my game in my own. Kinsella is an extremely intelligent and insightful person. I liked the descriptions of the various shows and the relationships he has with people he only ever sees while on tour. There's a real sense of history in the travel, seeing everything from an outside perspective. I didn't really care for him just naming things that he sees - it got a little tedious.
I thought the ending was a bit of a letdown. I know these are just diary entries, but I was expecting a bit more closure to the trip and Kinsella's various worries. I was hoping to at least read about returning to Chicago after being away.
Overall, I'm glad I read this book, but his negativity seeps into nearly every sentence. I actually would be very interested in reading the entries from all the other bandmates. Day by day, reading what each member is thinking, the reasons behind decisions and passive-aggresiveness.
This has also inspired me to seek out more published diaries. I'm very interested to see how others express themselves when they're not worried about other people reading.
I thought the ending was a bit of a letdown. I know these are just diary entries, but I was expecting a bit more closure to the trip and Kinsella's various worries. I was hoping to at least read about returning to Chicago after being away.
Overall, I'm glad I read this book, but his negativity seeps into nearly every sentence. I actually would be very interested in reading the entries from all the other bandmates. Day by day, reading what each member is thinking, the reasons behind decisions and passive-aggresiveness.
This has also inspired me to seek out more published diaries. I'm very interested to see how others express themselves when they're not worried about other people reading.
January 4, 2026
a winding and captivating look into the tour life of a C list rock band, with the beautiful perspective and wit of the greatest frontman you’ve never heard of. equally exciting and bleak, kinsella translates his electric stage presence to the page, looking even more vulnerable as he approaches the end of the band Make Believe. enjoyed reading this book, even if half the transcendental Kerouac tangents feel like they’re reaching a little too far. tim kinsella is the goat.
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January 7, 2026Great tour diaries. Aware of potential pretentiousness. Very thoughtful and self aware. Loved it.
October 7, 2020
Appropriately, I read this on tour, and on one that wasn’t going great. My conception of Tim went from “this guy’s an asshole,” to “I get it,” and finally to “I am Tim.” The book is largely complaining, but progresses from entitled to sympathetic. Maybe just through the barrage of stories. They wear down the reader like the experiences wore down the author, and I went from rolling my eyes to hoping he’s doin okay.
November 13, 2016
I really enjoyed how Kinsella's book captured the nature of touring with all of its monotony and repetition. It shifts between some great observations and prose to really just listing people, bands, food and other things. However while I'm incredibly familiar with many of the bands mentioned it does wear on a bit, which is the point I guess. The maps at the end are interesting and I wish there was more ephemera to fill in, they're also kind of interesting place holders before GPS in every tour van, but it would also break up the mundane tour diary.
January 19, 2016
Real life band on tour diary from 2006. Great. All the minutia of life on the road. What a grind. He names names, and when he doesn't, he rolls with a solid old school "G___" naming convention.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews