Noise Damage: My Life as a Rock'n'Roll Underdog

by James Kennedy

'Harrowing, funny and 100% true' Ginger Wildheart

The tale that follows is not another clichéd collection of rock'n'roll debaucheries (sorry) nor is it another tired fable of triumph over adversity (you're welcome).

It's the story of a half-deaf kid from a tiny, remote village in South Wales who was hailed as a genius by the UK's biggest radio station and headhunted by major record labels, only for the music industry to collapse. It crashed hard, taking with it an entire generation of talented artists who would never now get their shot. CNN called it 'music's lost decade'.

Along the way, there are goodies, baddies, gun-toting label execs, life-saving surgeons, therapy, true love, loyalty, hope, breakdowns, suicidal managers, betrayal, drummers and way too many hangovers. James Kennedy shows that the best lessons are to be learned from good losers. It really is all about the journey.

Part memoir, part exposé of the music world's murky underbelly, Noise Damage is emotional, painfully honest, funny, informative and ridiculous. It's also a celebration of the life-changing magic of music.

Genres: Nonfiction, Music

271 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 10, 2020

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book is awesome. Why I hear you asking? Let me explain…

This is a part memoir, past exposé of the music world through the eyes and ears (sort of) of James Kennedy, musician, warped genius and arsehole – his words!

We start in Wales (not a bad place to start) where a young boy is given a guitar one birthday in 1980s. Kennedy teaches himself to play by watching other musicians on tv and discovers he has a natural talent. Unfortunately, he was also diagnosed with tumours in both ears. After three lots of surgery, only 50% of his hearing remained.

Notwithstanding this, Kennedy went on to pursue a career in music. Unfortunately, at the same time, the old music model of writing an album, promoting and gigging said album was going down the drain due to various reasons including corruption and dodgy PR men.

Kennedy stubbornly continues his dream to be a rock god through this turbulent time by working all the hours, writing, editing, producing, promoting the music – oh and trying to find a band to play his music.

This is a painfully honest tale of Kennedy’s experience of the music world, exploring the ups and downs while having the most supportive parents and good friends.

I could gush about this book all day, but I have other stuff to do, so I leave with this, if you want a funny, informative and ridiculous memoir about the music industry, read this book.

[Andrew Costello · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely intriguing read. This book tells you the about the ugly side of rock n roll, but it's done in a way that is very humble and funny.

[Tim Ewins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading the physical copy of this book and was completely hooked. The writing is engaging and incredibly more-ish. It's so well thought out and told from a point of view that I'd never considered before: a band on the cusp of fame at a time when the entire music industry was collapsing in on itself.

I found myself listening to James Kennedy's music (on Spotify) as I read the book. So when I got to the bit about the first album, I found myself listening to Made in China, and then onto the next one etc. I then switched to audiobook, just because I wanted to listen to Kennedy read it in his own style.

This is a truly fascinating read, which you won't want to put down. I'm gutted I've finished reading it.

[John Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read about life as a musician both on and off the road.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not very often that I don't want a book to end but that was the case with this book, I tried to pace myself and make it last and I was genuinely quite sad when I reached the end. James writes with a really engaging tone which helps the reader become absorbed in the story.

There have been many books written by musicians who have reached the top and many books written by musicians who have reached the top and had a great fall from the dizzying heights of stardom. To my knowledge there have not been many (if any) books written by musicians who never quite reached the top, yet when you think about it these people are the majority, not the lucky 1% who achieved superstardom yet their experiences have largely gone unheard, until now. James takes the reader on his journey in to the music industry and what follows is a thoroughly interesting look at it's inner workings and what happens to all the musicians who don't quite make it.

James writes with refreshing honesty, he doesn't hide from telling the truth even when the truth may not shine positively on himself. The main arc of the book is set over the period 2002-2019 (approximately) and therefore it covers the end of the boom years for the music industry, when streaming and downloading (legally and illegally) was taking over and leading to record low sales of physical media and subsequently resulting in the folding of many record labels, music media outlets and music venues. As a teenager/in my twenties during these years and a big music fan I clearly remember this period, watching it slowly unfold as the music industry appeared to sit back and let itself get kicked before finally fighting back and embracing the new ways of music. Therefore it was fascinating to read it through the eyes of someone who was living and breathing every bump of the journey, and this book covers it all.

This is deeply compelling reading, James doesn't hold back. I knew the record industry wasn't a particularly honest place but even I was astonished at some of the dirty tricks and corruption that James writes about: such as how record labels get their artists music in the charts, agents ripping you off and bands having to pay for support slots on tours. It was an eye-opening read. This book covers all sides of the spectrum and is a very interesting look in to the fake, vacuous world of celebrity where no-one is really friends and the majority are out to fight their way up the ladder.

James seems a genuinely nice guy and throughout the book you feel that his band is just on the cusp of success, as the reader you're hoping they achieve it because they deserve it so badly but sadly they never quite get there usually through no fault of their own. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in music or the music industry, it is engaging, informative and most importantly a fascinating read.

[Kurt Rackman · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I absolutely loved this book. It's written in an intimate and very honest, personal style, and right from the get-go you know this isn't going to be a cynical cash-in attempt like so many rock memoirs.

Instead, this turns into a real journey filled with real people. James Kennedy feels about as trustworthy a narrator you're ever going to get for this kind of tale and tells the story with the unshakeable conviction of his own ideas, music and path. I absolutely ate up the narrative, which goes from formative music experiences and early triumphs to the long, crazy slog to make it as a band, the heart of which is to be taken seriously, given space to create and live the true musician's experience of giving it all on stage for a living, breathing crowd. The voice, [i]his[/i] voice, brings to life the (few) highs and (many) lows in about the most convincing way possible. You want to root for this guy and his music, which is why the constant setbacks and heartbreaks along the way pull you down with the narration.

And this is a story, primarily, of lows and heartbreaks. He paints a picture of a deeply toxic industry populated by sharks, charlatans, hucksters and parasites only too eager to deprive the talented of not just their money but the one thing that keeps them going - hope and belief. The deep psychological wounds of a journeyman music group being ripped off by a crooked PR man are far worse than the immediate financial harm. What it does to the fragile self-belief of the creative, how it negatively affects mental health and relationships within the band are honestly explored, and the fact that it happens time and again makes you literally rage at the injustice of an industry that is soaked in money which only a very few ever see.

The best word I can use for this is bittersweet - the ups and downs are more rollercoaster than rock'n'roll, and the inevitable effects prolonged touring for little reward wreaks on the creative who just wants to make music and share the experience with the likeminded is something that resonates deeply with me as an unsuccessful author who has met the same kind of resistance to making a go of it in a similar industry.

James has a lot to say about life, love, politics, money and social organisation, and I agree the hell out of all of it. This is a good read for sure, but I also think it's an important milestone in the cultural collapse that happened to the creative industry in the mid-noughties from which the only way out is grassroots activism. I would like to see James write more, but more than anything I would like to see his music given another go-around, because the people who refuse to lie down, in a more just world, should never be made to feel that giving up is their only option.

[Rin Hoshigumo · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely entertaining autobiography. Kennedy’s a wonderful storyteller who makes even the low points of his life sound like a marvellous adventure. He’s also an extremely resilient and energetic individual who’s survived a number of close calls and is always busy creating. (I seriously doubt I’d have survived his childhood, never mind his excesses.)
Even though he describes how treacherous and draining the a working in the music industry can be, he tells his tale with such enthusiasm that it’s engrossing and joyous.
I like the placement of the Acknowledgments at the END. (And I searched for the name of the fanemy from hell.)

[Kevin Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, interesting and honest . 5*

A fantastic book. Well worth a read. Funny, honest and interesting from start to finish. James Kennedy is not only a great musician but has written an excellent book about his life and career now also. 5* read.

[philip long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good read. Gives you an insight of how difficult it is to "make it"

[Catherine Fearns · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘No matter how bad things got, I could always, always, rely on the soul-restoring, life-affirming power of a good tune played loudly.’

James Kennedy is a Welsh musician, formerly the frontman and founder of rock band Kyshera, and now working as a solo artist… and author. Noise Damage is a refreshingly different addition to the crowded shelves of rock autobiographies. This is partly because James tells the familiar booze-fuelled-tour-antics story from a different perspective; he tells the story of the ninety-nine per cent of bands that don’t make it. But Noise Damage also stands out because it is remarkably well-written, with humour, humility, and insight.

While this is billed as a story of failure, it is somehow ultimately uplifting. There are evil industry moguls, fuck-ups and disasters, but there are also kind and supportive characters throughout, who believe in him and are appreciated. The joy of creation; of composing your own music and sending it out into the world. And James is rather hard on himself – because while Kyshera may have ended in relative obscurity, along the way he released critically-acclaimed albums, performed in thousands of concerts, and he has also been a music teacher, songwriter, sound engineer and producer, as well as working with hearing charities and political campaigns.

Whether you are a musician, a music fan, or neither, you’ll find this book relevant. it becomes a sort of self-help book and asks you to question your own life – what would you have done? What constitutes a good life? Sure, James Kennedy wanted to be a rock star - but ultimately it wasn’t about the success and the fame, but the love of music, and the enrichment that music brings to people’s lives. He claims that he loves performing to a half-empty pub just as much as a stadium .. and I believe him. And if he could go back twenty years, he would probably do it all again. This is a book about the journey; about following your passions and never, ever, giving up.

[David Dewata · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the story telling here. Well narrated. I feel the emotion and it was a like a rollercoster journey. Lots lots of learning here, so new musicians/bands out there should read this book. I highly recommend!