Toxic History: The Story of The Airborne Toxic Event

by Glen Hoos

Ten years ago, a distraught freelance writer locked himself in a room and furiously scribbled his way out of a cataclysmic week. Though Mikel Jollett entered his hovel intent on penning the great American novel, when he emerged a year later, it was not with the fictional book he had in mind, but a book of songs fueled by all too real tragedy. Those songs required a band, and that band would be The Airborne Toxic Event. This unlikely group, a collection of five players from wildly diverse musical backgrounds, became an even unlikelier success story. Defying all established conventions about how success was supposed to be achieved in the early 21st century music business, they forged their reputation on the back of a surprising smash single, expanded it through relentless touring, and solidified it with a singular body of work that blends punk, folk, pop, symphony, literature, poetry and – above all – naked honesty.

432 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2016

Reviews

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a big fan of the band I was excited to learn more about them. I just didn't feel like there was much story here. A lot of it was really boring. Lots of recounting of what songs are about, summarizing music videos and tour setlists. The book is less the story of TATE and more the encyclopedia of TATE. Very well-researched, but the interview quotes run too long, and often repeat themselves. Like reading a press junket where the questions are softballs and the interviewers star-struck. The author is meticulous, but inserts his own glowing opinions too often.