Give the Drummer Some

by Mark Zero

Mouse Watkins is the leader of the Bad Apples, the funkiest old school soul band in St. Louis. For twenty years, he's been laying down smoking grooves, tasty rhythms and gutbucket funk in dance clubs up and down the Mississippi, always one break away from the Big Time. But Mouse is starting to wonder if his break will ever come. His best friend has disappeared with the Bad Apples' last dollar, his tour van won't start and a groupie stole his only winter coat at the band's last show. Now, with no stomach for starting over (again) and a bleak winter on the horizon, Mouse washes up in East St. Louis, exactly where he started two decades ago. His dreams have come to nothing. Or have they? Give the Drummer Some is an odyssey into the heart of pop music and the soul of St. Louis, a book about the choices all artists, even great artists, have to make when the brilliant spotlight of stardom fails to shine on them.

Genres: Fiction

268 pages, Paperback

First published August 17, 2010

About the author

Mark Zero has been a gourmet ice cream manufacturer, magazine editor, funeral home attendant, German instructor, photographer, music agent, film archivist, farm laborer and patient care technician to the physically and mentally disabled. He has lived in many places throughout the United States and in Paris, France; Leipzig, East Germany; Heidelberg, West Germany; and Santa Elena, Costa Rica.

In his twenties, Mark wrote and performed comedy in clubs and theaters around Southern Arizona. He was half of the comedy duo Blind Rage and Nick, who toured New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California before deciding that Vaudeville was, indeed, dead. Mark thinks fondly of the time his one-act play "Lost in the Promised Land" was staged by the Happy Accidents Theater Troupe in Tucson, and he still juggles and plays the ukulele out of nostalgia.

Reviews

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book...Give The Drummer Some is a real, down-to-earth and engaging read. The story of Mouse, a man who has left his band of 20 years, is so personal and easy to relate to. Following him as he struggled to find a new place for himself in this world reminded me of my own life. How many of us, too, search for our place?
I especially enjoyed the descriptive writing in regards to the power of music in our lives, in our hearts, in our very souls.
There are some moments of strong language being used, so keep that in mind. Overall, this was a pleasant and very real read, and I'm glad I read it!

[Rob Krabbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed "Give The Drummer Some", by Mark Zero. Not only a fun read, but wonderful characters that are well written and come alive in a story about music and moreover about the lives those that struggle to be a part of it. For every musical star that makes it big, there are thousands that struggle just to be part of the process, and the art, and just plain survive life as a working musician. The story reads as one written by someone who has experience with this. I have been a musician for thirty years, and it rings true, in every sense. I particularly enjoyed getting to know the characters, which is always the thing for me.

I recommend this book highly. Well done Mark Zero!

[Raquel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mouse Watkins was the drummer of the funk band The Bad Apples. After a falling out with fellow band member Gateway and the realization that his band and his music wasn't what it used to be, Mouse tries to live like everyone else. He gets a regular day job working, moves out of his mom's home and into his own apartment. During a particular stormy winter in St. Louis, Mouse's retirement from The Bad Apples has put his life into an upheaval. He rekindles a romance with an old flame Shauna, explores Christian Science and fights his personal and professional battles with his old band mate and his family. This novel asks the question: what does a musician do when the spotlight ceases to shine on them?

Mark Zero's Give the Drummer Some is a sensitive look at a musician's fall from grace and the subsequent reivention of the self. Mouse is a veritable literary Phoenix and the reader will enjoy following his journey as he rises from the ashes.

I personally loved this book and savored each chapter. This is my third book by Mark Zero and I have to say it's by far my favorite. There is no way you won't fall in love with Mouse Watkins, sympathize with him and see yourself in these pages. Reading about Mouse's relationship with Shauna and his exploration of Christian Science struck a chord with me and I had a personal revelation while reading the novel which I hope will help me become a better person.

Read this book now! You won't regret it.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a First Reads giveaway.
I really felt for the main character, Mouse Watkins, and his plight to make sense of a world outside of his old band, the Bad Apples. I loved the flow of the story and the characters were easily relate-able. Definitely worth the time to read!

[Brook · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good "first novel," and musicians, especially older ones who are now "with child." On it's own, the story meanders a bit. The protagonist isn't someone you can love, but is someone you can identify with.