There are many who like a bit of heavy metal in their lives and then there are those who have it defining their very existence. People at that end of the spectrum are completely obsessive over it and it goes beyond the music itself and becomes their life style choice. They not only listen to it all the time but they dress the part, spend all their money on the music, clothes and going to gigs and their annual holiday is not down the beach in Marbella but in a field in Germany with hundreds of other similar people trading tales, raising horns, clashing cups of ale and watching the bands they love. These bands no doubt include the likes of Slayer, Iron Maiden, Metallica (early stuff only) AC/DC, Megadeth (as long as Mega Dave sticks to the singing and otherwise keeps it shut), Black Sabbath, Manowar, Kiss and Judas Priest. Many people feel like they want to have a crack themselves and form their own band, or give something back and get involved in other ways like become a promoter or god forbid a music journalist! Sarah Tipper is very much a dyed in the wool hesher (yes I hate that term too) a bona-fide metal head for life and her way of putting something back has been to observe everything and report on it. This has not been done in that thankless journalistic way but she has created her own band Eviscerated Panda and the universe around them as they themselves live for the metal and struggle to find a place in its world.
This is the second novel following on from their first ‘metal tale’ reviewed here
http://www.avenoctum.com/2012/09/eviscerated-panda-a-metal-tale-sarah-tipper
I had been following development of the book on its Facebook page and was eager to find out what was in store for the Pandas and their entourage of FWAG’s (friends, wives and girlfriends) and at first seeing the title thought that they were going to make it big and end up in Japan. One of the band does actually achieve that but just to visit his brother, the rest of them keeps things firmly in the real world. Although this is a work of fiction it is certainly not one of fantasy and Sarah knows how things work for an up and coming band and that is very, very slowly and through lots of hard work. It is difficult nigh on impossible in this day and age to land a record contract and the band are not at that stage yet. They first have to develop their craft and get that all important first album together and to do that their first task is to make a name for themselves live, not just in their home town of Reading but further afield too. They have a dream to play the Camden Underworld (many a band consider the definition of making it is to get first support slot there). One of the band members themselves certainly thinks so fondly remembering seeing Zodiac Mindwarp and Paul Di’anno there and that is just one example of how as a reader you may enjoy this book. I read that part and immediately put my hand up (which was a bit silly on the tube and had everyone looking at me) thinking “I was at that gig, with a grin on my face and the fond memory of the show. There are many moments like this too.
The tale is not just of this band though as the narrative is very much a human focused one as it moves from one character to another and tells you what is going on in their lives and in their heads. It’s incredibly character driven and there are a lot of people involved apart from the band members themselves. These involve their various partners and friends which allows the book to take on a very feminine edge at times. It also involves other bands that the Pandas are allied (and not so allied to) such as Demon Speeding, Over Revved engine and Nightshade Milkshake. It’s a bit tricky at first getting back into the swing of things but the author has very helpfully placed an extensive list of characters at the back with an explanation of who they are so it was all quickly picked up. She has also given a run-down of what each of the Pandas songs are about and expanded Cleo’s (one of the characters in the book) Girl’s Guide To Metal (suitable for boys too) for those who are new to metal. It’s concise and should quite honestly let you in on everything you needed to know (but were afraid to ask that scary looking guy) and enjoy the book if you are not part of the scene. I will say though that even though you could no doubt read this on its own you would be very well advised to pick up the aforementioned first part beforehand.
When the bands do a gig it is almost written as though it could be a gig review and pays attention to what they play, bringing it to life. Such a chapter would not end there though but will follow the band members and entourage through what happens next and focuses on each of them. There may not be any drugs this is a fairly clean living lot in that sense but there is plenty of sex in the tale and it can be quite steamy stuff as relationships are focussed on. It strikes as very true to life too in every sense and reading it you can easily find yourself identifying with the characters. One chapter sees everyone going off to a Manowar gig and I would be very surprised if the author did not attend one of the recent shows herself with friends to get the flavour and atmosphere of it all down and it is like being given a bird’s eye view on the show. Another thing I liked with the attention to detail was that it was not just the well-known bands of the scene that got a mention, my old muckers The Iron Knights (RIP) got no less than four namedrops in the book.
I am not going to write about the plot or the characters themselves that is up to you to discover on reading this. I will say that it was a highly enjoyable and true to life book and one that is quite unique to our world. It is also one whose tale is not done yet as the author is hard at work on part three ‘Vulgar Display Of Panda’ (very good) and may “do a Douglas Adams” and expand the trilogy to further volumes.
Spread the word, read the books and follow the panda at the link below
(Pete Woods)
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