Andy Beck - Folk Springs Eternal
The Canuck Conundrum…
I have always found it interesting to watch movies or shows or to read books that feature Canadian content produced by non-Canucks. There is something a little prideful and a little arrogant in wanting to see or read what others think of us as a nation…are we those fun-loving, eternally-nice and simple people from the North? Or are we rough and tumble and rugged and ready for a call-to-arms whenever England makes the call?
There is a plethora of Canadian conjuring out there, to be sure, but I must say that one of the most accurate depictions of us so-called friendly folk from the North comes from a bloke across the pond. His name is Andy Beck and his new work of musical fiction is called ‘Folk Springs Eternal’.
The Lyrical Limey
I hope, for prosaic purposes and my love of alliteration, Andy won’t be mad that I use the term “Limey” here. Beck (not the Scientologist) is a singer, songwriter, author and motivational speaker. His understanding of the pub music scene (which is largely universal to some degree) is apparent and well-placed in this folky, punk-music tale of delinquency and discovery. It’s always a shame when one reads a scene about a musician written by someone who doesn’t really understand music or the well of feelings from which music springs. It comes off as laziness. Not so in Andy’s writing. The clarity comes when the music plays and that is precisely why this book is a gift to musicians looking to find relatable characters who are actually struggling; who may not be the most talented but are still yearning for a place in the artistic world. This is largely a book about reality, without the sugar-coating of a perfect journey from the bottom to the top.
The Crude Canadians
The story of ‘Folk Springs Eternal’ revolves around four people who pretty much encapsulate the idea that there is no real Canadian identity. A singer/songwriter with a drinking problem, a German guitarist with a wife who pays the bills, a lapsed but straight-laced Jain who rocks the accordion, and a bodhran player with a strong sexual identity, a fear of showing it and a hidden gift for the world…this is the epitome of the Canadian landscape. Every type of person from the far reaches of anywhere, working together (sometimes painstakingly) to live better lives…whatever that may mean to them.
And these four characters don’t pull any punches, in their own respective ways. They are the gritty reality of this country and of the profession “musician” and each time they get up on stage, or put back a drink, or have a fight, or deal with the world around them, there is a real place to envision and a real story unfolding. Those who are trying to escape the drudgery of real life may get a sense of discomfort by the middle of the book but I do encourage even the escapists out there to dive into this fictional story and discover what good there is in the non-fictional world, amidst all the bad.
About - vs - Aboot
A book review wouldn’t be a proper review without some criticism so…I know this is the stereotypical battle we Canadians must all face: I still have yet to meet a single Canadian who actually says “aboot” and I was disheartened to find this caricature bobbing in the sea of realism that surrounded it. Of course, if this is the predominant sore thumb that sticks out in a book, it’s easy enough to dismiss and continue to enjoy the story, but given how real the rest of the piece felt, this did stick out quite a bit and sorely.
Having lived in Halifax for a time (in and around which the book takes place), I did notice that there was a difference in the way one typically said “about”. But it is pronounced more like “aboat” there. I still yearn to know just where the tiresome “aboot” came from but I feel that this is something long lost to the annals of Canadian caricature comedy.
To the setting of the piece, however, Andy does nothing but bring to life a very accurate depiction of the HRM and for that, he deserves applause (especially for having yet to explore the area in person)!
Trusting The Narrator, Not The Narrative
First and foremost, I’m reviewing this book. I consider Andy a friend of some degree since our meeting through #liveatcreativecafe and after our interview through Swept Media. I trust that he trusts himself enough to know all of his characters and all about the places in which he sets his narrative. However, I don’t think he quite trusts his own narrative enough, or perhaps his audience enough to allow the story to do the work for him. I found there were often asides seemingly coming from the narrator as a way of either poking fun at a character or situation, or attempting to teach the reader something they should already know or could easily research themselves. This breaking of the fourth wall, while interesting, did tend to add another character element that I think took away from the main narrative of the four downtrodden musicians working to find success.
This story is about success, and the success of this book is within the four characters. I know this not only from having read the book but also from the tagline on the cover which reads “Four musicians had a dream. Their success will help you find yours”. I think that if Andy sat back and just let his characters do the work, there would be a far stronger sense of success, without resorting to the narrator for help.
On that point, also, I found that there were terms that simply did not need identifying. I realize, fully, that this is largely because, as the Molson slogan goes, “I am Canadian”, but again we must come to the notion of trusting the reader to understand the world in which they are placed. If there are terms like ‘toque’ or places like “Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena (home of course to the Maple Leafs)”, I don’t think there is any explanation that needs come from the narrator. Again, let the characters define these terms; trust the characters to edify the reader if the author feels an explanation is needed.
The Man With The Plan
Trust me, I want to spoil this book for everyone here because I could go on about it for some time, exploring the nuances and the wonderful moments of realism, as well as the moments of confusion and confrontation. However, I’ll simply encourage everyone to get a copy of the book. It’s easily found on Amazon and is more than affordable. And that is before even discovering what more you get with this book.
In addition to the physical book itself, you also are entitled to a free song from Cale (the musical alter ego to the author, Andy Beck). And, even beyond that, you also get an introduction to a course created by the author himself where he aims to help you with achieving success. No, this is not just relegated to musicians and artists. This is a course designed to help people of all walks to focus in on what makes them marketable and then use that for potential success. With this book as a vehicle through which one can perhaps discover a method of becoming successful, Andy Beck pushes the envelope and, in a very kind and light-hearted way, works to help you achieve more. Considering the price point of the book, the additional song and course module that comes with it make the book worth the purchase and an easy gift idea this holiday season for those who are looking to build their own brand.
“Brevity Is The Soul Of Wit”
I realize it is kind of cheap to resort to quoting Shakespeare for a book review but I think the topic of brevity is entirely relevant when regarding ‘Folk Springs Eternal’. The main trunk of the book is a mere one hundred and thirty-one pages and while there is a damn decent amount of life lived in those pages, I could not help but think that there is so much more room to explore each character and take a slower burn to success. The tagline of the book gives away at least some part of the story itself so I’m not spoiling anything here when talking about the success of the main characters.
I will skip the details but I must admit I felt they achieved success too quickly. Not because they did it in a mere matter of days but because there was a narrative choice to skip time. Time that I felt could have certainly been explored so we could see the deeper struggles of addiction, sensitivity, stoicism and repression. This story was so real in so many ways, I wanted nothing more than to get an even deeper understanding of the minds of the characters and how they overcame more and more to finally become successful.
Now, I realize that Andy is also writing his own music, and running a course on success and that takes time and energy that perhaps could not be spent on the book and one does not want to give away the whole game when trying to setup course work alongside such a story but I will say that the abrupt close of the book left me wanting more of the characters, not necessarily of myself.
That being said, that is more of a double-sided criticism because, while I am left thinking that there could have been more…I also spend that time wanting more which does suggest a deeper success in the book than one might think from reading my gripes about it here. I do want more and that is a beautifully torturous feeling.
If you’re interested in the grim reality of the music world or are interested in the self-help angle that the author takes the book in after-the-fact or if you know someone who is, then you should go HERE and order a copy of ‘Folk Springs Eternal’ by Andy Beck. It is an intriguing examination of what is realistically the mundane yet simultaneously chaotic lives of the vast majority of musicians out there trying to make their way.
