BEAUTIFUL MUSIC by Michael Zadoorian

Finished Su 4/14/19

I got this on Amazon on Mo 4/8/19 after watching the movie 'THE LEISURE SEEKER'. That film, a 'road trip' by people in their 80's, was also based on a novel by Michael Zadoorian.

'BEAUTIFUL MUSIC' is a 'coming of age' film about Danny Yzemski. He lives in a northwestern suburb of Detroit with his mother and father in the early 70's. The neighborhood is racially changing.

His mother has mental problems and takes pills and drinks regularly and heavily. She loves Danny but resents him and her husband.

His father loves 'easy listening' music (1,000 Canadian Strings, something that would appear on Lawrence Welk- although not mentioned in the book because this show was on way before the timeline in the book) and sound effects records.

He likes to take Danny on trips to Korvettes to buy records. He's refinishing the basement and he bought one stereo system and then bought a better one.

Danny's father teaches him to drive before Danny even wants to learn. This is probably because he feels that his wife is going to need Danny's help.

When Danny starts high school his father dies of a heart attack.

His mother begins to drink more and become increasingly more unhinged.

She wants an 'art room' because she always felt that she gave up her dreams to get married and have children.

Danny's life was truly saved by rock'n'roll. Lots and lots of references to dozens of 60's and 70's bands.

He becomes the radio announcer for his high school and they allow him to play music of his choice. Later he loses the job because he didn't play enough black music. He would have played black music, but no one told him to do this. I think they really wanted a black student in the job to calm the racial division in the school.

He gets a job after school where he puts together advertising material about housing. He works with a couple of hippies and he doesn't like them, but they do share a kind of love and respect for the same kinds of music.

Danny finally finds a friend. John is a tall, gangling guy that is just as nerdy as Danny, but doesn't get picked on because he's tall and just slightly hipper. He smokes his first joint with John.

Danny was terrified that when he got to high school he would be offered drugs.

They bond over music, and Danny begins to become a person because he won't let John force his opinions on him.

They cut school to go to one of the only stores in the area that sells Music Maker magazine. John gets tickets to see the Stooges and Danny's mother tries to stop him from going because he's been cutting school. Danny stands up to her and goes anyway.

Because Danny doesn't act quick enough on helping his mother clear out the dining room to make her 'art room', she ties a rope to a large china cabinet and the bumper of her car and drags it out the front door. It damages the front door and tears up the front lawn. Smashes into a car parked on the street up the block. Danny clears out the damage both inside and outside the house. He also repairs the damage to the room and paints the walls. Her art room is ready to use.

On of Danny's school counselors told him to begin writing a letter to his dead father. This is supposed to help him deal with his grief.

The novel ends with a letter to his father where Danny says that he'll be attending broadcasting school and he tells how much he likes the Canadian announcer sign off for the night....and then listen to the static.