Band in the Wind

Published: Nov. 29, 2018

A coming of age - a coming together - a coming of tragedy . . .  and all they cared about was the music.

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1990 -  On a moonlit evening in Key West, Florida, the "Journal of Johnny Cipp" is found on a secluded beach. It has been more than twenty-three years since the author disappeared from his home 1500 miles away. His opening journal entry is cryptic in its message."Unlike the lyrics to the rock classic, 'The Summer of '69,' the Jimmy in my band didn't quit, and my Joey didn't get married. In my life, they died. In fact, except for me, they all died . . . and I have never before told our story." Thus begins the saga of the lone survivor of a series of tragic events decades earlier. 

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1967 - Southeast Queens, New York is in turmoil. Amid the escalating chaos, five young men form a band in hopes of escaping the mounting violence, poverty, and drugs surrounding them. Johnny Cipp, the driving force behind the group, wants to lead them to fame and fortune. Instead, he takes them down a path where one misstep can result in destruction. 

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It is said that if you remember the 1960's you were not really there. However, this was not a time of peace and love for everyone. In Johnny Cipp's neighborhood, it is a time of violent upheaval - and he remembers every moment of it. His journal weaves an intricate tale of five young men who attempt to escape their chaotic situation with their only available weapons--their loyalty to each other--- and their music. As the band bonds both musically and personally, they come to realize what success means to each of them. To one, it will be a release from the abusive beatings of his father. For another, it will be a chance to be with the girl of his dreams. A third member's goal is a secret. For all of them, their music holds the promise of a brighter future. With each motivated to escape their present situation, they push toward establishing themselves as a professional band. In June of 1967, they got their big break, and it was the beginning of the end. 

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Band in the Wind takes place during the mounting racial tensions of the decade, in a time when New York City's identity is under transformation. At its heart, this is a story about the turbulence of adolescence unfolding during an equally turbulent period in America's history.Steeped in 1960s rock and roll atmosphere, and outfitted with a killer soundtrack, this novel will be perfect for fans of A Bronx Tale, Not Fade Away, Stand by Me ("The Body"), The Commitments, and Eddie and the Cruisers.