I enjoy rock-n-roll memoirs, biographies, and autobiographies. Even though I’m not a Sum 41 fan, I couldn’t resist purchasing this book to read. I’m always fascinated by the lives of musicians and what gets them into the biz in the first place. So today I am reviewing Walking Disaster by Sum 41’s Deryck Whibley.
Title: Walking Disaster
Series: N/A
Author: Deryck Whibley
Genre: Non-Fiction, Autobiography, Memoir
Length: 336 pages
Release Date: October 8, 2024
This candid memoir of music, fame, and endurance from Deryck Whibley, lead singer of Sum 41, follows his rise from a punk kid to an international star.
Blurb: From his earliest days growing up in Canada, Deryck Whibley was a punk who loved music and couldn’t wait to achieve something bigger and better than the humble path that lay before him. Whibley was raised by a single mom and their small family constantly moved from place to place, so he was used to being the new kid, starting fights (or finishing them), and connecting with people who shared his sensibility for chaotic fun and loud music. Sum 41 was born of a group of friends who loved to jam, shared a DIY ethos, and were determined to be rock stars one day.
Walking Disaster is Whibley’s story, but it is also the untold story of Sum 41. Whibley takes you backstage, into the recording booth, and through the highest highs and lowest lows of the band whose story is inextricably woven with his own.
With his insightful, earnest, and genuine voice, Whibley gets real about fame, fortune, and the music industry. Detailing everything from winning at the MTV Video Music Awards and being nominated for a Grammy to revisiting his high-profile relationships and friendships, contending with invasive paparazzi, and suffering from health issues that brought him to the brink, Whibley offers a forthright and unforgettable memoir.
Available at:
****
I’ll be honest: I have never heard one song by the band Sum 41 (my nephew is a big fan and even saw them in concert recently). But something compelled me to purchase this autobiography. I’d say it was the blurb.
First, you do not need to know the music or be a fan of the band to enjoy what the author says. This is an excellent autobiography that delves deep into the author’s life from his childhood up to his present status.
He’s also a very likable man: cheeky, intrepid, and the kind of person you’d want to call a friend. His story is easy to read, a soul-baring, heart-wrenching memoir. You feel for the author as his story unfolds, and you can see why what happened did happen.
He not only goes into stories of his childhood and teenage years, but he takes you deep into the formation of Sum 41. Trust me, they were not an overnight success. This band worked their asses off to get where they are. The author also keeps his focus on songwriting, something that comes through in the novel that he loves to do. Make that has to do because songs are sitting in him that need to come out.
There are also the usual rock ‘n’ roll antics, but he kept these minimal, concentrating more on his life and the band’s life. He shares it all: their drug use, their spiral downward, and the band’s inevitable break-up.
The heart of the story is his battle with alcoholism and the horrendous abuse he suffered. Because he’s such a likeable person, I rooted for him, wanting him to break through to the other side.
Not since Don Felder’s “Heaven and Hell” has a rock ‘n’ roll book captivated me. I am not one for book ratings on my blog posts, but this is easily five stars. Like I said, even if you aren’t familiar with the band or the author, it’s such a great story of overcoming the odds and triumphing that I recommend you give this a read. You won’t be disappointed.
Maggie Blackbird 