John North Editor & Publisher

The Rock Bottom Remainders must be one of the more unusual ó and, hands-down, the most literary ó of rock bands in recorded history.

Composed of a gaggle of accomplished writers, the band gets together to socialize and make music.
As noted repeatedly in stories about the Remainders, its members, contrary to band stereotypes, actually can read and write. On the negative side, there is some question ó and more than a little snickering ó about the quality of the music the band makes.

The Remainders recently performed in a promotion spot on ìThe NewsHour With Jim Lehrer,î having shown up at 6 a.m. ó an unheard-of-hour for a rock band to be anywhere (except, maybe, just settling in for sleep after an all-night party).

Literary luminaries in the band include Stephen King, Dave Barry, Amy Tan, Scott Turow, Roy Blount Jr. and Mitch Albom.

In its rather charmingly self-deprecating style, the band took its name from the book industryís term for books that have languished on the shelves so long they have to be sold at a discount. (In truth, most of the Remainders are best-selling authors.)

The band was formed 15 years ago by Kati Kamen Goldmark, a musician working as a media escort driving around authors who, in turn, expressed envy that she performed in a band. She was inspired to form a literary band to play a benefit concert at a Los Angeles book fair ó and the rest is history.

I must say that the very concept of a rock band made up of writers strikes me as the ultimate irony.
Indeed, the sight of these middle-aged, intellectual loners cutting loose musically and emotionally

before a crowd and even having to fend off groupies ó itís about as far away from the placid literary scene as I can imagine.

Again, in dealing with stereotypes, in the rock scene of today one thinks of crazed and dazed, none-too-bright, drug-addicted youngsters in tight-fitting clothes who writhe around the stage. Sure enough, one of the Remandersí most popular songs is a rousing rendition of The Troggsí 1960sí classic, ìWild Thing.î

However, to perform on stage in a rock band surely fulfills many a middle-agersí fantasy, even that of an ink-stained wretch.

The sheer absurdity of† the Remaindersí act is offset by the comments and jokes made at their own expense ó both on stage and off ó by the band members.

ìWe play music about as well as Metallica writes novels,î Barry likes to say.

Turow has noted, ìWeíre a band that specializes in meeting low expecations.î

And Blount characterizes the Remaindersí music as ìhard listening.î

Also amusing are the tactful-but-humorous comments by the otherwise merciless news media and others around them about the quality of the music they make.†

The band pushes absurdity into the stratosphere ó in its quest for R-E-S-P-E-C-T ó by taking road trips in the old bus formerly used by queen of soul Aretha Franklin.

In a scene reminiscent of a King novel, the Remaindersí bus once broke down late at night in Alabama ó when, out of the darkness, a fan suddenly emerged with a copy of ìThe Standî for King to autograph.

All this leaves me apprehensive about the prospect of novelty bands being formed from other professions. Just think of the possibilities: grave-diggers (The Grateful Un-Dead)? Prostitutes (The Ho-Downs)? Politicians (The Rock Steady Rabble-Rousers)? Hmm ....

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John North, publisher and editor of the Daily Planet, may be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .