Gary Fincke

Gary Fincke, professor of English and director of the Writers' Institute at Susquehanna University, won the 2003 Flannery O'Connor Prize for short fiction - one of the highest honors bestowed on...

Amp'd
A Father’s Backstage Pass

Gary Fincke

Amp'd follows a four-year timeline with Gary's son, Aaron, the guitarist in the bands STRANGERS WITH CANDY, LIFER, and BREAKING BENJAMIN. During this time, Gary traveled to more than 50 shows, hung out with the bands before and after they performed, and talked intimately with band members, managers, and fans.

"I was curious about what my son was doing," says Gary. "I wanted to disappear into what was going on so I could listen and observe and get a more honest look at this world."

"Most rock stars aren't looking to go on tour with their parents. But that's just what Aaron Fincke - a guitarist with the Hollywood Records' band "Breaking Benjamin" - did...." - Citizensvoice.com

Set against a backdrop of aggressive rock, frenzied fans, moshing, stage diving, crowd surfing, security brutality, and occasional outright violence, Amp’d: A Father’s Backstage Pass follows four years in the life of Gary Fincke’s son, Aaron, a rock- and-roll guitarist. From bands such as Breaking Benjamin (signing with Hollywood Records and releasing CDs in 2002 and 2004), Strangers With Candy(winning MTV’s Ultimate Cover Band Prize in 2000), to Lifer (signing with Universal/Republic Records and releasing a national CD in 2001),Fincke gives a unique perspective to the bizarre and fantastical world of commercial rock and roll.

Aaron’s rock life is chronicled first-hand by his father, who attends more than fifty shows, spends time with the bands before and after shows, follows them to national tour sites, and talks intimately with his son as well as the members of the bands and some of their fans and managers.

Amp’d emphasizes the character and life of the band members through the eyes of a widely published writer, college professor, and father who immerses himself in the high-adrenaline world of contemporary rock and roll. This is not only a page-turning first-hand account of a lifestyle about which many fantasize, but also a literary narrative that examines the larger issues of celebrity, success, and family.

www.hollywoodrecords.go.com/breakingbenjamin

Reviews

"...keen observation of show biz seamy side....this is a fascinating glimpse into the real world of rock and roll...." - Lloyd Jansen, LIBRARY JOURNAL

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"AMP’D is a wild ride, a father’s blow-by-blow account of his son’s sudden rise from gritty local clubs to the shark-and-groupie infested waters of national stardom. Studded with revealing anecdotes and inside knowledge of the music business, Gary Fincke’s highly readable memoir is a unique contribution to the literature of rock and roll."
- Tom Perrotta, author of Election and Joe College