People writing debut novels in three weeks from their sickbeds sounds like the stuff of stories.
But for Fife author Clarke Geddes, creating his new book Sophomore Songs really was a matter of life and death.
“It’s not a very happy story,” the 36-year-old chuckles wryly. “I had two seizures about a year ago.
“I was in hospital for three weeks. Initially I was in a coma ward and then luckily I got moved and everything was OK.
“But I had a lot of time on my hands, so I just thought I’d try and write!”
What came out was a rollicking rock ‘n’ roll adventure, following musicians Nick and Dom as they seek out peace on a remote Scottish island after years of touring and debauchery – and end up finding chaos instead.
Inspired by the likes of John Niven and Martin Amis, and compared by an early reader to Taylor Jenkins-Reid’s 70s-inspired Daisy Jones and The Six, the author describes it as a ‘gritty comedy’ with a ‘dark edge’.
And its rag-tag band of musical protagonists are, Geddes reveals, drawn from his own life in the industry, which began with an NME subscription as a child.
Music industry filled with ‘weird characters’
“I used to buy NME religiously since I was about 12 years old,” he laughs. “That’s where the obsession started.”
His passion for music never faded, and Geddes grew up to write for Clash at the music magazine’s Dundee office for several years.
He also spent his 20s drumming in bands on and off, touring around Europe, and meeting all sorts of “weird characters”.
“The book kind of meant to be fun and funny, a bit ridiculous – almost a satire of the industry,” he explains, pointing out that he has seen the business from both sides, artist and critic alike.
“The time I actually worked in Dundee with Clash was brilliant, I had a really good laugh there,” he admits.
“And I got to see a lot of Europe when I was younger, did a bit of travelling in Italy and France and stuff. It was really good fun, I would do it again!
“But I did meet some funny characters, and in music you meet some really weird people – or people others might think of as weird!”
Although he won’t be drawn on names, he does reveal that there is a lot of himself in the book, particularly as it deals with issues around mental health and addiction.
‘I stopped drinking – I kind of had to’
In his day job, Geddes works to help those struggling with their mental health, and it’s clear the cause is close to his heart.
“I work rehousing people with mental health problems so maybe that affected the book a little bit as well. It’s about mental health and addiction,” he explains.
“I’ve had some struggles in my past as well,” he goes on candidly. “I stopped drinking about a year ago – I kind of had to.
“And since then, I’ve been a lot more productive.”
As well as securing a publishing deal with The Conrad Press and getting sober, Geddes has been working hard on cultivating a new outlook on life in the year since his seizures.
“I haven’t had any seizures since I left hospital, which is good,” he smiles. “I’ve just kind of got a different outlook on life, I’m trying to have a bit more optimism now and be more positive.”
However, that’s not to the say the novel itself is all love and light.
Geddes was born in Switzerland and stayed there until he was 10, but after emigrating to Scotland as a child, he quickly connected with the nation’s grim sense of humour.
“Scottish people have a realism about them, they can be quite gritty,” he observes. “Also the humour’s different here. So I tried to make the book quite funny – I hope it comes across that way.”
Sophomore Songs by Clarke Geddes, published by The Conrad House, will be available in local bookshops and online in March 2023.
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