amp'd: a father's backstage pass
michigan state university press (august 2004)

In Amp’d: A Father's Backstage Pass, Gary Fincke chronicles four years in the life of his son—rock and roll guitarist Aaron—from winning MTV’s Ultimate Cover Band Battle in Strangers With Candy, to being signed as a part of Lifer (Universal/Republic Records), to joining Breaking Benjamin (Hollywood Records). Set against a backdrop of aggressive rock, frenzied fans, moshing, security brutality, and occasional outright violence, Amp’d provides a unique perspective on the bizarre and fantastical world of commercial rock.

To provide us with a first-hand look at contemporary rock and roll, Gary Fincke attends more than fifty shows, spends time with band members before and after shows, and talks intimately with fans and industry professionals. Amp’d is both a page-turning account of a lifestyle about which many fantasize and a literary narrative that examines the larger issues of celebrity, success, and family.

“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, Joe College, and Little Children