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Before the Groove: The hustler handbook's to make a living as a musician and survive to tell the tale
Paperback
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Oct 15 2025
Pages: 384
Weight: 1.13
Height: 0.79 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
BEFORE THE GROOVE
In the summer of 2009, as the world suffered through the global financial crisis, soon-to-be high school senior Joey Sinatra accepts a summer job as a merch guy for an indie hip-hop tour. What he doesn't realize is that he's about to get schooled in more than just music.
Crammed into a van with a rotating cast of characters, including the enigmatic rapper Michael Barber, the captivating Juju, recovering addict Bootlegs, smooth-talking Uncle Meech, and the aptly named Luck, Joey travels across the South as America reels from economic collapse.
What starts as a simple summer gig becomes a masterclass in survival as Joey frantically scribbles down The Rules, part touring handbook, part hustle guide, and part life philosophy, taught to him by Michael. This unofficial guidebook reveals how to make money on the road as a musician, from selling custom panties to finding free accommodations. But when a drug deal gone wrong puts the entire crew in the crosshairs of armed dealers, Joey learns that some lessons can't be found in any rulebook.
Raw, funny, and unflinchingly honest, Before the Groove is both a love letter to the DIY music scene and a coming-of-age story about finding your family on the road. As Joey navigates backstage drama, first love, and brushes with disaster, he discovers that the hardest place to make it isn't just your hometown; it's wherever you haven't yet found your groove.
Like Almost Famous meets Hustle & Flow, this gritty memoir captures the magic, mayhem, and hard-earned wisdom of life on tour in a world that seems determined to break your spirit, and the music that just might save it.
Told with humor, heart, and the honesty of someone who lived it, this memoir offers a front-row seat to the grit of DIY touring and the unexpected lessons that shape who we become.
A must-read for every independent musician, dreamer, and anyone who has ever wondered what it really takes to chase art on your own terms.
This new edition contains a bonus chapter on the Van Rules.Also in
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