Music permeates Eric’s life, including his current group, Mad Skillz, a cover band playing school dances in Portland, Oregon, in the 80s. Fellow jazz-band member and drummer Kevin is part of a newer rock group called Tiny Masters of Today, which needs a bass player of his caliber. To complicate his life, Todd is gradually finding himself becoming attached to Margaret, a girl he originally felt was weird and uncool. Nelson takes the reader along a mesmerizing road to increasing fame and glory as the Tiny Masters’ energy and emotion grab fans in spite of their somewhat inept musicianship. Paralleling this development is the increasing sexuality of the relationship Todd has with Margaret. That both of these plotlines will not end in a happily-ever-after style is clear, but readers will enjoy the crisply realistic dénouement as well as the ride. Grabber historical fiction. (Fiction. YA)
