Rough Description

“Based on his days as a fly in the mosh pit of the nascent punk scene in Toronto and decades of drumming for some of my favorite beat groups, you would think that Don Pyle has a lot of great stories to tell, and insight to share. You are not wrong. Come for the Guelph Riot, and then see if you can guess which Shadowy Man tossed a lovingly compiled Grateful Dead cassette from a moving vehicle.” — Ira Kaplan (Yo La Tengo)
“A big-city-art-punk-music-dream recounted from the first row, backstage, on stage, and under the carpets. A marvel of memory and identity entangled in sound and vision across decades, it’s also an emotional and intimate travelogue of revelation, transformation, and the power of creativity and community.” — Patti Schmidt (Brave New Waves)
“What can’t Don Pyle do? He’s dazzled us with his drumming, documented Toronto’s punk history with intimate verve, and (for a lucky few) styled our hair. Now, he’s written the most affectionate, insightful and tender music memoir I’ve ever read. Like the sweetest, sweatiest moshpit hug, you’ll never want it to end.” — Jason McBride (author of Eat Your Mind: The Radical Life and Work of Kathy Acker)
“[Pyle] takes a mature and self-aware look back at an interesting time to be alive, not just musically but also culturally and politically. Most books on the era reek of an infuriating I-was-a-punk-before-you-were-a-punk bravado. Rough Description is definitely not that kind of book. So read, dig out your old Shadowy Men records and enjoy.” — Canuckistan Music
“As the title reads, Rough Description truly is a love story to a life well lived in music. Pyle writes with a level of authenticity that is rare, giving his collection of stories a vivid perspective. Through his writing, Pyle is able to curate a selection of snapshots and relationships through explorations and reflections that are equally vulnerable as they are humorous. Most importantly, Rough Description is a reminder that all we are at any point is a culmination of our stories and experiences; ultimately serving as a disruption to the mythology that asserts memoirs are only for the ultra-famous. Rather, Pyle delivers something far more real and incredibly meaningful.” — The Spill Magazine

Don Pyle is a Toronto artist, working primarily in music, sound, photography, and writing. Author of two books, including Trouble in the Camera Club, he’s released 15 albums, has shot photos for the covers of numerous books and records, and has scored music for feature films and TV series.

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