‘Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life’ hilarious, honest

If you love music, and you admire certain people who play the kind of music you love — you are a fan.

If you LOVE music, and you are obsessed with the people who play the kind of music you LOVE — for instance, you celebrate their birthday, know their shoe size, and who their first girlfriend was — then you are what author and music critic Steve Almond calls a “Drooling Fanatic” or D.F. for short.

In his new book, “Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life,” Almond gives a hilarious and pretty accurate depiction of the life of a music fan — turned “drooling fan,” turned rock music critic, turned author. Almond traces his love of music back to his childhood admiration of his older brother’s choice in music, and as he grew older, a favorite uncle’s suggestions on what was cool to listen to. Almond then pursued his love of music as a college DJ, and later as a struggling music journalist in El Paso and Miami.

Now, a successful author, married to a fellow music fan with two little superfans of his own, Almond takes a look back at his journey through life and how it has been influenced by the music he loved.

Along this yellow brick road of musical admiration, Almond includes stories of his visit to Elvis Presley’s home, Graceland, while under the influence; a realistic look at how a print journalist covers the Grammy Awards ceremony (it’s not glamorous!); a fairly intense, detailed explanation of the song “Africa” by the ’80s band Toto; and a lovely passage on how his wife was nearly picked up by rock star Kip Winger. And through it all, Almond maintains his devotion to the music he loves, and a deep understanding for the clan known as his fellow “drooling fanatics.”

As an admitted devotee of a certain genre of ’80s influenced rock music, (I don’t drool … much!) I found Almond’s book an honest and humorous look at one man’s over-the-top, enthusiastic career as a rock music journalist. A mature book, i.e., not for children, fellow music lovers will get a kick out of “Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life.”

Oh, and by the way, Jon Bon Jovi’s birthday is March 2nd, he wears a size 11 shoe and his high school sweetheart is his wife, Dorothea! But I don’t drool!