Bill See

In the summer of 1987, LA-based band Divine Weeks went on its first (inter)national tour. Instead of limousines and entourages and fancy hotels, however, they lived out of the back of an increasingly fetid van, slept on strangers' floors, and, on occasion, begged for food. For the band, however, it was more than music: it was an opportunity to live. Lead singer Bill See's 33 Days lets us share in the experience.

From the get-go, one can tell that there's something special about this group and show more its journey. Unapologetic idealism, and hesitant optimism, permeates the text, convincing the reader that this is an adventure with a worthy purpose, one extending far beyond selling a record here and there. Admittedly, the first chapter is a little slow, full of background information about each member of the band. The struggles that it highlights, however, form the baseline from which each person grows throughout the book. The story picks up once Divine Weeks finally hits the road.

One of 33 Days' biggest achievements is perhaps its effective breaking of stereotypes. Few will paint rock stars in an intellectual light, but the members of the band are both traditionally educated and socially smart. It comes through in the way they balance one another and the deep conversations that they share. It's also reflected heavily in See's writing, an eclectic combination of college-level vocabulary words and the everyman's speech patterns. His earnestness is what keeps his speeches uplifting, while his unassuming tone of voice makes it feel as if you're really inside of his head, hearing his thoughts without the filter of a backspace button.

One thing that readers may or may not appreciate is the frequent mentioning of other bands, ones which heavily influenced Divine Weeks. Admittedly, my exposure to the music scene has involved more violins than bass guitars, which means that I had to spend some quality time with Youtube to get the point. Those a little more "in the know" might not have to. Additionally, See discusses several songs related to their line-up, and while I could easily look up each one, it would have been nice to have had a reference section with lyrics in the back of the book (unless there are some copyright issues involved). The few lyrics he included gave the relevant scenes a little more meaning.

For the most part, the author's writing style works. There are several instances, however, in which the "fast and loose" approach to grammar goes a little too far. Some of the sentences become confusing or, at the very least, awkward. How much this bothers you will depend on how picky you are. Also of note is the frequent use of the f-bomb. I don't particularly mind, but for those who are turned off by profanity, you've been warned.

33 Days is an inspiring story, told in a voice that is one part grit, one part tenacity, and five parts soul. Whether you've been in a band, wish you were in a band, or admit that you're completely tone-deaf, the book is well worth the read.

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(Review copy provided by the author) show less

‘It’s not about the having and the getting, it’s about the being and becoming.’

The story of a 33 day tour by the band Divine Weeks. Bill See, the author, was the lead singer of the L.A. band who enjoyed some notoriety in the ‘80s.
In this memoir, See has collected together journal entries and memories to create much more than just a tour diary. He documents the tour with a great descriptive narrative that really captures the moment and brings his memories to life. He also talks show more about his own dysfunctional home life, which in some ways spurred him on to chase his dream.

See is a talented writer, who is able to impart wisdom and knowledge through his prose.

I enjoyed reading about the band’s progression from an unknown group who played only weekday gigs in their home town, to a successful band touring nationwide. But this is not just a story about the band’s journey, it’s also about the individual band members’ personal journeys along the way. See’s introspective and thought-provoking prose make the book a compulsive and insightful read.
We follow the band on their first real tour, across the US and Canada in 1987, where they play small venues, often to a handful of people. But the band’s passion is such that they are determined to do anything to reach their dream of one day becoming real rock stars. They survive with hardly any money and sleep in a van and cheap hotels, or even on friends’ floors. There is a lot of humour sprinkled throughout the book which makes it an enjoyable read. I liked the fact that the author has included photographs of memorable parts of the tour and his life in the book. It gives an extra dimension to the story.

As well as being an enthralling tour diary, this book deals with such subjects as family life, alcoholism, racism, dysfunctional families, relationships, friendship, loyalty, and the power of dreams.
Divine Weeks’s story is an inspirational one that shows what someone can achieve if they follow their dream. The author captures the essence of the book best, when he says: ‘This book is for everyone who’s stood at their crossroads with a dream screaming inside wondering whether to choose the road that goes off the map or fold up their tent and head back home.’

Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Maria Savva as a reviewer for Bookpleasures.com show less

I am generally leery of these types of books because they are boring or badly written or only interesting if you know the people. But this book is none of those things. I could not put it down. There are parts that seem perhaps overly earnest, but Divine Weeks were overly earnest in a LA rife with hair bands. A great summer read, especially if you remember the 80s or wish you did.

Bill See and I are about the same age and spent lots of time in similar music scenes - him as a musician, me as a manager/promoter/bass player's girlfriend. When he pitched his book to me I thought, "Why not?"

33 Days is a memoir that Mr. See based off of the journal he kept during the first tour with his first band, Divine Weeks. If you've never been in or around a music scene, this book is great for capturing the flavor of what it's really like. The indie movement was built on a DIY show more philosophy that came out of its roots in the punk scene. Inspired by bands like the Minutemen, these bands were interested in making themselves happen (as opposed to waiting for a corporate overlord to happen to them). This meant a lot of low-end touring - too many people with too much gear in too small a space for too many days - that anyone survives is a minor miracle.

The story of the Divine Weeks journey is an enjoyable read. I know some of the venues they played and many of the bands they mention. Honestly, I don't recognize them, but I do recognize the Dharma Bums - a great band out of Portland for whom Divine Weeks opened. This made me laugh at the irony - the battle of the knowledge of the obscure bands ...

Picking a path in life is tricky. Lots and lots of people spend their lives following the script: college, law school or medical school or business school, marriage #1, children, divorce, marriage #2, corporate job and paycheck, lots of TV time. More power to the folks for whom this works - it's a hell of a lot easier than finding an alternative. All kinds of alternatives exist and 33 Days is the exploration of just one of them.

I do have a couple of quibbles. First, this book is exceedingly earnest in the way only a 22-year-old can be - full of the dream and the discovery and every freakin' moment is just so earth shatteringly life-changing. A certain amount of this is charming, but I wish Mr. See had throttled back on this a bit - at times it becomes cringeworthy and that's too bad because the story is better than that. I also found the defining moment that grew the band up a bit disingenuous. I believe that they got hassled by some drunk racist bitch in a bar in the middle of nowhere. I don't believe that that was anyone's first encounter with the animal - if it was, no one (other than their guitar player, Raj) was paying attention and that baffles me.

Entertaining and enjoyable, but could use a bit of an edit for clarity of story and its throughline more than anything. Thanks to the author for sending me a copy. show less