Plus get our latest book recommendations, author news, and competitions right to your inbox.
Published by ECW Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
“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, co-founder, vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter from Yo La Tengo
Don Pyle’s tantalizing memoir, Rough Description, recalls first bands, the absurdity and incredible rewards of touring, and dubious-dealing stories of the groups he’s been in, most prominently as drummer and co-founder of beloved group Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet. It recounts friend and work relationships with musician Dallas Good, venerable producer/engineer Steve Albini, iconic comedy troupe Kids in the Hall, whose series and theme his group created, and others.
Alternately melancholic and hilarious, this book chronicles Pyle’s bonkers experiences while attending hair school, his evolving relationship with his mother, how the Ramones affected his young teen brain, a life-changing car accident, and other situations from a creative life lived fully, providing oodles of salacious dish. You’ll discover how a punk rock pen pal led to a career in showbiz and how to put out the same record over and over again.
Photography, performing and writing music in bands, recording and producing numerous other artists, writing about music, and scoring for film and TV are all part of Pyle’s distinct observer’s eye — one that sees all creative media as aspects of the same stream.
Don Pyle’s tantalizing memoir, Rough Description, recalls first bands, the absurdity and incredible rewards of touring, and dubious-dealing stories of the groups he’s been in, most prominently as drummer and co-founder of beloved group Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet. It recounts friend and work relationships with musician Dallas Good, venerable producer/engineer Steve Albini, iconic comedy troupe Kids in the Hall, whose series and theme his group created, and others.
Alternately melancholic and hilarious, this book chronicles Pyle’s bonkers experiences while attending hair school, his evolving relationship with his mother, how the Ramones affected his young teen brain, a life-changing car accident, and other situations from a creative life lived fully, providing oodles of salacious dish. You’ll discover how a punk rock pen pal led to a career in showbiz and how to put out the same record over and over again.
Photography, performing and writing music in bands, recording and producing numerous other artists, writing about music, and scoring for film and TV are all part of Pyle’s distinct observer’s eye — one that sees all creative media as aspects of the same stream.
Product Details
- Publisher: ECW Press (June 30, 2026)
- Length: 304 pages
- ISBN13: 9781770417137
Browse Related Books
Raves and Reviews
“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
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
-
Book Cover Image (jpg): Rough Description
Trade Paperback 9781770417137
