GRAMMY-winning musician and songwriter Pete Townshend from the British classic-rock band The Who has written a rock novel that embodies the "craziness of the music business" to be released Nov. 5, publishers Hachette Books and Coronet announced Tuesday (March 5.)
The Age Of Anxiety, Rolling Stone reports, will be a part of a greater three-part project featuring an art installation and an opera. Rolling Stone adds that this is Townshend's first "rock novel," but has previously written rock operas and other fiction.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Announcing a great rock novel from one our greatest and most influential musicians. The Age of Anxiety by The Who’s Pete Townshend will be published by <a href="https://twitter.com/CoronetBooks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoronetBooks</a> on 5th November. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/theageofanxiety?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#theageofanxiety</a><br>Pre-order your copy now <a href="https://t.co/qOqXZRWHco">https://t.co/qOqXZRWHco</a> <a href="https://t.co/j9pOhCt3fe">pic.twitter.com/j9pOhCt3fe</a></p>— The Who (@TheWho) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheWho/status/1102887037093507077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2019</a></blockquote>
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In a statement, the musician spoke about his excitement for finishing the novel he decided to create ten years ago.
"Ten years ago I decided to create a magnum opus that would combine opera, art installation and novel,” he said in a statement. “Suddenly here I am with a completed novel ready to publish. I am an avid reader and have really enjoyed writing it. I am also happy to say the majority of the music is composed, ready to be polished up for release and performance. It’s tremendously exciting.”
Hachette Books and Coronet noted the novel was first conceived as an opera and highlighted Townshend's writing.
"The novel captures the craziness of the music business and displays Townshend’s sly sense of humor and sharp ear for dialogue. First conceived as an opera, The Age of Anxiety deals with mythic and operatic themes including a maze, divine madness and long-lost children," they said. "Hallucinations and soundscapes haunt this novel, which on one level is an extended meditation on manic genius and the dark art of creativity.”
For more information on how to pre-order the book, visit the publisher's website.
