Vinyl Street Co.
About The Book...
A memoir about one man’s journey to connect with his musician father, ultimately re-drawing the lines that define family and race.
Throughout his adult life, whether he was opening a Seattle record store in the ’90s or touring the world as the only non-white band member in alternative rock bands, Nabil Ayers felt the shadow and legacy of his father’s musical genius, and his race, everywhere.
In 1971, a white, Jewish, former ballerina, chose to have a child with the famous Black jazz musician Roy Ayers, fully expecting and agreeing that he would not be involved in the child’s life. In this highly original memoir, their son, Nabil Ayers, recounts a life spent living with the aftermath of that decision, and his journey to build an identity of his own despite and in spite of his father’s absence.
Growing up, Nabil only meets his father a handful of times. But Roy’s influence is strong, showing itself in Nabil’s instinctual love of music, and later, in the music industry—Nabil’s chosen career path. By turns hopeful–wanting to connect with the man who passed down his genetic predisposition for musical talent—and frustrated with Roy’s continued emotional distance, Nabil struggles with how much DNA can define a family… and a person.
Unable to fully connect with Roy, Nabil ultimately discovers the existence of several half-siblings as well as a paternal ancestor who was enslaved. Following these connections, Nabil meets and befriends the descendant of the plantation owner, which, strangely, paves the way for him to make meaningful connections with extended family he never knew existed.
Undeterred by his father’s absence, Nabil, through sheer will and a drive to understand his roots, re-draws the lines that define family and race.
Nabil Ayers is the President of Beggars Group US, where he has run campaigns for The National (GRAMMY award winner), Big Thief (5x GRAMMY award nominee), Grimes, Future Islands and St. Vincent as well as reissue campaigns including Pixies’ platinum-selling album Doolittle.
Ayers co-founded Sonic Boom Records in Seattle at age 25 and has recorded and toured globally as a drummer in several bands. Through his own record label, The Control Group / Valley of Search, he has released music by notable artists including Cate Le Bon, Lykke Li, Bad Brains, The Killers, PJ Harvey and his uncle, the jazz musician Alan Braufman.
Ayers is the host of “Identified”, a podcast about exploring family dynamics. He is the author of the memoir “My Life in the Sunshine” (Viking, 2022) and has contributed to the New York Times, The Guardian, and GQ on topics of family, race, and music.
“It opened up a treasure trove of crazy information and the more that I searched, the more that I found and the more that thing led to the next thing and the next person. It’s been pretty crazy and it still is.”
“There are plenty of fun stories about New York City and Amherst in the ‘70s, being a bi-racial kid with a young single mother and moving to Salt Lake City in the ‘80s, living in Seattle and touring in rock bands in the ‘90s, and my time in NYC at 4AD,” Ayers tells Variety. “But it’s mostly about the influence my father has had over me despite his absence, and the blurring of lines that define family and race.”
The Sad Dads Book Club is a community-driven group dedicated to exploring the deep connections between literature and music. Founded on the idea that both art forms can tell powerful stories, the club focuses on books that delve into the creative process of musicians, the emotional landscapes of artists, and the cultural impact of music on society. Its reading selections, ranging from memoirs to fiction, often tie directly into the world of music, with past titles including Patti Smith’s Just Kids and Tiffanie DeBartolo’s Sorrow.
A distinctive feature of the Sad Dads Book Club is its commitment to engaging directly with the authors through regular Q&A sessions. These discussions are central to the club’s mission, offering members a chance to deepen their understanding of each book by interacting with the minds behind the stories. The Q&As provide valuable insights into the inspiration and creative processes of the authors, giving readers a rare opportunity to explore how music and writing intersect. These conversations not only enrich the reading experience but also build a sense of community among members, who come together to reflect on the broader themes of creativity, identity, and art.
The club’s dedication to fostering meaningful dialogue makes these author Q&A sessions an essential part of its mission. By offering a platform for readers to connect with authors, the Sad Dads Book Club bridges the gap between the stories on the page and the lived experiences behind them, allowing members to engage more deeply with the books and the music that inspire them.
Expanding on its literary focus, the Sad Dads Book Club recently launched High Fidelity Book Club in partnership with Bloomsbury Publishing’s 33 1/3 book series. This new offshoot is dedicated to exploring books about iconic albums and their cultural significance. High Fidelity provides another dimension to the club’s love of music, focusing on works that chronicle legendary records and their lasting influence on both artists and fans. Also with in-person Q&A events with the authors, High Fidelity broadens the scope of the club's reach while maintaining the same intimate, thoughtful approach to literature and music.
The Sad Dads Book Club, along with its High Fidelity initiative, continues to thrive as a space where readers and music lovers alike can connect, engage, and explore the transformative power of storytelling and song.
