** spoiler alert ** "In homage to Duane Allman who just died - motorcycle accident, not drugs; age twenty-four, not twenty-seven - I grab my guitar and launch into an amateur version of 'Midnight Rider.' When I finish, I give poor Duane an informal eulogy and am shocked at Caroline's lack of knowledge of one of rock's great guitarists.

'You didn't know he was one of the dueling guitars on Layla?' I ask incredulously.

'I thought it was just Eric Clapton.'

'Clapton was the FENDER; Allman was the GIBSON.' Sheesh. I thought Caroline could maybe become my first girlfriend, but her ignorance of the important things in life might be too big an obstacle to overcome."

It’s 1971, and fourteen year-old Quinn lives in Laurel Canyon, CA, an artistic hotbed and home to many of the rock industry’s biggest and most influential stars. Quinn lives for music – he maintains a huge collection of rock LPs, writes a music column for his school newspaper, and possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of contemporary rock ‘n’ roll. When he meets Caroline, a new girl at school, whose musical IQ is lacking, Quinn realizes there may be more to his life than just a great guitar riff and a heavy backbeat. Then the real world, beyond the idyllic image of Laurel Canyon, begins to make its way into Quinn’s life: Caroline’s brother has been drafted into service in Vietnam, Quinn aids a draft dodger who knows his sister, and Quinn’s parents teeter on the edge of divorce. Quinn must make some difficult choices on his own, without relying on the spiritual guidance of rock’s most famous recently deceased (the "Club 27" of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison, who Quinn believes he can communicate with through his old Ouija board).

Tashijan presents Quinn’s voice in an engaging, honest first person narration, and paints a vivid scene of early ‘70s California lifestyles. Quinn’s struggles with relationships, learning more about the socio-political realties around him, and understanding the consequences of his actions will resonate with young readers. Above all, be sure to turn your stereo up as you read this one, especially if you still listen to vinyl.