Psycho Chicken & Other Foolish Tales

by Mike Girard, Lloyd L. Corricelli

In the late seventies, five boys from the tiny coastal coal mining town of Ipswich, Massachusetts (also known as the original home of the fried clam) burst onto the electric Boston music scene with their parody hit 'Psycho Chicken.' The Fools were soon after signed by EMI Records, went on to release songs like 'It's A Night for Beautiful Girls,' 'Life Sucks Then You Die,' and 'World Dance Party,' tour the world opening for such rock luminaries as Van Halen, Rush, The Doobie Brothers and The J. Geils Band and receive heavy airplay in the early days of MTV (they were after all, the real first band playing on the network...true story!). Known for their zany, madcap style of full frontal rock n' roll, The Fools have outlasted most of their peers to attain legendary status and continue rocking on well into the twenty-first century releasing new music and playing to packed houses all over New England. Take a front row seat to their circus like high jinks as the band suffers the trials and tribulations of being the opening act for an egotistical rocker who thinks they're trying to copy his pep squad stage moves, a business manager who doesn't quite get their comedy shtick, drunken adventures with English rock stars and maybe even an encounter with Bigfoot along the way...oh, and there were monkeys, lots of dammed monkeys...and live adult penguins. Fans of The Fools and eighties rock aficionados alike will love this tale of one of America's most enduring bands as told by irreverent front man Mike Girard. Presented by Sons of Liberty Publishing.

296 pages, Paperback

First published October 22, 2010

Reviews

[Christopher Obert]

What can I say, I loved this book! First off I found the book to be very well written. To tell you the truth I did not expect this quality of writing from a rock star. Mike is not Shakespeare but his writing fits perfectly with the tale that he tells. And that tale is the history and story behind one of America’s coolest rock bands “The Fools.” The Fools are a Massachusetts band and I, being from that same part of Massachusetts as they are, found that many of their adventures hits close to home. I myself attended a few of the concerts mentioned in this book. The narrative follows the Fools as they gain in popularity and not only crisscross America but the world itself. The story takes you from backstage at concerts to the busy streets of Japan; from penis festivals to a concert attended by old priests and nuns. By the time your finish reading the book you feel like you have traveled along on this fairytale adventure with a group of old friends. All I can say is, “Thanks Mike for sharing the ride!” Please note that I did not use the words “madcap,” “zany” or “antics” in the writing of this review.

[Mosh]

If you grew up in the Boston area in the '80s and have ANY familiarity with The Fools, I strongly suggest you pick up a copy of this book. Mike Girard genuinely comes across as a man who has had a great time the whole time. He never seemed to entertain delusions of rock star grandeur and just truly enjoyed each and every experience that came his way, regardless of how ludicrous it was (the nightmare of opening for Van Halen or filming a tv show in front of a crowd of Spanish nuns while dressed as a nun). He heaps well-deserved praise upon those who took the journey with him and - in his colorful, humorous way - enables us to have a good time with him.

[Scott Dailey]

easy, fun read. Some interesting tidbits on the music industry. Not sure that someone not familiar with the band will like it as much as I did.