“Music gave me my voice—not just the transmitter of lyrics and melodies from the songs I write but my place in the world, my sense of belonging somewhere, and believing in something.”

John Faye‘s impressive discography portrays an ever-evolving troubadour: The Caulfields, IKE, John & Brittany, and Those Meddling Kids are just a few of the many projects he’s lent his voice to. Now, he’s venturing into a different medium by publishing a book.

John’s career in summed up in The Yin and the Yang of It All: Rock’n’Roll Memories from the Cusp as Told by a Mixed-Up, Mixed-Race Kid. The memoir is “about the discovery of a voice, a tribe, and a musical ethnicity that runs far deeper than his Korean/Irish roots.” The Philadephia music scene is prominently featured in the book, as John has spent most of his life in our city, working to uplift the community and nurture new artists. 

Pierre and Sara were at the release show at the Ardmore Music Hall where he presented the book in a unique format. The various bands that have played with him over the years were all present, providing an instrumental backdrop as John read selections from the book. In between readings he’d perform songs from a corresponding era of his discography before reaching for the book to read another highlight. This wasn’t a quiet poetry reading by any means – this was a full electric performance, turned up to eleven, with the energy to match.

Below are highlights from John’s book release show. The Yin and the Yang of It All is available in hardcover, digital and audio formats. Order your copy here.