As an old school thrasher, I’m proud to say that Marty Friedman was a big part of my youth. As guitarist for Megadeth during their most successful (and I argue most creative) period, his fretwork fireworks seemed ever-present and helped define an era (for those of us who liked heavy music, at least).
With his long flowing locks and rock star poses he looked every inch the star while on stage (I saw Marty with Megadeth several times, most notably on the 1990 Clash Of The Titans tour; man, that was a cool show), so it’s easy to forget that he’s also a regular person with similar hopes and fears as the rest of us, and that’s precisely where Dreaming Japanese comes in. Told in Marty’s inimitable style, this book offers a glimpse at the man behind the glitz and glamour.
Enter The Dragon!
If there’s one thing that unites the diverse tribe who make up the army of metalheads, then it is that we are all misfits, outcasts or souls who exist at the edge of society. Born Martin Adam Friedman, the son of second-generation American Jews, Marty could certainly be construed as an outsider. Yet, there was a lot of love and warmth in Marty’s early years (which is typical of many Jewish homes), which is probably why he radiates such a likeable persona (even if you’ve never met him). In fact, there’s a certain warmth that comes from his words; sometimes it feels less like you are reading and more as if you are in a cosy bar with Marty and he’s sharing stories from his life over a beer or sake. It’s a very confessional writing style and one that lets us deep into the soul of Marty Friedman as he lays bare those more embarrassing moments of growing up (really, this is a no-holds-barred memoir). It’s often said that a good guitarist has a “signature style”, a tone that’s instantly recognisable no matter what’s being played. It’s also said that a great writer has their own “voice”, a distinctive way with words that is easily discernible, and in both cases Marty comes up trumps. His prose flows freely and smoothly (not unlike a sublime guitar solo), so it is easy to become engrossed in this book, often to the detriment of what’s occurring externally; you might suddenly look up from these pages and wonder where all the time has gone.
Marty’s story will be familiar to anyone whose love of music veers towards the obsessive and had fun playing in local bands, and his early career was characterised by poverty and struggle. Yet, Marty had drive and belief, and that somehow landed a dream job playing with Megadeth. Much has been written about this era by band leader Dave Mustaine, so it’s finally nice to hear things from a different perspective. Not only does Marty share some amazing (and often hilarious) tales, but his story serves as a warning to aspiring musicians (i.e., get a good and thorough contract). Megadeth is world-renowned for being a tempestuous beast and those wanting a look behind the scenes during Marty’s tenure won’t be disappointed, and he gives a candid an even-handed account of that era.
As the book nears its conclusion, we find Marty residing in Japan and not only is Marty’s book an invaluable 101 for aspiring rock stars, but it’s also a guide to unravelling the seeming Gordian Knot of Japanese culture.
He kindly brings the reader up to speed on seemingly unimportant (but actually very important) day-to-day activities such a renting an apartment, riding the transit system, and the mind-boggling complexities of garbage disposal. With many irons in the fire, you feel that there are still many chapters waiting to be written in Marty’s life, but for now he has found serenity and is fully immersed in a culture he loves. Dreaming Japanese shows that dreams can come true.
In addition to being available as a hardcover book and e-book, it is now also available as an audiobook, read by Marty Friedman and Eric Michael Summerer.
