Author Joel Samberg takes us behind the scenes of Jackie Jester, a novel inspired by his grandfather, Benny Bell, a real-life novelty songwriter whose career saw soaring highs and devastating lows. Samberg discusses the challenges of bringing this story to life, the influence of the record industry, and the humor that keeps the novel’s heart beating.
HELLO JOEL SAMBERG, WELCOME TO WORLDAUTHORS.ORG! WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE JACKIE JESTER BEYOND YOUR GRANDFATHER’S LEGACY?
Having grown up on the fringes of the record industry, and having a lifelong interest in music (as a writer and performer), the idea of a multi-generational narrative in which that industry is a key player has always appealed to me. For over 20 years I had been jotting down ideas for a novel that at first I was going to call Label (as in a record label) and then Turn, Turn, Turn (as in the Pete Seeger song). Like Jackie Jester, it was going to fictionalize real people and real events from the last 60 years of the record industry. Although I would never dare to compare myself to Arthur Hailey, the easiest way to describe the general concept of that proposed novel is to say that it would have tried to do for the record industry what Hailey’s Airport did for airports, what his Hotel did for hotels, and what his In High Places did for politics.
Simultaneously, I had a deep desire to write a story about my grandfather Benny Bell’s unusual career. He was like a comedy song David trying to sell records in a Goliathan industry. He wrote, arranged, sang, played the guitar, cut the disks, designed the record labels and album covers, created the ad campaigns, often even drove the records around to record stores. How could I not want to write a story about a guy like that? So, as Label and Turn, Turn, Turn started to embrace a little more of Benny Bell’s David and a little less of the industry’s Goliath, I made the decision to make Jackie Jester almost entirely about the fictional Jack Aronson. It is a novel not necessarily about my grandfather’s legacy as much as it is a family saga of a man who, like Benny Bell, devotes his life to an idea and tries to never let anything get in the way–even though life, like vinyl records, always develops a few cracks along the way.
HOW CLOSELY DOES THE CHARACTER OF JACK ARONSON MIRROR YOUR GRANDFATHER, BENNY BELL?
My grandfather was funny, silly, stubborn, paranoid, determined, optimistic, uncompromising, idealistic, and often a dollar short–but if he made at least one person laugh every day, then he considered himself the greatest success. That perfectly describes the character of Jack Aronson, as well.
WHAT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF WRITING THIS NOVEL?
The most challenging part of writing this novel was resisting the urge to include many more narrative elements that might have been part of Label or Turn, Turn, Turn–to include additional characters based on real record industry people and events based on real record industry news accounts. But I decided it would be much more effective and emotional if the world of the novel was Jackie’s world only. So I kept it at that level, while also weaving in just enough of the industry to convince readers that even Jack’s little world had to exist to some extent within the real bigger world.
YOUR BOOK SPANS DECADES IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. HOW DID YOU RESEARCH AND RECREATE THE ATMOSPHERE OF EACH ERA?
At least four factors contributed to my attempt to accurately recreate the atmosphere of the music industry from more than one era. 1) I grew up listening to stories of meetings with record company executives, radio deejays, bandleaders, musicians, and emcees. 2) Having once been an aspiring performer myself, I read up constantly on the lives and careers of troubadours past and present–not only because of my own interests but also because I simply find it to be a fascinating subculture. 3) As a journalist and author, I love doing research on topics of interest to me. 4) I have several good friends who are experts in the record industry from the 1930s on, and they read the novel in one of its final drafts to make sure I was explaining and describing things properly.
JACKIE JESTER’S SONGS HAVE A HUMOROUS AND NOSTALGIC FEEL. HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE LYRICS?
Novelty DNA, I suppose. I have been writing Benny Bell-like songs for years. Now that he’s gone, I manage his catalog and work hard to protect and promote his legacy. As part of that, I have updated lyrics to one of his most popular songs, Shaving Cream, on several occasions for special events in an effort to keep the interest level high. Writing lyrics to Jack’s songs in Jackie Jester was pure fun, and I hope readers enjoy them. In fact, we’re running a little contest. Anyone who reads the novel is free to take one of Jack’s songs, put it to music (in a genre-appropriate style), make a simple audio recording, and email it to JackieJesterNovel@gmail.com. One winner will be selected. Prizes include any paperback from BearManor Media (the publisher of Jackie Jester–the biggest publisher of books about showbusiness), a copy of the CD First Century Dementia, signed by Dr. Demento, and three Benny Bell 45-rpm collector item records.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE READERS TAKE AWAY FROM JACKIE JESTER?
A few hours of enjoyment and contemplation.
HOW HAS YOUR BACKGROUND IN JOURNALISM AND PLAYWRITING INFLUENCED YOUR APPROACH TO STORYTELLING?
Although the structures and processes are very different between journalism, playwriting, and novel writing, I don’t really see a difference in the act of storytelling. If one has an excellent grasp on English grammar and spelling, a facility to get to the point, an ability to make a story interesting, a natural inclination to have it read melodiously and seamlessly, and a burning desire to share a good tale and the people who bring it to life, they can be a good storyteller. I wish and hope and pray I can fall into that category. At any event, I try.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? ARE THERE ANY NEW PROJECTS IN THE WORKS?
I am just about finished with the third and perhaps final draft of a novel called Remember Me to Herald Square. It’s the story of a young New York City newspaper reporter named Michael and a young New York actress named Tina, both from rural Ohio, who meet up ten years after their high school sweetheart days are over. But can they get back together, especially when their careers appear to be on an unintentional collision course? How far will Michael go for a story? How far will Tina go for a part? This idea sprang from a communications course I took in college when I was studying journalism, back in the Seventies. The professor, Dr. George Gordon, was describing the work of New York Times and Washington Post reporters, and I remember turning to a classmate and whispering, “Are they reporters or cops?” That’s when the seed for the novel was planted.