The Road Beneath My Feet

A self-deprecating disclaimer kicks off The Road Beneath My Feet, a musical autobiography by Frank Turner: “I'm aware, painfully so, that I'm incredibly fortunate to do what I do for a living; I'm also not under the impression that it's earth-shakingly significant, in the grand scheme of things. Hopefully I don't come off as self-pitying or self-important.” A humble veteran of DIY touring (best known for his well-received fourth album, 2011's England Keep My Bones), London's beloved folk-punk songwriter turned his many years on the road—both as a solo artist, and before that with post-hardcore band Million Dead—into a memoir. Like his songwriting, Turner's prose is sharp. Each chapter recalls a different show and the circumstances around it, and Turner details his self-driven style of booking, organizing, touring and playing. Turner recounts formative memories, from a shouting match in an empty dive bar in east Russia to countless hours staring out the tour van's window. And given that his musical journey has taken him from home-burned CDs to London's biggest venue, Wembley Stadium, Turner's writing is refreshingly candid as he attributes his success to the people who have supported him along the way.