Thanks to Netgalley for sending me a copy of the ARC
This is one of the most unique reads that I have ever read and I was a little intimidated to dive in. But I'm so glad I did because this collection of essays, interviews, and photographs are centered around some of my favorite things: food and music. In this collection indie musicians (some I've heard from others I haven't) are interviewed and tell stories about their relationships with food and music mostly while on tour.
My favorite aspect about this book were the photographs that were incorporated, especially the photo of Natalie when she's in full glam backstage and eating chips and salsa. Musicians and celebrities are often put on a pedestal, so to delve into a very human topic such as food made the musicians being interviewed come across as very relatable and down to earth.

This is a really cool collection of essays from musicians and others from the music industry covering all of the different aspects of the relationship between food and music. There were so many different stories from around the world, and it was such a fascinating glance at the difficulties of nourishment on tour, while also looking at the tight-knit culture of musicians supporting each other. I think if you're interested at all in the life of musicians (beyond how they make music), this is a good read.

A terrific intersection of topics and window into the touring life. I personally have always been curious about the times between the gigs and how it's spent. I have a sweet spot for Real Estate and it is cool to read Alex's writing. I hope this book finds the audience it so richly deserves. Now if only he coulda shed some light on Budweiser Sprite...

As someone who’s spent years running a rock club, ensuring that touring bands are fed and truly cared for, Taste in Music: Eating on Tour with Indie Musicians by Luke Pyenson and Alex Bleeker feels like it was written just for people like me. This book isn’t just about food and music—it’s about the heart and soul of what it means to be on the road and how sharing a meal can create a sense of home, no matter where you are.

Running a club, you see the wear and tear on musicians—how the road can grind them down, leaving them hungry not just for food but for connection and comfort. That’s why feeding bands became more than just a task for me; it was a way to offer them a slice of normalcy, a moment to breathe and feel human again. Reading Taste in Music brought me right back to those times. It’s like I was sitting there in the pages, reliving the warmth of those shared moments with the artists who passed through my doors.

Pyenson and Bleeker have done something special here. They’ve captured what it’s like to be on tour, focusing on the meals that become lifelines for musicians navigating the chaos of life on the road. Through essays and interviews with a diverse mix of indie musicians—folks like Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes and Chris Frantz from Talking Heads—they’ve woven together stories that highlight how food isn’t just sustenance; it’s a way to connect, to ground oneself when everything else is constantly shifting.

The stories in this book span the globe, from back-alley food stalls in Japan to home-cooked meals in Russia, and they resonate with the realities of touring life—the loneliness, the exhaustion, and the rare but precious moments of joy. There’s a story for every club owner who’s ever stayed late to cook a meal for a band, hoping to give them a little taste of home before they hit the road again.

What struck me most were the small, intimate details that bring these stories to life—like the photo of Natalie Mering (Weyes Blood) backstage, glamorous as ever but snacking on chips and salsa. Those moments make these musicians real and relatable, reminding me of all the times I’ve seen artists let their guard down over a plate of food, sharing their stories and struggles.

Reading Taste in Music felt like reconnecting with an old friend—a reminder of why I do what I do and how much those small acts of kindness matter. It’s a book that doesn’t just tell you about life on tour; it makes you feel, smell, and taste it. This book will hit close to home for anyone who’s ever been behind the scenes, whether running a club or cooking for the band. It’s a celebration of the community we build through music and food and a testament to the power of a shared meal in even the most unpredictable of lives.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to keep a band fed and happy while they’re miles away from everything familiar, Taste in Music offers an inside look that’s as heartwarming as it is enlightening. I didn’t just read this book—I lived it, and I’d recommend it to anyone who’s ever been part of that world. This book captures the warmth of those experiences in a comforting and deeply personal way.

And for my 60th book of the year (gasp!), we have this amazing collection of essays with contributions from musicians, promoters, photographers and more - all from within the touring scene.

It was fascinating to read about what life on the road is really like. I’m sure I’m not alone in romanticizing the touring life and what it brings, but the reality is that it’s largely mundane. Unless, that is, you find a way to make it memorable, and that often happens through food and connection - sometimes when you least expect it.

Thanks to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this one. Such an easy and fun read and one I’d definitely recommend for folks wanting a behind-the-scenes look at what being a musician is really like.

Loved this! I really enjoy reading about music as well as food, so this was the perfect marriage of the tw. It's interesting to look at how touring and the foods these musicians eat on the road plays into their overall experience.

i wasn't sure what to expect from this one. if you're going into it hoping for recipes from your favorite artists, you're going to be disappointed, but if you're looking for a lot of great recipes surrounding food, community, and connection, then this one is for you.

i picked this up because i'm a big boygenius fan and there's a segment in here talking about road food. i took away a LOT from this.

there's this show called somebody feed phil which features host phil rosenthal head to various countries around the world to sample cuisine and talk to the locals. nearly every episode makes me cry because you learn very quickly that food is nourishment, but food is also history and love and a means to connect to humans. and that's what reading this book was like.

i really appreciated essays that concluded that meals don't have to be fancy/expensive to be meaningful. i also really appreciated the message that on tour, these artists mark their time via eating, almost purely because in those moments there's always a story.

moreover, i think this book drew some really interesting points about food availability in america versus other countries like japan and the perceptions held with each - there was a comment in here about how in america the most common tour complaint is, "i need a vegetable". whereas in japan, their service stations are full of fresh ingredients, beautiful food, and are healthier/better-tasting than the bulk of restaurant chains in the us. i also found it really fascinating how the liberty of travel/touring helped different artists expand their palates and try new things because of how lacking certain areas of the country (the u.s. specifically) are for variety and cuisine deemed "not american". so if you squint, there's a pretty interesting conclusion to be drawn there, too.

all in all, a super and interesting read. ALSO interested in how many artists become/became vegan/vegetarian and how they accommodate travel companions who aren't, how many of those travel companions also convert. i'd fully read a follow-up to this with more artists discussed.