Swimming with the Blowfish
Hootie, Healing, and One Hell of a Ride
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Diversion Books
Published:21st May '24
Should be back in stock very soon
The ultimate front-row seat to the rise, fall, and rebirth of a band that was—for a time—the biggest in the world, Hootie & the Blowish, and Jim Sonefeld's shattering and redeeming spiritual path from addiction to recovery and a more fruitful life
For a time, there was no bigger band in the world than Hootie & the Blowfish—rock & roll's unexpected foil to the grunge music that dominated the early '90s airwaves. In Swimming with the Blowfish, Jim Sonefeld, drummer and one of the band's principal songwriters, reveals the inside story of the band's humble beginnings, meteoric rise, sudden fall, and ultimate rebirth—and in the telling he opens his heart to readers about addiction, recovery, and faith.
Hootie became ubiquitous in the '90s—their debut album Cracked Rear View was one of the best-selling in the history of rock music; they won two Grammy Awards; their live performances were played alongside the Dave Matthews Band, R.E.M., and even Willie Nelson and Neil Young; and they appeared at the biggest venues in the world. Though Jim enjoyed the perks that came with fame—the parties, the relationships, the money, the drugs and alcohol—eventually it all became a camouflage that hid a deeper spiritual malady. As his life was careening toward disaster, he reached out his hands to seek relief in twelve-step recovery, eventually settling into a loving, but by no means uncomplicated, homelife.
A book that encapsulates a band still beloved by legions of fans, Swimming with the Blowfish is much more—an unpretentious, emotional story of one man's spiritual path to a more fruitful life. Jim's journey is shattering, redeeming, and ultimately as comforting as your favorite flannel shirt.
Praise for Swimming with the Blowfish by Jim Sonefeld:
We loved, fought, cried, laughed a lot, and did whatever it took to play the music that we knew was very distinctly ours...Jim ‘Soni Sonefeld has lived a life that is rife with fun and pain, light and darkness, but always with an amazing amount of love. The way he sees the world is one of a kind and his story is one for the ages.
—from the Foreword by Darius Rucker
...the ultimate front-row seat to Hootie's rise to fame in the mid-'90s. It also goes further into [Sonefeld's] own journey from addiction to recovery.
—American Songwriter
I've truly relished hanging out with the fun-loving, mischievous ‘Soni' through the years, but this book exposes a more deeply rooted, impassioned side he didn't always show. He captures the spirit of the surreal and sometimes unsettling life behind the scenes of one of my favorite bands, sincerely revealing that he is as fragile as the rest of us. It's an eloquent yet humbling example of a lesson we can all learn from—that no degree of fame or fortune leaves us immune to experiencing pain, powerlessness, and regret.
—Dan Patrick, sports broadcaster, and host of The Dan Patrick Show
Jim Sonefeld details his rollercoaster ride through rock and roll, addiction and sobriety with searing honesty and grace.
—Radney Foster, singer-songwriter of Foster & Lloyd and author ofFor You to See The Stars
A book that encapsulates a band still beloved by legions of fans, Swimming with the Blowfishis much more—an unpretentious, emotional story of one man's spiritual path to a more fruitful life.
—The Christian Beat
From the moment we crossed paths it was clear to me that Jim is more than the drums, more than the band, and more than the music. Highs and lows, good and bad, pretty and ugly...he's gone through it all. This is a great peek into an amazing trip through a rock ‘n' roll life—and beyond. Like a good snare drum, it's crisp, memorable, and it packs a punch.
—Alexi Lalas, journalist, retired professional soccer player, singer/songwriter
It's easy to forget how many lives one person can live. I've known Soni for close to thirty years and it's a great gift to have this window into the details and inner world of his unique journey.
—Glen Phillips, lead singer of Toad the Wet Sprocket
A book that encapsulates a band still beloved by legions of fans, Swimming With the Blowfish is much more—an unpretentious, emotional story of one man's spiritual path to a more fruitful life.
—Tennessee Tribune
ISBN: 9781635769807
Dimensions: 152mm x 229mm x 23mm
Weight: 372g
304 pages