Settling Scores: A Life in the Margins of American Music

Joseph Franklin
Sunstone Press (2006)
ISBN 9780865344778
Reviewed by Nina Larson for Reader Views (6/07)

Joseph Franklin has amazingly detailed knowledge about who was who in the grass roots movement of New Music in the eastern seaboard.  And in his book, “Settling Scores: A Life in the Margins of American Music,” he opens the door of his memory.  Nominally an autobiography, the bulk of the book goes into great detail about Relache, a New Music group he founded and led for twenty-one years.  This detail is started and pocketed by his early life and family history and ends with a sliver of what he did after 1998, when he left Relache.  

Personally, I had never heard of Joseph Franklin or the term ‘New Music’ before reading “Settling Scores.”  From the description of how other people react to Relache, I think I have heard New Music; it is quite an acquired taste.  Unfortunately, while I found the autobiographical and historic parts interesting, large parts of the book read like a very long dedication page. Dedication pages are very important to the writer and sometimes to the person mentioned, however most everyone else skips it.  Since I read all of it, I am left with a sense of awe at Mr. Franklin’s memory.  I have a difficult time remembering who I worked with last year and he goes into exact detail of who he worked with, what they played, and even what their resumes would include!      

Pushing through the lists of names, I am left with a sense of sympathy for Mr. Franklin.  He is like the marketing director of a spinach manufacturing company.  No matter how he puts his heart and soul into packaging and making sure everyone is aware of this wonderful product, he is still promoting spinach.  Absolutely an uphill battle everyday even when it is your passion because a large segment of the population will never like spinach.  Ever.  So it is with the music he loves so much.          

This book is not for anyone looking for a light airport read.  Music classes, people who knew the musicians personally, or any New Music aficionado might like this book.  I wished he had filled in the holes he left about his personal life and suspect he needs to find another passion or he will whither away without Relache.  The book was effective in that I am interested in hearing at least one or two of the pieces he raved about, including “The Wolfman” by Robert Ashley (similar to when someone says “Don’t look!” and you immediately look) and something by John Cage or the Relache group.  Perhaps if a compilation or current CD was included or sold with a similar name. 

Right now, thanks to “Settling Scores,” New Music will go in my “didn’t know I hadn’t known” file in my brain.  However, if I ever run across a concert advertising “New Music” or names like John Cage, Barbara Noska, James Tenny, Robert Ashley or, of course, Joseph Franklin I will make a point to be in the audience.  And a second point, not to walk out when it doesn’t match my pop radio developed tastes.     

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