I Die Each Time I Hear the Sound

A Memoir

By: Mike Doughty

Narrated by: Mike Doughty

A precise yet disorienting look at the exhilaration of music, the process of memory, and the moments when the world becomes new, by the acclaimed songwriter and author of The Book of Drugs

"[Mike Doughty's writing is] astonishingly vital, energized, and natural. . . . acerbic and sometimes lacerating."--RICK MOODY, author of The Long Accomplishment and The Ice Storm

In this highly original gathering of autobiographical stories, the musician and writer Mike Doughty, in his inimitable voice, sends dispatches from a touring musician's peripatetic life, vividly recalling moments when profound musical experiences made him see the world anew.

I Die Each Time I Hear the Sound consists of sometimes-surreal tales, drawing from conflations of memory, especially formative moments in New York City in the 1990s. It looks at how the avid nostalgia of fans is both a boon and a burden for an artist working to stay vital, and what it is to age while touring, and prolifically releasing new music. He examines the struggle to keep relationships alive while living on the road, and the strangeness of the disconnect between performer and audience.

A unique narrative, unstuck in time, and an unforgettable examination of what it is to be an artist in this cultural moment, I Die Each Time I Hear the Sound is funny, vulnerable, and unsparing.

Critic reviews

"Together, the book accrues an entertainingly bemused, why-is-this-happening-to-me vibe, and Doughty's terseness evokes the simple quirkiness of a Lydia Davis short story."—Kirkus, Starred Review

For fans of music

Wonderful though slightly disjointed, this is a compilation of tales through the life of a most talented wordsmith and musician. I am a fan of Mr. Doughty's music, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention that this book is likely worth the read/listen even if you're unfamiliar with his work. The running theme of the book are the musical moments that influenced Mike's work or reminded him of the importance/value of music. In these moments you too are reminded of the life stopping magic of music and that in itself is worth experiencing.