Angel with Drumsticks: Review by Trevar Langlands

Pamela King is a member of the Wollondilly FAW and is a most competent writer and mentor... she was also successful in having a story selected in last year's Seniors Short Stories publication.

I would like to mention a book Pamela has published called Angel with Drumsticks. Now, this is a very unusual but true story which you might say shook the foundations of the Vatican. For anyone interested in music, rock, and the Vatican it would be a most interesting read.

It was told to the author by Angelo Ferrari, drummer, singer and founder of the Italian Beat rock group Angel and the Brains. It's about how the band was formed and its music ambitions and tells the true story about the aftermath of La Messa Dei Giovani.




La Messa was conceived to fulfil the desires of Vatican II to make the Catholic Church more appealing to young people but, because of resulting bitter and vicious arguments within the Church and the Media, the Vatican took a course of action that was inconsiderate, hurtful and cold hearted.

There are a number of interesting black and white photographs in the book, of the band, of the Vatican, Rome, and the Pope.

This is a story I did not know and found it very compelling and very revealing.

The band's first record contract was with Ariel. To promote this new concept of a Rock Mass, priests travelled around Rome putting up posters at most of the Cathedrals and Churches and there were articles and photos in many newspapers.

Huge crowds turned up for this special rock mass, people of all ages, for and against.

Despite much complaint for and against, the band decided on a Rock Mass world tour.

The story relates how these young musicians who had responded to an invitation from the Church to perform the first rock Mass in Rome had their careers destroyed by the Vatican.

But I am leaving the guts of the story for readers ... it's a very unusual story that Pam has written.


Reviewed by Trevar Langlands, State President, Fellowship of Australian Writers

www.pam.id.au

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