Mitchell’s first novel since Slade House (2015), the next conundrum for the band was choosing a suitable name for their newly-birthed band. Others can say, “I feel that too.” ~ David Mitchell, Utopia Avenue But as long as the art endures, a song or a view or a thought or a feeling someone once thought worth keeping is saved and stays shareable. Books turn to dust, negatives decay, records get worn out, civilizations burn. “Art is memory made public. Time wins in the long run. They were also bonded by their passion for music. But whilst they knew next to nothing about each other, they shared the same hopes and dreams. They are four (or five) strangers in the height of their youth. The final piece was folk singer Elf Holloway who was already a established soloist. First, they managed to coerce guitar virtuoso Jasper de Zoet and drummer Peter “Griff” Griffin to ditch their old band and join them. Reluctantly jumping into the bandwagon, he joined Levon in putting together the other pieces to music scene’s next big star. The first piece of the puzzle was Dean who, despite his misfortune, was a gifted blues bassist and song writer. Levon was scouting for talented musicians who will comprise what he envisioned to be the next big thing in London’s psychedelic 1960s music scene.

It was an unfortunate and bleak period for Dean but he found his salvation, or rather salvation found him in the form of Toronto native Levon Frankland. The story commenced with Dean Moss being conned of his money, kicked out of his place, and fired from his job. In his latest novel, Utopia Avenue, David Mitchell took his highly innovative and imaginative narrative into the heart of music through the story of an unlikely band that converged under the unlikeliest of circumstances. Music is a universal language that transcends both time and physical barriers. Every important juncture in history is also characterized by its music. The influences of music ripples all over the world. The jive and the vibe can make us unconsciously sway as in a trance. Through notes and sounds, some alien and foreign, music has the power to make us feel deeper emotions. When you feel down or sad, you listen to music. When you feel elated, you listen to music or you make music. We listen to music to soothe an aching heart, to “fix a broken heart,”. It is a language that knows no boundaries, tangible or intangible. It has been said time and time again that music is a universal language that majority, if not all, of us can relate to.

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