There’s a lot to love about the band Fountains of Wayne. From their humble beginnings that grew out of admiration for solidified rock bands like R.E.M. and The Cars, the band’s primary songwriters, Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood, met at Williams College in Northern Massachusetts and would begin to craft not only the early stages of Fountains of Wayne, but a lifetime friendship. Fountains of Wayne is loving tribute to the beloved band that while only having one true “hit” in “Stacy’s Mom,” there was so much more to them and their music. Author Fiona McQuarrie cuts right to the core of what this band so special, talented, and does a fantastic job of researching all that went into the band’s early days, all the way to their eventual breakup. McQuarrie’s writing style is warm, and you can easily tell she is a fan of the band’s work through her endearing biography of Fountains of Wayne.
The early stages of the band were very interesting to read about. Especially with me being a casual fan to Fountains of Wayne, this book is a near encyclopedia of great facts about the band. For example, the early band name that was formed between Schlesinger and Collingwood was The Wallflowers (sound familiar?). After eventually reaching a financial agreement with Jakob Dylan, the band would find their final name by chance after Adam’s mom was driving on a highway in New Jersey and saw a outdoor furniture/fountains store called “Fountains of Wayne”, and thought that it would make for a unique band name. After Adam pitched it to Chris and the rest of their bandmates, the band got the store’s blessing to use the name, and the rest was history.
The book is filled with rich details about songs and albums that should’ve been much bigger than they became, and McQuarrie’s meticulous research on Fountains of Wayne makes for a memorable reading experience for anyone who takes the time to dive into these pages. McQuarrie details not only the songwriting craft between Schlesinger and Collingwood, but also the “side work” that Schlesinger did in penning so many songs to soundtracks for films like That Thing You Do and Music & Lyrics, to name a few of many. You can tell that Schlesinger had a knack for writing perfect pop songs that could be devoured in minutes, but enjoyed for a lifetime. Pop music is an art-form, and McQuarrie does a great job of describing just how dedicated Schlesinger/Collingwood were dedicated to their craft.
From the time that it takes you to get through listening to Fountains of Wayne’s breakthrough LP Welcome Interstate Managers, you can easily breeze through this loving tribute to a band who was adored by so many fans and critics alike. In a breezy, 140+ page book, McQuarrie’s thorough research pays off in a big way on this great work of art in her own right that showcases just how big Fountains of Wayne could’ve been if they had received the right creative push at the right moments in their career. She also does a nice tribute to the late-Adam Schlesinger who passed away in 2020 due to complications from COVID. Fountains of Wayne is a book you won’t want to put down, and makes for a great companion piece to the band’s rich discography.