Bustle in Your Hedgerow Review

By Johnny Zapp

Ah, the ‘70s.  If you are old enough to not only remember vinyl, but to have had a collection that you dragged with you each time you moved, begrudged to part with the dead weight despite the evolution of technology; then Chris Epting’s latest eBook, “If There’s a Bustle in Your Hedgerow,” is for you.

With “Bustle,” Chris paints a retrospective portrait of ‘70’s pop culture through the words of the decade’s poster idols, along with his own insights.  The introduction alone brings to mind songs like The Kinks “Around the Dial,” with Epting’s references to AM radio, 8-tracks and the “musical buffet” of genres intertwining to fill the airwaves of the 1970’s.  Essentially a list, rather than sequencing the lyrical lines in order of importance to him, the author chose to assemble the book’s contents chronologically; thus guiding the readers through the decade beginning to end.  A nice touch that helps establish the era and build on the theme.

Slices from the book create images in our minds that play like a mental montage of historical recountings.  Delving into Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s “Ohio,” recollects imagery of the Kent State shootings and Vietnam War protests; while Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the City” depicts the challenges some faced growing up in the ‘70’s having the odds against them.  Many of these songs are special to us because we can relate so well to them.

Growing up Catholic, my bride recalls her father’s extreme disgust at the very line from John Lennon’s “Imagine” that was used in this book.  No religion?  Interesting.  To me it seems silly that this particular line was misconstrued by so many; but after reading Epting’s book, it sort of put a smile on both my wife and my faces to think that apparently, my father-in-law shared his reaction with thousands of others at that time.  A controversy diluted in the times, and now a song used to sell cars on television.  Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

Chris also shares many personal experiences with us throughout the book.  Experiences that are exclusive to him, but possibly shared by others that simply never thought about it.  Imagine being stuck in traffic on the Long Island Expressway, only to find out that the very crash you were so inconvenienced by had just claimed the life of Harry Chapin.  Or dining a few tables over from the Tin Man of the Wizard of Oz Broadway show after having just seen the performance, subsequently, becoming pen-pals with him!  That’s a hell of an experience to have as a kid!  A great memory associated with a great song (America’s “Tin Man”).

Another brilliant example is Chris’s take on Bruce Springsteen’s “Jungleland”.  As you are reading the selected passage, “Barefoot girl sitting on the hood of a Dodge, drinking warm beer in the soft summer rain,” you see that exact image in your mind like a Polaroid taped to your dresser mirror.  I confess, I’ve never been a Springsteen fan, (I suppose I just opened the flood gates for hate mail) but after reading Chris’s words on this particular track, I’m on board; I’m ready.

There are also great examples of how songwriters sometimes chose words for phonetic purposes (pompitous, bustle in your hedgerow, etc.) and are often times nonsensical.  It’s these words that entice mystique, make us scratch our heads and talk about them (or write books) for the next 40 years.  Well done.

“If There’s a Bustle in Your Hedgerow” is more than a book.  It’s a journey for some, a history lesson for others and a collection of memoirs to many.  To some, it’s all of the above.  Chris Epting walks us through a decade when songwriters had sustenance and at times, challenged the listeners while others just simply made us smile.  Chalked full of interesting facts about the artists and the songs, insights and personal tidbits from the author, “Bustle” is an essential, quick and fun read.

DOWNLOAD BUSTLE IN YOUR HEDGEROW TODAY! | CHRIS EPTING

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