A raw, unfiltered ride through the music industry’s underbelly—told from the van, not the penthouse.

Behind every stadium-filling superstar are thousands of musicians fighting to keep the dream alive. In Loud Medicine, rock musician James Kennedy pulls back the curtain on the real lives of working musicians, far from the private jets and five-star hotels. This is the music industry as you’ve never seen it before: gritty, chaotic, and unvarnished.

With sharp wit and unapologetic honesty, Kennedy dismantles the myths of rock stardom, revealing what it truly means to carve out a career in music today. From the relentless grind of touring to industry scams, dysfunctional bandmates, and the ever-present struggle to “make it,” Loud Medicine is part exposé, part manifesto, and all heart. Packed with stories from the road and a few well-aimed punches at music’s biggest gatekeepers, this is a love letter to the only medicine music lovers can’t live without.

James Kennedy is an author, musician, and podcaster from South Wales. Loud Medicine is his second book, and he has recorded eight albums and performed worldwide. Currently, he performs with his band, James Kennedy and The Underdogs.