Silence Before Song: An Unauthorized Biography of Robin Waylan by Skylar Mesa
Date
2018-01-04
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MFA in Creative Writing, The University of Tampa
Abstract
Silence Before Song: An Unauthorized Biography of Robin Waylan by Skylar
Mesa is a fictional biography about the late musician Robin Waylan, lead vocalist and
guitarist for the rock duo Waylan & Hayes. It opens with a prologue by Skylar Mesa, the
half-brother of Robin’s daughter, Jessica Waylan. In it, Skylar reveals his desire to know
and understand the “real” Robin. The story of Robin’s life—his childhood, friendships,
music, loves, family, death—is explored in the bulk of the text. The story is Skylar’s
attempt to make sense of an otherwise private and misunderstood person, someone whose
work has impacted and influenced millions of people while also alienating those closest
to him. It concerns itself with mental illness, especially depression, and how it affects
those same people. It wants to honor the power of music to reveal the deepest parts of
someone, the pieces of a person that few people can truly see or know. The effects of
Robin’s early life on his future success and downfall are at the center of the story,
especially in the second half, where the next generation dominates the narrative. Robin’s
best friend and bandmate Truman Hayes has his own section in the story. Robin’s first
love Madeline Rossi, later Mesa, also has her own section, showing another important
aspect of Robin’s growth as a man and songwriter. Essentially, this manuscript contains a
coming-of-age story that revolves around music, friendship, family, grief, and love.
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Keywords
Fiction, Fictional biography, Musicians, Depression, Music