Review: Lost Souls: A Fictional Journey through 50 Years of Pink Floyd by Edwin Ammerlaan

Author and music journalist Edwin Ammerlaan brings readers on the tour of a lifetime with Lost Souls: A Fictional Journey Through 50 Years of Pink Floyd. This magical slice of history collides a fictional protagonist with real-life rock stars and celebrities, painting a visceral and addictive picture of life in Pink Floyd’s inner circle.

Matt is the central figure and narrator of the story, a fictional proxy for the author himself, who has spent decades covering the perpetually evolving music industry, including writing a number of pieces on Pink Floyd. Matt lives the dream of many, slowly integrating himself into the inner workings of one of the biggest rock bands on Earth.

As their fame swells, internal relationships change, leading to insightful passages of self-reflection on fandom, friendship, and the consequences of proximity to celebrity. From playing caddy for Roger Waters and serious backstage misunderstandings, to watching his own journalistic star rise and witnessing the band’s resilience (and implosions), Matt provides a vivid glimpse into rock-and-roll royalty.

This faux-memoir and coming of age story is a riveting read; even early on, the author imbues the prose with reverence and poetry: “With his long dark hair and a white, long-sleeved linen t-shirt hanging loosely over his shorts, he looked like Jesus. Like a human cross in the desolate field of his promised island.” Capturing intimate snapshots of Waters and the rest of the band from their long and legendary run is a daunting undertaking, but the powerful writing style and clear adoration the author has for the band give the entire story an epic glow. The lines between fact and fiction don’t entirely matter because you’re swept up in the pulsing ecstasy of musical lore.

Some parts of the dialogue, including the more casual and colloquial chats, can occasionally feel forced or unnatural., and there are some instances of awkward phrasing and grammatical errors, including extra prepositions or the unnatural ordering of words, which may suggest the need for a final proofread. There are also some dramatic moments that feel monotone; this is far from a book of objective journalism, so when the fictive personality temporarily slips out of the prose, it is hard not to notice. Generally, the characterization of these rock legends and their orbits is done with care and attention to detail.

The amount of research that must have gone into the writing of this book is staggering, providing a massive boost in the authenticity and immersive nature of this novel. Exposing the “bitterness and rubbish” of Pink Floyd’s torrid history isn’t necessarily new, as there are plenty of articles, biographies, and documentaries that get into the nitty-gritty of who snubbed who and why such fractures formed, but Ammerlaan gives this story a fresh burst of life. For fans of Pink Floyd, this book is the ultimate press pass to their decade-spanning career beyond what has already been written, but this backstage Bildungsroman is also appealing for anyone who likes a good story.

A heartfelt and imaginative book informed by very real experiences, Lost Souls delivers a wild ride of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll that doesn’t disappoint.