Barrytown, Dublin has something to sing about. The Commitments are spreading the gospel of Soul. Ably managed by Jimmy Rabitte, brilliantly coached by Joel "The Lips" Fagan, their twin assault on Motown and Barrytown takes them by leaps and bounds from the parish hall to immortality on vinyl. But can The Commitments live up to their name? This funky, rude, unpretentious first novel traces the short, funny and furious career of a group of working-class Irish kids who form a band — The Commitments. Their mission: to bring soul to Dublin. --back cover