In the summer of 1989, when Trevor Miller’s Trip City was first released with a five-track cassette EP by A Guy Called Gerald, there had been no other British novel like it. This was the down and dirty side of London nightclubs, dance music and the kind of hallucinogenic drug sub-culture that hadn’t really been explored since Tom Wolfe’s The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. Maybe this is why Trip City is still known as “the acid house novel” and an underground literary landmark.
But for 2021, Trip City is back and the original soundtrack by A Guy Called Gerald is also being reissued and all five tracks will be available on vinyl for the first time. The Trip City soundtrack on vinyl is only available as a bundle with the book in a special Trip City tote bag. “I remember back in the 80s, in my hometown, Tony Wilson (of Factory Records fame) was fond of calling Shaun Ryder the WB Yeats of his day. In that vein, whether or not I like to see myself in the canon of Anthony Burgess and Clockwork Orange - with these five tracks, A Guy Called Gerald feels very much like the Ludwig Van to my Alex DeLarge.” Trevor Miller
Originally published in 1989, the book went on to sell 12,000 copies. Includes a new introduction from author Trevor Miller and a foreword by Carl Loben (DJ Magazine Editor-In-Chief). A nightclub promoter returns to town and is thrown into an insidious world of designer drugs, psychosis and murder. Filled with mind-bending hallucinogenic moments, Trip City veers into the realm of Alphaville and neo-noir of the French new wave.
Over the decades, Trip City became shrouded in scandal and mystery. The original London book launch literally descended into a riot – shut-down by the Metropolitan Police. Everyone from the makers of Raiders Of The Lost Ark through the director of Candyman tried to adapt the book into a movie – but imploded in the process. In 2021, Trip City is back in this all-new incendiary incarnation – including a new introduction by author Trevor Miller and a foreword by Carl Loben (DJ Magazine editor). Perhaps Trip City is uniquely summed-up by the original publisher, sci-fi legend Brian Aldiss, who wrote of the novel: “In the vintage of Thomas De Quincey’s Confessions Of An Opium Eater – but smack up to date. It’s about a young man’s descent into hell – a hell that looks very much like London.”
Trip City is a novel set in the underground world of London nightclubs and concerns a fictional designer drug called FX. It was written by Trevor Miller and published in 1989 by Avernus Creative Media - a book imprint founded by celebrated Science Fiction author Brian Aldiss. The Trip City novel was packaged with a soundtrack cassette of original music by A Guy Called Gerald.
The novel has been adapted for the screen by author Trevor Miller and will be his motion picture debut as Writer/Director.
THE PLOT: Tom Valentine wakes up in an unfamiliar loft apartment - not sure where he is or how he got there. Despite the chic surroundings, there’s blood on his shirt, evidence of a struggle and a Luger pistol on the Persian rug... Valentine is only certain of three things: The girl that he loved has been murdered. His mind has been warped by the effects of a powerful psychotropic drug and he only has one chance to bring the shrouded, corporate killers to justice..
A nightclub promoter returns to town and is thrown into an insidious world of designer drugs, psychosis and murder. Filled with mind-bending hallucinogenic moments, Trip City veers into the realm of Alphaville and neo-noir of the French new wave. - Marianne Godard
“It’s hard to imagine that over 30 years have passed since I began this story on a manual typewriter in a squat near WC1. Still, the real revelation is how relevant Trip City still feels for me, today. And what a thrill to be teaming with AGCG yet again, for 2021. Of course, the cultural landscape has evolved, but those infectious beats of my youth remain rousing and truly a redemption song.” - Trevor Miller
“When Trevor first gave me his manuscript for Trip City, I was excited by the experimental concept of writing music for a novel with the birth of British acid house as its backdrop. I wanted to create musical paintings which would evoke the story’s atmosphere and illustrate its visions of a dark, seedy club scene and the characters lurking there. This reissue affords a rare snapshot of an evolving music scene and celebrates the history of electronic dance music over the past 30 years.” - A Guy Called Gerald
“This project is exciting for numerous reasons but I’m especially happy to be publishing our debut fiction title and I hope it’s the first of many. Releasing a record too is amazing. I’ve always said our aim is to create a catalogue that feels like a trusted record label but now we are actually a label! To be putting out an EP by A Guy Called Gerald is also an honour.” - Colin Steven
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