Daisy Jones & the Six is a historical fiction novel by American author Taylor Jenkins Reid, originally published on March 5, 2019, by Ballantine Books. It tells the story of a 1970s band that gives individual interviews leading up to their final show and subsequent breakup as a band. It is loosely inspired by Fleetwood Mac and the recording of their 1977 album Rumours.
Plot structure
Daisy Jones & the Six is told in an oral history format, with interview from the band members being the guiding force of the novel. Additionally, there are relevant emails, song lyrics, and transcripts. Each section is split into years that contain critical events leading up to the band's success and eventual demise.
Plot
A yet-unknown interviewer has compiled together video interviews of the band as well as family and friends that they took, transcripts of interviews throughout the years, text from books written about the band, and other relevant sources to piece together how a band as successful as Daisy Jones & the Six could fall apart.
The Groupie: Daisy Jones (1965–1972) Daisy Jones was born to wealthy parents in Hollywood, though she spends much of her childhood alone. Around age 14, she starts sneaking into clubs and bars on the Sunset Strip. She loses her virginity to a much older man, a random famous drummer. She meets an older disco star, Simone Jackson, and quickly becomes friends with her. They attend parties hosted by famous musicians, where Daisy is introduced to drugs. Daisy, a talented singer and songwriter, starts writing her own music after she noticed other people using her ideas in their own hits.
The Rise of the Six (1966–1972) The Dunne Brothers are formed by brothers lead singer Billy and lead guitarist Graham Dunne in Pittsburgh. As they begin to grow, with Billy writing more and more songs, they bring other people into the band—drummer Warren Rhodes, rhythm guitarist Chuck Williams, and Bassist Pete Loving. They begin to play small shows at bars. They then play a wedding, where Billy meets his future wife, Camila Martinez. Chuck gets drafted for the Vietnam War, and Pete's younger brother Eddie Loving replaces him until Chuck returns. However, Chuck dies in Cambodia.
In 1970, the Dunne Brothers are offered a spot as the opening act for a band called the Winters. Here they meet their keyboardist Karen Sirko (known as Karen Karen). She was a keyboardist for the Winters, but left due to the way she was treated. After Karen joined, the band officially change their name to the Six.
They start playing bigger shows. At a show in New York, they meet a man, Rod Reyes, who will become their manager. He pitches ideas to the band to help them grow. They start playing shows all over the East Coast, gaining an ever-increasing fanbase. This is where trouble starts. Girls throw themselves at Billy, the lead singer, and he is unsure how to respond. He and Camila start fighting, but he writes a song to show that he still loves her. However, the band wants to go out west, and Camila wants to stay east. She breaks up with Billy, and the band relocates to California. There, they meet Teddy Price, a producer who produces their first studio album.
After they sign the contract to record an album, Billy reconciles with and proposes to Camila. She says yes and moves to California to be with him.
It Girl (1972–1974) Daisy begins to write and perform her own music. People start to ask her to record a demo, she gets a manager named Hank Allen, and she is signed to a record label. However, the label does not like her songs, and writes songs for her to record. She continues to take drugs.
Debut (1973–1975) The Six move into a house in Los Angeles. Billy and Teddy get to writing the first album. In the process, Billy takes control of the band's sound in an extreme manner. The Six begin to record their self-titled album. Upon its release, it creates a stir. The album is enough of a success for the band to embark on tour. Right before they leave for tour, Camila tells Billy that she is pregnant, and they get married. This is the beginning of a bad time for Billy.