'Perfectly Broken' is Robert Burke Warren's almost true musical novel

Atlanta-raised New York transplant Robert Burke Warren’s debut novel, Perfectly Broken (Story Plant, 270 pages), is filled with all of the elements a musician and wordsmith should muster when telling a good story: sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll. Drawing loosely on his own life experiences as a stay at home father and professional musician, Warren, now 51, has created a contemporary fable that hits home on many levels: frustrations of fleeting musical stardom, creative competition, existential angst, aging, parenting, and a bit of erotica. Perfectly Broken is both believable and relatable, and given his history in the Atlanta and national music business, quite insightful.

Protagonist Grant Kelly's story is somewhat parallel to Warren's, as the vivid descriptions of his journey capture a plethora of shared human experiences. From playing bass with RuPaul’s band Wee Wee Pole to embracing a singer/songwriter aesthetic and performing children’s music as Uncle Rock, Warren has kept his musical chops sharp. Perfectly Broken is one more extension of his creativity.

At the root of Warren's drive is a friendship that he cherishes with his dear friend and longtime musical cohort Todd Butler who passed away in 2004. “It all started with Todd,” Warren says, “that’s where I learned what it is about being a musician that draws people to you. His courage was contagious, and it is important to be around people who inspire you.”

In his late teen years, Warren, who graduated from the Northside School of the Performing Arts, started playing in Wee Wee Pole with Butler. He recalls the closeness of the local music scene in the early 1980s: “There was a real sense of community and collegiality, with a bit of competition,” he says. “I remember a lot of Southern funkiness permeating everything. It was edgy, arty, and adventurous, while still being Southern. We were among friends that gave you the courage to take risks, to be freaky, a feeling that was contagious.”

Relocating to New York City in 1984, Warren bounced around from one adventure to another, spending time as a member of the Fleshtones, and performing as Buddy Holly in the London stage
production "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story."

While his love of music was his driving force, he found love and married author Holly George-Warren, cut a few albums, and they had a son. After 9-11, the family moved to a small town near Woodstock, NY. That’s where Perfectly Broken picks up.

In the beginning, Grant Kelly and his wife and son are leaving the city for the country, partly due to financial issues, partly due to faded opportunities. While the similarities technically end there, the experiences that shape the story elicit universal emotions that come along with growing older: professional jealousy, grief, medication use, and relationship drama. Warren relies on his musical training and background to propel the story, even writing and recording new songs that are an integral part of the narrative. “The only song written before I wrote the book was ‘Perfectly Broken’, which was written after Todd died.” Warren says. “The songs are important plot points, and I wanted them to capture the era, period pieces of ’90s white boy funk, post grunge, then I thought it would be fun to record them and make the songs available.”

Song lyrics in novels are nothing new, but to hear the songs is an innovative move, and their placement adds weight to the musical rivalry between Kelly and Paul, his financially successful friend.

As the story progresses, Warren pulls out the stops a few times, particularly with some racy sex scenes. “I love really good erotica,” he says. “When I was a teenager I used to go to the back of the Oxford Books store at Peachtree Battle and read Delta Of Venus, and I thought some people might be made uncomfortable by it. But I can’t let fear of judgment stop me from writing a book I would want to read. Actually, I had to pull back.”

The response to the book has been positive across the board. “My first girlfriend’s Mom read it and loved it, and I have not seen her since 1981,” he says. “I was actually aiming for people outside my bubble, wondering how they are going to connect with it, people who may have had some of the same experiences I have had.”

Robert Burke Warren reads and performs songs from Perfectly Broken at A Cappella Books. Sun., June 19. 6 p.m. 208 Haralson Drive N.E. 404-681- 5128.