[Cover photo features John Fried of Cucumbers]

Both a book with music and music with a book, the duo The Cucumbers will release Hello George, a novella, and As You Heard Me, its accompanying soundtrack. This is the latest collaboration between longtime partners in The Cucumbers, Deena Shoshkes and Jon Fried. Both will be released on February 14, 2025.

Hello, George, by Jon Fried, is the tale of an aspiring young music publisher in search of a reclusive songwriter. Focusing on “fun, love, humor and the frustrations of life in and around the music business (circa 1990s and beyond), the story investigates “what we hear and how we are heard.”

Hello George is published as a chapbook/e-book with accompanying music, As You Heard Me, the actual song demos referred to in the novella, plus bonus tracks (“More Songs by Daisy for Barry”).

Inspired by a demo recording of “There’s a Crop Circle on My Daddy’s Land” by Deena and lyricist Vaughan Daniel, Jon Fried created the story of George Krott, “a fading country music star who returns to the top of the country charts by recording the song – in the fictional world, written by the mysterious Daisy Steinberg.” The song reaches him thanks to Barry Marcus, a young man from the music industry, then “Their three fates are twisted together by hope, mystery and song.”

Jon and Deena began performing in the streets in Paris and Rome in the early 80s. They started The Cucumbers and found a home in the indie pop scene in Hoboken, NJ. Their songs have been recorded by Jackson Browne, Dar Williams, Marshall Crenshaw and featured in films and on TV.

The paired works are available in multiple formats: Hello George as a chapbook, e-book and pdf, published by Useless Guide Press, As You Heard Me as a cassette, CD, download or digital stream from Life Force Records. All are available on bandcamp and streaming services.