In Spring 2011, TSOL's Jack Grisham released his first novel–and much to our (and yours. And maybe everyone else's, too) surprise, it wasn't your typical autobiography from an aging, larceny prone punk rocker turned father of two. The book was an autobiography, but with an added twist: The addition of a demon within Grisham himself, the source of sociopathic behaviors ranging from stabbings to sex with an 80-year-old woman standing in the crypt of her dead husband.
The book, titled An American Demon, was indeed Grisham's first novel–but really, it was his first anything when it came to the written word: “It was supposed to be 'Gimme stories of violence, T.S.O.L., Orange
County.' That's what the publisher wanted. I actually wrote a whole book
about it and threw it out,” Grisham explained to OC Weekly in April of 2011. “I've never done what
I've been told to do.”
Just confirmed by Grisham himself, An American Demon is officially on its way into becoming a feature-length film. The script is ready to go and there's even a director signed onto the project.
]
Grisham shares that it all started with a Facebook message that was sent just around Christmas time: a friend had given a copy of An American Demon to Rosen, who, along with his scriptwriter wife Mikhaela Rosen, saw the film potential in the book. The Rosens then approached Grisham with a completed script–initially titled Code Blue–and the three adjusted and readjusted.
“So where it is now, is that the script just got completely finished and OK with all of us,” explains Grisham. “And this is where we wanna go and they're starting to put together the producers and line-up who they want for crew.”
While the film, now titled again after the book, is still in its earliest planning stages, Grisham says they haven't given any thought to the cast. When asked if he had any idea who could possibly play him, he lets out a bout of laughter. “Yeah, who knows? Gotta get a guy that looks kinda girlish-y–that's how I looked when I was young–but also vicious at the same time. On message boards, that's why everyone's making fun of it: 'You gotta get Adam Lambert to play you.' Yeah. I'm pushing for Justin Bieber though.”
Grisham, meanwhile, is working on two new books–one is a collection of short stories and the other is a novel, both of which he describes as “morality tales.” The two books will be published on Punk Hostage Press. TSOL also has plans to tour South America and Europe this year.
“I'm mostly focusing on writing. Because I like staying home,” says Grisham. “Touring is fun and stuff, but the last tour got nasty. I'd rather just stay home and write.”
