It's 1956. 14 year old David and his older brother of 17 years Michael Harrison, get into all kinds of mischief with their friends Roger, and Melvin who is a bit of a "Wad". When they listen to Buddy Rich on the radio, David immediately falls in love with the sound and wants to learn to play the drums and become the rhythm section of his own big band swing Band. His dreams are put on hold though when his family is reported as communist spies right in the middle of the Red Scare.