Off My Rocker
One Man’s Tasty, Twisted, Star-Studded Quest for Everlasting Music
By Kenny Weissberg
Genre: Memoir | Music
About Off My Rocker
An unforgettable ride through six decades of pop culture
Except for the one day he worked in a granola factory, Kenny Weissberg followed the music his entire career. A radio disc jockey, music critic, rock singer, bandleader, and concert promoter, he lived all his childhood dreams—some of which turned into nightmares. In Off My Rocker, he presents a riveting personal account of the joys and sorrows of a life devoted to music.
During his early years as a radio personality, Weissberg basked in the creative glow of the free-spirited, post-Woodstock era but later rebelled against the soulless corporate takeover of the music he’d loved forever. Along the way, he detoured to the dark side, succumbing to the greed, deceit, theft, and drugs that plague the entertainment industry.
In lively prose and vivid detail, Weissberg shares stories about the eccentric cast of characters who cross his path, including showbiz legends Bill Murray, Miles Davis, Joan Baez, Leonard Cohen, and Aretha Franklin. Equal parts spicy confessional and pop-culture adventure, this page-turner of a memoir will stay with you long after the closing credits.
Praise
“Wildly entertaining tell-all from a rock ’n’ roll insider.”—Marc Geiger, Head of Music, William Morris Endeavor
“I’ve read nearly every music memoir that has been released in the past ten years and Off My Rocker is in the top five.”—Deborah Speer, Pollstar
“Off My Rocker is a masterpiece of a memoir to be savored by anyone who has ever considered a life in the music business.”—Mark Andes, bassist for Spirit, Jo Jo Gunne, Firefall, and Heart
“I learned everything I know about writing from studying the outgoing messages on Kenny’s answering machine. His mastery of language, his knowledge of all things music, his Ernie Kovacs–like wit were things I tried to emulate, then copy, then steal.”—Jon Steele, author of The Angelus Trilogy and War Junkie
“Off My Rocker is more than a tabloid about the life of author Weissberg—it is actually a piece of Americana, a book that I strongly recommend to all those with a sense of history and who love music.”—Dennis Moore, East County Magazine
“I’ve known Kenny Weissberg since 1971, when he was a morning disc jockey at KRNW-FM and I was promoting concerts at Tulagi in Boulder. I picked his brain relentlessly for his vast musical knowledge and arranged interviews for him with everyone from Jim Croce and T-Bone Walker to the Eagles and Tom Waits. I hope Off My Rocker is the first of many books by this wacky musical devotee.”—Chuck Morris, President-CEO, AEG Live Rocky Mountains
“I decided to read Off My Rocker after delving into a large number of books about the bands and music of the early days of rock and roll. So much of Mr. Weissberg’s writing backtracked in full and glorious detail what was happening to music and subsequent social upheaval in America . . . Well done, Kenny! Thanks for a great read!”—Kathy Kelley, Amazon Review
“Off My Rocker is the best book of its kind I’ve ever read. Kenny’s got a gift . . . I am SO HAPPY I happened on this book. Thanks for not compromising, Kenny.”—Mark D. Hawkins, Amazon Review
“I came upon this book by chance and I am glad I did! It is a very interesting memoir by Weissberg of his career in the music industry. He is a dynamic, quirky guy with solid values in a business filled with forced compromises. I loved meeting many of the industry greats through his eyes. If you are a music fan, don’t miss this book!”—Barbara Anne Atkins, Amazon Review
Read more Amazon reviews . . .
Awards
IPPY Gold Award, Best Personal Nonfiction Ebook
Eric Hoffer Award, Honorable Mention, Memoir
Eric Hoffer Award, First Horizon Finalist
Eric Hoffer Award, Grand Prize Short List
About the Author
Kenny Weissberg has been a music junkie since he got his first transistor radio at age seven. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 1970, he traveled west to Boulder, Colorado, where he played an integral part in the music and media communities for more than a decade . . . READ MORE
