Category Archives: Books

Peter Wolf’s Close Encounters

Posted on July 2, 2025 by Bob Ruggiero

As the motor-mouthed, elastic-bodied frontman of the J. Geils Band (and later solo career), Peter Wolf was a ball of energy. And as a former DJ, the “Woofa with the Goofa” often told stories to audiences over the airwaves, at … Continue reading →

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All the Manic Mondays (and Other Days of the Week) Recounted in Bangles Book

Posted on June 19, 2025 by Bob Ruggiero

July 15, 1989. While tens thousands of Houstonian Gen Xers won’t necessarily recall what they were doing on that date, mention “The Bangles Beltway 8” concert and they’ll instantly recall the bizarre gig when the hitmakers behind “Manic Monday,” “Walk … Continue reading →

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A Brick of a Book Continues Macca’s Post-Beatles Story

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Bob Ruggiero

For nearly 50 years, biographer Robert Caro has been working on his massive, sprawling, set of books on the life of former U.S. President Lyndon Johnson. Now 89 years old, Caro is reportedly wrapping up the fifth and final volume … Continue reading →

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Jesse Ed Davis: Classic Rock’s Super Sideman

Posted on January 28, 2025 by Bob Ruggiero

Unless you’re a Classic Rock music nerd/liner note reader, the name Jesse Ed Davis is probably unfamiliar to your eyes. But you’ve definitely heard his guitar stylings. That’s him ripping the searing electric solo on Jackson Browne’s “Doctor My Eyes.” … Continue reading →

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The Raw, Raucous, and Short-Lived Life of the MC5

Posted on January 23, 2025 by Bob Ruggiero

“Kick out the jams, motherfuckers!” The exhortation is one of the best-known in rock and roll history, even if it appeared at the beginning of the debut album by a group which never rose about cult status in their lifetime. … Continue reading →

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A Mother and a “Mama”—Cass Elliot Remembered by Her Daughter

Posted on December 10, 2024 by Bob Ruggiero

Owen Elliot-Kugell was only seven years old when her mother died unexpectedly. And though her mom’s birth certificate read “Ellen Naomi Cohen,” fans around the world knew the woman with the powerhouse voice and buoyant stage presence by another name: … Continue reading →

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Southern Rockers The Atlanta Rhythm Section Pick a Peachy Biography

Posted on June 28, 2024 by Bob Ruggiero

They are never mentioned in the same breath as “Southern Rock” contemporaries like the Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Marshall Tucker Band, or Molly Hatchet. They did not have an extroverted lead singer, and many casual fans would be … Continue reading →

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Book Dissects the Music—and Madness—of A-List Classic Rock Drummer Jim Gordon

Posted on April 10, 2024 by Bob Ruggiero

He was arguably rock’s greatest drummer, or at least on the short list. An inventive percussionist who lifted about everything he played on, he often came up with his drum licks, beats and fills on the spot in the studio … Continue reading →

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A Beatles Insider Gets His Own Story in a Titanic Tome

Posted on January 13, 2024 by Bob Ruggiero

Non-Beatlemaniacs who saw Peter Jackson’s 2021 Beatles documentary Get Back may have wondered just who the large, bespectacled gentleman was often in the background. He can be seen setting up equipment, writing down lyrics for bandmembers, or even fetching tea. … Continue reading →

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A Half Century of KISStory is Celebrated—Loudly—in New Book

Posted on December 22, 2023 by Bob Ruggiero

If you’ve got a KISS fan on your upcoming gift list and don’t know what to possibly get for he or she (though it’s probably a he…), fear no more! Your shopping stress just got a little easier with the … Continue reading →

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