BEFORE THE BOOKS
THERE WAS THE MUSIC

When I started working in broadcasting it was in the fading glory days of FM Rock radio. And glory days they were. Free albums (because the record companies always sent a boxful of the latest release), free concert tickets, and interviews with the bands at night at the station when no one knew they were there. Of course, we were allowed backstage and sometimes on the stage. (“Hey, Juli, do you want to introduce the band?” Hell yes, I wanted to introduce the band. Then I got to stand stage-side as they played.) This inevitably led to the tour buses and the hotel rooms. Though I won’t name names or admit to anything (the statute of limitations has expired, right?) I do put a lot of it in my books even though I mostly put my characters in locations other than a bus or hotel.

It all happened. I met so many of my rock ‘n roll heroes, saw the good, the bad, the ugly, experienced things that still blow my mind to this day, and I got to know the people behind the stage persona. 99.999% of those people were amazing, sweet, charming, sexy, funny, tender, caring people. So when the story that had been banging around in my head for years demanded to be written I decided to pull aside that backstage curtain and let the real guys come out to play. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

My first job in radio, 1981. Got the shirt at the Stones concert at the Superdome in NOLA. Only time I ever got backstage without a pass of any kind. Yes, there’s a story there.