Never Say No To A Rock Star

In 1974, at the age of seventeen, author Glenn Berger served as "Schlepper" and apprentice to the legendary recording engineer Phil Ramone at New York City's A&R Studios, and was witness to music history on an almost daily and nightly basis as pop and rock icons such as Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Frank Sinatra, Burt Bacharach, Bette Midler, and James Brown performed their hit-making magic, honed their sound, strutted their stuff, bared their souls, and threw epic tantrums. In this memoir, full of revelatory and previously unknown anecdotal observations of these musical giants, Glenn recounts how he quickly learned the ropes to move up from schlepperhood to assistant to the tyrannical Ramone, and eventually, to become a recording engineer superstar himself. Not only is Never Say No to A Rock Star a fascinating, hilarious and poignant behind-the-scenes look of this musical Mecca, but Berger, now a prominent psychologist, looking back through the prism of his youthful experience and his years working as a counselor and therapist, provides a telling and honest examination of the nature of fame and success and the corollaries between creativity, madness and self-destruction.

"Funny, tender, edgy. I wanted the love story to go on forever."—Joan Johnston, bestselling author of No Longer a Stranger Written in the wonderfully honest, edgy, and hilarious voice she perfected in God-Shaped Hole, Tiffanie DeBartolo shines in a passionate new story of music, love, and sacrifice. Eliza Caelum, a young music journalist, is finally getting her footing in New York when she meets Paul Hudson, a talented songwriter and lead singer of the band Bananafish. They soon realize they share more than a reverence for rock music and plunge headlong into love. When Bananafish is signed by a big corporate label, and Paul is on his way to becoming a major rock star, Eliza's past forces her to make a heartbreaking decision that might be the key to Paul's sudden disappearance. A layered and emotional look into the world of music, this raw summer read will resonate with readers who loved Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Praise for Tiffanie DeBartolo's God-Shaped Hole: "From highs to heartbreak, DeBartolo conjures an affair to remember."—People "Honest, raw, and engaging."—Booklist "This generation's Love Story."—Kirkus Reviews

The story of the Minneapolis musicians who were unexpectedly summoned to re-record half of the songs on Bob Dylan's most acclaimed album When Bob Dylan recorded Blood on the Tracks in New York in September 1974, it was a great album. But it was not the album now ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the ten best of all time. “When something’s not right, it’s wrong,” as Dylan puts it in “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go”—and something about that original recording led him to a studio in his native Minnesota to re-record five songs, including “Idiot Wind” and “Tangled Up in Blue.” Six Minnesota musicians participated in that two-night recording session at Sound 80, bringing their unique sound to some of Dylan’s best-known songs—only to have their names left off the album and their contribution unacknowledged for more than forty years. This book tells the story of those two nights in Minneapolis, introduces the musicians who gave the album so much of its ultimate form and sound, and describes their decades-long fight for recognition. Blood in the Tracks takes readers behind the scenes with these “mystery” Minnesota musicians: twenty-one-year-old mandolin virtuoso Peter Ostroushko; drummer Bill Berg and bass player Billy Peterson, the house rhythm section at Sound 80; progressive rock keyboardist Gregg Inhofer; guitarist Chris Weber, who owned The Podium guitar shop in Dinkytown; and Kevin Odegard, whose own career as a singer-songwriter had paralleled Dylan’s until he had to take a job as a railroad brakeman to make ends meet. Through in-depth interviews and assiduous research, Paul Metsa and Rick Shefchik trace the twists of fate that brought these musicians together and then set them on different paths in its wake: their musical experiences leading up to the December 1974 recording session, the divergent careers that followed, and the painstaking work required to finally obtain the official credit that they were due. A rare look at the making—or remaking—of an all-time great album, and a long overdue recognition of the musicians who made it happen, Blood in the Tracks brings to life a transformative moment in the history of rock and roll, for the first time in its true context and with its complete cast of players.

Acclaimed music writer Robert Hilburn’s “epic” and “definitive” (Rolling Stone) biography of music icon Paul Simon, written with Simon’s full participation—but without his editorial control—that “reminds us how titanic this musician is” (The Washington Post). For more than fifty years, Paul Simon has spoken to us in songs about alienation, doubt, resilience, and empathy in ways that have established him as one of the most beloved artists in American pop music history. Songs like “The Sound of Silence,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Still Crazy After All These Years,” and “Graceland” have moved beyond the sales charts and into our cultural consciousness. But Simon is a deeply private person who has said he will not write an autobiography or talk to biographers. Finally, however, he has opened up for Robert Hilburn—for more than one hundred hours of interviews—in this “brilliant and entertaining portrait of Simon that will likely be the definitive biography” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). Over the course of three years, Hilburn conducted in-depth interviews with scores of Paul Simon’s friends, family, colleagues, and others—including ex-wives Carrie Fisher and Peggy Harper, who spoke for the first time—and even penetrated the inner circle of Simon’s long-reclusive muse, Kathy Chitty. The result is a deeply human account of the challenges and sacrifices of a life in music at the highest level. In the process, Hilburn documents Simon’s search for artistry and his constant struggle to protect that artistry against distractions—fame, marriage, divorce, drugs, record company interference, rejection, and insecurity—that have derailed so many great pop figures. “As engaging as a lively American tune” (People), Paul Simon is a “straight-shooting tour de force…that does thorough justice to this American prophet and pop star” (USA TODAY, four out of four stars). “Read it if you like Simon; read it if you want to discover how talent unfolds itself” (Stephen King).

"The most important book since the Bible." -Jesus "If I didn't read Never Say Never, I would have never tried to suck my own dick." -Joe Rogan "Matthew Perry didn't read Never Say Never and he was killed by Hillary Clinton" -Alex Jones "Never Say Never inspires people to follow their dreams, no matter how completely and utterly stupid they are." -Joey Chestnut Dr. Brandon Day is very good friend of mine and an inspiration to us all, not like that loser Sleepy Joe Biden or Ron Desanctimonious. Dr. Brandon Day is like a white Rosa Parks. If he had a pussy, I would definitely grab it. I would grab that big, fat, beautiful pussy of his. That is how good his new book is. Never Say Never inspired me to run for re-election in 2024, even though everyone knows then 2020 election was rigged. -Donald J. Trump Life coach, influencer, activist, and bestselling author, Brandon Day, teaches us what it takes live his best life as he chronicles his own personal struggles with student loans, bad credit, jerk bosses, teachers, cable companies, neighbors, his parents, chores, being broke, his ex-wife, and even his own children to learn how to live out the classic cliche, "Never Say Never!" -Book Review Journal I always hated being an adult. I resented the idea of being so caught up in grown-up stuff like forgetting to pay my bills, finding socks that matched, and lying about why I was late for work that I lost sight of everything that ever made me happy as a child. I gave up on popping wheelies. I stopped ding-dong ditching, and I didn't even think spitballs or really loud farts were as funny as they used to be. I hadn't drawn a dick on something in years, and I couldn't even remember the last time I threw a party at my parent's house when they weren't home, or when I had sex with a sixteen-year-old girl in the back seat of my mom's car. By my 40th birthday, I was completely broken, and just a shell of that spry boy who left the loudest farts in the 5th grade. Shortly after I graduated college, I needed to find a fucking job and move the hell out so I could start paying my own goddamn bills already. At least that's what my parents were always telling me. What my parents didn’t understand was that I was a Psychology major, and Psychology majors don’t do stuff like get good jobs or move out of their parents’ house. With a shitty college major, and not enough charm or good looks to enter the lucrative world of pharmaceutical sales like my mom and dad wanted me to, it looked like I was destined to smoke pot all day and live with my parents forever. But with a little luck and a fuckload of white privilege, my life is finally on the right track. I healed the damaged relationship with my father, even though he could be a real dick sometimes. I also awakened my inner child. Now I am the same fun-loving, happy-go-lucky child who used to masturbate five times a day and played with matches. I have dental insurance, an amicable divorce, and two kids who aren't in therapy yet. I am even back to drawing dicks on people’s stuff at work again. Let’s just say my life turned out exactly as I planned, and it's all because I never stopped saying never, and you shouldn't either." -Author of Never Say Never, Dr. Brandon Day

For readers of Jodi Picoult, Heather Gudenkauf, and Elizabeth Flock comes a deeply moving novel of finding friendship and love in the most unexpected of places. Josie Clark, a loving wife and mother, struggles to make ends meet by cleaning homes and working at a diner while her husband drives a taxi. Josie’s joy is her two children, just entering adulthood. But with her son recently imprisoned for a crime she is certain he didn’t commit, and her daughter marrying too young, Josie now worries about the future—and wonders if she’ll ever be able to ensure their safety and happiness. Across town, in a gorgeous house by the sea, successful property developer Bel Monkton lives in comparative luxury. But she has struggles of her own. Since the death of her twin sister more than a year ago, Bel has been unable to rebuild her shattered world, and the troubled past she thought was behind her haunts her ever more. Faced with uncertainty and heartbreak, Josie and Bel find each other and a surprising friendship that will change their lives. Praise for Susan Lewis “A master storyteller.”—Diana Chamberlain Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more.

A story for music lovers about true friendship and finding your own beat. Without music, the world is just blah. That’s Mac’s take on life, anyway. His mum thinks rock is the only music worth listening to, but Mac is a secret musical lover. When he discovers an underground society for students who love musicals, he can finally be himself and make real friends. When he overhears the arts programme at Watterson Primary school is being closed down, Mac and his new friends decide they can’t let that happen. It's time for Watterson: The Musical!

Two days after my boyfriend dumps me, my business goes belly up, and the sperm bank declines my credit card, a gorgeous rock star offers to whisk me away for two weeks of hot, steamy, all-expenses paid…therapy. I should say no. I’m not looking for a fling. I want a man who’ll be a father to the baby I’m desperate to conceive. Or, at the very least, a guy willing to knock me up before we go our separate ways. Zack isn’t that guy. He’s my best friend’s oldest pal, and in my social circle for the long haul. I could never ask him a favor like this. That would be crazy. The problem? Turns out, I’m crazy. And so is Zack…