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Hitless Wonder: A Life In Minor League Rock And Roll
Everyone knows the price of fame. Hitless Wonder measures the price of obscurity. What happens when you chase a dream into middle age and, in doing so, risk losing the people you love? This book recounts the two-week tour that forces Joe Oestreich—singer, songwriter, and bassist of the band Watershed—to decide if he and his longtime bandmates still have a future together. In the mid-‘90s, Watershed’s large Midwest following led to a six-figure deal with Epic Records. But the band never had a hit, and the label dropped them. Seventeen years later, long after their more famous peers have called it quits, Watershed keeps climbing into the Econoline and touring mop bucket bars. But Joe can’t help but Are he and his bandmates—approaching forty with wives and kids and mortgages—admirable or pathetic? Successes or failures? The tour tests the bonds of Joe’s friendships and the strength of his marriage, as he’s torn between the lure of the road and the call to finally settle down. An accomplished journalist and creative writing instructor, Oestreich tells his story with humor, heart, and unflinching honesty. Readers—from Baby Boomers to Gen X-ers—will be deeply moved by his voice, while appreciating his quixotic struggle to live out a dream.
304 pages, Paperback
First published June 5, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
November 28, 2015
This is a great rock-and-roll memoir. Joe Oestreich is a wonderful writer who guides us through a comeback tour with his band, Watershed, alternating between the present tour and the history of the band, which Joe and his buddy Colin started when they were in eighth grade in Columbus, Ohio. (They were inspired after seeing a Cheap Trick concert.) Joe never calls Watershed the hardest working band in America, but man, after more than two decades of van trips and sound checks and playing clubs all over the country, they could win that title.
Watershed made it big for a while, sort of. In the '90s they had a record deal with Epic, but eventually got dropped because of low album sales, just like so many other hundreds of bands that aspired to fill rock arenas. But even if you haven't heard of Watershed, it doesn't mean their story isn't meaningful. Joe's stories about rock in the minor leagues remind us how rare it is for a band to stay together as long as Joe and Colin have. So what if they never played the Staples Center? Those guys still take the stage with the intent to ROCK.
I saw Watershed play in a Chicago club after the release of their album, "The More it Hurts, the More it Works," which is my favorite album of theirs. The guys rocked the place and the crowd loved them. If that isn't a mark of a successful band, then I don't know anything.
This isn't one of those rock memoirs that was ghostwritten by someone. Oestreich has a master's degree in creative writing, and his style is so smooth and inviting that I read the book in almost one sitting. It's warm and funny and inspiring and it made me wish I grew up in Columbus so I could have attended all of those Watershed shows.
And be sure to read Joe's liner notes as you go along -- they're filled with great behind-the-scenes stories. The only way "Hitless Wonder" could have been better is if it came with its own CD of Watershed music. Rock on, Joe and Colin!
Watershed made it big for a while, sort of. In the '90s they had a record deal with Epic, but eventually got dropped because of low album sales, just like so many other hundreds of bands that aspired to fill rock arenas. But even if you haven't heard of Watershed, it doesn't mean their story isn't meaningful. Joe's stories about rock in the minor leagues remind us how rare it is for a band to stay together as long as Joe and Colin have. So what if they never played the Staples Center? Those guys still take the stage with the intent to ROCK.
I saw Watershed play in a Chicago club after the release of their album, "The More it Hurts, the More it Works," which is my favorite album of theirs. The guys rocked the place and the crowd loved them. If that isn't a mark of a successful band, then I don't know anything.
This isn't one of those rock memoirs that was ghostwritten by someone. Oestreich has a master's degree in creative writing, and his style is so smooth and inviting that I read the book in almost one sitting. It's warm and funny and inspiring and it made me wish I grew up in Columbus so I could have attended all of those Watershed shows.
And be sure to read Joe's liner notes as you go along -- they're filled with great behind-the-scenes stories. The only way "Hitless Wonder" could have been better is if it came with its own CD of Watershed music. Rock on, Joe and Colin!
August 27, 2012
This one hits it out of the park. The throughline is, of course, the story of Watershed, a band from Columbus, Ohio, that just missed the pros — its creation, the twists and turns of its journey. But along the way, the scope shifts widely, swinging from the particularities of individual relationships to the wide view of the music business in the United States, stopping along the way to consider the place of the Midwest in the American cultural landscape. It's a terribly hard trick to pull off, but in Joe's hands it's smooth as glass.
And did I mention that it rocks? Because it does. This is ballsy writing, kicking ass and taking names. Crack a beer or six, sit yourself down on a barstool, and read the shit out of Hitless Wonder; it's an enormously entertaining and exciting ride, and you won't regret it.
And did I mention that it rocks? Because it does. This is ballsy writing, kicking ass and taking names. Crack a beer or six, sit yourself down on a barstool, and read the shit out of Hitless Wonder; it's an enormously entertaining and exciting ride, and you won't regret it.
September 26, 2015
Having written my own rock 'n' roll memoir ("Off My Rocker"), I spend an inordinate amount of time reading others. I consider myself a rock 'n' roll lifer and love reading about others who were stung by the bug early in life and can't shake the disease. Bob Dylan's "Chronicles, Volume One," Patti Smith's "Just Kids," Levon Helm's "This Wheel's On Fire" . . . ooze the sweat, joy and frustration of leading a life devoted to music.
I just finished reading an incredible memoir and would be remiss if I didn't tell you about it. Written by an unknown singer/songwriter/bassist (Joe Oestreich) in an unknown band (Watershed), "HITLESS WONDER: A Life in Minor League Rock and Roll" is a love story. About the love of music, the love of your bandmates, the love of the road, the love of a woman. Watershed, like so many other bands, had several "almost made it" moments in their quest for rock 'n' roll stardom. A deal with Epic Records, opening slots for their heroes Cheap Trick, showcases at CBGB's and SXSW, making a record at the Record Plant, headlining an outdoor radio music festival in front of thousands of fans who sang along with every song . . . and yet . . .
Oestreich gave up the normal path of going to college and getting a real job to chase his rock 'n' roll dream. Watershed was the biggest band in Columbus, Ohio regularly playing sold out clubs and theaters. Drive a few hundred miles to Detroit (or virtually anywhere else in the country) and they'd play before a throng of five people, sell one CD and not even pay for gas money. Year after year after year.
I've heard this story before as I have a lifetime of friends who have come soooo close to the brass ring only to limp home, return to college in their 30s and prepare for another career. But no one has articulated this story as well as Joe Oestreich (now, in his 40's, a creative writing professor at Coastal Carolina University).
I won't give anything away, but the greatest thing to me is that Watershed is still making music. So many musicians sell their gear, give away their axes and even abhor the thought of playing a club again. But not Watershed. After finishing the book last week, I binged on their YouTube videos (1994-2015) and Watershed kicks ass with hook-laden, melodic power pop that I sang along with before the first spin ended.
Oestreich wrote the book in 2012 but it could have been written in the late 50's or twenty years from now. I (obviously) loved it and related to everything about it.
I just finished reading an incredible memoir and would be remiss if I didn't tell you about it. Written by an unknown singer/songwriter/bassist (Joe Oestreich) in an unknown band (Watershed), "HITLESS WONDER: A Life in Minor League Rock and Roll" is a love story. About the love of music, the love of your bandmates, the love of the road, the love of a woman. Watershed, like so many other bands, had several "almost made it" moments in their quest for rock 'n' roll stardom. A deal with Epic Records, opening slots for their heroes Cheap Trick, showcases at CBGB's and SXSW, making a record at the Record Plant, headlining an outdoor radio music festival in front of thousands of fans who sang along with every song . . . and yet . . .
Oestreich gave up the normal path of going to college and getting a real job to chase his rock 'n' roll dream. Watershed was the biggest band in Columbus, Ohio regularly playing sold out clubs and theaters. Drive a few hundred miles to Detroit (or virtually anywhere else in the country) and they'd play before a throng of five people, sell one CD and not even pay for gas money. Year after year after year.
I've heard this story before as I have a lifetime of friends who have come soooo close to the brass ring only to limp home, return to college in their 30s and prepare for another career. But no one has articulated this story as well as Joe Oestreich (now, in his 40's, a creative writing professor at Coastal Carolina University).
I won't give anything away, but the greatest thing to me is that Watershed is still making music. So many musicians sell their gear, give away their axes and even abhor the thought of playing a club again. But not Watershed. After finishing the book last week, I binged on their YouTube videos (1994-2015) and Watershed kicks ass with hook-laden, melodic power pop that I sang along with before the first spin ended.
Oestreich wrote the book in 2012 but it could have been written in the late 50's or twenty years from now. I (obviously) loved it and related to everything about it.
September 29, 2014
We've all heard the story of a band goes from fame to flameout, but what about those bands that never even got to step one? That's the topic of Hitless Wonder: A Life in Minor League Rock and Roll, and rocker-turned-author Joe Oestreich takes readers aboard his band's tour bus for quite a ride.
Not that Watershed could afford a tour bus. Formed in Columbus, Ohio, by Colin Gawel and Joe Oestreich, Watershed was the scrappiest of the scrappers, taking gigs where they could get 'em and putting everything on the line in hopes for success. Their bet did not pay off, but that hasn't stopped them from spending the next fifteen years touring, cutting albums, and doing everything they could not to be Those Guys Who Used to Rock.
The story is told in two tracks: the present day tour of the Midwest and Southeast; and the earliest days of the band when Colin and Joe first picked up their instruments. Oestreich spins an engrossing tale, and treats the reader to moments both of glorious victory and cringeworthy defeat, and everything in between. I found myself both cheering and wincing, and always looking forward to turning the page to find out what would happen next. Although the title of the book clued me in that there would be no golden Hollywood ending, I couldn't help but hope that this time Watershed would end up with the silk purse and not the sow's ear.
Although the transitions between past and present are sometimes a bit blurry, Oestreitch's prose is crisp, light, and gracefully spans the wryly humorous and poignantly personal. Hitless Wonder is a delightful read, and one that will make you wish you'd had a seat in the ratty van that stands in for the Watershed tour bus. Five stars.
Not that Watershed could afford a tour bus. Formed in Columbus, Ohio, by Colin Gawel and Joe Oestreich, Watershed was the scrappiest of the scrappers, taking gigs where they could get 'em and putting everything on the line in hopes for success. Their bet did not pay off, but that hasn't stopped them from spending the next fifteen years touring, cutting albums, and doing everything they could not to be Those Guys Who Used to Rock.
The story is told in two tracks: the present day tour of the Midwest and Southeast; and the earliest days of the band when Colin and Joe first picked up their instruments. Oestreich spins an engrossing tale, and treats the reader to moments both of glorious victory and cringeworthy defeat, and everything in between. I found myself both cheering and wincing, and always looking forward to turning the page to find out what would happen next. Although the title of the book clued me in that there would be no golden Hollywood ending, I couldn't help but hope that this time Watershed would end up with the silk purse and not the sow's ear.
Although the transitions between past and present are sometimes a bit blurry, Oestreitch's prose is crisp, light, and gracefully spans the wryly humorous and poignantly personal. Hitless Wonder is a delightful read, and one that will make you wish you'd had a seat in the ratty van that stands in for the Watershed tour bus. Five stars.
June 23, 2012
I have expressed over and over that rock memoirs are a guilty pleasure. Maybe it's because I suck as a musician and am probably tone deaf. Can't sing either. But one thing I geek out about is music--live rock and roll music even better! Deafening distorted guitars. A blasting, devil-may-care drummer and stick-with-you-for-weeks pop lyrics. Doesn't really matter for the venue--could be an arena where your sharing in the ecstasy with ten-thousand cheering fans, or a run down graffiti-ed, bar with a teeny stage.
What Joe Oestreich does in this book is allow you a glimpse into the latter, and flirtations with the former. What a fascinating and sincere memoir. That's refreshing in spite of the recent best-sellers from rockers like Steven Tyler and Keith Richards. Mr. Oestreich is a NORMAL guy! He has a "normal" life outside of playing music that can be related to by any of us pressing on to middle age. And yet this is also reminder of how playing music and performing is life-long addiction that takes its toll on the physical and emotions of everyone involved--band-mates, roadies, managers...and most especially, family--no matter how minor or major league your band is. This memoir really is 2 stories. His band of over 20 years, Watershed from Columbus, OH, is out on a brief tour in support of an indie-label album, playing for anyone from hundreds in their hometown to barely a couple in places like Baltimore and Detroit. In between there is the stories of how they got together, how he met his girlfriend/then wife and reminisces into the 1990's and their signing with Epic Records then only to be dropped 18 months later. (The great thing about the internet is I can search on YouTube for videos songs and live shows he is referring to get an even deeper appreciation)
After 20 years and a brief glimpse into the big-leagues during the hey-day of alt-rock signings, how and why do they still do it? Their contemporaries have all but given up as they grew older and resigned to the 9-to-5 drudgery, and Mr. Oestreich is tempted by those same inner voices of reason. As a 15 year Navy man, I have heard those same voices telling me that "it's time to settle down and get a real job" and "be with the family who misses you."
This memoir is dripping with sincerity and heart-tugginrg honesty as he fights to keep his dreams of still being a band that matters. Each gig, no matter the size, has the risk that it could be the one that pushes them over that edge...or completely over the cliff into not only has-beens, but "never-weres" and possibly tearing apart families and loved ones. But Joe and his mates are okay with that risk. They do it for simply the love of doing it and their families reluctantly accept it. I did get choked up a bit at a couple moments when I could sympathize in reading emails or having conversations with his wife about his future. THAT moment in the book was indeed the watershed moment, or so it felt.
The book is sprinkled with pop-culture references straight from my own childhood in the mid-west. The conversations between his band-mates are a hilarious dose of comic relief. Since he and I are roughly the same age, there are common tastes in pop-rock music as well. Oh and healthy sports analogies just like any mid-westerner sprinkles into our own daily conversation. Also you must definitely read it with brief internet searches for songs to get the complete enjoyment (note to Mr. Oestriech: maybe even add a playlist to the back!) Hopefully this book can be found in most book stores and he isn't relegated to "minor league" author. Recommend it to rock-music fans and anyone who has been a band of their own.
A terrific read without getting too bogged down and dense into the details of drunkenness, drugs, and groupie partying as some rock memoirs bore you with. An honest memoir to dreaming big.
What Joe Oestreich does in this book is allow you a glimpse into the latter, and flirtations with the former. What a fascinating and sincere memoir. That's refreshing in spite of the recent best-sellers from rockers like Steven Tyler and Keith Richards. Mr. Oestreich is a NORMAL guy! He has a "normal" life outside of playing music that can be related to by any of us pressing on to middle age. And yet this is also reminder of how playing music and performing is life-long addiction that takes its toll on the physical and emotions of everyone involved--band-mates, roadies, managers...and most especially, family--no matter how minor or major league your band is. This memoir really is 2 stories. His band of over 20 years, Watershed from Columbus, OH, is out on a brief tour in support of an indie-label album, playing for anyone from hundreds in their hometown to barely a couple in places like Baltimore and Detroit. In between there is the stories of how they got together, how he met his girlfriend/then wife and reminisces into the 1990's and their signing with Epic Records then only to be dropped 18 months later. (The great thing about the internet is I can search on YouTube for videos songs and live shows he is referring to get an even deeper appreciation)
After 20 years and a brief glimpse into the big-leagues during the hey-day of alt-rock signings, how and why do they still do it? Their contemporaries have all but given up as they grew older and resigned to the 9-to-5 drudgery, and Mr. Oestreich is tempted by those same inner voices of reason. As a 15 year Navy man, I have heard those same voices telling me that "it's time to settle down and get a real job" and "be with the family who misses you."
This memoir is dripping with sincerity and heart-tugginrg honesty as he fights to keep his dreams of still being a band that matters. Each gig, no matter the size, has the risk that it could be the one that pushes them over that edge...or completely over the cliff into not only has-beens, but "never-weres" and possibly tearing apart families and loved ones. But Joe and his mates are okay with that risk. They do it for simply the love of doing it and their families reluctantly accept it. I did get choked up a bit at a couple moments when I could sympathize in reading emails or having conversations with his wife about his future. THAT moment in the book was indeed the watershed moment, or so it felt.
The book is sprinkled with pop-culture references straight from my own childhood in the mid-west. The conversations between his band-mates are a hilarious dose of comic relief. Since he and I are roughly the same age, there are common tastes in pop-rock music as well. Oh and healthy sports analogies just like any mid-westerner sprinkles into our own daily conversation. Also you must definitely read it with brief internet searches for songs to get the complete enjoyment (note to Mr. Oestriech: maybe even add a playlist to the back!) Hopefully this book can be found in most book stores and he isn't relegated to "minor league" author. Recommend it to rock-music fans and anyone who has been a band of their own.
A terrific read without getting too bogged down and dense into the details of drunkenness, drugs, and groupie partying as some rock memoirs bore you with. An honest memoir to dreaming big.
September 2, 2012
I have read many memoirs, mostly rock & roll or film, and this is hands down one of the best. Author Joe Oestreich is one of two founding members, along with Colin Gawel, of the band Watershed from Columbus, Ohio. The band formed on the bus ride home after a Cheap Trick concert in eighth grade, when Colin turned to Joe and simply said, "We have to start a band." While they never made it arena big, the limelight swept over them briefly in the 1990's with a short-lived contract under Epic. They even got a chance to open for Cheap Trick during this period.
Joe's prose is so wonderfully conversational and warm that you feel like you have gotten a true sense of these guys. You can totally see yourself kicking back with them after a performance, having a few beers and just shooting the shit. These are lifelong friends who have been through a lot together, and are completely prepared to go through even more in the years to come.
Alternating between the story of a recent tour promoting their second live album and the story of how they got here, the book is equal parts cautionary tales and inspirational anecdotes. This book should be required reading for any kid who wants to start a band, to show them that the road they are about to embark upon can be as treacherous as Cormac McCarthy's while it can also be as rewarding as Dorothy Gale's. Sometimes at the same time.
Joe's prose is so wonderfully conversational and warm that you feel like you have gotten a true sense of these guys. You can totally see yourself kicking back with them after a performance, having a few beers and just shooting the shit. These are lifelong friends who have been through a lot together, and are completely prepared to go through even more in the years to come.
Alternating between the story of a recent tour promoting their second live album and the story of how they got here, the book is equal parts cautionary tales and inspirational anecdotes. This book should be required reading for any kid who wants to start a band, to show them that the road they are about to embark upon can be as treacherous as Cormac McCarthy's while it can also be as rewarding as Dorothy Gale's. Sometimes at the same time.
December 29, 2012
A memoir by the bassist of a Midwestern rock band that you've never heard of. In the right hands, this could have been a darkly humorous, insightful book, but the author isn't quite able to objectively look at his past, analyze his motives, and relay them to the reader. The first and last quarters of the book are filled with a sort of "I'm in a band, and yet I'm not living a life of rock and roll excess - how could that be?!" myopia that I get from a lot of rockers (is it possible an entire generation took Dire Straits "Money for Nothing" at face value?)
The middle section of the book, however, is worth the price of admission. It's a brutally honest look at a band that almost got their big break during the signing alt-rock frenzy of the 90's. Almost got their big break, and then their big break fell through. Then it ALMOST happened again, and then it fell through again. And then it ALMOST happened again, and...you can guess how it goes. You end up rooting for his band and admiring their pugnacious determination. Oestreich is frank and doesn't sugarcoat the workings of the business.
For anyone with an interest in the music business (or anyone who ever heard a Midwestern alt-rock band on the radio in the 1990's - they almost all make cameos), most of this book will be a great read.
The middle section of the book, however, is worth the price of admission. It's a brutally honest look at a band that almost got their big break during the signing alt-rock frenzy of the 90's. Almost got their big break, and then their big break fell through. Then it ALMOST happened again, and then it fell through again. And then it ALMOST happened again, and...you can guess how it goes. You end up rooting for his band and admiring their pugnacious determination. Oestreich is frank and doesn't sugarcoat the workings of the business.
For anyone with an interest in the music business (or anyone who ever heard a Midwestern alt-rock band on the radio in the 1990's - they almost all make cameos), most of this book will be a great read.
January 13, 2018
Yaa-Ha! I did it! I finished this god damn book. I just don't have enough time to actually read books, its mostly audiobooks for me. So, this is read a few pages at a time before I pass out with the kindle on top of me. But about the book.
This book just was not compelling enough. The story was good enough and interesting enough but it jumps back and forth from the heyday of the band Watershed to present day Watershed, and sometimes it is difficult to keep up where you are at. All of the characters are the same and many of the problems are the same between the timelines and it just isnt clear enough when we are talking about.
Mostly this is about the present day and the mini tour this band goes on playing to sparse crowds and wondering if it is worth it after 20 years. I feel like I might have been more invested and it might have been more compelling if there were a level timeline and the highs of the band were driven harder home. Or maybe I should have just read it quicker.
This book just was not compelling enough. The story was good enough and interesting enough but it jumps back and forth from the heyday of the band Watershed to present day Watershed, and sometimes it is difficult to keep up where you are at. All of the characters are the same and many of the problems are the same between the timelines and it just isnt clear enough when we are talking about.
Mostly this is about the present day and the mini tour this band goes on playing to sparse crowds and wondering if it is worth it after 20 years. I feel like I might have been more invested and it might have been more compelling if there were a level timeline and the highs of the band were driven harder home. Or maybe I should have just read it quicker.
March 17, 2013
I devoured this book!
I played with the author and his band a few times back in my music days, so this book spoke pretty specifically to me. Watershed made it a few steps further than my band did and we always admired their tenacity and stage effort. I've played in 95% of the clubs mentioned in the book, done the tours, recorded the albums, had the brushes with fame, spent hour upon hour in a van listening to the drone of the road in order to play for 35 minutes in front of ten people.
Joe does a great job of describing the life. Unlike me, he's still going with Watershed even though he is a talented writer as well. I've left it behind to be involved with other things, but for me, this book was like looking into the past 20 years of my life right along with Joe.
Oh, and thanks for the tip, mom.
I played with the author and his band a few times back in my music days, so this book spoke pretty specifically to me. Watershed made it a few steps further than my band did and we always admired their tenacity and stage effort. I've played in 95% of the clubs mentioned in the book, done the tours, recorded the albums, had the brushes with fame, spent hour upon hour in a van listening to the drone of the road in order to play for 35 minutes in front of ten people.
Joe does a great job of describing the life. Unlike me, he's still going with Watershed even though he is a talented writer as well. I've left it behind to be involved with other things, but for me, this book was like looking into the past 20 years of my life right along with Joe.
Oh, and thanks for the tip, mom.
January 17, 2014
Ever wonder what life in a rock n' roll band is really like? I'm not talking about your won-the-rock-n-roll-lottery type band, but the average band. Now spin that out over twenty years. There you have Watershed, the band that wouldn't die. Oestreich's memoir of his adventures in Watershed beginning in 8th grade (Oestrich is now a college professor) lays it bare. It's a fun read as real as it gets. And yes, I'm proud to say I know Colin, Oestreich's bandmate, and that I write at Colin's Coffee, the little coffeehouse that wouldn't die, just around the corner from my home. Notwithstanding my bias, the book is well-written and fun. The band may be a Hitless Wonder, but Oestreich has a hit with this memoir.
June 25, 2012
Too much tell and not enough show earns this one only an "I liked it" from me. And I'm not sure I would have liked it all that much if I didn't love the band Watershed. I was also disappointed the book did not touch on the band The Dead Schembechlers, which is a side project of the author and his Watershed cofounder.
January 2, 2013
Utterly charming. A love story about rock music, friendship, persistence, more than a few failures, some indifference from the world, and the places where we grew up. In other words, a love story about life.
June 7, 2014
If you have ever been in a rock band, or thought that you would like to be in a rock band or wondered what it would be like to be in a rock band, you need to read this book.
November 14, 2018
I thought I had written a review of this book and much to my surprise I found out that I didn’t yet.
Full disclosure I know the author-he was one of my professors in college-but he didn’t make my class read the book of anything like that.
I have read the book multiple times because I just love the story. The plot is this an unknown band almost makes it big time but they fall short. But the more interesting part of the plot is that even though the band never reaches U2 status they still play in bars, concert halls and smaller venues even after each of the members grows up, has a family and has to have careers.
The book has tons of subplots and it really is a great call for everyone to not completely give up on your dream. Yes, you might have to work a day job, and the reality might not end up exactly as planned but it doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate what you’ve been able to accomplish in pursuit of the goal.
What is interesting to me is seeing the main character develop as a writer, which is eventually what his day job becomes-so seeing him go from future rockstar to writer is a great evolution.
I love how the main hero in this book ends up not being a producer, band mate or even a parent but the author’s then girlfriend now wife. It is a great twist. Plus it is always a bonus to know that even after this book has been published and the author has continued on with his life that he still is able to play music and the band stays together.
I’m honestly surprised this hasn’t been turned into some kind of movie with a few comedy stars showing that growing old doesn’t mean you have to completely grow up or give up on your dreams.
Full disclosure I know the author-he was one of my professors in college-but he didn’t make my class read the book of anything like that.
I have read the book multiple times because I just love the story. The plot is this an unknown band almost makes it big time but they fall short. But the more interesting part of the plot is that even though the band never reaches U2 status they still play in bars, concert halls and smaller venues even after each of the members grows up, has a family and has to have careers.
The book has tons of subplots and it really is a great call for everyone to not completely give up on your dream. Yes, you might have to work a day job, and the reality might not end up exactly as planned but it doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate what you’ve been able to accomplish in pursuit of the goal.
What is interesting to me is seeing the main character develop as a writer, which is eventually what his day job becomes-so seeing him go from future rockstar to writer is a great evolution.
I love how the main hero in this book ends up not being a producer, band mate or even a parent but the author’s then girlfriend now wife. It is a great twist. Plus it is always a bonus to know that even after this book has been published and the author has continued on with his life that he still is able to play music and the band stays together.
I’m honestly surprised this hasn’t been turned into some kind of movie with a few comedy stars showing that growing old doesn’t mean you have to completely grow up or give up on your dreams.
September 10, 2020
I did enjoy this book when talking about their experiences on the road. The one thing about it that hasn't aged well was the personality of the author and their bandmates. Always describing women they meet by their physical attributes when introducing characters, suggesting his late 30's bandmates hitting on 19 year olds, enforcing a lot of outdated stereotypes about what rock should and shouldn't be.....it was just offputting. I don't think the author really understood how badly the book reflected on him. And in the end of it, there was no "I got better" type of passage. Just a lot of "boys will be boys" talk. That was all the most disappointing parts.
That aside, the story itself was intriguing, and I felt for Watershed for their losses. Yet, because of what I stated above, it was hard to root for them in their victories too. Just an oddly written book all around. Still, I admit it was engaging.
That aside, the story itself was intriguing, and I felt for Watershed for their losses. Yet, because of what I stated above, it was hard to root for them in their victories too. Just an oddly written book all around. Still, I admit it was engaging.
March 19, 2020
"Somewhere in the middle of the set we played 'How Do You Feel' the song that the WRCX program director had pushed in 1995. When we got to the chorus, a few of the neutral crowd members seemed to recognize the tune. Maybe, in some small way, the Hancock Building's two antennae had blasted us into Chicagoland's consciousness."
They had. The only reason I picked up this book is because 103.5 put "How Do You Feel" in regular rotation and the 16 year old Dan K loved the big hooks and sappiness. When he picked up this book, the 40 year old Dan K got a behind the scenes account of what it was like to be a bit player in the alternative rock scene of the mid 90's. If you were a heavy listener of alternative rock radio in the mid 90's and you want an honest and slightly self-deprecating account of one band that made its small mark on it, you should give this book a shot.
They had. The only reason I picked up this book is because 103.5 put "How Do You Feel" in regular rotation and the 16 year old Dan K loved the big hooks and sappiness. When he picked up this book, the 40 year old Dan K got a behind the scenes account of what it was like to be a bit player in the alternative rock scene of the mid 90's. If you were a heavy listener of alternative rock radio in the mid 90's and you want an honest and slightly self-deprecating account of one band that made its small mark on it, you should give this book a shot.
March 25, 2025
The author shares his ongoing decades in a band that was on the cusp of making it multiple times (even signed to Epic before being dropped after Michael Jackson's History album flopped and for Epic to push Silverchair) but never broke free from being hometown heroes. Despite them being from Columbus, and bubbling up the same time I was there and into music, I’d never heard of them. I felt better about that when he mentions playing a huge show at home followed by playing a show in my town of Springfield (about 45 min away) for two people. Fun read made even more so by recognizing a lot of the places.
update: In which I learn the drummer was the cook at a place my sister used to work.
update: In which I learn the drummer was the cook at a place my sister used to work.
July 13, 2018
I'm probably biased cuz I loved these guys when I was a kid, but it's good to know that all these years later that same band is still kicking ass. I've listened to their newer records since picking this up, and they definitely get better with age. A rare trait in a rock band, but a welcome one. I just saw them at comfest and they were ON POINT.
So, I dunno, read this book if you want a REAL rock bio. I'm much younger than them and have already given up. It's a page turner, too. Solid writing from Joe.
So, I dunno, read this book if you want a REAL rock bio. I'm much younger than them and have already given up. It's a page turner, too. Solid writing from Joe.
August 7, 2024
This book was absolutely fantastic!! Extremely well written, honest and funny as hell! I legit both laughed and cried throughout. I guess that’s rock and roll for ya. The Liner Notes contain some of my favorite parts btw!! I felt a sadness as the pages I read crept closer to the liner notes + the liner note numbers rose higher - Because that meant the book was going to end sooner than it was a few minutes earlier. I am looking forward to reading this book over again and again! Thank you to Joe Oestreich and Watershed!!! 🤘
June 3, 2018
This book wasn't bad, but not that memorable either. The generation of music in which the band flirted with success was my generation, but I'd never heard of Watershed. Like the other reviews, I agree it was repetitive at times as it seemed to share the same experiences but at new locations again and again. Oestreich is a fine writer, but when it comes to the story he has to tell, there isn't much worth sharing.
June 8, 2018
Enjoyable book, could’ve done without the flashbacks as the stuff written about the present was the most compelling. Having never really made it to the majors, seems to me that the bands success lies in lifelong friendships and the fact that they were all well adjusted enough to make the journey mostly unscathed (so far). Fair play to Watershed.
March 12, 2020
A peek behind the smoke-filled, beer-stained curtain of potential rock stardom. Well-written and entertaining. I probably enjoyed it more than most because I knew (from a distance through mutual friends) a couple of these guys from high school. What a crazy ride they experienced!
June 12, 2019
Loved this book. Hearbreaking, and awe inspring at the same time. A band that -almost- made it, but never quite did.
January 17, 2020
An enjoyable read, very well written, but a bit too long.
June 8, 2025
Insightful and entertaining look at a band that didn't quite hit it big. Oestreich is a talented writer and I was glad to join him on his talented of what might have been.
December 30, 2020
Enjoyable account of a rock band that almost made it, including the backstage antics and challenges that come with life on the road.
April 27, 2021
Being personal friends with Joe Oestreich, Colin Gawel, and Herb Schupp biases my perception of this book. Regardless, Oestreich absolutely evokes the dynamic of a less-than-successful band on the road. I know from personal experience. In spite of the lack of commercial success, Watershed (Oestreich's band) has remained together for over 35 years out of passion and love for Rock 'n' Roll. That love comes through the pages and takes the sting out of the several disappointments and setbacks laid out for the reader to absorb. This is a very human story and relatable to anyone with a passion for the popular music of the past 65 years.
September 17, 2015
I'm so torn on this book so far. I'll add the caveat that I haven't finished yet, and I do intend to finish. I think the author has a really unique (in a good way) style of writing. It's evocative and the way he's chosen to unfold the story has kept me reading.
It also really spells out how hard it is for bands to make it or at least be able to make a living at it. Near as I can tell, the major factor is pure luck because there are obviously hard work is not enough. It sucks that their band was on the verge of breaking really big only to have a series of things outside of their control totally derail them.
Here's my biggest problem with the book. It, to me, is a perfect example of the boy's club nature of rock. Rock doesn't have to be wholesome - I get the raw, dirty appeal of rock and the rock lifestyle. But time and again in this book, women at best accessories and at worst, sluts. Even their GPS voice gets labeled the "map slut" because she sounds like a woman who is into S&M. Then there's the Superfan who apparently likes having sex with various band members - she's not outright called a slut, but that's the general impression that is given of her - that she's the dirty one - not the male band members having sex with her. Then there's Christi, a musician friend (the only female musician mentioned thus far), who got some sort of recording deal. The authors thinks she'll be successful because she's hot. And details how he'd like to have sex with her - never once mentioning her talent as a musican. Is she talented? I have no idea. It's not talked about.
Even his wife (former girlfriend) exists just for his own needs. He breaks up with her because he wants to be single and free as his career is budding. Then gets back with her because he needs to share his success with someone. Never a mention of how his actions affect her, what her needs are. Later on they're married and fighting over his complete immaturity regarding this latest tour, which he apparently lied about, underplayed, and was generally dishonest about regarding the time commitment. When she's understandably upset (not because she's a nagging shrew, but because they're married and his decisions affect her), it's still all about him. And the advice he calls to mind is a friend thinking the best way to deal with the nagging girlfriend/wife is to play mind games to "teach them a lesson."
It just gets tired. And let's also ignore all the liquored up driving, which is hilarious only because it didn't get some other poor schmoe killed.
Look, I am all for sex, drugs, and rock & roll. Party all you want. But there's no need to denigrate women in this day and age. Sexually active women aren't sluts any more than sexually active men are. Women aren't just there to annoy you when they're not fulfilling your needs. And women can rock too.
I'm hoping the author will come to some sort of realization about at least his treatment of his wife by the end of the book. They seem to be still together. I'll certainly willingly revise this review depending on how the rest of the book goes.
ETA: I finished this a while ago. There's a "hilarious" episode wherein the author "pranks" a young band by winding up the lead guitarist against the female lead singer. Sigh. It's hilarious because she's a girl and what right does she have to lead a band? Let's turn the dudes in her band against her because misogyny is hilarious. I'm sure he just didn't even consider that to be problematic, because of course he didn't. He has no idea what it's like to be a woman in that industry. He at least makes up with his wife, but still manages to get his cake and eat it to by manipulating the situation again.
I just found the whole thing frustrating - and the message is clear, rock is a man's world, and women aren't real people, they're just things to either have fantacize about, have sex with or annoy you.
It also really spells out how hard it is for bands to make it or at least be able to make a living at it. Near as I can tell, the major factor is pure luck because there are obviously hard work is not enough. It sucks that their band was on the verge of breaking really big only to have a series of things outside of their control totally derail them.
Here's my biggest problem with the book. It, to me, is a perfect example of the boy's club nature of rock. Rock doesn't have to be wholesome - I get the raw, dirty appeal of rock and the rock lifestyle. But time and again in this book, women at best accessories and at worst, sluts. Even their GPS voice gets labeled the "map slut" because she sounds like a woman who is into S&M. Then there's the Superfan who apparently likes having sex with various band members - she's not outright called a slut, but that's the general impression that is given of her - that she's the dirty one - not the male band members having sex with her. Then there's Christi, a musician friend (the only female musician mentioned thus far), who got some sort of recording deal. The authors thinks she'll be successful because she's hot. And details how he'd like to have sex with her - never once mentioning her talent as a musican. Is she talented? I have no idea. It's not talked about.
Even his wife (former girlfriend) exists just for his own needs. He breaks up with her because he wants to be single and free as his career is budding. Then gets back with her because he needs to share his success with someone. Never a mention of how his actions affect her, what her needs are. Later on they're married and fighting over his complete immaturity regarding this latest tour, which he apparently lied about, underplayed, and was generally dishonest about regarding the time commitment. When she's understandably upset (not because she's a nagging shrew, but because they're married and his decisions affect her), it's still all about him. And the advice he calls to mind is a friend thinking the best way to deal with the nagging girlfriend/wife is to play mind games to "teach them a lesson."
It just gets tired. And let's also ignore all the liquored up driving, which is hilarious only because it didn't get some other poor schmoe killed.
Look, I am all for sex, drugs, and rock & roll. Party all you want. But there's no need to denigrate women in this day and age. Sexually active women aren't sluts any more than sexually active men are. Women aren't just there to annoy you when they're not fulfilling your needs. And women can rock too.
I'm hoping the author will come to some sort of realization about at least his treatment of his wife by the end of the book. They seem to be still together. I'll certainly willingly revise this review depending on how the rest of the book goes.
ETA: I finished this a while ago. There's a "hilarious" episode wherein the author "pranks" a young band by winding up the lead guitarist against the female lead singer. Sigh. It's hilarious because she's a girl and what right does she have to lead a band? Let's turn the dudes in her band against her because misogyny is hilarious. I'm sure he just didn't even consider that to be problematic, because of course he didn't. He has no idea what it's like to be a woman in that industry. He at least makes up with his wife, but still manages to get his cake and eat it to by manipulating the situation again.
I just found the whole thing frustrating - and the message is clear, rock is a man's world, and women aren't real people, they're just things to either have fantacize about, have sex with or annoy you.
March 2, 2017
"Now a construction-size dumpster blocks [the club's] front door. In the dust-caked window hangs a faded sign that reads "Support Live Music." I catch my reflection in the glass: an old-timer holding an umbrella, staring into an empty storefront, window-shopping for his past." p. 240
I really enjoyed this book, with my usual caveats about language and other themes that some readers may find offensive. Oestreich captures a perfect storm of artistic frustration, corporate insensitivity, middle-aged uncertainty, and domestic drama.
What sets this book over others in the genre is that A) it is not a "success" story per-se B) Oestreich has some knock-out turns of phrase (see the paragraph above). I also loved the "Liner Notes" at the back and note #9 about Ricki was very poignant.
My only quibble would be this suggestion for the 2nd edition: The book makes great use of flash-back and flash-forward with little guitar (Gibson Thunderbird) icons to divide each section. I was still confused a few times about which era I was reading about, so a date or year indicator would be helpful.
I really enjoyed this book, with my usual caveats about language and other themes that some readers may find offensive. Oestreich captures a perfect storm of artistic frustration, corporate insensitivity, middle-aged uncertainty, and domestic drama.
What sets this book over others in the genre is that A) it is not a "success" story per-se B) Oestreich has some knock-out turns of phrase (see the paragraph above). I also loved the "Liner Notes" at the back and note #9 about Ricki was very poignant.
My only quibble would be this suggestion for the 2nd edition: The book makes great use of flash-back and flash-forward with little guitar (Gibson Thunderbird) icons to divide each section. I was still confused a few times about which era I was reading about, so a date or year indicator would be helpful.
September 7, 2014
As a part-time musician, I have often dreamed of being part of a recording and touring band. Lucky for me, I started playing music in my thirties, relatively late in life. I say this because I was young enough to be idealistic about a life in music, but I was old enough to know better.
Now in my mid-forties, with my band long defunct, I came across Joe Oestreich's excellent memoir about twenty-plus years (and counting) in the music industry. "Hitless Wonder" effectively stamps down any resurfacing idealism about making a living as a professional musician. Oestreich and his mates formed Watershed while in their teens, and continue to this day to ride the roller coaster that is trying to "make it" in rock and roll.
It seems ironic that I had never heard of Watershed prior to picking up this book (which I downloaded on a whim). After all, I HAD heard of most of the acts that Watershed spent time opening for or hanging out with, primarily during the Alternative/Grunge heyday of the 1990s. While the likes of Weezer, the Smithereens, and Ben Folds saw some modicum of musical success, Watershed frequently *almost*, but never quite got there. I feel for them, because I view them the same way I do Boxing Gandhis, as I am sure that I am one of maybe five people that remember that group opening for Dave Matthews in 1996. I even bought a t-shirt and a CD in support of that band. But while DMB soliders on, Boxing Gandhis has long since faded into the ether.
Oestrich's book is an easy read, but the subject matter is far from simplistic. I parallel the Watershed journey to that of Crash Davis in the movie Bull Durham. They had the tools and desire to play at the highest level. They even had a quick "cup of coffee" in the big leagues. But in the end, the breaks never quite fell their way, and they found themselves firmly entrenched in the minors.
"Hitless Wonder" managed to get me emotionally involved in Watershed's ups and downs. I found myself pulling for them, getting excited for them when things went well, and being crushed when the house of cards that is the music industry tumbled on them. Most importantly, Oestreich verified for me that I made the right choice by sticking with my "day job." I'll take a steady paycheck, health benefits, and a pension over a major record label deal any day of the week, and twice on Sunday. Read the book, and you'll understand why.
I found myself wanting to grab Oestreich by the lapels, yelling, "Dude! GIVE IT UP!" as I did so. Still, I can't help but admire the author, and bands like Watershed for NOT giving up, and continuing their quests on behalf of the rest of us. This is a great book, if only because it cuts to the core of what it means to persevere as a musician, how it effects the people closest to them, and the true value of a major label record deal.
Out of respect to Oestreich and his struggles, I made my way to my local record store to buy myself a Watershed CD. I found the band's name card, but there wasn't a CD to be had.
Somehow, that seemed completely appropriate.
Now in my mid-forties, with my band long defunct, I came across Joe Oestreich's excellent memoir about twenty-plus years (and counting) in the music industry. "Hitless Wonder" effectively stamps down any resurfacing idealism about making a living as a professional musician. Oestreich and his mates formed Watershed while in their teens, and continue to this day to ride the roller coaster that is trying to "make it" in rock and roll.
It seems ironic that I had never heard of Watershed prior to picking up this book (which I downloaded on a whim). After all, I HAD heard of most of the acts that Watershed spent time opening for or hanging out with, primarily during the Alternative/Grunge heyday of the 1990s. While the likes of Weezer, the Smithereens, and Ben Folds saw some modicum of musical success, Watershed frequently *almost*, but never quite got there. I feel for them, because I view them the same way I do Boxing Gandhis, as I am sure that I am one of maybe five people that remember that group opening for Dave Matthews in 1996. I even bought a t-shirt and a CD in support of that band. But while DMB soliders on, Boxing Gandhis has long since faded into the ether.
Oestrich's book is an easy read, but the subject matter is far from simplistic. I parallel the Watershed journey to that of Crash Davis in the movie Bull Durham. They had the tools and desire to play at the highest level. They even had a quick "cup of coffee" in the big leagues. But in the end, the breaks never quite fell their way, and they found themselves firmly entrenched in the minors.
"Hitless Wonder" managed to get me emotionally involved in Watershed's ups and downs. I found myself pulling for them, getting excited for them when things went well, and being crushed when the house of cards that is the music industry tumbled on them. Most importantly, Oestreich verified for me that I made the right choice by sticking with my "day job." I'll take a steady paycheck, health benefits, and a pension over a major record label deal any day of the week, and twice on Sunday. Read the book, and you'll understand why.
I found myself wanting to grab Oestreich by the lapels, yelling, "Dude! GIVE IT UP!" as I did so. Still, I can't help but admire the author, and bands like Watershed for NOT giving up, and continuing their quests on behalf of the rest of us. This is a great book, if only because it cuts to the core of what it means to persevere as a musician, how it effects the people closest to them, and the true value of a major label record deal.
Out of respect to Oestreich and his struggles, I made my way to my local record store to buy myself a Watershed CD. I found the band's name card, but there wasn't a CD to be had.
Somehow, that seemed completely appropriate.
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