C’MON!: My Story of Rock, Ruin and Revelation

by Christopher Long, C.K. Lendt (Editor), Wendrell Tillett (Illustrator)

"C’MON!" offers a bold message of faith based on author Christopher Long’s lifelong connection to the entertainment world.

Long recounts his personal experiences with candor and wit – from growing up with Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt to being physically threatened by Gene Simmons of Kiss to hanging out at Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago estate to his ultimate life-changing spiritual awakening.

This compelling and entertaining memoir features dozens of photos as well as original illustrations by cartoonist, Wendrell Tillett, and a foreword by Jeff “Blando” Bland, guitarist for the platinum-selling rock band Slaughter and Vince Neil.

HIGHLIGHTS: Author Christopher Long tells his story of faith, family and the pursuit of fame and fortune in a glitzy and often morally bankrupt industry in his typical engaging, conversational style.

"C’MON!" is a powerful personal testimony, chock-full of anecdotes and insider stories:

·ROCK: Long’s first-hand accounts of iconic figures from Brad Pitt, Gene Simmons, Donald Trump and President George H.W. Bush to riveting tales of murder, drug deals, backstage meltdowns and more!

·RUIN: Deeply personal and compelling experiences from divorce and depression to career frustrations and addictions.

·REVELATION: An open, honest and detailed account of the 2010 spiritual awakening that led him from the world of “Sex, Drugs & Rock and Roll” into the world of Christian ministry.

Genres: Biography, Biography Memoir

185 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 17, 2012

About the author

Christopher Long is an author, music industry analyst, multi-media content contributor, award-winning musician, and entertainment personality. Referred to once as “the rock and roll Erma Bombeck,” Chris is known for his conversational, common sense writing style and passion for sharing his unique perspectives on pop culture.

The author of the non-fiction titles; "A Shot of Poison" (CG Publishing 2010), "C’MON!" (Digital Books International 2012), and "Shout it Out Loud" (Digital Books International 2014), Chris released his fiction debut, the Christian-themed "Superstar" via Moonshine Cove Publishing in 2019. A 10th Anniversary Edition of "A Shot of Poison" was released in 2020.

Based on his popular weekly Ink19.com music column, Chris’ latest book "Garage Sale Vinyl” arrived in stores and at online retailers via Bibliozona Books in May 2024. Brimming with magical music, feel-good stories, and engaging guests, Chris’ Garage Sale Vinyl Podcast launched on Spotify in May 2025.

Since 2007, Chris has contributed lively content to the entertainment news outlet, Ink19. He has also written for V13, Muen Magazine, and the Florida-based print publications, "Brevard Live," "The Buzz," and "JAM!"

As an in-demand special events host and DJ, Chris can often be found in an array of settings throughout the U.S. and on various concert stages, fronting his high-octane rock combo, DL Serios.

When not writing or performing, Chris makes frequent guest appearances on TV / radio shows and podcasts. He also has enjoyed roles in global missionary work and local youth ministry programs.

Raised in Missouri’s rugged Ozark Mountains and on Florida's sunny Space Coast, Chris currently lives with three other humans and four furies; two lovable Goldens and two rambunctious Doodles.

- facebook.com/AuthorChristopherLong
- instagram.com/author_christopher_long
- linkedin.com/in/authorlong
- amazon.com/stores/author/B003TNB6Y4
- AuthorChristopherLong@yahoo.com

Reviews

[Angela Moxon · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I got this book, I had mixed feelings about whether to even try to read it. You see, I am not very much into religion right now. I am one of those who are lost, searching at times for an answer or proof of the higher power. Other times I am completely turned off and closed off to even the possibility of hope. As I opened the first pages of this book it was one of those times.


I opened the book with trepidation and began reading and surprisingly I relaxed rather quickly and settled down just taking it in. Before I knew it I was done! It took me around 3 hours to read the whole thing and I got so engrossed in the life story of the author and his journey that I never once felt uncomfortable about the religious verses that were bandied about freely and proudly! You see, they fit. They made sense when read and incorporated with the life lessons he was portraying to us through his written word and not once did it come off as "preachy". I liked this! I liked this a lot!

In this day and age of extremes, it is really hard to find books, or media of any sort that is religious based and doesn't come off as: I am right, you are wrong. I am saved and you are going to burn for eternity in fire you SINNER! So, the fact that the author was able to do this, to me is one heck of a WIN.


Over all the book left me feeling good, and full of, well....hope! And that's not something I feel much! Am I gonna convert? Well, probably not but reading this made me realize that no matter how far you fall or how dark it seems that it's never too late to search for what you need. You can turn it all around and find peace. It just takes some time, drive and an open mind. (I'm working on this last one myself)


I recommend this book to anyone who thinks their life is shit and can't ever change. It's not as bad as you think really and there is hope...you just have to want to find it.

[Greg Van Vorhis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truth be told, I didn't know what to expect from this book. But I had read Long's "Shot of Poison," and began my spiritual journey in the spring of 2011, so I was definitely curious.

This book reads like a VH1 episode of Behind the Music: Childhood dreams, hard work, self-destruction, phoenix rising from the ashes. It's a good format, and a good method. What makes it even more entertaining is that he uses phrases from songs as his section titles. Somewhere along the way, you start keeping count of how many songs or bands you can correctly name. I gave myself bonus points for correctly naming the album and track number.

Early in the book, Long seems to rely on dropping names. I know more about Brad Pitt from reading this book than I would ever know from watching Entertainment Tonight...assuming that I could ever force myself to watch the gossipy dreck known as Entertainment Tonight. And for that reason, out of the total eight days it took me to read this book six of those were spent getting through the first third of this book.

But somewhere right before the half-way point, he stops telling the stories of other people, and he starts getting real about himself, and that's where this book starts ringing true. It's when we start learning about his hard-core addiction to Starbucks, and his feelings for his family that we know the change is coming.

For me, that was enough to propel me through the last half of the book in two days. Part of what helped do that, though is that Long's life truly harmonizes with my own in many ways. I read the part about Brad Pitt just days after I watched a really bad movie he starred in. Long talked about the band Green Jello (or Green Jelly, to avoid lawsuits), while only a few weeks ago, I played Green Jello's "Three Little Pigs" video for my 8-year-old son.

On the night I read about the illness Long's mother endured, I read on Facebook about someone else suffering the same illness...an illness I had never heard of until that very night.

Long worked for Poison. My brother and I have seen Poison in concert 19 times, and know their predictable between-song banter and never-changing set list by heart...and we still fork out money to go. Long sold a lot of his rock memorabilia. If he sold any Poison stuff, my brother probably owns it now.

Long began attending a church that sounds strangely like the one I now attend. We have both found many new Christian bands that break the mold of predictable sterile lyrics. And we both share a similar view of religion and Christianity. Harmony...it's a really, really cool feeling.

In the last 30 pages of this book, Long makes himself vulnerable. He lets everyone see exactly who he is, what he stands for, and (gasp) he even names his weakness. He doesn't have all of the answers, and he doesn't pretend that he does. What he does have is a story. It's one I relate to...very, very closely.

If you have a penchant for 80s rock, if you have ever been (or dreamed of being) in a garage band, if you have ever experienced a crushing blow, a spiritual awakening, and/or a life-altering change of heart, and if you can identify half of the section headers in this book, reading Christopher Long's story may make you feel like you are looking at yourself in the mirror.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not usually read autobiographies; I certainly have never written a review for one. Chris’ book C’mon ended up on my blog after I requested free titles on Twitter and enticed me to Amazon Kindle as a free download.

I found when thinking about what I thought that I had a difficult time separating what Chris wrote and how he wrote. I had to keep in mind that all these icons that he interacted with, much like Forrest Gump’s fictional journey, were very real people—so do I believe him or not? Of course, he had me running for Google... I have no choice but to believe that what he wrote was true (this is my problem, being literal; had this been fiction, there would be no conflict).

Next problem (for me): the title “C’mon” combined with rock and roll, conjured for me the images of the Partridge Family (“C’mon, Get Happy”) and Chris did not disappoint me, actually. He and I are close in age and what I enjoyed so much about his journey (because ultimately, this was a journey) was that it was portrayed through his rock and roll eyes. I think that everyone that is approaching or has recently met fifty in age has had a deep connection with their love or hate (remember “Disco Sucks”? I was a Beatles, Stones, and Who fan in the ‘70’s during the disco era) of music, more than the current generation because it was so hard won back then(I remember “record stores”—I had to save allowance and baby-sitting money and then get a ride to the store to be able to buy music). Chris’ love of music and his determination to have a career in it were very compelling themes in his book and were the parts that I found most interesting, although I think his intention was to highlight how he later embraced God.

I feel that C’mon sends a cautionary message that goes beyond the author’s intent: in pursuing ambition we need to be careful not to overstep and to avoid negative influences. Sometimes we might perceive ourselves as successful, only to find out that what is really important has been pushed aside while we are chasing dreams.

C’mon is well-written with a dose of self-deprecating humor; Chris is a likeable protagonist in his own story. He pulls no punches nor does he present himself in a false light (I found myself getting angry at him when he detailed how he caved when A Shot of Poison was written—I wished he had told them to stuff their threats!—read the book to see what I mean!). I enjoyed the pictures that accompanied the text and the clever way he incorporated many of the biblical quotes that must provide a framework for his life now.

[David Horney · Rating 2 out of 5]

lightweight.....he means well.

[Jeff Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book. good rock and roll stories.

[Garrett Zecker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Long’s autobiographical book C’mon is a text that I would not normally pick up, and were it not for the complimentary copy that I picked up on my Kindle as well as a review I read about the text, I would not have given it a second chance. I have two conflicting thoughts on the piece.

The thing that I enjoyed the most about the book was its frank and intimate exploration of the inner workings of the music industry from someone who is just on the outskirts nudging his way in. Long presents himself as an insider, but in many ways is an outsider who tiptoes around some incredibly famous and notable icons in the rock world. Those he has the opportunity to get close to end up burning him in the end, and it is easy to see how his status as a hard-rocking, hard-partying, but vocal Christian could keep him at arms length in many of his circumstances. This makes his experiences unparalleled, however, and his desire to succeed and play with the icons is insatiable. To see many of the bands he mentions in this light and from this angle, highly personal and wholly honest, almost made me see Long as a tragic figure throughout the book even though his tone didn’t explicitly communicate that - in short, he has ended up where he least expected as he writes this book. He has found a group that has given him the fellowship and the camaraderie that he has thirsted for in the least likely place at this point in his life, however.

That brings me to the second part of my review, and that is the presentation of the work. Here is where I did not really enjoy the book. Many reviews that I read after finishing it mentioned that he was heavy handed with the Christian portion, but I argue that it is a main point going into the book. What I think is perhaps a problem with it, and much of the book, is the diction, tone, grammar, and organization of his writing. Essentially, this book was written by someone that is enthusiastic about his topic, but lacks the skills to effectively execute the work. This is not entirely a problem for many writers when they have a good editor, but it appears that this book lacks the oversight necessary for it to be a good book. The book could be improved in many ways - the organization paragraph to paragraph, not so much how much Christianity but where it appears, the use of exclamatory statements (at several points there are “YIKES!!!” thrown in), and the illustrations that I felt have no place in the book all contribute to a really sloppy style that discredits the great work that Long has put into the book.

In short, the nonfiction elements of the text and of Long’s life are excellent, but they are undermined by some major editorial issues with the book as a whole. Is is a fun read in content and practice. Long has a great book on his hands, but in my opinion it is not destined for greatness until some major revisions are handled by a good editor.

[Melanie Adkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christopher Long was from a middle class, church going family. He didn't start out with a widespread knowledge of rock and roll, but he made up for that quickly. Trying to enjoy rock music and being the son your parents want can be a challenge. Chris did a terrific job of it. He made things happen in his life. His introduction to heavy rock came slowly and with some mistakes. Learning about the rock lifestyle the hard way, Chris didn't partake of all things rock and roll. He was an extremely responsible man while still rockin with his group. Chris was fortunate enough to meet and work with some of the greats of heavy metal and rock. He learned from them and applied it to his own group, Dead Serios. Determination and drive took him on a wild and sometimes scary journey through the music business and brought him right back to his roots. Realizing he'd allowed Jesus to get too far from his life and heart, he began a journey into himself and his relationship with Jesus. An ongoing journey!


WOW! This book is a lighthearted, fun, honest account of the life of rocker. Christopher Long shares amazing stories of his life and heartache over the years. I found it refreshing to see someone be so honest about themselves and their exploits. It doesn't happen often enough. You will connect with Chris throughout this book and feel as though you were right there by his side for the entire event. I certainly did! Also his message of beginning or renewing your relationship with Jesus is inspiring! You'll enjoy this book on so many levels.


I didn't find any issues. Chris covered it all.


I gave this one a 5 out of 5 books because he could have been my neighbor, my brother's friend or a relative. Thanks Chris!

[Josh Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was okay. I thank God for anyone whose life is changed by the power of the Word of God. However, for Mr. Long to extensively write about his ungodly experiences for much of his life both with "Christian" bands and regular rock bands and not to sound a warning to separate from that lifestyle of ruin is somewhat confusing. I pray that this book will be used to turn people to a relationship to God that otherwise would not have been reached.

[Dorothy Tillett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful, entertaining, and fun inspirational read. Seriously, if you have not read it, do it!! You will not be sorry. Looking forward to book #3!!!

[Aaron Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hold's great testimony and witness to the power Christ can have in a man's life when that man is obedient to Christ's teachings and principles.

[Denise Ballentine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly engaging fast read. Interesting and honest memoir. I really enjoyed his funky voice and honesty.

[Dianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting. he has a nice sense of humor. enjoyed the book

[Stewart Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Long paints a humorous and vivid picture of an unusual life that takes a turn for the dark-side before emerging into the light.
Recommended.