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One Brain Cell Left: 8 straight years on the charts in the US, Canada, UK & Australia – Rock Music Biographies – Rock Autobiographies – Inside a Classic Rock and Roll Music Journalist's Storied Vault
ONE BRAIN CELL LEFT has been ranked No. 1 on at least one Amazon book chart for more than 2200 straight days ... in more than 200 categories overall. It's been the No. 1-ranked Classic Rock and Roll biography in 12 countries on five continents. Out of more than 2000 Rock Musician Biographies, ONE BRAIN CELL LEFT was ranked No. 1 ahead of autobiographies by such Hall of Famers as Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson, Elton John, Phil Collins, Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, Cynthia Lennon’s “John,” as well as biographies of The Beatles, Tom Petty, Van Halen, Stevie Nicks and AC/DC.From Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson to Madonna and Mickey Mantle, Rosy Steve Rosenthal interviewed the best. He interviewed 153 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ... 174 recording artists who had at least one No. 1 hit. His interviews were heard daily on radio stations around the globe during much of the late ‘70s and ‘80s, until severe bipolar disorder took full control.In the short, snapshot vignettes of ONE BRAIN CELL LEFT, Rosy doesn’t always paint a rosy picture of the Mega-Stars he interviewed. Some were absolute sweethearts; others were absolute ASSHOLES. And they’re not always the ones you’d expect. He’s never asked what he talked about with celebrities. People only want to know what the stars were like in person.This book's quick-read anecdotes answer the “What were they like?” questions about a cross-section of superstar entertainers, newsmakers and athletes that Rosy interviewed. But it’s equally about the unique and unusual life that he’s led outside the entertainment industry.He REALLY didn’t want to like Paul McCartney. He found George Harrison to be completely down-to-earth. Unfortunately, he can’t say the same about Ringo. He found Madonna to be “Queen Shit with a muffin top.” Mickey Mantle swore at him. Mel Brooks ran after him. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar intentionally treated him like shit in front of dozens of reporters in the Laker locker room. His first words to Lionel Richie were, “So they tell me you’ve become a real asshole since you’ve gotten all this success.” They both laughed.And you’ll laugh at his self-deprecating chapters “Always wear a cup when you play tennis” and “Free drinks, a blind hockey goalie and a goat.” You’ll likewise be drawn in by the poignant “I’m no Belushi, but I’ve become Joe Cocker” and the riveting “A machine gun and explosives.”His stories aren’t always pretty. But they’re always pretty interesting. And he’s got the brain cell to prove it.
- GenresMusic
160 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 19, 2016
185 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 15, 2020
Want to know what the R&R stars of the 1970s and 80s were like, just let Rosenthal open his vault of memories for you. Beatles, Madonna, Moonwalker, dozens of others... athletes, too, Mantle and Adbul-Jabbar are there. He interviewed them all...and lived to tell about it. Unlike Hunter S. Thompson. The author seems to have been a wild man, but he also seems to have survived with at least part of his noggin intact and functional. Recommended for boomers, under informed kids, millennials, and even some oldsters. Indulge yourself.
January 13, 2020
What a fun 'trip' in the way-back machine. Author Rosenthal made it through, and most of the rest of us did too. Great vignettes about the superstars of the 70s and 80s that he interviewed for his radio programs. Some of the stars were super cool, some were slugs...all were interesting. Rosenthal has a great way in presenting each interview/meeting as a crystallized moment in time. Really captivating and smart. Wish I'd been there, but it's like being a fly on the wall of his recording studio. Very highly recommended.
January 17, 2020
Wish that I could have been there with Rosey talking to these superstars...what a great time to have been alive and active within the entertainment culture. Having said that, reading OBCL puts you there in the moment. Fun, interesting, very well written. I do recommend it to fans everywhere.
December 22, 2020
Interesting And Funny AutoBio of Interviewer to the Stars.
Who's Rosy Steve Rosenthal and why is he saying all these self-depreciating things about himself? Well for some years he interviewed and put together segments that were syndicated to radio stations around the country where local DJs could be pretending to ask questions of the rich and famous--mostly rock stars like Madonna, Michael Jackson, John Mellencamp, et al. Thus, he remained unknown to his many listeners. This a fascinating book and also at times tedious, but he does have some great stories and an engaging writing style.
Who's Rosy Steve Rosenthal and why is he saying all these self-depreciating things about himself? Well for some years he interviewed and put together segments that were syndicated to radio stations around the country where local DJs could be pretending to ask questions of the rich and famous--mostly rock stars like Madonna, Michael Jackson, John Mellencamp, et al. Thus, he remained unknown to his many listeners. This a fascinating book and also at times tedious, but he does have some great stories and an engaging writing style.
June 18, 2021
Couldn't get past the passed
Would give this quick read 5 stars but couldn't get past his misuse of passed (when he should have used past), not once but at least twice. As a former journalism teacher, I wanted to resurrect my red pen. But as a fellow writer, I found his style readable and funny. Didn't expect it to have some good insights about bipolar disease, but at the end it all made a lot more sense. Rosy had a wild ride - wish I would've been on it with him.
Would give this quick read 5 stars but couldn't get past his misuse of passed (when he should have used past), not once but at least twice. As a former journalism teacher, I wanted to resurrect my red pen. But as a fellow writer, I found his style readable and funny. Didn't expect it to have some good insights about bipolar disease, but at the end it all made a lot more sense. Rosy had a wild ride - wish I would've been on it with him.
February 28, 2023
Perfect title for a narcissistic idiot who seems to just want his name to be known as well as all the famous people he interviewed. I thought the book would contain excerpts from those interviews but oh no! This individual (there are so many negative adjectives to describe him) just tells little stories featuring HIM. The whole book is an egoistic boast. Do not purchase this manifesto of ego!
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July 15, 2020Interesting, but left you wanting more
I wish that he would’ve elaborated a bit more on his interview experiences; however, i am glad he touched on his mental health disorder in order to possibly encourage others to get help.
I wish that he would’ve elaborated a bit more on his interview experiences; however, i am glad he touched on his mental health disorder in order to possibly encourage others to get help.
February 24, 2021
Interesting stories
One man's snap opinion about his first impressions of many famous people makes for interesting and funny reading. His conclusion story is a sad story about his own BD.
One man's snap opinion about his first impressions of many famous people makes for interesting and funny reading. His conclusion story is a sad story about his own BD.
November 10, 2021
Honesty and entertaining together!
Very well written. And I appreciated the info on mental disorder, and see that people who suffer from Bipolar and other disorders are just You and Me, doing the best we can!
Very well written. And I appreciated the info on mental disorder, and see that people who suffer from Bipolar and other disorders are just You and Me, doing the best we can!
January 1, 2025
I highlighted some of the things I wanted to remember as seen in this review.I enjoyed this book but then I am a rocknroll junkie anything music related I have to check it out.I quite enjoyed the stories and especially from an earlier generation.
July 30, 2019
Rosenthal knows his beat. Excellent stories, anecdotes of the superstars he encountered in his career as a music journalist. Smart, well-written. A really fun 'trip' in the time capsule.
December 28, 2019
Don't waste your time
This book is all over the place and spends little to no time on each subject. Seems like a wasted opportunity from someone who interviewed so many celebrities.
This book is all over the place and spends little to no time on each subject. Seems like a wasted opportunity from someone who interviewed so many celebrities.
February 11, 2020
Jolly Good Fun! An escapist read for the doldrums of winter, and an insider's guide to what really goes on in the dressing room!
June 9, 2020
Boring
I scrolled through most of this book, I thought it was going to be about his rock celeb interviews but it's mainly about him, sports people and him again. It's a yawn fest
I scrolled through most of this book, I thought it was going to be about his rock celeb interviews but it's mainly about him, sports people and him again. It's a yawn fest
September 7, 2020
Only a star off for length. Would have loved it to be twice as long. Loved the style of writing, and enjoyed it wasn't a rehash of interviews. Really enjoyed this!!!
August 13, 2021
If you love gossip about Hollywood and the music industry then this is a quick easy book to read.
March 22, 2022
Good read
This was a fun read. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys biographies of figures involved in the rock music scene of the 70s and 80s
This was a fun read. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys biographies of figures involved in the rock music scene of the 70s and 80s
June 19, 2022
blah blah blah
Not worth a read..self indulgent drivel. The stories are not even interesting. I’m sure the author enjoyed telling them but I was bored to tears
Not worth a read..self indulgent drivel. The stories are not even interesting. I’m sure the author enjoyed telling them but I was bored to tears
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March 9, 2024Amazing
Had me hooked from the beginning. Since I grew up known a number of the artists. It was great to read some insights to the ones I looked up to.
Had me hooked from the beginning. Since I grew up known a number of the artists. It was great to read some insights to the ones I looked up to.
April 5, 2021
This short book is fairly entertaining as a series of anecdotes. It's worth spending a couple of hours with the author as he retells a series of remarkable interviews and events in a very different era.
September 29, 2022
Not bad… he obviously left a whole shitload out.
Where is the REALLY good stuff?? I was hoping for really greAt stories! Write another one, will ya?
Peter G
Derry, NH
Where is the REALLY good stuff?? I was hoping for really greAt stories! Write another one, will ya?
Peter G
Derry, NH
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews