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Reintroducing Chuck Mosley: Life On and Off the Road
One hundred sixty shows, two rushed recording sessions, a reunion with an old band, and a Hail Mary shot at a comeback represent the tip of the iceberg of my twenty-year journey with Chuck Mosley.
Chuck (Faith No More, Bad Brains, Cement) toured the globe as a vocalist, appeared on magazine covers, rubbed elbows with idols, and, through it all, he remained 100% convinced he didn’t deserve your praise. Yet, he desired acceptance more than almost anything else.
A self-proclaimed “junkie and a liar,” Chuck shot himself in the foot over and over by shooting up elsewhere on his body. Meanwhile, I stumbled and fumbled and pushed and pulled and scraped and cried and begged and borrowed to earn him extra chances to prove himself. We loaded a van with a guitar, a conga, and an unfinished legacy hoping to reintroduce the world to Chuck Mosley.
Jonathan Davis of Korn: “I was blown away by his voice. So original. Chuck has a great style that you can tell it’s him as soon as he starts singing. I’m a big fan and I was honored when he asked me to appear on his new stuff.”
DMC of RUN-DMC: “Some of Chuck’s and Faith No More’s songs sound like we all come from the same family! He tore shit up!!!!”
Matt Wallace (Producer: Faith No More, Maroon Five, The Replacements): “I was always a fan of his … He wore his heart on his sleeve … I thought he was pretty fearless to sing about some of the things he sang about.”
Chuck (Faith No More, Bad Brains, Cement) toured the globe as a vocalist, appeared on magazine covers, rubbed elbows with idols, and, through it all, he remained 100% convinced he didn’t deserve your praise. Yet, he desired acceptance more than almost anything else.
A self-proclaimed “junkie and a liar,” Chuck shot himself in the foot over and over by shooting up elsewhere on his body. Meanwhile, I stumbled and fumbled and pushed and pulled and scraped and cried and begged and borrowed to earn him extra chances to prove himself. We loaded a van with a guitar, a conga, and an unfinished legacy hoping to reintroduce the world to Chuck Mosley.
Jonathan Davis of Korn: “I was blown away by his voice. So original. Chuck has a great style that you can tell it’s him as soon as he starts singing. I’m a big fan and I was honored when he asked me to appear on his new stuff.”
DMC of RUN-DMC: “Some of Chuck’s and Faith No More’s songs sound like we all come from the same family! He tore shit up!!!!”
Matt Wallace (Producer: Faith No More, Maroon Five, The Replacements): “I was always a fan of his … He wore his heart on his sleeve … I thought he was pretty fearless to sing about some of the things he sang about.”
315 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 3, 2019
3 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Esper
14 books33 followersIt was at a very early age when I, Douglas Esper, (your friendly neighborhood author) realized I had a passion for the written word. As a youngster, I couldn't get enough books to satisfy my desire to read and to this day, I still own many books my parents got for me. In school I gravitated toward reading and writing to the point teachers grew impatient with me for writing stories in class.
The passion and drive to read and write continues to this day and my goal of feeling comfortable in my own writing skin seems within reach. I've self-published 2 picture books for kids, Sammy's Birthday Surprise and The Mystery of the Flying Tomatoes, a few short stories, and my debut novel, A Life of Inches, will be released by @LimitlessPublishing spring of 2015.
I live in North Ridgeville, Ohio, just west of Cleveland, with my wife, our kids, and that meddlesome dog.
I'm currently falling in love with David Fulmer books, and also enjoying the latest Les Roberts mystery novel. If I'm not reading or writing you can find me watching the Cleveland Browns losing on Sunday, writing music with my band, or observing my kids doing cute, and usually messy, stuff.
Hope this helps you learn a bit about me, but now it's your turn...introduce yourself!
The passion and drive to read and write continues to this day and my goal of feeling comfortable in my own writing skin seems within reach. I've self-published 2 picture books for kids, Sammy's Birthday Surprise and The Mystery of the Flying Tomatoes, a few short stories, and my debut novel, A Life of Inches, will be released by @LimitlessPublishing spring of 2015.
I live in North Ridgeville, Ohio, just west of Cleveland, with my wife, our kids, and that meddlesome dog.
I'm currently falling in love with David Fulmer books, and also enjoying the latest Les Roberts mystery novel. If I'm not reading or writing you can find me watching the Cleveland Browns losing on Sunday, writing music with my band, or observing my kids doing cute, and usually messy, stuff.
Hope this helps you learn a bit about me, but now it's your turn...introduce yourself!
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 18, 2019
I am slightly biased...I lived this book. I hope you'll give me a chance to try and explain what Chuck and i tried to do and the obstacles we faced along the way. It's not pretty. It doesn't have a happy ending...I am not a good salesman.
January 22, 2020
Great writing, great read and a new appreciation for Chuck. Doug, what we fans owe to you and your wife's sacrifices can never be repaid.
August 18, 2020
Want to read a love story? I mean a true love story not a (b)romance novel. This is the the story of the last few years of time spent by one man with a friend who he truly loved and just so happened to be his band mate, friend, hero and former lead singers for his all time favorite band.
This is not a biography of Chuck Mosley. This is the story of Doug Esper's attempt to help his friend Chuck attain some sort of grounding through one of the few loves that which he had a sublime talent for in music (the other being his family and cooking). This is a very honest look (lots and lots of warts) into someone dealing with the ups and downs of attempting to function and navigate the world of an addict, sufferer of mental health and emotional issues while trying to help keep things on track.
How do I know this is a love story because even with what you read you still come out caring about both of the primary subjects as opposed to coming out feeling bad for one and hating that other.
This is not a biography of Chuck Mosley. This is the story of Doug Esper's attempt to help his friend Chuck attain some sort of grounding through one of the few loves that which he had a sublime talent for in music (the other being his family and cooking). This is a very honest look (lots and lots of warts) into someone dealing with the ups and downs of attempting to function and navigate the world of an addict, sufferer of mental health and emotional issues while trying to help keep things on track.
How do I know this is a love story because even with what you read you still come out caring about both of the primary subjects as opposed to coming out feeling bad for one and hating that other.
January 24, 2021
I've always been fascinated by the music of pre-Patton Faith No More. It's dark, poppy, strange and always left me wondering where FNM would have went if Chuck Mosley has been around for another album or two. This book is a really interesting look into not just Chuck and his life but into DIY touring and recording.
December 16, 2019
Heartbreaking and joyful
Heartbreaking and joyful. I really enjoyed the story of Chuck in his final days. Just very heartbreaking. What could have been.
Heartbreaking and joyful. I really enjoyed the story of Chuck in his final days. Just very heartbreaking. What could have been.
February 8, 2020
Fantastic insight into what it's like traveling, performing and maintaining a friendship with a hugely creative, deeply troubled man.
December 5, 2019
This is a warm, heartbreaking, and true story of the legendary Chuck Mosley and the author’s experience transforming from complete fan to friend/bandmate/ caretaker. Esper handles the entire affair with grace and honesty. I laughed (“Is that the Mississippi?”), reflected, and nearly cried. This is a riveting look into Mosley’s unique life. He cared a lot. So did (and does) Esper. So do I.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews