Becoming Almost Famous: My Back Pages in Music, Writing, and Life

Front Cover
Hal Leonard Corporation, 2006 - Music - 249 pages
(Book). This volume collects many of the best articles from veteran Rolling Stone writer Ben Fong-Torres. While many will recognize Ben as he was portrayed in Cameron Crowe's hit film Almost Famous , his thoughtful and engaging stories have been providing a backstage view for over 30 years. This book features a slew of entertaining and informative music and pop-culture pieces, as well as personal essays about growing up Asian-American and about Ben's interest in radio broadcasting. Through insightful introductions to every article, Fong-Torres offers an inside view of the writing and editing process, from getting an assignment and developing an idea to an article's completion in printed form.
 

Selected pages

Contents

CROSBY STILLS NASH YOUNG
1
JOE COCKER IS NOT A MAD DOG
13
THE SCENE IN LARKSPUR
21
GRACE SLICK PAUL KANTNER
25
CRUISIN WITH CHEECH CHONG
41
IVE GOT TO BE FREE AND THEN I CAN SING
49
ITS RIGHT ON THE DOT
55
WICKED MR PICKETT
61
NIGHT AND DAY
145
THAT NOISE IS THE JOY
155
A LOVEHAIGHT RELATIONSHIP
163
IM WHERE IM SUPPOSED TO BE
169
SOUL SAVIOR
175
RHYTHM N WHITES
181
WOKE NOBODY
187
MY HOUR IN THE TOP 40 HOT SEAT
191

WHOLE WHEAT HONKY TONK
65
MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY FACE
75
THE ROLLING STONES
83
WHAT I MEANT WAS
91
SHAKES THE MONKEE FROM HIS BACK
95
STILL GRABBIN FOR THE STARS
103
SPENT VALENTINES DAY ALONE
111
FISTFUL OF HITS
119
THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS LIGHTENS UP
125
THE SUMMER OF LOVE
131
SAN FRANCISCO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
137
I DONT WANNA HEAR YOUR BODY TALK
141
HALL OF FAME
197
ON A PINGPONG TABLE
201
TILL THE END OF TIME
205
AND GOING HOME
211
BARRY MY BROTHER
219
BEING ALMOST FAMOUS
227
INDEX
233
BIOGRAPHY
243
PUBLICATION CREDITS
245
PICTURE CREDITS
247
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