Once A King, Now A Prince:

Memoir Writing And How Blogging Prepared Me There is an essential line in my memoir, Once A King, Now A Prince, that prompted me to expand on my blogging experience in this post. As this is my first actual new post since the website was built this morning, I thought it would be appropriate to cover my blogging background. A sentence on my page, “About,” which describes how I came to write my memoir, has this to say about how my writing developed. “I honed my writing skills as a blogger for over two decades, with one of my blogs being featured by The Times of Israel.” I have, as yet, not been able to master typos, and some of my grammatical skills still require further improvement. The one thing that I think I have learned is that, like a good song, writing requires a beginning to capture the reader’s attention,…

“On the roof, it’s peaceful as can be, and the world below can’t bother me…. Up On The Roof.” This was not only one of the greatest lines in rock and roll music, but it charted a course in my life as a music business celebrity. It is also a chapter in my memoir, “Once A King, Now A Prince,” so when it comes to writing about memoirs by celebrities, I think I understand the genre and some of the pivotal periods of my life. This was the one that headed me towards the music business and my rock and roll career. In memoirs by celebrities, the story starts before the music plays Yes, this is one of those books about crazy families, and mine was a top-tier dysfunctional family, back in the days when most people never even heard the clinical phrase, dysfunctional family in use. Before this period,…

“There is no new thing under the sun”                                        King Solomon, Ecclesiastes 1:9 When you write a song, you will inevitably be writing about human nature, and human nature has remained essentially unchanged from biblical times to today. The Bible and Shakespeare wrote about it, and I am sure you have even heard the phrase, “It’s an age-old story.” Whether you set out to write a song in pop, rock and roll, or country music, most will write about love, lost love, unrequited love, new love, or old love. Why is this the case? It is generally the most popular thing in pop or rock music. Of course, it is not the only thing you can write about. Still, inevitably, whatever topic you choose to start your musical “story,” it must be one of universal appeal and one that almost everyone can relate to. The one point that will be…

I thought I would add a bit more about myself for my nonfiction work, “Once A King, Now A Prince,” including what I faced as I tried to contact many from my past rock and roll days, as well as my current business ventures. The problem with writing a non fiction, or memoir, is that one must be honest. Honesty includes the hurt and the crap times one goes through as part of life. Look, without downs, how would you know what the ups felt like? Death, in a Non Fiction, is Reliving the Death One of the most depressing aspects of reaching out to old friends, which I am currently doing for my nonfiction book, “Once A King, Now A Prince,” so that they may add some commentary, is that many are no longer with us. All members of Badfinger are now gone, Kim Simmonds of Savoy Brown, Bill…

Having written my memoir, “Once A King, Now A Prince,” and posting it everywhere on social media sites, one of the questions that fans and people in general want to know, about my “famous people memoir,” is, “after all of my years in the music business and owner of American Talent International, Ltd., “Who are my favorite bands and who do I like to listen to?” In general terms, I enjoy every form of music on the face of the earth, provided that it is highly musical, with intelligent lyrics and killer arrangements. I appreciate all from Country to Opera, Rock to Rap, and Jazz to African. So long as it meets those parameters of quality music, I enjoy it. So, who are my favorite bands that fit these parameters? Let me tell you. David Byrne David Byrne is unique in that he did not pattern himself after anyone else…

When readers look for compelling life stories, they often turn to good celebrity autobiographies. These books open doors into the lives of actors, musicians, athletes, and public figures who have shaped culture in unforgettable ways. While magazines and interviews may provide glimpses into their journeys, an autobiography gives a deeper, more authentic perspective. Whether humorous, heartbreaking, or inspirational, these works allow readers to see the real person behind the spotlight. Why We Love Good Celebrity Autobiographies The power of a celebrity’s story lies in its ability to connect. Fans want to know not just about fame, but also about the struggles and personal moments that shaped their favorite icons. Good celebrity autobiographies reveal how individuals overcame obstacles, found success, and handled failures. Unlike tabloids, these books are crafted with intention, often blending honesty with storytelling skill. Many of these works are also more than just narratives—they are lessons in resilience….

The Enduring Fascination with Family Struggles Dysfunctional family stories have always captivated readers, whether they appear in classic novels, bestselling memoirs, or binge-worthy television dramas. At their heart, these narratives explore the messy, complicated realities of family life—the rivalries, unspoken resentments, betrayals, and strained bonds that often lurk beneath the surface of love and loyalty. Unlike tales of perfect households, dysfunctional family stories embrace imperfection, showing us that conflict and chaos are part of the human experience. Readers return to them because they strike a chord of recognition, offering both catharsis and insight. They remind us that no one’s family is flawless and that growth often comes from facing difficult truths. Why Dysfunctional Families Make Great Literature From Shakespeare’s King Lear to modern novels, dysfunctional family stories provide fertile ground for drama. Family life is often the most intense arena for conflict. Clashing personalities, sibling rivalries, hidden secrets, and generational…

What Are Your Quirks When Listening to Rock n Roll? When it comes to rock music, every fan has their own listening quirks. Some fans can’t resist turning the volume up as soon as the guitar riffs kick in. Others drum on the steering wheel, nod their heads, or even perform a one-person concert while sitting in traffic. If you’ve ever laughed at yourself for singing along in the car or waited for a track to finish before shutting off the engine, you’re not alone. Rock music isn’t just background noise—it’s an experience, one that often spills over into other parts of life. Just as music brings out quirky habits, rock & roll books stir something special in fans who love both reading and rocking. If you’ve ever flipped through the pages of a biography or memoir about your favorite band while humming along to their greatest hits, you know…

My Personal Journey Through Jewish Food and Tradition As I reflect on my life in New York, I often think about the Great New York Delis, in NYC from the 1950’s to 1970’s, and how they shaped my early years—a story I’ve been slowly piecing together in my memoir and autobiography, entitled “Once A King, Now A Prince.” Growing up in New York during that golden era meant that Jewish food wasn’t just nourishment—it was a cultural anchor, a way of life, and a connection to tradition that stretched across generations. Those delis were more than restaurants; they were meeting places where the smell of freshly baked rye bread, the tang of half-sour pickles, and the richness of corned beef piled high on a sandwich became part of the rhythm of daily life. Writing about these experiences feels almost like writing a memoir, where each sandwich, each barrel of pickles,…

Growing Up in My Father’s Candy Store When I sat down to write my memoir, one of the memories of my youth in New York City comes flooding back—the candy store. My father owned several candy stores in the 1950s and 1960s, and they were more than just neighborhood shops. They were the place where he could lose himself in physical labor, the kind of place where kids raced in after school with pennies clutched in their fists, and adults gathered not only for newspapers and cigarettes but to buy their favorite magazine. To me, the candy store wasn’t just a business. It was my childhood playground, my father’s escape into work, and later, the foundation of so many stories I still tell. My memoir, “Once A King, Now A Prince,” is my way of preserving that special world, a place where sugar and cigarettes mixed with the sound of…

There is a solid reason, beyond my own personal experiences, for calling the subheading of Once a King, Now a Prince, “The True Tale Of Family Dysfunction, Sex, Drugs, and Rock And Roll.” That is because the issue of the mob and rock and roll had been widespread throughout the music industry. From record company ownership to the pay-for-play of music on the radio and the resulting Payola Trials and scandals, to managers, agencies, and virtually every aspect of the music business. Let’s take a look at the details. Rock and roll music agencies, involving sex, drugs, rock and roll plus the mob My very first professional job in the music business, which I also cover in my autobiography, “Once A King, Now A Prince, “The True Tale Of Family Dysfunction, Sex, Drugs, and Rock And Roll,” was working for Joe Glazer. Joe was originally the whoremaster for Al Capone,…

Why Did I Write “Once A King, Now A Prince?” When I sat down to write my rock and roll autobiography, Once a King, Now a Prince, one might first surmise from the title that the reference to ‘King’ was meant to refer to my days at the pinnacle of the music business and to laud my accomplishments for all to read about. My memoir did not start as another one of those rock and roll autobiographies. That is not how this all began. I did not start to write one of those books on rock and roll, nor another of those rock and roll autobiographies. My intent ten years or so ago was to continue the process of growth and catharsis, stemming from a unique childhood in a highly dysfunctional family. If anything, I envisioned myself at the time writing one of those books about dysfunctional families. As books…