11/01/2022
Producer and songwriter Hollander's rollicking autobiography recounts his journey from awkward high school musician wannabe, to dropping out of several colleges and having chance encounters in the 1980s through the 2010s New York with big names, such as Andy Warhol, Huey Lewis, and Sandra Bullock. While he regales readers with tales of the seamy underbelly of the music industry, he throws out nuggets of wisdom as "bonus cuts" (some serious, some tongue in cheek) to help those dreaming of their own chance at fame. Familiar and lesser-known pop/rock and rap artists and groups populate his tale. Fans will delight in his attempts to persuade record companies to invest in his burgeoning talent and the ensuing travails to sustain a livelihood. Hollander includes short, mostly complimentary takes on singers who have influenced him and those he's worked with. There's also a raft of candid photographs. VERDICT Even those unfamiliar with Hollander's achievements will enjoy this frenetic, earthy ride told by a survivor of the dog-eat-dog music business.—Barry Zaslow
