Summary

Melding biography and social history with a cultural analysis of our Society’s obsession with fame and celebrity, “Mayor of the Sunset Strip” chronicles the picaresque life of pop impresario Rodney Bingenheimer, beloved figure on the Los Angeles music scene since the early 1960s, and a friend, confidant, and lifelong admirer of countless luminaries from all walks of public life. As a teenager, motivated by his love for music and the allure of Hollywood, Rodney left his home in northern California for Los Angeles, where, despite a shy, socially awkward nature, he immediately became a ubiquitous presence on the live-music circuit. A constantly evolving fixture as scenester, journalist, promoter and club owner, he eventually earned the nickname “Mayor of the Sunset Strip.” After a stint as Davy Jones’ stand-in on The Monkees and a successful run as proprietor of Rodney Bingenheimer’s English Disco, a magnet for every major star of the early 70s, he began spinning records on Los Angeles’ cutting-edge radio station KROQ, and soon became one of the country’s most influential DJs. Since then, Rodney has helped define the sounds that have dominated over three decades of music by giving dozens of major artists their first airplay. A partial list of bands he helped to break includes the Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Ramones, X, the Go-Go’s, Blondie, Devo, Van Halen, Nirvana, Oasis, No Doubt, and, more recently, Coldplay and the Strokes. Featuring interviews with such stars as David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Cher, Brooke Shields, Brian Wilson, Debbie Harry, Gwen Stefani, Courtney Love, Nancy Sinatra, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, and many others, “Mayor of the Sunset Strip” is a fascinating look at a life defined by a fascination with, and a Zelig-like knack for getting close to, the most famous names in music, movies, television, and beyond.