Books

As Emerson, Lake & Palmer so famously once said, welcome back my friends to the show that never ends. We’re so glad you could attend, come inside, come inside…

Birthed by Chicago natives Carl and Larry Rosenbaum, “The Flip Side” grew from an idea into a record store and then into a chain. Somewhere along the way, those stores sprouted an entire second identity as Chicago’s premier concert promoter, putting on some of the biggest rock shows Chicago saw in the ‘70s and ‘80s. In so many ways, Flip Side defined music for hundreds of thousands of Chicagoland music fans.

The Flip Side: Where Chicago Rocked takes you through the lifespans of both the record store chain as well as their concert business. We’ll give you a look ‘behind the counter’ and show you how everything was built, how it all lived and breathed, and we’ll share many of the fun and not-so-fun stories that took place. More than that, we’ll give you a warm look back and a chance to revisit what was a great time in Chicago and an even better time in rock and roll. 

THE FLIP SIDE: Where Chicago Rocked is available in paperback on the Eckhartz Press website or autographed copies are available via the Contact page.

Amazon Best Seller: #1 Canada, #3 Australia, #7 USA (Breast Cancer Category)

Inspired by a true story, NO ONE SAID IT WOULD BE EASY is the gripping story of a man who lost his wife to breast cancer.  Told through Tommy's eyes, the reader sees everything both medical and personal, the way he experienced it and how he reacted to the various experiences and situations at home, at work, in his mind, and in his private time.

Recounting the heart-wrenching journey through his wife's fight for survival, this well-written and brutally honest chronicle serves as a companion guide for all men caught in this war of all wars. The Do's, Don'ts, and I Don't Know's are all captured here in a vulnerable tale that offers to shine a light in such inevitable darkness. 

NO ONE SAID IT WOULD BE EASY takes the reader through all of one man's thoughts, reactions and emotions through it all: her initial diagnosis, treatment(s), decline and then moving on in all facets of his life as a man and a father. It tackles everything from medical procedures to the shift of balance in the household to the intimate details of his personal life that only a man going through this will know:

Designed to be a helpful tool for men going through this journey or who have already experienced this life changing event, NO ONE SAID IT WOULD BE EASY allows the reader to see inside the mind and life of a man who literally walked in their shoes and offer the reader the opportunity to either compare their actions or prepare them for some of what might be coming. 

NO ONE SAID IT WOULD BE EASY is available in both paperback on Amazon or autographed copies are available via the Contact page.

Chicago Writers Association "Book Of The Year" Finalist 

DOIN' THE CRUISE: Memories from a Lifetime in Radio and Rock & Roll chronicles the personal and professional life of Mitch Michaels, of one of Chicago's long standing radio legends who helped define the Chicago radio landscape for more than 45 years. Known most prominently for his work at “The Loop” WLUP-FM, he helped launch both WXRT-FM and WKQX-FM, and classic rocked with the best of them on WCKG-FM, WDRV-FM and his current radio home of WERV-FM “The River” in Aurora, IL. 

From his youthful beginnings in the suburbs of Cleveland to the top of the radio mountain in Chicago, DOIN’ THE CRUISE is the complete story of Chicago radio disc jockey Mitch Michaels detailing his wild experiences like his backseat limo ride with Rod Stewart that just may have changed rock & roll history, his partnering with The Who on a ground breaking live performance, the infamous Disco Demolition, and more.

Foreigner, Journey, ChicagoFest, it’s all in there but this isn’t just about radio and rock & roll. A memoir in its truest sense, Mitch gets intimately honest about his family and marriages, the rise and fall of his outside business ventures, and the untimely passing of his son Spencer. 

DOIN’ THE CRUISE: Memories From A Lifetime in Radio and Rock & Roll is a complete look at the man behind the mic, what put him there, how he managed to stay there for nearly five decades and all the insanity in between.

DOIN’ THE CRUISE is available in paperback by clicking HERE or autographed copies are available via the Contact page.