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I was there! Such an exciting memory that I still love to tell people about. Seeing such an amazing group in such a small venue was wild. We (Brigid, my friend, and I) were in row 7 on the aisle.
If you are a Who fan and are looking for a book to read about the Who, you know that there are hundreds of books already written about them. How could there be anything new to write? But in When Stars Were in Reach – The Who at Union Catholic High School – November 29, 1967, author Michael Rosenbloom has managed to write a new and unique book about an intriguing and true story of how the students of a small Catholic high school in New Jersey convinced their school’s administration to allow them to book a concert by one of the most high energy bands in rock history, the Who, to perform in their high school gym.
Rosenbloom, who neither attended the school nor the 1967 concert, did extensive research to unravel the tale, painstakingly locating and interviewing those students, faculty, and the promoter who were there 46 years ago. Rosenbloom carefully weighed the 40+ year old and sometimes conflicting memories and weaved them into an interesting and insightful story. It is a fun little-train-that-could tale born out of a mixture of youthful why-not naïveté and emerging adult perseverance. This book is an entertaining read. I couldn’t put it down and finished it in one sitting. It has great photos of the actual concert with basketball net and all.
Michael,
I was so excited to see your book signing appear in Union Catholic’s 50th anniversary alumni publication. I immediately went on Amazon and ordered a copy. Waiting for it to come in the mail was like anticipating my attendance at that famous concert. I was a junior at UC when I went to the show and I still have the ticket stub. Once I picked up your book to read, I could not put it down. Amazing job! Now when friends tell me that “it must have been the Mafia that enabled UC to book the Who” I can share with them the true story. […]
Michael,
I was a freshman back in 1967 and went on to attend not only the Who concert but all those that followed at UC. From there we migrated to the college campuses and they were all so good while they were both so affordable and accessible. It really is a shame how much we have to pay these days for nosebleed seats at the arenas.
I’ve left your book out as a “coffee table” book and it seems to draw the attention of every friend who enters my door. Everyone gives it at least a partial read as they acknowledge the truth of what I’ve been telling them for years and are astounded at the variety of talent we at UC were priveleged to have in just a few short years. I suppose I never really knew that there had been such a driving force behind the start of it all. As a freshman, I probably just thought that was what high schools were supposed to do! So thank you for being part of that driving force, for sharing you recollections of the times, and for bringing back such fond memories for so many of us.
Pat
Mike,
Was finally able to get a copy. Great job! Awesome photos! You deserve all the great reviews and attention. I’m certainly talking it up and posting about it where I can.
And thanks for the whole chapter and photo of me and the other BS5 boys.
One things I thought of: it would be really cool to try to “accrete” a list of everyone we know who attended the show. I read someplace that somebody did that for the Fabs on Sullivan – tried to identify everyone in the audience. You’ve already got a core list – the folks mentioned in the book. I know of at least 3 others not in there.
Surely more will come out of the woodwork as the word gets out. Maybe post them here, so folks can print it out and put in their copies of the book?
Best regards,
Dave Goessling
Thanks Dave for your kind words. You and your mates gave me the initial push to pursue this project. I appreciate your cooperation throughout.
Mike
November 29, 1967 was a very special day in my life. As a young teenager I was trying very hard to play bass guitar- because all my friends who bought a guitar after seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show needed a bass player to round out a band. I was told The Who’s bass player, John Entwisle was someone I should pay attention to. Since I had been introduced to songs by The Who via the premiere local band, The Decoys, I sought out some of The Who’s early albums. When I heard they were playing live a few towns over I had to be there even though many of my friends had never heard of this band from England.
This was only my second concert but this one blew me away. Of course The Who became BIG within a few years and later on it became hard to convince people that I saw The Who one time playing at a Catholic high school. In fact many years later I would have to dig out my cherished ticket from this event as proof of my story.
Who knew that this ticket would then deliver me to another rewarding life event. Because of this ticket I would end up developing a long distance friendship with Michael Rosenbloom and would share my remembrances of this event and many of our other shared rock and roll appreciations.
I have been anticipating this book for a couple of years now. I read the Kindle version last night in one sitting and I can tell you I was not disappointed.
Michael really captured the excitement that I have remembered from that unbelievable night. And he answered so many questions that I have wondered about throughout the years– foremost being how did it happen that this band played at a local Cathloic high school!
Maybe this is only one small event in the history of rock but it was an unforgettable night in my life. This book shows how rock once was, raw and accessible, before the days of big arenas, big money and big contract requests of only brown M&Ms.
I can’t recommend this book enough if you at all interested in rock and how it was in much simpler times.
Kudos Michael on a well researched and excellent book. Thank you for making a special night so much more special.
Angelo:
Great to see a review at last and a positive one at that. I thought everyone was just talking and not reading. Thanks for the compliments. Thanks as well for your cooperation and your assistance over the last few years. I’m glad it came alive for you and that you weren’t disappointed. Please tell your friends.
MR
CONGRATULATIONS BROTHER!!!!!! my books are ordered already and i cant wait to read this AMAZING STORY OF HOW SOME CREATIVE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO CONVINCE THE ADMINISTRATION TO GET THE “WHO” TO PERFORM IN A FUND RAISING CONCERT AT UNION CATHOLIC HS. I DO REMEMBER ALL THOSE WHO CONCERTS WE SLEPT OUTSIDE TO GET FIRST ROW SEATS. It was truly the best memories I have of the what i consider the best era of Rock music . I CAN’T WAIT TO READ THE BOOK!!!!!!!!
Congratulations on publishing your book! We are all excited to read “When Stars Were in Reach.”
Congratulations, Michael! I have already ordered a copy of the Collectors Edition of your new book. As a lucky soul who actually attended this amazing concert in my high school gym back in 1967 as a young, innocent freshman, I can’t wait to read this book. This book should be a fun read for fans of the Who and for Union Catholic alumni who tell their friends that the Who played in their little Catholic high school gym and their friends look at them like they are crazy. Thank you Michael for proving to all that we were telling the truth …as crazy as it sounds!
Nancy