Once A Rocker Always a Rocker: A Diary

By: Cowboy Mach Bell

Narrated by: Cowboy Mach Bell, Greg "Earthquake" Morton, Carter Allen, Danny Hargrove, Charlie Farren

I was 29 years old, living in my parents’ basement and working at my father’s stereo shop. That’s when the phone rang.... A week later I was suddenly the lead singer of a famous hard rock band, touring America and preparing to cut an album for a major label.

Aerosmith’s Joe Perry needed a new singer for his Joe Perry Project and I got drafted. For me it was like winning the lottery. Much better though, because lotteries only pay cash. For the next two years I would be experiencing things in life that money just can’t buy. Living on the road with the swaggering rock star, playing adventurous, unbridled hard rock at famed venues to big crowds. Singing and signing autographs, finding romance, and partying with my idols. Just like that, I was on top but...since quitting Aerosmith, Joe Perry was bottoming out. Health failing, marriage falling apart, and deeply in debt.

In order to stay one foot ahead of the tallyman, Joe jumped into a van and hit the road, taking me and a few other newbies along on a mad dash across the USA and beyond. Taking any gig he could get.

On the road with The Joe Perry Project in the big '80s. The untold story is unveiled in amazing detail. Captivating, riotously funny, frighteningly frank, exhilarating, and at times deeply moving.

The audiobook includes everything from the original “diary” plus bonus untold stories and a whole new final chapter.

With added commentary from radio personality and author Carter Alan.

And surprise visits from Joe Perry Project members Danny Hargrove and Charlie Farren.

©2019 Mark N Bell (P)2020 Mark N Bell

A great story and a great book!

I really enjoyed this book! Mach was a great narrator who told his story with enthusiasm. Without a doubt the most detailed look into the lives of rock musicians that I have ever heard. and what a ride it must have been... I highly recommend you give this a listen

New Reverence For The Cowboy Mach Bell Era

I was in deep for the Joe Perry Project. Ralph Morman wowed me, Charlie Farren I fell in love with, and then came Cowboy. Who was this guy, why was his hair way too curly and blonde, and why didn’t he sing like the others? I was *not* on board. Yet, I bought the record and went to the show. After a while I moved on, thinking, “not into it.” After decades of poo-pooing the Cowboy era, I hear about this book. Regardless of how I felt about that third album line up, I had to check it out. Cowboy revealed himself as a good, hard working dude, and like-able in every way. As I listened, I began to revisit the Once A Rocker album. For thinking I wasn’t into it, I sure as hell remembered every song, so I must have listened to it a hell of a lot for not being “into it.” In fact, the joy brought on by Cowboy’s incredible stories and the soundtrack to them, at times, moved me to tears. There have been a few audio versions of rock bios lately, but this one might be the best. Any music geek fan of the JPP needs to listen to this, and then buy the hard copy, ‘cause you’re gonna wanna give the Cowboy something back for his efforts. And oh. The Joe Perry impersonations are riotous.

I hate reviewing things

i like this book, get over it. extra words. more extra words. even more extra words.

Incredible Book!

You know, going into this book, I didn’t know what to expect. I was originally not a huge fan of Once a Rocker as an album because I was such a fan of Ralph and Charlie’s work. It took me a lot longer to get into as it was so different from the first 2 project records. Moreover, I still read this book with high expectations from what I had heard from other project fans, and I was not disappointed. This book puts you right in each scene with the Project. Earthquake does a great job setting up each scene and Cowboy does an amazing job narrating. His voice is nowhere near boring and it was so nice listening to the audiobook having already read the book once. Hearing Cowboy’s voice brought new life to the book and it has made the reading experience a lot better considering that I’m a pretty slow reader as it is. Because of this book, I found a whole new respect for Once a Rocker as an album and it is now easily my favorite of the 3 project records. I couldn’t put this book down and now I can’t stop listening to Once a Rocker. I highly recommend any Project fan, Aerosmith fan, Joe Perry fan, or rock and roll fan in general to read this book. It is absolutely worth your time.

Cowboy

Wonderful read. Look, I know Mach from sharing a studio and playing a few shows together, but I had no idea how much of the story I missed out on. Bonified rocker, yes,but even better story teller! Loved every minute, thank for keeping the journal Mach!