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David Rensin

David Rensin

David Rensin has written thirteen books. Most recently he published ALL FOR A FEW PERFECT WAVES: The Audacious Life and Legend of Rebel Surfer Miki Dora (HarperEntertainment 2008), which is also available in the UK from Random House/Yellow Jersey Press. In March 2009 the softcover version was published with nearly 40 pages of new material.

Rensin also co-authored The Little Stuff Matters Most: 50 Rules from 50 Years of Trying to Make a Living, with the late Hollywood super-manager and legend Bernie Brillstein. In 2003 Rensin saw three of his books hit the stores almost simultaneously. Devil at My Heels, the incredible survival saga of Olympian and World War II hero Louis Zamperini; musician/composer Yanni's NY Times bestselling autobiography, Yanni: In Words, and his own bestseller, THE MAILROOM: Hollywood History from the Bottom Up.

Previously, Rensin co-authored Brillstein's widely-lauded memoir, Where Did I Go Right?, as well as four New York Times bestsellers: actor/comedian Tim Allen's mega-hit Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man and its follow-up I'm Not Really Here; comedian Jeff Foxworthy's No Shirt, No Shoes...No Problem; and comedian Chris Rock's Rock This! He also co-authored the bestselling Confessions of a Late Night Talk Show Host: The Autobiography of Larry Sanders with Garry Shandling, and with Bill Zehme created and co-wrote The Bob Book, a bestselling and groundbreaking humorous sociology of men named Bob.

After more than a decade of writing about rock (1969-1980), Rensin became a contributing editor of Playboy in 1981, for which he has interviewed more than two hundred subjects including Bill Gates, Jerry Seinfeld, Cindy Crawford, Billy Crystal, Martin Scorsese, Ben Stiller, Dennis Miller, Bill Maher, Whoopi Goldberg, Sean Penn, Larry King, Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Shirley MacLaine, Charlton Heston, Jack LaLanne, David Spade, Garry Shandling, and many more. He has also written extensively for Rolling Stone, Esquire, TV Guide, US Weekly, among others

Rensin's next book will be Promises I Made My Mother, which he co-authored with former William Morris Agency Worldwide Head of Television (and current Miss America Organization Chairman) Sam Haskell.

 

David Rensin online

50 articles

List of articles in the library

By date | By artist | Most recently added

Freddie King: Ash Grove, Los Angeles

Live Review by David Rensin, The Valley State Daily Sundial, 18 December 1970

No one matches F. King ...

Harry Chapin Takes 'Taxi' Wherever He Can

Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 6 July 1972

"I NEVER REALLY drove a cab," said Harry Chapin, the filmmaker-turned folkstar, "But I do have a hack license in case of emergencies – like ...

Harry Nilsson: Son Of Schmilsson

Review by David Rensin, Phonograph Record, September 1972

WELL, WELL. Harry Nilsson has sure thrown a big pebble into the music puddle. There's not much to say about the things you hear in ...

Captain Beefheart: Clear Spot

Review by David Rensin, Phonograph Record, November 1972

THERE ARE TYPICALLY three schools of thought surrounding Captain Beefheart. The first love him and feel he can do no wrong. The second find him ...

Artist & Repertoire: We Buy And Sell Talent

Report by David Rensin, Music World, January 1973

"So you want to be a rock and roll star
Well listen now to what I say
Just get an electric guitar
Take some time and learn how ...

The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt: The Eagles/Linda Ronstadt: Los Angeles

Live Review by David Rensin, Music World, January 1973

PERHAPS IT was the atmosphere of a college campus where the audience is usually reasonably intelligent and not prone to yelling "boogie" or "rock and ...

Captain Beefheart Sings For Women

Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 4 January 1973

NORTH HOLLYWOOD – Striding into the small but copiously equipped Warner Brothers recording studio like a bull dressed for a Chinatown parade, Captain Beefheart extends ...

Dr. Hook And The Medicine Show At The Troubadour

Live Review by David Rensin, Music World, February 1973

A LONG TIME ago, when I first heard 'Sylvia's Mother', a song and image Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show would just as soon one ...

Bonnie Raitt Gives It Back

Interview by David Rensin, Crawdaddy!, March 1973

LOS ANGELES – Bonnie Raitt is by nature a purposeful woman. On a personal level, she is attempting to forge a new ethic reaching beyond ...

David Blue: A Natural Progression

Interview by David Rensin, Music World, June 1973

THERE IS SOMETHING about David Blue that screams "Handle With Care." Perhaps a quality attributable to a glass figurine that you hold up to the ...

Little Feat Keeps On Truckin'

Interview by David Rensin, Crawdaddy!, June 1973

I WANT TO talk on the grass in the sun. Lowell George wants to be interviewed while sitting in the cockpit of a movie prop ...

Neil Young: Unsettling Looseness

Live Review by David Rensin, Music World, June 1973

WRITING ANYTHING about Neil Young is always a labor of love, but the tendency to be both overly critical and sympathetic concerning his artistic fluctuation ...

The Eagles: Desperado

Review by David Rensin, Phonograph Record, June 1973

THE BACK COVER photo may depict the Eagles as dead losers, but with DESPERADO it is clear that nothing is further from the truth. ...

Colin Blunstone, The Zombies: Colin Blunstone: Back From The Dead

Interview by David Rensin, Creem, August 1973

THE YEAR IS 1969, and somewhere in the heart of America the Archies and Zombies — two groups known to everyone — are triumphantly touring ...

Leon Russell: Ontario Motor Speedway

Live Review by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 30 August 1973

"SURE, WE'D LIKE this to be another Watkins Glen," laughed publicist Gary Stromberg, as the blistering sun crept slowly into the sky over the San ...

Weather Report: Fair Weather Jazz Fans Leave Them Alone

Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 27 September 1973

PASADENA, CALIF. — "Our music demands everything from the listener," says Josef Zawinul seriously. "Either you love it or you don't — there's no middle ...

Elton John at the Hollywood Bowl - July 1973

Live Review by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 11 October 1973

THE HOUSE LIGHTS dimmed and a lonely spot picked out a single figure onstage. ...

Procol Harum at the Hollywood Bowl, September 1973

Live Review by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 25 October 1973

LOUSY sound systems and poor concerts are not a rarity these days, even for big name attractions like Neil Young or America, but when the ...

America: What This Band Needs Is a Hat Trick

Profile and Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 8 November 1973

LOS ANGELES – To the crowd at the Hollywood Bowl, America could do – and did – no wrong. But to America, the concert was ...

J. Geils Band: Long Beach Arena, Long Beach CA

Live Review by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 22 November 1973

"HOPE YOU GUYS have tickets for tonight's show," advised the cop as we hurried for the Arena entrance. We nodded our assent, smiled and kept ...

Jackson Browne: Such a Clever Innocence

Interview by David Rensin, Crawdaddy!, January 1974

I've been out walking,I don't do that much talking These days.These days I seem to think a lot About the things that I forgot to ...

Billy Cobham, Mahavishnu Orchestra: On Leave From Mahavishnu, Drummer Billy Cobham Gets His Chance: Solo

Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 31 January 1974

LOS ANGELES – "I never felt my music was ever really wanted by the Mahavishnu Orchestra," complained drummer Billy Cobham. "I tried having them use ...

Ozark Mountain Daredevils: The Cosmic Corncobs Go North

Profile and Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 28 February 1974

LOS ANGELES – Bolivar, Missouri, has 5000 citizens and more than a hundred churches, Bible schools and theological colleges full of well-scrubbed Christian boys and ...

John McLaughlin, Santana: John McLaughlin and Carlos Santana: Cruisin' With The Guru

Interview by David Rensin, Creem, March 1974

The backseat revelations of Carlos Santana & Mahavishnu John McLaughlin ...

Dave Mason: No More Traffic Jams

Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 14 March 1974

LOS ANGELES – The reporter from the Free Press had one more question for Dave Mason after the interview at his road manager's house in ...

Bachman-Turner Overdrive, The Guess Who: Bachman-Turner Overdrive: 'Let It Ride' In Overdrive

Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 23 May 1974

"WE PLAY all over the States and almost every radio station we run into has 'Let It Ride' being spun next to the Guess Who's ...

The Eagles, Neil Young: Luesta College, San Luis Obispo CA

Live Review by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 23 May 1974

Punch Card Pop ...

Black Oak Arkansas, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, The Eagles, Earth, Wind & Fire, Emerson Lake And Palmer, Rare Earth, Seals and Crofts: Various Artists: California Jam Festival: Ontario Motor Speedway, Ontario CA

Live Review by David Rensin, Zoo World, 23 May 1974

"Bastion Of Ennui" nets record gate. ...

The Eagles Have Stopped Takin' It Easy

Report and Interview by David Rensin, Crawdaddy!, July 1974

With a new lead guitarist, a new producer, a hit and a series of almosts, the Eagles step out on the border... ...

Maria Muldaur

Report and Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 1 August 1974

THE AUDIENCE is expectant, the music strident, the voice rich and full-throated and sensuous. It's San Diego, the first stop on Maria Muldaur's 30-day road ...

Joni Mitchell, Tom Scott: Tom Scott: Joni's Spark

Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 1 August 1974

LOS ANGELES – Mention the name Tom Scott in jazz circles and recognition is immediate: The 25-year-old horn-playing prodigy from Southern California is well known ...

Bad Company, Santana: Santana, Bad Company: Robertson Gymnasium, University of California at Santa Barbara

Live Review by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 12 September 1974

Carlos in a Cavern: Jazz, Sort of ...

Minnie Riperton: S'Wonderlove

Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 10 October 1974

LOS ANGELES – Along with many of the stars and hopefuls at Chicago's 1971 Black Expo, Minnie Riperton waited patiently backstage to approach the blind ...

Traffic Lightens Up for American Tour

Report and Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 24 October 1974

NEW YORK – Looking only slightly recovered from a two-day-old case of jet lag, Traffic drummer Jim Capaldi strutted into the Providence Civic Center dressing ...

Edgar Winter: When Edgar Winter Faced The Music His Heavy Metal Went Pop!

Profile and Interview by David Rensin, Zoo World, 24 October 1974

EDGAR WINTER tried to relax with little success, his normally impassive face showing signs of serious discomfort as he attempted to fit his six-foot frame ...

Roger McGuinn: The Post-Flight Is Finally Solo

Report and Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 5 December 1974

LOS ANGELES – A solitary figure in the Troubadour spotlight, Roger McGuinn swayed gently as he sang: "Hey Mr. D. do you want me to ...

Tom Rush's Circle: Joni, James & Cows

Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 2 January 1975

MANFRED, MASSACHUSETTS – James Taylor's nasal drawl crackled insistently across the telephone line from his Martha's Vineyard retreat. "I first heard Tom Rush about ten ...

Billy Preston's Gospel Truths

Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 27 February 1975

LOS ANGELES – "I've never asked anyone to help me or give me a break," declared Billy Preston adamantly. "Whatever I don't have now I ...

Dan Fogelberg: Home Free At Last

Report and Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 13 March 1975

LOS ANGELES - For Dan Fogelberg, 1974 ended on a note of modest triumph. Though 6,500 fans jammed the Shrine Auditorium to help the Eagles ...

Little Feat: Giant Steps Across The Sea

Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 10 April 1975

JACKSON BROWNE said that their founder was "the Orson Welles of rock & roll" and Jimmy Page has called them his "favorite American group." ...

Pink Floyd: Vancouver, BC; Seattle WA; San Francisco CA

Live Review by David Rensin, Sounds, 3 May 1975

Trapped on the Moon ...

Pink Floyd: Los Angeles Sports Arena

Live Review by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 5 June 1975

Space Rock: Floydian Slip ...

Edgar Winter, Johnny Winter: Johnny and Edgar Winter: Two Hazy Shades of Winter

Report and Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 6 November 1975

OAKLAND – "My band's a dictatorship and Edgar's is a democracy," Johnny Winter blurted out through the hotel-room haze after playing the last of three ...

Earth Wind and Fire: Signs Rise for Shining Stars

Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 29 January 1976

LOS ANGELES – "Music is a sacred thing and we take it very seriously," Earth Wind & Fire founder/percussionist Maurice White offers during a rehearsal ...

Tommy Bolin: Teaser Tommy Bolin Gets Deep into Purple

Interview by David Rensin, Rolling Stone, 26 February 1976

ON THE COVER of his first solo album, Teaser, Tommy Bolin's face is creased into a laugh that couples angelic delight and demonic perversity. Considering ...

The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson: A Conversation With Brian Wilson

Interview by David Rensin, Oui, December 1976

The poet laureate of surf and sand talks about the tribulations of being a genius, his ongoing struggle with things chemical and his monumental plans ...

Ted Nugent

Interview by David Rensin, Playboy, October 1980

Ted Nugent on life, love, 
firearms, the coming holocaust
 and his own unique lifestyle. ...

Stevie Nicks: 20 Questions: Stevie Nicks

Interview by David Rensin, Playboy, July 1982

Ladies and Gentlemen, the reigning queen of rock – on recklessness, relationships and reincarnation. Contributing Editor David Rensin met with Stevie Nicks (whose album Bella ...

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: 20 Questions: Tom Petty

Interview by David Rensin, Playboy, September 1982

Rock's hottest heartbreaker reveals dark secrets — about record-industry execs, rock-'n'-roll marriages and what's in his pockets. ...

U2: Band of Gold: U2 Rattle and Hum

Report and Interview by David Rensin, Premiere, November 1988

AGAINST A BLOOD-RED backdrop, four silhouetted figures file onstage to the pomp of a prerecorded organ. Dry ice smoke billows, and sparks crackle from lightning ...

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