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We'll Be Here for the Rest of Our Lives: A Swingin' Show-Biz Saga
From Paul Shaffer, lifelong music junkie, hipster, and longtime leader of David Letterman's band, comes a candid, endearing, hilarious, and star-studded memoir of a life in-and love of-show business.
How does a kid go from a remote Canadian town at the tip of Lake Superior to the bright lights of Broadway and a gig leading the band on Letterman? This book is Paul Shaffer's...more
How does a kid go from a remote Canadian town at the tip of Lake Superior to the bright lights of Broadway and a gig leading the band on Letterman? This book is Paul Shaffer's...more
Hardcover, 336 pages
Published
October 6th 2009
by Flying Dolphin Press
(first published 2009)
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"Ladies and gentlemen, there are seven acknowledged wonders of the world, you are about to witness the eighth." You know him for such hits as "It's Raining Men," "Bermuda," and the theme from "Will It Float," the Funky Jew himself...
Paul Shaffer has lead a charmed life and he is the first to admit it. From his childhood playing piano for his adoring parents and listening obsessively to pop records, to sitting in with some of rock music's greatest performers and leading The World's Most Dangerous...more
Paul Shaffer has lead a charmed life and he is the first to admit it. From his childhood playing piano for his adoring parents and listening obsessively to pop records, to sitting in with some of rock music's greatest performers and leading The World's Most Dangerous...more
Feb 13, 2010
Dan Slabaugh
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
nobody
Recommended to Dan by:
nobody
As a guy who has been in the eye of pop culture hurricanes such as the beginning of Saturday Night Live, the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame, and the David Letterman show, Paul has surprising few interesting tales to tell.
About the only story I found valuable was how he turned down the role of George Costanza in the Seinfeld television show.
It is well known that Paul was a heavy party guy in the past with an appetite for drugs. None of those stories made it into the book. All we could read was his Vega...more
About the only story I found valuable was how he turned down the role of George Costanza in the Seinfeld television show.
It is well known that Paul was a heavy party guy in the past with an appetite for drugs. None of those stories made it into the book. All we could read was his Vega...more
I absolutely loved this book. Paul Shaffer has mined a wealth of backstage stories from his amazing career.
It's no secret that Canadians are some of the most talented showmen on the planet.
And who knew that a boy from Thunder Bay, ON. would help create the Blues Brothers and become David Letterman's band leader.
Shaffer's memoir mirrors his own personality - light, fresh and entertaining.
It's also refreshing to read a celebrity memoir that doesn't include rehab, incest, drug abuse or a rap sheet...more
It's no secret that Canadians are some of the most talented showmen on the planet.
And who knew that a boy from Thunder Bay, ON. would help create the Blues Brothers and become David Letterman's band leader.
Shaffer's memoir mirrors his own personality - light, fresh and entertaining.
It's also refreshing to read a celebrity memoir that doesn't include rehab, incest, drug abuse or a rap sheet...more
Really disliked the structure of the book (what structure???), often the tone, and much of the content, but it's worth the two stars to hear some of the celeb stories (like when he cut Mel Gibson's leg on the Letterman show, or his long pre-SNL history with Gilda Radner), although it seemed about half of the stories were gossipy and/or were trying to project a biased image. It was very bizarre, because sometimes the words were there to say something nice about a celeb (like Jerry Lewis), but all...more
If you are looking for any type of a deep dive might I recommend that of a fictional character in the various Transformers universes** because this book only skims the surface.
** Deepdive is the name of a Mini-Con. He is an original mold for the Cybertron line and turns into a submarine and is part of the Giant Planet Mini-Con team. The Giant Planet Mini-Con team is an original Hasbro creation, and did not appear in the Japanese version of the series, Galaxy Force. As the television series was p...more
** Deepdive is the name of a Mini-Con. He is an original mold for the Cybertron line and turns into a submarine and is part of the Giant Planet Mini-Con team. The Giant Planet Mini-Con team is an original Hasbro creation, and did not appear in the Japanese version of the series, Galaxy Force. As the television series was p...more
Loved listening to this book audio-style, because hearing Paul's voice tell the stories gave it extra hipness!! While I loved getting the 'insider bits' (particularly his bittersweet perception of Dylan, and an explanation of what really went down between the Gilda camp and Belushi camp over "Blues Brothers"), I too agree that we're getting a watered-down version of the events of his life. While there's no shortage of rock n' roll, what happened to all the sex & drugs? A real 'swingin' showb...more
His smarmy shtick and lounge lizard vibe might make it easy to dismiss Paul Shaffer, but if you know anything about music, you know he's one of the most talented players in the business -- and with a list of achievements that includes time in the "SNL" trenches, work with the Blues Brothers, nearly three decades with David Letterman, and countless recording sessions, he's got a stack of stories taller than you. "Rest of Our Lives" plays it light and breezy, recounting the highs and lows of an un...more
I've always liked Paul Shaffer. He's kooky, swingin', and fun to watch. But he's not a writer. His music career is truly amazing. He has met and worked with nearly everyone who is anyone in "the biz", but this book really fell flat.
He changes from first person to third and back again repeatedly, changes tenses mid-paragraph, and the narrative jumps around so much it's like watching a dog chasing cars. The slightest little memory jog makes him abandon a story midway and leap years before or after...more
He changes from first person to third and back again repeatedly, changes tenses mid-paragraph, and the narrative jumps around so much it's like watching a dog chasing cars. The slightest little memory jog makes him abandon a story midway and leap years before or after...more
I thought I was familiar with Paul's career, but this book turned out to be full of surprises. I knew Paul was Jewish, but not that he was observant, and Orthodox. I knew he rubbed shoulders with celebs because of his gig on the Late Show, but I had no idea how far his celebrity encounters strayed outside the boundaries of Late Night/Late Show, and even SNL. He was swinging with the hip crowd even as a child, thanks to his too-hip-for-Thunder-Bay parents. If you're at all interested in anecdotes...more
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this given that I find Shaffer to be irritating and obnoxious. Ty Templeton raved about it, I found it on abebooks.com for a dollar and was hooked from page one. It is basically about living the ultimate dream, wanting to be yourself and growing up to be just that.
The book would have gotten 5 stars but he completely glosses over his drug use which was a pretty big part of his life in the 70's and 80's.
The book would have gotten 5 stars but he completely glosses over his drug use which was a pretty big part of his life in the 70's and 80's.
I've always been a huge fan of Paul Shaffer. I actually think he's funnier than David Letterman. When Dave announced the release of this book on his show, I couldn't wait to get a hold of it. This is a great celebrity biography by the coolest hipster around. His stories are even more fascinating than I could have guessed. To hear him read this on the audio book, with his hilarious impressions of the funny and the famous, is a true insider's delight.
Equal parts schmaltz and rock-and-roll (just like Paul), this quick read has satisfying celbrity dish on many of the entertainment industry's most compelling figures. My favorites involve Jerry Lewis, Britney Spears, Eddie Fisher, Sammy Davis, Chevy Chase, Bob Dylan, and David Letterman.
Maybe this book is a guilty please, but it is a pleasure.
Maybe this book is a guilty please, but it is a pleasure.
I'm a fan of Paul's as he is a professional musician and plays off Letterman well in a comic vein. This book was a big disappointment. Paul makes repeated negative comments about the Catholic faith. Although some are justified, all as an undercurrent paint a picture for the reader of Paul as demeaning to Catholics. A real turn OFF!
A fun read but I always got the impression Shaffer was holding back on the details of his interesting and diverse career to date. Sure he has either worked with, or knows a lot of major stars, over the last few decades but he doesn't really give you anything that you haven't heard somewhere before. I think he has got a second and more impressive memoir to come because he sure knows how to tell an entertaining story he just needs to spill the beans on the next time out.
Admittedly I'm prejudiced. I love Paul Shaffer & Dave. Paul's life is to die for. A musical prodigy growing up in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, he details his rise in the music business. He has met & played with the best in the business. Plus, he plays in the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. This book is for rock music lovers. Highly entertaining.
What a fun read! I really enjoyed this book a lot. It's like having a fabulous conversation late into the evening with a celebrity who turns out to be even more interesting and down-to-earth than you imagined. And I loved that he presented both incredible highlights, sad times, and less-than-proud moments.
What a fantastic inside look in the world of celebrities! From his roots in Thunder Bay, Canada to the calling of the neon lights of New York, this was a hoot to read. If you like Paul Shaffer, or if you're an aspiring musician, or if you just like a good story, you have got to read this!
I really loved this book! My Dad just finished it and loved it too! It's all about Paul and his many moments meeting various music and comedy stars throughout the years. A quick read-it was funny, endearing and I could appreciate the moments where Paul met his musical heroes.
I was surprised to like this book. Paul always seemed like such a fake hipster but he really adores the culture of those swingin' cats from the old days. Tis book made me like him and I enjoyed his tales of some of my favorite people ( like Gilda Radner).
Paul Shaffer has had a very interesting life in music and this book just scratches the surface. It is chock full of funny stories. All are great and you get the feeling that he kept some of the best out of the book. Very enjoyable.
Jul 24, 2010
Candace
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
those interested in modern pop, rock, jazz, SNL, David Letterman show, celebrities
This book was co-witten by David Ritz. It's an as-told-to volume if ever there was one. The autobiography is not strictly chronological, and sometimes tangents lead to other tangents. There are a number of more and less interesting anecdotes involving celebrities and music industry insiders. There are no penetrating insights or profound revelations. It's just the easy-going story about an easy-going piano-player who is lucky enough to turn his passions and predilections into a career.
I found it...more
I found it...more
This was a great way to read an autobiography because Mr. Shaffer wrote the entire book as if he was talking personally to the reader. And hearing about all the areas of entertainment he worked in prior to his time with David Letterman I found varied and interesting.
Who knew? He has a great history and some very pleasant stories from the entertainment world. I could have used a little less of the detailed musical past.....but he is a musician afterall. Nice read.
Fun and fast-paced. Shaffer's ghostwriter, David Ritz, is no hack -- he was Marvin Gaye's biographer. The stories run fast and free and Shaffer has kind words for everyone, even Phil Spector.
I've always liked Paul from wathching him on David Letterman, but this book was a little disappointing. It jumped around a lot, and it didn't feel like the individual stories had much depth.
Listened to the e-book as read by Paul which was fun b/c he did voices! I love his devotion to Sinatra and the Rat Pack, and his hipster lingo that he uses in homage to them is very fun. Good stories about the Blues Brothers Days, SNL, Gilda Radner, and the Letterman show, of course.
Jul 26, 2011
Mary Newcomb
added it
Fun read! Paul Shaffer has had a great musical career, I enjoyed reading about it. He is clearly connected to some amazing musicians and others in some deep ways.
Great insight to a great musician. He's had a great life. I loved hearing his anecdotes and glad to hear that his parents supported him in his musical quests.
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A must read for all ages! The history of pop culture and rock and roll over the last 50 years served up in one irresistible seamless read.
Didn't know a lot about Paul Shaffer and found it was an interesting read. I'm sure he could have told more stories but you do have limited time for your audiences. I didn't realize that he was so connected in the music industry!
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