ROCKIN' A HARD PLACE: Flats, Sharps & Other Notes From A Misfit Music Club Owner

by John Jeter

John Jeter was a burnt-out journalist living in Florida when his younger brother, who once saved Jeter's life by donating one of his kidneys, telephoned with life-altering news: he found the perfect spot in Greenville, South Carolina, for the concert hall they always dreamed of opening a nearly abandoned cotton mill fluttering with pigeons . . . and potential. Rockin' a Hard Place is the story of The Handlebar, an intimate "listening room" that has presented thousands of artists John Mayer, Joan Baez, Zac Brown, and Sugarland among them and hosted a quarter-million fans since its opening in 1994. A promoter's memoir, this is the story of a na ve plunge into an industry that Hunter S. Thompson once called a "cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free."

With a wry and irreverent voice, Jeter describes the concert business from the bottom of its food chain, where one band's backstage demand includes "one hamster dressed like Indiana Jones,

Genres: Music

220 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2012

About the author

John Jeter, co-owner of The Handlebar, a concert venue in Greenville, SC, has published his third book, THE LUCIFER GENOME: A BIOGENETICS THRILLER, with co-author Glen Craney. The thriller's a genre-busting departure from Jeter's previous book, ROCKIN' A HARD PLACE, an acclaimed music-memoir, with rave reviews from PASTE magazine, HUFFINGTON POST and more.
http://www.handlebar-online.com/books...

He has appeared on Oprah! Jeter's novel, THE PLUNDER ROOM, was published by St. Martin's Press, and tells the story of the deterioration of honor.

His day job: He books bands for The Handlebar, the subject of ROCKIN' A HARD PLACE.
http://hubcity.org/press/catalog/hist...

Before opening his concert venue in 1994 with his wife, Kathy Laughlin, he worked for 10 years as a newspaperman - reporter, editor and rewriteman for the Chicago Sun-Times, St. Petersburg Times and San Antonio Express-News. He also: appeared on Oprah!; earned a master's degree from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism; traveled widely.
http://www.handlebar-online.com

The Handlebar has promoted thousands of artists, including John Mayer, Sugarland, Zac Brown Band, Joan Baez, John Hiatt, David Sanborn, Dr. John, Bela Fleck, The Roots and more - more than three dozen Grammy Award winners, countless Grammy nominees and a half-dozen Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame inductees.

Jeter also contributed an essay to MAKING NOTES: MUSIC OF THE CAROLINAS, published by Novello Press.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in the first contest I entered here at Goodreads - cool. I'm not from the area, never heard of the venue, but as soon as I started reading, I got pulled into the story.

I'm not about spoilers - this book is a fun book for music lovers, especially those who prefer to see it live. And if anyone is thinking about getting into the music business, this should be a must-read. Everyone from artists to fans will get something different from Jeter's honest stories from the school of hard knocks.

Thanks, John Jeter - for a great book that took me back to when I started listening to live music, and brought me up to speed on how the industry has changed (hopefully for the better) since NAPSTER and the like.

After reading this book - I might go 100+ miles out of my way to catch a show at The Handlebar the next time I'm headed down south. I hope you're still there!

[Anne Garner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, John! I loved the book-super easy to read. Now...I'm probably a little biased because I know John, Kathy & Stephen. However it was so much fun reading about concerts I'd been to and reminiscing about some great times both at the old mill and at the new location! It makes me appreciate the hard-work that goes on behind the scenes to create a fun night out for those attending the concerts!

[Roxanne Cordonier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book, but I am bias since I'm a huge supporter of John and Kathy Jeter and have patronized the Handlebar since it opened. John's a great writer and knowing all the players in the real life drama of the trials and tribulations of The Handlebar, makes this a great read. If you are a long time resident of Greenville and a lover of live music, you'll need to read this book.
Loved every word of it!

[Lucas Velasquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rockin' a Hard Place: Flats, Sharps & Other Notes From A Misfit Music Club Owner offers a lively, irreverent look at the realities of building a music venue from an abandoned cotton mill into an intimate concert space that welcomed artists such as John Mayer, Joan Baez, Zac Brown, and Sugarland. John Jeter's journey from burnt-out journalist to concert promoter brings together family, risk-taking, live music, and the unpredictable business of turning a dream into a lasting venue.

What makes the story especially engaging is its perspective from the bottom of the concert industry's food chain, where memorable performances and devoted fans coexist with eccentric backstage demands, financial pressures, and the less glamorous realities of running a music club. With its wry voice and behind-the-scenes look at The Handlebar, the memoir offers music lovers and aspiring venue owners an entertaining glimpse into the people, challenges, and unexpected moments that make live music unforgettable.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read about the author's experience owning and being the talent-buyer for a music venue in South Carolina. There is a lot of understandable name-dropping, most of which I didn't recognize as the venue's main focus seems to be on folk and blues, not genres I am super familiar with. The author does do a good job of explaining the trials and tribulations, the hardships, the joys and sorrows. An enjoyable read.

[Michael Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

When The Handlebar first opened in Greenville, SC, I was editor of a regional arts publication called The Color Green. I met with John, his wife Cathy and his brother one afternoon out at the old Mill, just as things were getting set to kick off. I was honored when John later hung, in the lobby area, a matted and framed copy of the article I wrote about their grand opening. I remember him telling me that my article was the first one to draw attention to the venue. It would certainly not be the last.
I lived through most of the history in this book, but only as a music fan. I remember seeing some great shows at the mill location, and after they were forced out by a disreputable character who bought the mill and decided he wanted them out, I followed them to the new location on Stone Avenue, where I saw everyone from Edgar Winter to Drive By Truckers, opened shows myself for Paul Thorn, David Allan Coe and others. Oh yeah, when they held the Cash for Cash benefit, the last show at the mill to help raise funds for relocation, I got to sing "A Boy Named Sue" with my pal Jay Taylor on Hawaiian slide guitar. Nifty. When I threw a benefit show called Gritzfest, named for the magazine I had graduated up to, it was Jeter and the Handlebar who hosted us. Bonnie Bramlett joined some of Southern Rock's finest to raise money for Safe Schools.
To be honest, I was not aware of John's journalistic background until I read it in this book. We have more in common than I ever knew. But there's so much I didn't know here. Jeter details the beginnings and rise of the Handlebar, often walking through fire to see his dream to fruition. All the while, he was in physical pain and awfully close to a nervous breakdown. Why? READ THE BOOK. This is an excellent primer in just what its like to start up and run your own business, coupled with the ever changing musical climate and economy. Jeter wrote a real page turner here, folks. Whether you are a fan of the Handlebar like I am, or if you live in Los Angeles, you will still enjoy the story of three people who gave blood, sweat, tears, and all of their cash to bring quality entertainment to Upstate South Carolina. You will also gain a whole new respect for what a concert promoter goes through to stage a show. Or in this case, several shows per week. Highly recommended.

-Michael Buffalo Smith
www.michaelbuffalo.net

[Randy Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me begin this review by saying that I made the mistake of starting this book at night. It's a good thing that I don't actually sleep, because once I started this book, I couldn't put the damned thing down. In 1994, John Jeter and his brother Stephen lease space in an abandoned mill, with the intention of starting a music venue. What follows is a rollicking odyssey filled with fascinating anecdotes. Over the years, some of the biggest names in the music industry have passed through the doors of The Handlebar. This book has a little of everything: obnoxious tour managers, bizarre backstage riders (contractual requests of the performers), and "before they were famous" stories. Reading this book was like having a conversation with the author; his writing is accessible and relatable. He discusses his failures as openly and honestly as he talks about his successes. His descriptions are so evocative that you can almost imagine yourself there. He offers stark and often funny glimpses of what goes on behind the scenes of the music business. The legendary musicians become human and approachable, because Jeter writes about them as a fan and a businessman. Through venue changes, awful landlords, and horrible neighbors, The Handlebar triumphs. I enjoyed this book immensely, and you will, too.

[Arianna Connal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know a lot about what went into creating The Handlebar and I really enjoyed reading about it. I was kind of neat reading about what went on behind the scenes of some of the shows that I was at.
I wish it had been longer and had some more stories about the crazy stuff that has happened there over the years- it would be a whole series, though, so it might take John a while to write...
Seriously, even if you didn't work at there (I did- twice!) or have never been there (you should check it out if you're ever in Greenville, SC), if you love music, this book is definitely worth a read.

[Neil McGarry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book that should have been far more interesting than it was. I feel as though "Rockin' a Hard Place" is more summary than story, without a single guiding theme. There's also less scurrilous gossip than you'd expect from a guy who hosted shows from more artists than you can shake a guitar at, and sometimes important details are glossed over or given only cursory attention. Still, it's fun, and worth a read.