Billy Lives

by Gary Brandner

Billy He was the king of rock ‘n roll - until a shocking accident cut short his spectacular career.Iris A nubile beauty who was the latest to be promoted by Billy from groupie to bedmate.Al Billy’s manager who guided his career like a father. His reaction to Billy’s “Jesus Christ, I’m wiped out!”Madeline Al’s cool and lovely young wife who knew more about Billy than she should.Rick Billy’s one-time partner, he harbored a hatred that grew with Billy’s fame.Dean Once he was a literary giant, now he is debt-ridden alcoholic. Hired to write Billy’s story, he discovers the surprising truth behind Billy’s legend - and some startling facts about himself.Billy Lives is a hard-driving novel about rock music’s dim subculture, where drugs, kinky sex, and easy money can turn a teenager into a millionaire overnight - or make him an old man in a week.

100 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Gary Phil Brandner (May 31, 1930 – September 22, 2013) was an American horror author best known for his werewolf themed trilogy of novels, The Howling. The first book in the series was loosely adapted as a motion picture in 1981. Brandner's second and third Howling novels, published in 1979 and 1985 respectively, have no connection to the film series, though he was involved in writing the screenplay for the second Howling film, Howling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf. The fourth film in the Howling series, Howling IV: The Original Nightmare, is actually the closest adaptation of Brandner's original novel, though this too varies to some degree.

Brandner's novel Walkers was adapted and filmed for television as From The Dead Of Night. He also wrote the screenplay for the 1988 horror film Cameron's Closet.

Born in the Midwest and much traveled during his formative years, Brandner published more than 30 novels, over 100 short stories, and also wrote a handful of screenplays. He attended college at the University of Washington where he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity. After graduating in 1955, he worked as an amateur boxer, bartender, surveyor, loan company investigator, advertising copywriter, and technical writer before turning to fiction writing. Brandner lived with his wife, Martine Wood Brandner, and several cats in Reno, Nevada.

He died of esophageal cancer in 2013.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really great book. I enjoyed it a lot and plan to read more of this author's books. Although the cover blurb suggests its about sex, drugs, and rock n roll, it's not. It is a well written story about a rock star, a concert promoter, a PR guy, a bestselling author who had not written anything in ages, the groupie who gets by, and many other unforgettable characters.

This book takes the reader into Sunset Strip of the early seventies. It takes the reader into the lives of all the people involved and you see each as a person, not just as a caricature. It starts with a rockstar who is scared of heights skydiving as a publicity stunt and ends with a full fledged riot at the Fabulous Forum. Good stuff.

[Lawrence FitzGerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good prose, good characterization, good world building, good story, maybe a theme.

I have no idea how I found this book. It has been sitting on my kindle for months and I finally decided to do something about it. But it was a good find.

Billy Lockett, fledgling rock star, pancakes on his first skydiving jump. And now various and sundry characters, beginning with his manager, are left to pick up the pieces and salvage an anticipated payday.

The novel's strength is characterization, but Brandner also catches the mid 70's LA vibe and the rock music scene. Well worth reading.