What do you think?
Rate this book
The Prodigal Rogerson: The Tragic, Hilarious, and Possibly Apocryphal Story of Circle Jerks Bassist Roger Rogerson in the Golden Age of LA Punk, 1979-1996
"The definitive account of one of hardcore punk's most enigmatic figures." —Lucky Lehrer, Circle Jerks drummer
In 1983, Circle Jerks bassist Roger Rogerson stole the band’s van and dropped off the face of the earth. Thirteen years later, he came back, demanded that his bandmates reunite so they could become “bigger than the Beatles,” and promptly dropped dead. Though he was a founding member of the band and played on three of their best albums, Rogerson was lost to history.
Woven from interviews of people who knew him,The Prodigal Rogerson explains what happened to Rogerson, where he went, and who he was—all against the backdrop of the Los Angeles punk scene in its prime.
In 1983, Circle Jerks bassist Roger Rogerson stole the band’s van and dropped off the face of the earth. Thirteen years later, he came back, demanded that his bandmates reunite so they could become “bigger than the Beatles,” and promptly dropped dead. Though he was a founding member of the band and played on three of their best albums, Rogerson was lost to history.
Woven from interviews of people who knew him,The Prodigal Rogerson explains what happened to Rogerson, where he went, and who he was—all against the backdrop of the Los Angeles punk scene in its prime.
100 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 16, 2017
2 people are currently reading
253 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 28, 2017
What is the sum of a man? His accomplishments? His deeds and misdeeds? His loves and loves lost? Who he was to others? Can anyone ever know who he was to himself? All this and more in a slim book of interviews about an obscure rocker taken from those who sort of knew him. Surprisingly poignant in moments.
April 15, 2017
A simple, surprisingly touching story told extremely well. I only wish more of the author's own thoughts showed through - he seems like an innerestin' guy.
October 1, 2020
Punk rock
June 25, 2017
I'm old enough that punk music arose at a time in my life that I didn't really get it. No big there, it's just that most of my anger and angst had settled into a background hum as I had acted out most of the obvious things in the 70s. Still, in the 80s a younger friend declared, "You're the most punk person I know!" I didn't query the depth of his exposure to punk and just accepted his awed compliment.
Even though I didn't immerse myself in punk I was following it from arm's length. Not inclined to moshing and having been drunk on cheap beer way too many times I didn't feel the need to enter the arena at that time. I listened to groups that appealed to me (you should have seen me when I went all fan-boy when I met John Doe last year) and left the others to others.
That said, I knew of Circle Jerk but had no depth of knowledge. This tidy little sort-of-biography of the later years of Roger Rogerson's life (1979-1996) told largely through interviews with those who knew Roger most deeply (or as deeply as possible with someone like Rogerson) - his Circle Jerk band mates and other musicians, ex-wives and lovers, those who would have been step-children - certainly opened my eyes to one small part of the Los Angeles punk scene of that era.
Well written, engaging, short but weighty, this 'zine published by Microcosm Publishing is well worth the read for anyone interested in West Coast punk specifically, musicians, and problems often associated with genius.
Looks like I get to read "Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk" next! Written by John Doe and Tom DeSavia with chapters by over a dozen other musicians and journalists involved with the West Coast scene from 1977-1982, "Under the Big Black Sun" will undoubtedly help erode more of my ignorance.
Even though I didn't immerse myself in punk I was following it from arm's length. Not inclined to moshing and having been drunk on cheap beer way too many times I didn't feel the need to enter the arena at that time. I listened to groups that appealed to me (you should have seen me when I went all fan-boy when I met John Doe last year) and left the others to others.
That said, I knew of Circle Jerk but had no depth of knowledge. This tidy little sort-of-biography of the later years of Roger Rogerson's life (1979-1996) told largely through interviews with those who knew Roger most deeply (or as deeply as possible with someone like Rogerson) - his Circle Jerk band mates and other musicians, ex-wives and lovers, those who would have been step-children - certainly opened my eyes to one small part of the Los Angeles punk scene of that era.
Well written, engaging, short but weighty, this 'zine published by Microcosm Publishing is well worth the read for anyone interested in West Coast punk specifically, musicians, and problems often associated with genius.
Looks like I get to read "Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk" next! Written by John Doe and Tom DeSavia with chapters by over a dozen other musicians and journalists involved with the West Coast scene from 1977-1982, "Under the Big Black Sun" will undoubtedly help erode more of my ignorance.
February 23, 2021
Brief yet interesting history of the band the Circle Jerks along with a history of Mr. Rogerson's before and after musical career and sordid life. I learned where the song "Red Blanket Room" originated along with some other things. I do disagree that "Golden Shower of Hits" was a weak follow up to their second album "Wild in The Streets". I might be biased since it was the first Circle Jerks album I heard as a teenager, but I still feel like it holds up. Anyway, back to the review, short but well written and researched. I am on to Keith Morris' book "My Damage" next.
Sidenote: The author is also the bassist in the band Dot Dash who I saw perform last Halloween, good band.
Sidenote: The author is also the bassist in the band Dot Dash who I saw perform last Halloween, good band.
December 26, 2018
a short but thorough book about the life of the first Circle Jerks bassist Done as an oral history, which works for the story told. There was a lot of lies and misinformation about his background and the format helps create that sense of uncertainity. The length was right, his life was a hundred story. The only downside is the obvious aspects of drugs and drinks and self destruction. It is part of the life for some, so it needs to be there. A good book
February 9, 2021
This is a deep dive into the life of Roger Rogerson, the bass player for the Circle Jerks. It's a pretty standard oral history. It's entertaining and informative. Much more tragic than hilarious. A very quick read. (This review originally appeared on my personal Good Reads page: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9...)
-Jeff
-Jeff
October 3, 2019
This is a deep dive into the life of Roger Rogerson, the bass player for the Circle Jerks. It's a pretty standard oral history. It's entertaining and informative. Much more tragic than hilarious. A very quick read.
November 13, 2019
A very brief, rather melancholy oral history of the bassist from the hardcore band the Circle Jerks, and his strange and sad life. Genuine intelligence and talent derailed by addiction and mental illnesses, recalled by his band mates, loved ones, and associated music industry hangers-on. M
December 31, 2019
I was never a fan of the Circle Jerks, but a friend loaned me this little book, and, Holy shit! What a wild, unbelievable and intriguing story. Roger Rogerson was one of the most interesting people I've ever read about. I could easily have read something four times as long about this strange human.
October 11, 2021
Sad, funny, quick read about one of the founders of the early LA hardcore punk scene. An oral history with funny and informative quips from the author.
If you're a fan of early punk music, you'll enjoy this read.
If you're a fan of early punk music, you'll enjoy this read.
August 22, 2017
entertaining and short like me.
September 25, 2021
Dull. No insight into the late 1970s/early 1980s punk scene: Merely mundane, everyday tales of a bass player with personal issues.
March 12, 2017
Highly entertaining story of a part of punk history no one knew about. The LA punk scene wasn't something I knew a lot about and this book brings the people behind it to life.
March 7, 2022
A quick read. Deep in the Punk World. Sound interesting? Go for it. The publisher is a very cool outfit. Support them!
Cheers.
Cheers.
June 28, 2019
Short but engaging -- this is a biog off-and-on again Circle Jerks bassists Roger R. This was certainly enough to get me to sign up for the publisher's (Microcosm Publishing) newsletter. This overview of the punk rock career of the duplicitous junkie "Rogerson" is stitched together from quotes from bandmates, scenesters, family members, etc. In a way, this reminds me of some aspects of Dee Dee Ramone: bassist music director/composer brought low by his substance abuse demons.
September 26, 2016
A fast, gripping oral history of one of the characters who played a defining role in the birth of hardcore punk rock in L.A. The story of Roger's entry into the Circle Jerks begins with him offering some beer to Keith Morris outside of the Anti-Club. The Prodigal Rogerson, however, starts much later in the chronology and jumps around to great effect.
Some of these stories I heard first-hand from Keith while working on My Damage but there's a great deal I didn't know and in The Prodigal Rogerson his quirky personality really shines through. While he Rogerson never defined himself as a punk, indeed when he was kicked out of the Circle Jerks he joined a band with the brother of teen heartthrob Kristy McNichol, Rogerson's antics were always extreme.
Rogerson was infamous for changing his name and clouding his past in secrecy and kudos to the author, J. Hunter Bennett for chasing down those rumors and getting to the bottom of a mystery that has lasted for 40 years. The Prodigal Rogerson is a quick, entertaining read and a must have for completists of the L.A. scene.
Some of these stories I heard first-hand from Keith while working on My Damage but there's a great deal I didn't know and in The Prodigal Rogerson his quirky personality really shines through. While he Rogerson never defined himself as a punk, indeed when he was kicked out of the Circle Jerks he joined a band with the brother of teen heartthrob Kristy McNichol, Rogerson's antics were always extreme.
Rogerson was infamous for changing his name and clouding his past in secrecy and kudos to the author, J. Hunter Bennett for chasing down those rumors and getting to the bottom of a mystery that has lasted for 40 years. The Prodigal Rogerson is a quick, entertaining read and a must have for completists of the L.A. scene.
February 27, 2017
It's like a Cliff Notes version of an in depth 'zine article. Giving a solid base of the Circle Jerks history and some background information on Roger before launching into the rest of his life recounted by former bandmates, friends, girlfriends and wives, before wrapping up with a good Where Are They Now section.
At 93 pages, this read is a quick, sometimes funny, sometimes sad look at a founding member of one of the major bands of the second wave of punk rock.
Final summation: Roger was a classically trained guitarist, amateur life fabricator and professional mess.
*unbeknownst to me, my good friends at AngryYoungandPoor.Com recommended this book on their Instagram the day after I finished reading it...so extra street cred.
At 93 pages, this read is a quick, sometimes funny, sometimes sad look at a founding member of one of the major bands of the second wave of punk rock.
Final summation: Roger was a classically trained guitarist, amateur life fabricator and professional mess.
*unbeknownst to me, my good friends at AngryYoungandPoor.Com recommended this book on their Instagram the day after I finished reading it...so extra street cred.
February 23, 2017
The punk scene in LA back in the early 1980s was a crazy time. Infused within the music scene was violence and anger and drugs -- but also a tremendous amount of creativity. And characters.
J. Hunter Bennett tells the story of Roger Rogerson, the original bassist for the legendary punk band, Circle Jerks. A talented musician and songwriter with aspirations of fame, Roger was also crippled by mental illness and drug addiction. He quit the band, and for all intents and purposes, disappeared.
This is where the story is the most interesting: what happened to Roger since the early 1980s. Bennett interviewed those close to Roger to paint a picture of a troubled individual -- charismatic and lovable and well-intentioned -- but self-destructive.
At times Roger's story is painfully sad, but Bennett does a great job of pulling in humorous and surprising anecdotes that create a nicely dimensionalized portrait.
J. Hunter Bennett tells the story of Roger Rogerson, the original bassist for the legendary punk band, Circle Jerks. A talented musician and songwriter with aspirations of fame, Roger was also crippled by mental illness and drug addiction. He quit the band, and for all intents and purposes, disappeared.
This is where the story is the most interesting: what happened to Roger since the early 1980s. Bennett interviewed those close to Roger to paint a picture of a troubled individual -- charismatic and lovable and well-intentioned -- but self-destructive.
At times Roger's story is painfully sad, but Bennett does a great job of pulling in humorous and surprising anecdotes that create a nicely dimensionalized portrait.
February 21, 2017
You'll laugh, cry and shake your head on every page
Bennett interviewed band members, ex-wives, old girlfriends, scenesters, record label owners, a stepson and others to produce a portrait of Roger Rogerson through the words of those who knew him. While the pages consist of quotes deftly arranged to tell a story, Bennett acts as a one-man Greek chorus throughout the book to comment on the action and give context. While not a comedy or tragedy in the conventional sense, Rogerson's strange and varied life contains aspects of both. You're likely to laugh, cry and shake your head on every page. If you saw the Circle Jerks live or loved their albums, get this fast-paced book. You'll never listen to their songs the same way.
Bennett interviewed band members, ex-wives, old girlfriends, scenesters, record label owners, a stepson and others to produce a portrait of Roger Rogerson through the words of those who knew him. While the pages consist of quotes deftly arranged to tell a story, Bennett acts as a one-man Greek chorus throughout the book to comment on the action and give context. While not a comedy or tragedy in the conventional sense, Rogerson's strange and varied life contains aspects of both. You're likely to laugh, cry and shake your head on every page. If you saw the Circle Jerks live or loved their albums, get this fast-paced book. You'll never listen to their songs the same way.
February 25, 2017
good book, read the Cockney Rejects book for a Rogerson story that was left out of the book
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews