ABANDONED. Rockstar interfaces with machine, becomes some sort of weapon

[Eric]

Honestly, that's about all I remember. I believe the book came out in the 80's. I think the cover was black and red with a man hooked up to a machine.

Sorry it isn't much to go on. I was really young when I read it in the late 90's.

Thanks for any help!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Is it children's, YA, or adult?

[Eric]

I think it would probably be considered YA.

Thanks for lending a hand. I do a search for it every few years and I've never found it again. I remember it being really good too :(

[Kris]

Eric, what kind of rock star is he (e.g., once-famous singer in a heavy-metal band)?
Why does he interface with a machine (e.g., live forever, sing better :)? What are the circumstance?
What's the tone - thriller, horror, funny, techy, etc.?
Any romance?

[Eric]

He played in a hard rock band (probably hair metal, as I think the book was written in th 80's).

The machine is some sort of weapon. Like, it allows him to manipulate minds and computers or something of the like.

It was written as a sci-fi thriller.

I remember there being a female and he talk to her via the machine at the end of the book.

[Kris]

Could it have been a short story in a sci fi collection?

A long shot - Bruce Sterling's Globalhead has a short story about "a rock singer who is the voice of the people". One Goodreads reviewer says, "'We See Things Differently' is about an Arab Muslim journalist sent to America to meet a popular Rock Musician/Political Fundraiser/Revolutionary. It's about the power of conviction...and maybe a little bit of religious-political propoganda brainwashing."

[Ann aka Iftcan]

The Tar-Aiym Krang possibly? While Flinx isn't a rockstar, he definitely interacts with a machine that is/was a weapon. . .

[Eric]

I'm certain the main character was a rockstar.

I think he was also psychic maybe? There was a reason why he was using the machine and i think some agency wanted to use his psychic powers to manipulate other governments so something.

I'm really sorry i can't provide more details, but i really appreciate the help.

Sorry, Kris, but it was a full length novel.

[Fresno Bob]

is it Little Heroes by norman spinrad?

[Matias]

Is it Star Fire by Ingo Swann? That has an ex-rockstar who develops psychic powers, then the government tries to control him and he fakes his own death

[Andy]

Possibly John Shirley's Eclipse Eclipse

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Eric, are you still looking for this or did you find it?

[Kris]

Note: Eric (OP) was last active on the site in October 2014.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Eric, are you still looking for this or did you find it?"

No response in 2 years. Moving to Abandoned.