If you were on the fabled Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California in the mid-1960s, you would have seen this gigantic billboard showcasing the faces of young men who were becoming legends in rock and roll radio. They were pop culture heroes of that day. More importantly, they motivated kids like me. I learned the importance of trying to make something of my potential by creating a professional life for myself in the media industries.

One of those young men on that Sunset Boulevard billboard was The Real Don Steele. He irreverently and sarcastically referred to Los Angeles as the neon fun jungle. It was a cool phrase that even today remains one of the most accurate and unforgettable nicknames that LA has ever been given. Unquestionably, you will certainly find a lot of neon lights in LA. You may or may not find fun in LA. It all depends upon whether you know where to look for fun. But, without doubt, LA is, if nothing else, a jungle where survival is challenging and risky business.

I jumped feet first into that jungle without fear and I lived to tell about it. I am not a kid anymore. But, when I was, I genuinely felt inspired by pop culture heroes like The Real Don Steele. I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with him in Hollywood rock and roll radio. This man was a product of Hollywood. He was born there and even graduated from Hollywood High School. Although he lived only 61 years, his was a unique and memorable life like few others I have known. Steele used to invite his radio listeners on “a quest for adventure in the neon fun jungle.” For him, it was all about seeking excitement because in that search, you never really knew what you might find. I found that attitude especially captivating and motivating.

I wrote this book especially for the younger generations—anyone who was not yet alive in 1965. This is your gateway to adventure and discovery back in time to the Hollywood rock and roll radio scene half a century ago. Those were more innocent days than today. Certainly, as Bob Dylan said, the times were a-changin’. The transition from the 1960s into the 1970s proved to be extraordinarily turbulent. Unusually vivid and sometimes explosive cultural and political twists and turns in American history were common in those days. The rules also were very different back then compared to today. You may find it difficult to believe that such an unpredictable time ever could have happened in our country.

But, this is nonfiction. This stuff really did happen even though it will seem maybe just a little bit strange compared to today.

The 1960s in the United States was a state of mind and way of life very different from any other decade before or since.

At the time, you could find very thin neckties, thick-framed glasses, sticky hairstyles that were held skyward against the forces of gravity by aerosol sprays, and an immortal and bold sports car from the Ford Motor Company cleverly named after a very fast horse. It also was a time of innocence and innovation in rock and roll radio.

More importantly, it was a show business environment that no longer exists and likely never will exist again. This is true if only because much of what today’s radio broadcasting business accepts as everyday reality literally was against the law back then. Ah, the glorious 1960s!

What you’re reading now is a spinoff to my rock and roll radio history website, Boss Radio Forever. This will take you down a much different path. This is a personal memoir intended especially for you. Yes, you! Just be mindful that what you hold in your hot little hands today is a gateway to an adventure. You are just one step away from going behind the scenes to a portion of the American entertainment business that has rarely been seen by outsiders like you and me.