Overview
A New York Times bestselling author, I am also an award-winning photo-journalist, specializing in pop culture, music, film, TV and general non-fiction.
Since the early 1980s, my work has been published in newspapers ranging from the 'New York Post' and 'Sydney Morning Herald' to Britain’s 'Observer,' 'Independent,' and 'Daily Mail.' The magazines have included 'Playboy' (American, Brazilian, Czech, French, Japanese, and Polish editions), 'Stern' (Germany), and 'Paris-Match' (France); music mags such as 'Billboard,' 'Melody Maker,' 'Musician,' 'Musik Express,' 'Performance,' and 'Sound On Sound'; and movie journals such as 'Film Review' and 'Films and Filming.' A native of London, England, who relocated to America in 1995, I'm the author of, to date, more than 30 non-fiction books.
These include 'Blonde Heat: The Sizzling Screen Career of Marilyn Monroe,' 'Classic Tracks: The Real Stories Behind 68 Seminal Recordings,' 'Die Trying: One Man’s Quest to Conquer the Seven Summits' with adventurer Bo Parfet, 'Dream in Color: How the Sánchez Sisters are Making History in Congress' with Congresswomen Linda and Loretta Sánchez, 'Effortless Style' with celebrity fashion stylist June Ambrose, 'Inside Tracks: A First-Hand History of Popular Music from the World’s Greatest Record Producers and Engineers,' 'It’s Not Really About the Hair' with reality TV star Tabatha Coffey, 'Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse: My Life in Comedy' with Phyllis Diller, 'One from the Hart' (uncredited) with actress Stefanie Powers, 'Sheryl Crow: No Fool to This Game,' and 'Whitney Houston: The Voice, The Music, The Inspiration' with musician, composer & producer Narada Michael Walden.
A co-author and consulting editor on the 'Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music' and the 'Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock,' I've penned two 'New York Times' bestsellers: 'The Murder of Marilyn Monroe: Case Closed with Jay Margolis' and 'Princess Diana: Her Life Story.' Currently podcast co-host of 'The Beatles Naked' (having previously co-hosted 'Swinging Through the Sixties' and 'Something About The Beatles'), I have also written sleeve notes for records and videos, as well as press releases and publicity bios for the likes of Aerosmith and Michael Jackson.
A researcher and on-screen entertainment pundit for TV networks in the U.S and U.K., I've lectured journalism students at Chicago’s Northwestern University and PACE students at National-Lewis University. Additionally, I've been interviewed on numerous TV and radio shows, including AMC’s 'Backstory,' the 'BBC Television News,' A&E’s 'Biography,' Reelz’s 'Case Closed with A.J. Benza,' CBS’s 'Entertainment Tonight,' the Australian Seven Network’s 'Sunrise,' and E! Entertainment’s 'True Hollywood Story.' I live in Chicago.
Since the early 1980s, my work has been published in newspapers ranging from the 'New York Post' and 'Sydney Morning Herald' to Britain’s 'Observer,' 'Independent,' and 'Daily Mail.' The magazines have included 'Playboy' (American, Brazilian, Czech, French, Japanese, and Polish editions), 'Stern' (Germany), and 'Paris-Match' (France); music mags such as 'Billboard,' 'Melody Maker,' 'Musician,' 'Musik Express,' 'Performance,' and 'Sound On Sound'; and movie journals such as 'Film Review' and 'Films and Filming.' A native of London, England, who relocated to America in 1995, I'm the author of, to date, more than 30 non-fiction books.
These include 'Blonde Heat: The Sizzling Screen Career of Marilyn Monroe,' 'Classic Tracks: The Real Stories Behind 68 Seminal Recordings,' 'Die Trying: One Man’s Quest to Conquer the Seven Summits' with adventurer Bo Parfet, 'Dream in Color: How the Sánchez Sisters are Making History in Congress' with Congresswomen Linda and Loretta Sánchez, 'Effortless Style' with celebrity fashion stylist June Ambrose, 'Inside Tracks: A First-Hand History of Popular Music from the World’s Greatest Record Producers and Engineers,' 'It’s Not Really About the Hair' with reality TV star Tabatha Coffey, 'Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse: My Life in Comedy' with Phyllis Diller, 'One from the Hart' (uncredited) with actress Stefanie Powers, 'Sheryl Crow: No Fool to This Game,' and 'Whitney Houston: The Voice, The Music, The Inspiration' with musician, composer & producer Narada Michael Walden.
A co-author and consulting editor on the 'Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music' and the 'Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock,' I've penned two 'New York Times' bestsellers: 'The Murder of Marilyn Monroe: Case Closed with Jay Margolis' and 'Princess Diana: Her Life Story.' Currently podcast co-host of 'The Beatles Naked' (having previously co-hosted 'Swinging Through the Sixties' and 'Something About The Beatles'), I have also written sleeve notes for records and videos, as well as press releases and publicity bios for the likes of Aerosmith and Michael Jackson.
A researcher and on-screen entertainment pundit for TV networks in the U.S and U.K., I've lectured journalism students at Chicago’s Northwestern University and PACE students at National-Lewis University. Additionally, I've been interviewed on numerous TV and radio shows, including AMC’s 'Backstory,' the 'BBC Television News,' A&E’s 'Biography,' Reelz’s 'Case Closed with A.J. Benza,' CBS’s 'Entertainment Tonight,' the Australian Seven Network’s 'Sunrise,' and E! Entertainment’s 'True Hollywood Story.' I live in Chicago.
Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Entertainment
Music
Languages
English (UK)
English (US)
Awards
- 2008 'Sex Positive in Journalism' Award (for feature article in Playboy magazine)
Certifications
- New York Times bestselling author
Work experience
Self-employed
Dec, 1984 —
Present
In addition to writing entertainment-based articles for newspapers and magazines around the world, I have had more than 30 non-fiction books published on subjects ranging from music and film to business and politics. Several of them were co-authored memoirs, two were New York Times bestsellers.
Self-employed
Dec, 1984 —
Present
Portfolio
