RIP Nick Tosches

Nick Tosches: October 23, 1949 – October 20, 2019

I’m all torn up about the death of Nick Tosches, as Nick had an immeasurable affect on my life.

I was a college student with dreams of being a rock writer, mimeographing my fanzine Teenage Wasteland Gazette when Nick came along, encouraged me and gave me actual writing assignments. As the editor of Oui, a magazine owned by Playboy, he sent me on real, paying jobs interviewing Muddy Waters, Marc Bolan and Alice Cooper.

I felt validated that he liked my irreverent approach. But truth be told, I was influenced by him and Meltzer. Not long after, we traveled to California together on the record company dime to write about the English band Uriah Heep... I was a teenager and I finally felt like a real rock writer!

Maybe a year later, my interest in rock criticism waned, as I started creating my own rock music while Nick’s writing metamorphasized into deep, dark, dense novels and essential books on popular show biz figures. His wordplay was always too sophisticated for rock and roll anyway.

I stayed in loose contact with Nick and noticed a decline in his health in recent years. I’m not completely shocked to hear of his passing but it still feels like a knife through my heart. When I needed encouragement and a step up, Nick was there. Thanks, buddy!!