Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Pastore.
Hi Michael, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I recently decided to share my story of growing up a fan of rock music. The band Van Halen is used as a backdrop. It is a coming-of-age story about my friends and I discovering the band and attending concerts at a very young age. I then explain how I lost interest in the band later in life, only to rediscover them more recently. It is a very nostalgic journey throughout the 1980s and beyond. As a teacher, I realized that my high school students were becoming interested in a lot of the same music that I grew up on. I wanted to share the history of that time period with young people. I also want the story to serve as a lesson for not taking things for granted. I regret the years of not appreciating the band. That can be applied to many things in a person’s life. It is not exclusive to rock and roll.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Let me begin by saying that it is truly a surreal experience to be interviewed about a book that I have written about Van Halen. I suppose there was always a part of me that wanted to write a book one day. Towards the end of my teaching career, I began to spend more time appreciating the music that I once listened to when I was younger. I suddenly realized that there was a story to be told about a young person growing up in the 1980s and discovering their favorite band. A period piece, if you will. I treated it like a journal assignment. I purchased a journal at Staples and began to write down memories of my childhood. I encourage others to do the same. I noticed that the stories developed into small chapters. The more I wrote, the more I realized how much the band was a part of my life over the years. I did not put the pen down until I reached current events.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As I began to type the story, I realized that there was quite a bit of history to be researched as well. Things became more involved as I began to delve deeper. At times, I would hit a roadblock, but eventually things would work out. My son taught me how to publish the story. He recently published a collection of horror stories titled Blue Moon. Once that was done, it was only a matter of time before fans of the band discovered the book.
I reached out to people in the Van Halen community who I have admired over the years. People like Eric Senich of the Van Halen News Desk and Darren Paltrowitz, author of DLR Book: How David Lee Roth Changed the World. They were both very kind and supportive. I also became very involved in the podcast community, particularly And The Podcast Will Rock. Everyone has been incredibly supportive, and they all seem to be enjoying the story very much.
As for your readers, I encourage them to do the same thing as I did a short time ago. We all have a story to tell. We are more a part of history than we realize. I began to realize it when I shared stories with my high school students. They were very surprised to hear about many of the bands that I saw in concert. Many of them also longed for the days of building a stereo and recording vinyl albums onto cassette tapes. Those are the things that seem to be resonating with many of the readers. I also would like to encourage people to appreciate what is before them. Do not take things for granted. The main theme of the book developed into a cautionary tale of not being spiteful. For me, it was an unwillingness to accept new versions of the band. For others, it could be something much more crucial. Life is too short to be filled with regrets.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Everyone mentioned in the book deserves to be acknowledged. Family and friends are particularly essential to the telling of my story. They are just as much a part of my journey as the band Van Halen was. I would also like to say that none of this would have been possible without the podcast ‘And The Podcast Will Rock’. It was through that community that I realized there was a story to be told.
Pricing:
- $9.99
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amazon.com/Mighty-Van-Halen-Fans-Journey/dp/B0G1KYGKGG/
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lozyws4eUPw
Image Credits
Michael J. Pastore
