Bumping Into Geniuses - by Danny Goldberg (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Step inside the rock 'n' roll world with this all-access pass from the music biz legend who collaborated with Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, Stevie Nicks, Bruce Springsteen, and more.

In Bumping into Geniuses, Danny Goldberg chronicles his decades in the rock and roll biz--not only launching legendary acts to greater heights, but becoming friends with many of them. He tells mesmerizing stories of superstars like Kurt Cobain, Courtney Love, Bruce Springsteen, Warren Zevon, KISS, Led Zeppelin, and others.

There may be no other music genre that has evolved like rock and roll. One man behind the scenes who has been hugely influential in defining it is Danny Goldberg, who started as a journalist in the '60s but soon pivoted to become the American publicist for Led Zeppelin. He then became the personal manager for artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Nicks, Sonic Youth, the Allman Brothers Band, and Nirvana.

More than a series of brilliantly painted rock-star portraits, this updated edition unpacks the last half century of the industry itself: an everchanging business that was complex and chaotic, a mixture of art and commerce, idealism and selfishness. And in the telling, Goldberg reveals how rock's most gifted and influential musicians were able to release music which endures decades later.

Originally published in 2008, the 2026 edition includes a new afterword by Goldberg with updated observations on the music business in the digital era, and rock culture in general as well as new anecdotes about several of the "geniuses" he worked with.

Review Quotes

"A behemoth in the rock 'n' roll industry."
--Vanity Fair

"A laminated backstage pass to the music business, intertwined with a juicy slice of countercultural history."
--Los Angeles Times

"[A] surprisingly excellent book, an engaging, droll and -- incandescent artistes to the contrary -- largely demystifying look at the evolution of the rock trade from Woodstock to grunge...There is an elegiac quality to Bumping into Geniuses."
--New York Times Book Review

"Chronicles the phases of his career with the sort of candor few record-biz execs would attempt. . . . Admirably blunt, but also spiked with tart humor."
--Entertainment Weekly

"For anyone interested in the rock and roll industry, or simply the mores and temperaments of the musicians themselves, Bumping into Geniuses is an incredible insider's tale."
--Vintage Guitar

"Bumping into Geniuses is such an important text. . . . Goldberg's book presents a time when popular music really mattered, when the authentic fed the commercial and the commercial widened the scope of the authentic."
--Milwaukee Express News

"Goldberg summons up some fascinating anecdotes as he writes about these performers with much honesty and compassion, bringing it all back home."
--Publishers Weekly

"A good taste of life in the music biz. . . . It's not only the tales themselves that make Bumping into Geniuses a great read; it's how Goldberg tells the stories. You really get the feeling that he loved every moment."
--The Jewish Journal

"Goldberg is an industry icon. . . . He explains how the essence of music changed from being about the artistry to being about the business, but he also shares insider stories. Goldberg's affection for music, as a fan, is always palpable."
--Richmond Times Dispatch

"This book renews my faith in the music, confirms my suspicion of the business, and answers a lot of questions that I've always meant to ask Danny myself."
--Steve Earle, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter

"Danny Goldberg believes in the transcendent beauty and power of rock and roll and at the same time has a unique perspective on the business which has presented and preserved it. Danny writes about rock and roll with his characteristic mix of intelligence, reverence, and humor."
--Patti Smith, Grammy-winner and R&R HOF Inductee

"In chronicling his remarkable rise from rock writer to record-company chief, Danny Goldberg demonstrates that there's more to the music business than just business."
--Kurt Loder, Rolling Stone and MTV Music critic

About the Author

Danny Goldberg is a legendary music industry figure who has served as CEO of the Mercury Records Group, Atlantic Records, Warner Bros. Records, and Artemis Records, and currently runs Gold Village Entertainment. His most recent books include Serving the Servant: Remembering Kurt Cobain and Liberals with Attitude: The Rodney King Beating and the Fight for the Soul of Los Angeles.