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Praise for Through the Eye of the Tiger
“The song Jim and Frankie wrote, ‘Eye of the Tiger,’ was So Amazing that when I first heard it I had to make sure I was not dreaming—a heart pounding timeless Rock Masterpiece!!!! … Thank you, you made Rocky even more Heroic.”
—Sylvester Stallone
“Joe Thomas introduced me to Jim Peterik almost twenty years ago and we’ve been friends ever since. The first time I met him we wrote a song together while sharing a spaghetti dinner at my favorite Italian restaurant. Somewhere between the garlic bread and the crème brûlée I knew we had a hit…sure enough, that song, ‘That’s Why God Made the Radio,’ became the title of the Beach Boys’ highest-debuting record (#3) in over forty years.”
—Brian Wilson
“I got the opportunity to meet Jim Peterik when he invited me to play on his World Stage record. We did a funky bluesy version of his number ‘Vehicle.’ I knew the song but never really knew whose song it was. I was immediately impressed with Jim; he was a true musician and lover of music. We come from different worlds, but we speak the international language … M-U-S-I-C. Since that recording I have come to know and respect Jim as a peer. When I do my annual run of shows at my club Legends, Jim has joined me on many occasions and jammed with me and my band. No rehearsals, just music. Before the show, he will hang out with me and have a shot and talk about old times, music, and cars. I am honored to share a stage with him and call him friend. He’s my Vehicle.”
—Buddy Guy
“Jim Peterik is such an extraordinary songwriter, musician, and human being. I believe he was put here on this earth to inspire us all with his words and melodies and he’s done just that. Jim, you wrote a great book … great storytelling … such an adventure to read. Jimbo rides again!”
—Mindi Abair, Concord Records singer/saxophonist/songwriter and president of the L.A. chapter of National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
“For all of his encounters with the likes of Led Zeppelin, The Beach Boys, and of course Sylvester Stallone, Jim Peterik remains resiliently down to earth and refreshingly aware of his roots. Through the Eye of the Tiger: The Rock ’n’ Roll Life of Survivor’s Founding Member by Jim with journalist Lisa Torem is a fascinating, revealing, and riotously entertaining book from a musical legend.”
—John Clarkson, editor of Pennyblackmusic.com
“Jim Peterik takes his surroundings and experiences to build songs wherever he is. Both in the UK and while hanging out in Chicago, I have witnessed him stop in mid-sentence to whip out his personal recorder and start humming a melody or a snippet of lyric into the microphone—the beginning of his next masterpiece. Through reading his memoirs, I have learned the inner workings of the man behind so many timeless classics.”
—Andrew McNeice, melodicrock.com
“I’ve known Jim Peterik for almost fifty years, and in that time saw him go from gawky teenage boy who wanted to be a rock-and-roller into one of the giants of that industry. This book tells it all, and this hometown boy couldn’t be prouder.”
—Joe Mantegna, star of stage, screen, and television and star of the hit series Criminal Minds
“If you bought a record with a Jim Peterik tune on it, chances are that would be the one you’d find yourself singing along with before the first chorus ended. Even if you can’t sing along with Through the Eye of the Tiger, Jim’s autobiography is powered by the same boundless enthusiasm and way with a hook that have helped his greatest hits endure for decades. This is one entertaining read.”
—Jeff Giles, UltimateClassicRock.com
“It’s no coincidence that Jim Peterik’s most successful band was called ‘Survivor.’ Through the Eye of the Tiger is Peterik’s rock ’n’ roll saga, the engaging autobiography of a hit-making musician and songwriter who pursued his music with passion, power, and persistence. The soundtrack to his life includes the classic rock hits ‘Vehicle,’ ‘Hold on Loosely,’ ‘The Search Is Over,’ and ‘Eye of the Tiger,’ and his new book tracks the highs and lows of his life in rock, with equal parts honesty, insight, and irreverence.”
—Ken Paulsen, music journalist, editor of Americana Music News
“In a tenacious business that eats its young and spits them out every fifteen minutes, Jim Peterik has proven to be the ultimate music survivor. Through the Eye of the Tiger offers proud testament to his enduring gift as an artist/songwriter, hard-fought integrity, and unyielding passion for his craft.”
—Ken Sharp, award-winning music journalist and New York Times bestselling author of Nothin’ to Lose: The Making of KISS (1972–1975)
“What is it that makes a listener turn the volume up when a song comes on? Energy? Excitement? Emotional connection? Jim Peterik’s songs have all that. But there’s an extra ‘it’ factor—that ‘something else’ in his songs. Same way with Jim himself. Jim continues to impress me with his generosity of spirit and humanity as he strives to inspire others to find their own ‘Eye of the Tiger.’”
—Sherrill Blackman, multi-time winner of Nashville Song Plugger of the Year
through the
eye
of the
tiger
BENBELLA BOOKS, INC.
dallas, texas
The events, locations, and conversations in this book, while true, are recreated from the author’s memory. However, the essence of the story and the feelings and emotions evoked are intended to be accurate representations. In certain instances, names, persons, organizations, and places have been changed to protect an individual’s privacy.
Copyright © 2014 by Jim Peterik and Lisa Torem
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
BenBella Books, Inc.
10300 N. Central Expressway
Suite #530
Dallas, TX 75231
Send feedback to [email protected]
First e-book edition: September 2014
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Peterik,
