Writing fiction, playing and listening to music, reading, movies, the Mendocino coast, politics, Guinness, baseball, running, backpacking, kayaking, tennis, and my young friends at SVC.
Music
In no particular order ... Aimee Mann, R.E.M., The Who, The Clash, Radiohead, Richard Thompson, Arcade Fire, The Beatles, The Kinks, PJ Harvey, Gang of Four, Interpol, The New Pornographers, Wilco, The Shins, The Band, Cat Stevens (I'm not kidding), Elvis Costello, Nada Surf, Crowded House, The Finn Brothers, Sam Phillips, Steve Earle, Joy Division, The Sex Pistols, XTC, Paul Westerberg, Death Cab for Cutie, Garbage, Nirvana, Matthew Sweet, Talking Heads, Okkervil River
Movies
Hard to narrow this down, but all-time favorites include The Graduate, The Philadelphia Story (1940), In the Name of the Father, Lost in Translation, Once, A Room With A View, Fargo, Little Miss Sunshine, Stranger Than Paradise, Control, Holiday (1938), Amadeus, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Age of Innocence, Secrets and Lies, No Country for Old Men, Michael Clayton, Local Hero, Strangers on a Train, Mystic River, The Right Stuff, Babette's Feast, Oliver Twist (1948), To Have and Have Not (1944), Moonstruck, Breaking Away, Runaway Train, Spinal Tap, The Apartment, All About Eve, Life With Father (1947), The Son's Room, and The Son of the Bride.
Television
When the TV's on, it's almost always a movie, news, or sports. It's still on way too much.
Books
This is obviously a large universe. I read almost anything--fiction and nonfiction, classics and contemporary--but favorites include anything by Graham Greene, E.M. Forster, Edith Wharton, Charles Dickens, John Irving, Nick Hornby, Henry James, Evelyn Waugh, Richard Ford, T.C. Boyle, Madison Smartt Bell, Roddy Doyle, Don DeLillo, Chuck Palahniuk, Per Petterson, and Paul Theroux.
Heroes
I'm not sure I'd call them heroes, but among the people I admire are my wife, who's passionate about changing the world for the better; my father, a fantastic writer and backpacker; my late mother, a world traveler and my moral center; and my late mother-in-law, the kindest person I've ever met. Heroes? How about Willie Mays, Martin Luther King, and Steve Earle.
About me: Oh, goody, we’re going to talk about me.... And why not? As Dom Joly so aptly put it with the title of his (ahem) autobiography, "Look at me! Look at me!" So let's look at me.
OK, I’ll try to keep my story short. Well, relatively short. I'm a novelist, so short is, maybe, 300 pages. My first novel, "Getting in Tune," was published by Coral Press (www.coralpress.com) in June. Coincidentally, it's about 300 pages long.
"Getting in Tune" is what the folks at Coral Press call a work of musical fiction--in other words, "a story that rocks." My book is about Daniel Travers, a 20-year-old guitarist who drags his unwilling band out onto the road in 1976, seeking success and the redemptive promise of Pete Townshend's lost Universal Chord. Instead, what he finds is the dark underbelly of the rock 'n' roll dream and the disturbing face of his own personal demons. Ultimately, "Getting in Tune" is about the transcendent power of music and friendship. I know it sounds a little lofty, but check it out. It's a fast read and a lot of fun. Really. I promise. ("Getting in Tune" is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and elsewhere. Go to www.rogertrott.com for links to retailer sites.)
I came to writing in a roundabout way. Born and raised in Northern California, I started playing rock music when I was in high school. I continued to play music while I studied English and journalism at Shasta Community College, quitting college after two years for a full-time grab at the golden ring of rock 'n' roll, an experience that provided much of the fodder for my novel. Dozens of gigs later, I went back to school at Sonoma State University, this time studying economics. (Blame a girlfriend for this radical twist of fate.) Realizing that I couldn't get a decent job without a master's degree, I went on to the University of California at Davis, where they grudgingly gave me the piece of paper needed to get a real job.
Since college, I've worked as an environmental economist. (Don't ask.) Along the way, I met my brilliant and talented wife Lisa. We've been married ever since, an adventure in itself. Together, we've run two marathons, hiked the 225-mile John Muir Trail, and traveled in Europe and New Zealand. I've continued to follow my muses, playing music with bands in the Sacramento area, and, of course, writing fiction. This year will be another adventure as I find out what it's like to promote a novel, and as I try to make progress on my next book.
Who I'd like to meet: I'd love to meet Pete Townshend of the Who. I'm sure he'd be antagonistic and rude--I'd be disappointed if he wasn't--but he has lived in my imagination since I was a teenager, so I'd like to meet him in person. Just once.
hi roger, whats the news in california ?? i hope you feel very well. i found in michigan a new inspiration to refresh my drumming or to change a bit my style. i meet any drummers and on of them 57 years old showed me how funny can be jazz drumming.
and i bought the new novel of nick hornby. juliet, naked and a book of obama. great guy. yesterday 20 years ago in germany broke down the wall between the 2 germanys. it was a great time. i was one day on the westside in us-baracks after i left east germany about the borderline betwenn czech republic and germany. crazy story. anyhow. i wish you an good time and next year i will be in california again. and michigan and ohio. your friend bernie
hello roger my friend, yes, iam back in germany and iam VERY VERY sad. really. it was amazing. a meet a lot of unbelievable people. i love you guys. the michigan and ohio guys are sooo guestfriendly. you life in an awesome land roger.
now, i didnt saw (see ?) brand new. it was impossible to get a ticket an i will see them the next time when they are will be in germany.
we in germay have storm every day in the autumn ;-)
i played the fist time texas holdem poker. i was on the big boy table. really.
the best for you and your family and i hope you enjoy your live ;-)
hi roger my friend, best wishes and hi form your side. the weather in michigan is like in germany bud iam glad to be here. great people too. really. yesterday we were in cleveland ohio to visit teh rock n roll hall of fame and we meet the guitarpalyer from 38 spezial. so i hope you have a great time an iam looking forward to seeing you next year. by the way, our election sucks. hi from michigan, your friend bernie
hi my friend in california, thanks for commentary and yes, very strong and look a bit like the Return of the Jedi-Knights (star-wars) i dont know the original title. so, on weekend we will have the very important election on our side and roger, i cant tell you whats the better way. i will vote the left side /france revolution ;-) its similar like in the USA but its hard to explain you. on day when my english will be better iam looking forward to talking with you about a lot of political issues. in germany at the moment its better the 2 important partys to govering the next 4 years. its a good answer against financial crisis and much more. liberal in germany its a party for the high income people. my favorite is a constallation of our social party ( a bit like tony blair in great britain any years ago) and the party of environment - friendly (green). the conservatics are black and the socials are red. but i tell you ..the party on the left rim /red-red-red....sucks. i grow up in east germany(i told you) and there are the rules of this party. fuck them. 2 weeks ago i meet sworn enemy(a band rom queens NY and friend of mine) after their show in germany an their singer said.... bernie....what ??...bernie.....obama sucks...Why? ....he get money for his election campaign from the moslems..!! i dont believe that and i tell you what: the most of the moslems are friendly. really. okay, i think, we have a lot to talk about anything. i wish you an awesome day in cali and from the next friday i will be for 10 days in michigan. i think its a great area too :-) the best roger for you and your family and i hope you can understand my english ;-) your friend, bernie
Hi my friend on the other side, tank you very much, i have a good time on my side. iam very busy at the moment but better than workless in a tent i tell you ;-) i dont know whats better in germany...a new parlament or a new/old parlament. the most important question is how many people will going to vote. iam afraid 40 % stay at home and say ...fuck the politicians :-( we will say roger. i think a great coalition with the 2 most important parties is the best for all. no fight but rather a commitment. its similar exciting like the vote about the care insurance on your side. obama is a good guy. he will to honor a election pledge. i understood, its a superprise for all;-) roger, on october the 2. i will arrive in detroit michigan not L.A. and do you know what ??.....Brand New have a show on the 2. october in detroit an if i get tickets i check in . its amazing isnt it ??? a beauty from michigan said to me bernie come and visit me. O K A Y ;-) roger, i wish you an great time on your side, any perfect prjects and yesterday i tought in you. i saw in TV the movie " what about a boy" Nick Hornby. Awesome.
hi roger, the best for you from the other side and i hope you had an amazing trip through the mountains. whats the news on your side ?? on september 27. in germany we will vote the new german parliament. its very exciting. i think i will vote for Obama ;-) i wish you a great sunday and a lot of funny projects.
Just letting ya know that ALL OF OUR NEW ALBUM can now be played on our MySpace page! "All We Have" and "Inside" are the new tracks, so at least check those out! :) If you like what you hear, feel free to purchase "The EP" on iTunes or at our online merch store if you'd like to have a physical copy! Keep in touch!! - Landen
yes i will do it roger. earthquakes of course. earthshakes ;-) crazy. better than in alaska. there i could meet sarah palin. its better i stay in california. ;-) have a great lunchtime. bernie
hi roger, yes it would be a great story to meet you in L.A. and have 1 or 3 Buds together and Pearl Jam on stage.
world traveller isnt the right word i think. iam an USA - Junkie ;-)
i hope the fire is out if you will have vacation. fire sucks. last year i saw the down burn area around watsonville. califonia is a great location. fire, earthshakes, rattelsnakes, sharks ?, arnie, but i love it ;-)
have any great moments on the other side. your friend bernie
hi roger, whats the news on your side ??? your new novel is in progress ?? ich hope so.
no, it isnt the new song from Brand New (its not brand new is brand old-). its a song from their record Deja Entendu and released i think 2003. its great stuff. really. please tell your friend ...we want more ;-)
so. its possible i will be in the second week in october in Los Angeles for 5 days to visit a show of Pearl Jam. (i wish i was a alien a home behind the sun.....) but not sure.
i hope you have a great time roger and please blow out the fire in one of my favorite areas, Santa Cruz.
have a great time, your friend from the mittle of germany, bernie
hi roger, good news: HEART playing shows not far from sacramento :-) 27. Sep. 2009 18:00 Monterey Fairgrounds - Rockfest w/Billy Squier Monterey, California 22. Okt. 2009 19:30 Warfield Theatre San Francisco, Califonia.
whats your opinion ?? will be The Killjoys a great Support ?? hi from germany my friend, bernie
hi and good afternoon in sacramento roger. yes, maybe you can make a trip to arizona, colorado, new mexico, utah again. i think your perspective its an other now. anyhow. i miss the USA and i cant wait to go back again. i think i will try to get a greencard. iam 49 years old. not to late to change my life. have a great time in teh capitol and please say hi to california. yours bernie
yes, looking forward to see next year. on your or on my side. my favorite place ?? its no sooooo easy to answer. monument valley its an awesome place. we drove with mozart and vivaldi around the rocks there. it was sooo wonderful. valley of the gods, death valley, the colors during the sunset. i cant discribe you how nice. you are the writer ;-) grand canyon, bryce canyon. unbelievable. four corners. rattelsnakes on the street. talk with indians...and last but not least ZION national park. pretty awesome really. roger. its a wonderful country. i love it. i heard every time music in convertible. kinks, hollies, van halen, lizzy borden, third eye blind, creed and much more, without music i cant life. like you i am sure. hi from the other side, bernie
