David Libert had such a long and interesting career in the music business, his friends encouraged him to write a book about it…so he did.
The result is an autobiography 50-plus years in the making aptly entitled Rock and Roll Warrior, recently released on Sunset Blvd Books. It’s a chronicle of David’s inner circle life in the music industry as a popular international performer, singer/songwriter, tour manager, booking agent, producer, and drug dealer on the Sunset Strip. It’s a story so wild, so crazy, so over-the-top that it can only be true. You can’t make this stuff up!
In his book, he shares with the reader (and with you) unvarnished, no-holds-barred, stories of his life in the rock ‘n roll fast lane on the road, backstage, on private jets and inside notorious after-show parties with music legends in the era of free-spirit, hard driving rock ‘n’ roll and R&B. It’s life on the road in technicolor. A roller coaster ride peek behind the curtain at the good, the bad and the ugly in the music biz of years gone by.
The book is a riotous, humorous, intimate, provocative story of Libert’s life in music. He has absolutely no qualms about sharing stories of all aspects of his life that will amaze, titillate, impress, and endear him to those who read his fascinating life journey in music.
From his tenure as co-lead singer of 60s pop hitmakers, The Happenings, to his role as tour manager for Alice Cooper’s most legendary 70s tours, to managing funk/R&B legend George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic to eventually being imprisoned for dealing drugs in L.A., David is happy to share his way-too-interesting life with you in an interview…no subject is off-limits!
Hailing from Paterson, New Jersey, he co-founded The Happenings with three high school pals shortly after graduation. The Happenings went on to have several hit records including “See You in September” and “I Got Rhythm.” “See You In September” and “I Got Rhythm” were on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for 14 weeks in 1966 and 13 weeks in 1967, respectively, and both songs peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 charts at #3.
Sales for both “See You in September” and “I Got Rhythm” exceeded one million copies, resulting in R.I.A.A. gold record awards by 1969. The group had nine Billboard Hot 100 Singles hits from 1966 to 1968, including versions of “Go Away Little Girl” (#12) (a #1 hit for Steve Lawrence in 1963 and later for Donny Osmond in 1971) and “My Mammy” (#13) (popularized by Al Jolson in the 1920s). They also both achieved sales of over one million copies, garnering the group another couple of gold records.
Libert left the group to become a booking agent and eventually a tour manager. After a brief stint as road manager for Rare Earth, Libert became tour manager for Alice Cooper during Alice’s most formidable years (1971–1975). Libert figured prominently in Bob Greene’s book about accompanying Cooper’s band on 1973’s Billion Dollar Babies tour. Libert also was credited for singing background vocals on the Billion Dollar Babies album which was recorded at Morgan Studios in London in 1973. He remains friendly with Alice to this day.
In 1975, Libert migrated from New York to Los Angeles and in 1976, opened the David Libert Management Agency which represented George Clinton, Parliament/Funkadelic, Bootsy’s Rubber Band and The Runaways (Cherie Currie, Joan Jett, Lita Ford).
In the early 80s, he met Prince through Sheila E, who was one of his management clients at the time. Sheila E opened for Prince on the legendary Purple Rain tour and Libert spent a lot of time hanging with Prince, many times assisting Prince with his shows.
In the late 90s, Libert formed Available Entertainment with entertainment attorney Alan Oken. Available Entertainment went on to represent George Clinton, Parliament/Funkadelic, Brian Auger, Living Colour, Sheila E, Vanilla Fudge, Cactus, amongst others.
Libert also wrote hit songs for other artists including The Tokens, The Chiffons and Gerry & The Pacemakers.
Libert has promoted many concerts throughout his career including sold out shows at Madison Square Garden in New York (George Clinton) and the Cricket Wireless Amphitheater in Kansas City (Kool and the Gang).
His record producing credits include co-producing The Happenings album, Piece of Mind, with fellow Happenings co-founder Bobby Miranda, as well as producing on his own – Tomi Rae Brown, Attus, Steel Water Blue and Eric Kellogg’s Imaginary Band.
Despite his success, Libert eventually became involved in drugs and, for a time, began dealing drugs before being busted and paying the price for it with jail time.
But he regrouped and made a successful return to the music industry as a manager, working with acts including Living Colour and Vanilla Fudge, who were respectful of his knowledge and skills and were happy to work with him.
These days, soon to be 80 years young, David is enjoying a much more relaxed and less hectic life. He lives in Southern California and is a devoted animal rights activist, helping to find homes for animals that desperately need one.
There’s talk about the book being made into a feature length film as well, which excites David to no end.