Eat Like a Rock Star

October 30, 2017
Music writer Bego has written or cowritten more than 60 biographies of musicians, and here, with the aid of his Rolodex, he offers readers a confusing assortment of recipes. They range from the painfully simple (Teri Nunn of Berlin’s breakfast smoothie) to more complex fare, such as Tanya Tucker’s chicken mole enchilada casserole. Those expecting recipes from his high-profile subjects such as Manilow and Madonna will be sorely disappointed, as the majority of his contributors left the limelight some time ago: disco diva Cory Daye, Paul Antonelli of Animotion, and Chicago sideman Donnie Dacus are just three of the artists whose inclusion will leave readers scratching their heads. Most surprisingly of all, Spanky McFarlane of Spanky & Our Gang shows up with an artichoke dip. Bego offers next to nothing in terms of commentary or anecdotes about his contributors. As for the recipes, some, such as Tucker’s, are worth a shot. But most feel like filler: Ray Parker Jr. (best known for the theme to Ghostbusters) provides his wife’s salmon, eggs, and grits, which calls for canned salmon and instant grits; Dennis DeYoung of Styx contributes a four-ingredient vinaigrette; and Richie Sambora’s mint julep is nothing more than the standard recipe. The book contains over 100 recipes, but roughly half are by Bego himself (to be fair, his crab cakes benedict, manicotti, and lobster egg rolls are fine choices). This looks and feels more like a contractual obligation than a proper cookbook.