Ben's BookSex, Trucks, and Rock ‘n Roll: A Spiritual Journey
Sex, Trucks, and Rock ‘n Roll: A Spiritual Journey
“Sex, Trucks, and Rock ‘n Roll: A Spiritual Journey” takes readers on a wild and captivating ride through the life of Ben Mason, an arrogant and decadent rocker who eventually finds redemption and peace amid chaos. Drawing on his experience in the music industry and his love for Eastern and Western faiths, Ben embarks on a transformative journey that leads him to self-discovery and enlightenment.
In his raw memoir, Ben shares the secrets of his evolution from being a self-centered rockstar to a successful entrepreneur and loving father. Through his deep connection to sacred Native American rituals and the mystical energy of the land he calls home, Ben learns to embrace his true self and let go of the trappings of fame and fortune.
Navigating the ups and downs of his personal and professional life, his story is both a vehicle and a soundtrack for his spiritual awakening. Through his music and art, he channels his inner struggles and ultimately finds solace and acceptance in his own skin.
"A zany romp through the 70's and 80's in the company of some outlandish characters - sort of like the Three Stooges on acid. Simultaneously psychedelic and hilarious - convincing testimony to the fact that you don't have to be an outrageous rock star to live like one." – Steuart Smith, guitarist with The Eagles
“A truly remarkable life story, told by the man who lived it. If Ben had not been born a man he surely would’ve been born a Country Song! A great read!” – Richard Leigh, ASCAP songwriter of the century
"Ben Mason has a gift for writing a technicolor world that comes alive. From the screaming guitars and thrumming bass on stage to the ancient hush resting over a green Virginia field, his words are entirely hypnotic. This is one of the best memoirs I’ve read. “ – Beth Harbison, New York Times bestselling author
“Sex, Trucks and Rock n Roll…A Spiritual Journey covers a lot of territory and I’m glad to be part of it. Watching the author grow from rock star to spiritualist is quite an adventure.” –Jeff Severson, CBS recording artist and producer
“Regarding Sex, Trucks and Rock n Roll…A Spiritual Journey I have known Ben since he was sixteen years old and watched him grow as a songwriter and musician (Piano and drums) for many years. It has taken me this long to realize what a marvelous writer he is as a storyteller, purveyor of ‘self accounting’, with humor and truth. I Love this book!” –John Wells, Performing musician, actor and founder of the John Wells Delegation.
“With incisive candor and exquisite clarity, Ben Mason’s memoir Sex, Trucks and Rock n Roll…A Spiritual Journey reveals that the quality of a well-lived life can be found in the details. Nothing is left out: the first performances, the easy sex, the hard loves, and the even harder losses . . . until, finally, the restless rock n roll soul finds refuge in the heart. This is a beautifully written narrative, intimate and wise, that exhorts us to look beyond the stage lights—to listen above the keyboard’s din—and to realize all that is essential in a singular, human life.“ –Leanne Tankel, Author, Broken Hallelujah - Notes from a Marriage and music critic, Americana Highways, and writing instructor at Northern Virginia Community College
“Ben Mason’s Sex, Trucks and Rock n Roll is a wild ride - poignant, outrageous, raunchy and insightfully spiritual. Ben’s journey from glam band gigs to the peace of an ancient river blew away my expectations. Highly recommended!” –Steve van Dam Recording artist, producer and composer of the hit song “Who Got the Hooch”
“Ben writes with passion about his journey in music from the dream of being a musician, to the reality of a rock and roll band, and on to the hard reality about what that life really is and the need to earn a living. It's a winding road that so many musicians have traveled, each in their own way. Ben's colorful account is entertaining, insightful, rowdy, and introspective.” Paul Reisler, Composer, songwriter, band leader–Trapezoid, Paul Reisler & A Thousand Questions, and Three Good Reasons.
“Sex, Trucks and Rock n Roll…A Spiritual Journey is an enormously powerful story of a life full of amazing adventures–all told with great perception, humor and imagery that will linger in your mind long afterwards. You won’t be the same after reading this one." –Ronald T. McMillan, Systems Engineer and author of The Touch, a D.C. Detective series.
"Sex, Trucks and Rock n Roll…A Spiritual Journey is a very interesting read that inspires through the author's evolution and journey over 25 years. As a fellow Entrepreneur and a person who appreciates Rock And Roll I suggest interested readers check it out!” –Michael O'Harro, veteran DC club owner
“Sex, Trucks, and Rock‘n Roll…A Spiritual Journey” captivated me at once. I’m elated to hear these narratives of a man who is strong and yet willing to look at himself and his part in the struggles that came his way. This is a memoir to show the reader that they too can move through struggles toward the Light.”– Ms. JJ Gormley, Certified Yoga Therapist and Teacher and Director, Surya Chandra Healing Yoga School
"I've had the honor of reading an excerpt from Ben's memoir, Sex, Trucks and Rock 'n Roll...A Spiritual Journey. I'm intrigued! His words seamlessly create realms of tactile emotional experience. Looking forward to this publication"–Kiaya Abernathy, Rappahannockradio.com
“Mr. Mason is the embodiment of the storied ‘complicated man.’. The author tells a kaleidoscopic story that doesn’t simplify the many facets of a life of curiosity, doubt, and reconciliation. For those of us who refuse the path more traveled, he has created a validating read. We’re not alone, after all. “ – Ryan Michael Galloway, author, performing musician and recording artist
“Sex, Trucks, and Rock N Roll…A Spiritual Journey takes you on an exhilarating, soul-stirring ride through the highs and lows of a life dedicated to music, adventure, and self-discovery. From the electrifying first chapter to introspective musings, it captivates with raw emotion and vividly profound insights. The author's ability to weave together passion, transformation, and spirituality creates a strong narrative that resonates long after the final page. Reminding you of the power of creativity, connection, and the enduring presence of ancestral wisdom, the epilogue gives a strong sense of hope. With each chapter, you'll be swept away by Ben Mason's unyielding spirit and unwavering pursuit of artistic fulfillment.“ –Cerphe Colwell, Radio Host - Music Planet Radio, Owner of Cerphe’s Indie Record Store at JettRinkMedia.com and author of Cerphe’s Up: A Musical Life with Bruce Springsteen, Little Feat, Frank Zappa, Tom Waits, CSNY, and Many More.
REVIEW 1
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Sex,Trucks and Rock 'n' Roll is a fascinating memoir by American musician and songwriter Ben Mason. A born performer, Mason, tells of his debauched and selfish life while on tour with his rock band as a young man, a time that nearly saw him serving a serious jail sentence on drug charges.
Mason describes his book as the story of his Journey, a journey from a life of excess spent in a blur of sex and drugs, through learning responsibility as "Big Brother" to the motley crew of misfits that worked for him as movers through to a life of reflection, self-awareness and spiritual awakening.
I almost swerved this book fearing it might be yet another Born Again Christian epistle that I wouldn't be able to relate to. Mason's spirituality is broad-based and he conveys his beliefs and experiences eloquently.
This is a very honest book and Mason doesn't hide or try to justify events that put him in a bad light. The last couple of chapters where he describes his home, thoughts and feelings are quite amazing, reminding me very much of James Lee Burke's superb prose on similar subjects, and let's not forget that Burke is one of the world's best known authors.
I get the feeling that Ben Mason's Journey isn't quite over, hopefully if this book is a success the right person will read it and it will be. –Dave Blendell, NetGalley Review
REVIEW 2
Sex, Trucks, and Rock n’ Roll: A Spiritual Journey
By Mason, Ben
In this wild ride of a memoir, Mason tours readers through 50 barnburning years of a life spent making music, running a business, and learning things the hard way. With power and emotion, Mason covers playing music since age 13, when “the applause was an embrace I had never felt before, sincere and warm in ways that made me shiver,” to the dissolution of his band, leaving him broke but not broken, and on to wild romps, moments of pain and beauty, and at long last finding the inner peace he had previously only seen hints of. Frank and funny, Mason shares accounts of the rock & roll life’s dark lows and spotlit highs, with welcome insight about bands (“those freewheeling poly-marriages that were sustained by our constant attempts to give birth to our dreams of fame”), music, and life itself.
Mason’s talents as a writer are apparent from the first sentence. His prose is straightforward and lean, and he deftly employs concrete imagery to paint clear pictures (“Smiling coyly, with her eyes enlarged by eel-colored mascara, she looked like a mermaid on nitrous”), suggest layered meanings, and entertain—these pages fly by. Blending the debauched and the transcendent, his short chapters make it a pleasure to tangle with the dichotomy of a fast-living, sticky-fingered owner of a moving company and the inward-looking artist given to meditation and spiritual exploration. After the death of his father, he discovered his own beliefs about life, death, and the everlasting, and he encourages his readers to find their own paths.
After the death of his father, Mason discovered his own beliefs about life, death, and the everlasting, and he encourages his readers to find their own paths. He draws particular strength from his love of the earth and his Native American ancestry, and he writes of Virginia’s Thornton River as “a microcosm of all of this” that “carries the clear blood of all that is past, present, and future life. It’s where the quasi-dimensional becomes visible.” In this ripsnorter of a book, Mason leads down the path not taken, the path well worn, and the path only visible in hallucinations.
Takeaway: Blazing memoir of debauchery, transcendence, and rock & roll. “Booklife/Publishers Weekly “
Comparable Titles: Bruce Hunsberger’s Honey, the Movers are Here, K. Lang-Slattery’s Wherever the Road Leads.
REVIEW 3
"Sex, Trucks, and Rock 'n Roll...A Spiritual Journey" offers an entertaining, mesmerizing exploration of a musician's life journey. Like great music, the book blends vivid descriptions and personal anecdotes of challenges and aspirations that shaped the author's artistic path. After reading his humor, his affection and mystical insight, you’ll want to hear the author’s original songs too. They happen to be great!
The narrative moves through being a journeyman musician in the glorious years of playing clubs and traveling the road. There were few rules and no blueprints. Ben Mason’s life is like a great song that mirrors the zeitgeist of the second half of the twentieth century. It seamlessly lets you ride shotgun during his transformation from musician to entrepreneur. He is very determined and has amazing attention to detail with total commitment to customer satisfaction. This hugely entertaining read also reveals that this musician/businessman never abandons his music. He lovingly speaks of all the highs and lows of the rock band afterlife.
The book's final chapter is a poignant epilogue delving into ancestral wisdom, spirituality, and the transformative power of art. From higher chakras to the lower chakras….from beachcombing to being on stage in the spotlight, it resonates a profound sense of hope and respect for the author’s values.
Mason has an original voice in "Sex, Trucks, and Rock 'n Roll...A Spiritual Journey.” A deeply personal, wild story and compelling exploration that unlocks an enduring pursuit of self-discovery and transformation. He has the heart of a rock ’n roller and the soul of a poet. Read this book.
"Rock-Radio legend and author Cerphe Colwell, now heard on MusicPlanetRadio.com."
SEX
I felt the need to lift her and make sure she was properly wrapped. I tucked her body against a stack of pads as I entered her; I reached for the wall of the truck, grasping the straps that hung in place on either side of Gina. I turned her abruptly one way and then another, measuring her strength against mine, kissing her as if my mouth was my way of telling her how fragile she felt, protected now in the embrace of my arms and hers. Tan limbs were measured and spread, and her back rose and arched, free from my chest—more padding was shoved into place to support the load that was coming to join hers, the sounds of our moving in sync with the squeaking of all fourteen feet of the aluminum box of the E truck. It consumed every part of us until finally, our gasping ride delivered us to our destination, her southern voice noting something about a moving experience, the weave of our tongues silencing her words.
TRUCKS
The rumbling floating of dollies and the stacking slam of boxes against truck walls was finalized by the snap of the nylon strap that held each layer of the load in place. We didn’t want to stack the load any higher than how it had been rolled onto the truck, as we could then disperse the load out of each truck just as it had been inserted. The only catch was that these floating sections needed to be padded tightly, assuring that they would not rub against each other, creating damages. I had been warned that we would be docked for scratches or breakage that occurred. And that I would never be allowed to return to the premises of the drop-off after the relocation was completed.
ROCK N ROLL
High on a red-lit stage, a loin-clothed trio beat a minor chord to death. A psychotic elf bounded into the spotlight and pointed directly down at us: Rolf, my ex-bandmate from The Infernos in Annandale. Death had taken most of the guys from that band, but Rolf seemed to be aging backwards. I could still feel our competitive kinship in the grinning glare he aimed at me. I hadn’t laid eyes on him in ten years but in our last phone conversation we’d guffawed at what today’s rockers were doing on stage and I’d hung up, amused at how he’d described this dumpster fire I was seeing now.
“Motherfuckers, welcome to the end of the world,” he wailed, comically preaching from his perch on the mic stand. I put my hand across Bobbi Jo’s leather miniskirt as she bumped her hip into mine. “He’s good,” she shouted. The bellowing chorus of: “Fuck you, Fuck me; Fuck us all,” enflamed the bacon-scented crowd around us as they bludgeoned each other in front of the stage.
SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
Our souls are constructed from what the universe is made of, and that very fabric also houses our brains, which are just amplifiers and receivers for the proto-consciousness. Anything goes. If there is no death of consciousness, then whatever I’ve seen as a blue-lit guide may simply be part of the fabric of the universe, and in fact, “it” may live on long after my body is gone. Either way, I wasn’t going to let science tell me what to believe.
BEAUTIFUL PARADOX
Above me now, a pale green cataract, unutterably beautiful above the horizon, eclipses any stage light ever cast upon me. Fake fog and flash pots seem cartoonish beneath a sky so clear that the Milky Way becomes a luminous shawl.
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