Joe Oestreich: Writer’s Reading and Book Launch

“A thoroughly enjoyable rock and roll memoir—funny, honest, and full of inside dope. I’m sorry Watershed never made it big, but I’m glad Joe Oestreich wrote this wonderful book about a lifetime devoted to music and friendship, a book about a scrappy band that doesn’t know how to quit.”—Tom Perrotta (author of Little Children and The Leftovers)

Everyone knows the price of fame. In Hitless Wonder singer, songwriter, and Watershed bassist Joe Oestreich measures the price of obscurity.

What happens when you chase a dream into middle age and, in doing so, risk losing the people you love? In the mid-1990s, Watershed had a strong following in the Midwest (especially in their hometown of Columbus) and landed a six-figure deal with Epic Records. But the band never had a hit, and the label dropped them. Years later, as the musicians were approaching 40 with wives and kids and mortgages, they embarked on a two-week tour that forced Oestreich to decide if he and his bandmates still had a future together. The tour tested the bonds of Oestreich’s friendships and the strength of his marriage, as he was torn between the lure of the road and the call to finally settle down. An accomplished journalist who has published in Esquire, Sports Illustrated, and other magazines, Oestreich tells the story of his quixotic struggle to live out a dream with humor, heart, and unflinching honesty.

Now Oestreich and friends are hitting the road again, combining a book tour for Hitless Wonder with concerts supporting a rocking new album from Watershed. And what better place to launch the book than at home in Columbus, right here at the Wex? So come out and hear Oestreich read from Hitless Wonder and talk about what he’s been up to and where the band’s heading. Joe Oestreich's friend and fan CD101 DJ Brian Phillips will introduce the evening. And you can get your book signed too.