Pete Senoff
1965
When I arrived at Grover Cleveland in the 10th Grade, I was determined to continue my journalism "career" from junior high (Northridge Jr. High) as editor of the paper. And so it came to pass, thanks for the incredible advisory role of Mr. Ralph Hyde and the great staff of writers and editors on our publication. Following graduation (and after a brief thought about becoming a professional wrestler), I enrolled in the Valley State College (pre-CSUN) journalism program and learned a lot more. Particularly, I learned to be a photo journalist through a ton of news photography and darkroom work. It was also during this time that I was first exposed to rock music...first via my role as the pop music columnist for our paper (The Daily Sundial). That led to a career as a writer-reviewer-photographer for such publications as Rolling Stone, The Los Angeles Free Press, Billboard, The Los Angeles Times and many, many international music publications. During this time, I interviewed such artists as Led Zeppelin, Crosby-Stills & Nash, Phil Spector, Peter Gabriel, Tina Turner, Linda Ronstadt and a host of others.
Now
Simultaneously (talk about multi-tasking), I was hired into the rock and roll business, working at a handful of music labels over a decade...including Atlantic Records, Motown Records, Blue Thumb Records, Warner Bros Records and ABC Records. I was fortunate to work directly with such artists as The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Steely Dan, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Genesis, Willie Nelson, Diana Ross, Bette Midler and literally hundreds of others. I was the head of publicity and marketing at the various record labels and was often "on the road" with artists...being exposed to behavior that I couldn't even comprehend in those days (but it sure was fun watching). The stories I could tell (Actually, I'm working on a book of rock memoirs now). And also simultaneously, I became a rock and roll concert photographer, shooting artistic concert shots of people like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Rolling Stones, Ike and Tina Turner, Bette Midler and myriad others. I am now enhancing and preparing those pictures to create a photo book, calendar and website for sometime in 2016.
I was literally burnt-out following a dozen years in rock and roll and witnessing several of my close friends (and recording artists) die from overdoses and otherwise crazy behavior. I needed to do something different with my career. So I migrated to the anthesis of rock and roll and entered the health care industry, where I was in various levels of marketing and communications management at such organizations as CIGNA HealthCare, Little Company of Mary Health Services, Tenet Hospitals and CareNex Health Services. It's a very self-rewarding field (medicine/healthcare in general) and I gratefully served those industries for 25 years
I'm now a free-lance consultant, specializing in marketing, social media and web presence for a variety of industries and clients. I also do a lot of landscape photography, specializing in coastal views on Kauai and Maui.
My Thai wife, Nina, and I were married a month before our 2012 GCHS 65th Birthday event and live in Encino. In late 2014, we opened our own business, "Nina's Tong Thai Spa", a way for her to apply her trade (as a highly-experienced and skilled massage therapist) very close to our home. My "job" here is marketing and business development and I spend a lot of time creating campaigns on Yelp, Facebook, Google, Twitter and other newer social media. Nina's goal is to bring her two children to America from Thailand, so they can be near her. We hope to start that process in 2016.
I was literally burnt-out following a dozen years in rock and roll and witnessing several of my close friends (and recording artists) die from overdoses and otherwise crazy behavior. I needed to do something different with my career. So I migrated to the anthesis of rock and roll and entered the health care industry, where I was in various levels of marketing and communications management at such organizations as CIGNA HealthCare, Little Company of Mary Health Services, Tenet Hospitals and CareNex Health Services. It's a very self-rewarding field (medicine/healthcare in general) and I gratefully served those industries for 25 years
I'm now a free-lance consultant, specializing in marketing, social media and web presence for a variety of industries and clients. I also do a lot of landscape photography, specializing in coastal views on Kauai and Maui.
My Thai wife, Nina, and I were married a month before our 2012 GCHS 65th Birthday event and live in Encino. In late 2014, we opened our own business, "Nina's Tong Thai Spa", a way for her to apply her trade (as a highly-experienced and skilled massage therapist) very close to our home. My "job" here is marketing and business development and I spend a lot of time creating campaigns on Yelp, Facebook, Google, Twitter and other newer social media. Nina's goal is to bring her two children to America from Thailand, so they can be near her. We hope to start that process in 2016.
A cover mock-up for my upcoming record industry memoirs
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Here I was about to present an award to Led Zeppelin while in their suite at the Continental Hyatt House on Sunset Blvd...1973. I'm at far right
With Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant and my then assistant Brooke, at the Continental Hyatt House (1973)
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Heralding the release of a new Jackson 5 album while I was working at Motown (I'm on far right). Michael is second from left, Jermaine is third from right (1976)
With the progressive rock group Emerson, Lake & Palmer, along with my boss, Ahmet Ertegun (fourth from right). I'm on far left (1973)
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This was my Creative Services Team in the Marketing Department of CIGNA HealthCare in 1995
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As a joke, when I was at CIGNA HealthCare, my team created "Pete Senoff Masks" for everyone who attended a luncheon event (1993)
Maui & Kauai: Nina and I try to visit our favorite place in the world, Hawaii, once a year. We'd like to move there (on Kauai) at some point .
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My lovely wife NIna and I were married on August 23, 2012 in Las Vegas (No, not by Elvis...he was busy that day)
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Comments
Dear Pete,
I read your amazing and exciting life story in awe and with anticipation for each following word and thoroughly enjoyed it! You have certainly lived a life of many accomplishments that most could only dream of. Congratulations on all your successes and your recent marriage. Nina is just as nice as she is beautiful and I am so glad to have met you both at the "Class of 65 Turns 65" Birthday Party in Sept, 2012.
Just as you did such a wonderful job of working with our reunion committtee and coordinating our last birthday reunion, I can see how your experienced influence and hard work is going to cultimate in the most "ROCK'N" 50th high school reunion ever. If any 68 plus year olds can still rock and roll ......they will be from the awesome Cleveland HS class of 1965!
Donna (Irwin) McGarr
I read your amazing and exciting life story in awe and with anticipation for each following word and thoroughly enjoyed it! You have certainly lived a life of many accomplishments that most could only dream of. Congratulations on all your successes and your recent marriage. Nina is just as nice as she is beautiful and I am so glad to have met you both at the "Class of 65 Turns 65" Birthday Party in Sept, 2012.
Just as you did such a wonderful job of working with our reunion committtee and coordinating our last birthday reunion, I can see how your experienced influence and hard work is going to cultimate in the most "ROCK'N" 50th high school reunion ever. If any 68 plus year olds can still rock and roll ......they will be from the awesome Cleveland HS class of 1965!
Donna (Irwin) McGarr
Dear Pete, Thank you for all that you are doing now & I really am so glad that we are friends, In high school I was so sure that you were way too smart to be my friend & now I find it is finally OK ! What you are doing for others with this site & all of your GCHS65 class work is wonderful. I see friendships blooming, people looking forward, the sharing the fun..all in all You are a really good Man!
Your Friend Gloria Dorcy
Your Friend Gloria Dorcy
Dear Pete,
I have been friends with you since the fourth grade and I would like to say to you and all the world, "I have never known a finer Human Being. Thank you for your wonderful heart. All my gratitude and love"
Aloha Scott Brown
I have been friends with you since the fourth grade and I would like to say to you and all the world, "I have never known a finer Human Being. Thank you for your wonderful heart. All my gratitude and love"
Aloha Scott Brown
I'm sorry it has taken me so long to get around to commenting on your story.
In high school you were a person I recognized from your involvement in school activities, and seeing your name on a lot of the Le Sabre articles. I never got a chance to really get to know you. We traveled in different circles.
Your story is so interesting and I know you just touched the tip of the iceberg of your adventures. I would love to sit down with you sometime and listen to your escapades with Fleetwood Mac, the Jacksons, and the other recording artists you worked with. Maybe one evening around the pool at the 50th, while we share a bottle of wine.
I can't tell you how grateful I am to have gotten to know you through the 50th organizing committee. You are the driving force behind this whole effort and you humble me at the amount of time and energy you devote to ensuring its success. Most of all, I've come to learn what an incredibly nice person you are and am proud to call you my friend.
The plans you have for the 50th event are so great I can hardly wait for October 2015 to get here. I am so looking forward to it.
Jeff Davis
In high school you were a person I recognized from your involvement in school activities, and seeing your name on a lot of the Le Sabre articles. I never got a chance to really get to know you. We traveled in different circles.
Your story is so interesting and I know you just touched the tip of the iceberg of your adventures. I would love to sit down with you sometime and listen to your escapades with Fleetwood Mac, the Jacksons, and the other recording artists you worked with. Maybe one evening around the pool at the 50th, while we share a bottle of wine.
I can't tell you how grateful I am to have gotten to know you through the 50th organizing committee. You are the driving force behind this whole effort and you humble me at the amount of time and energy you devote to ensuring its success. Most of all, I've come to learn what an incredibly nice person you are and am proud to call you my friend.
The plans you have for the 50th event are so great I can hardly wait for October 2015 to get here. I am so looking forward to it.
Jeff Davis
Comment on YOUR life? How about, "No Comment!" I mean, really, what can one say? OK, I'll try.
You made good choices that have enriched us, kid, although in very different ways. Thank you.
The Rock and Roll career ground to an end with a lot of pain and exhaustion, I'm sure. But I'm glad that you recovered and I look forward to reading the book.
However, I'm guessing that your most loved talent is your gift for friendship. It's what I appreciated most at Northridge and Cleveland and again now after so many years.
I'm glad that you found happiness with Nina and I look forward to seeing you again next October.
Milt Rouse
You made good choices that have enriched us, kid, although in very different ways. Thank you.
The Rock and Roll career ground to an end with a lot of pain and exhaustion, I'm sure. But I'm glad that you recovered and I look forward to reading the book.
However, I'm guessing that your most loved talent is your gift for friendship. It's what I appreciated most at Northridge and Cleveland and again now after so many years.
I'm glad that you found happiness with Nina and I look forward to seeing you again next October.
Milt Rouse
"I've gotten to know you and your humor over the past months while creating my bio and adding photos, corrections and just being a pain! You are most fun and interesting -- my mom would say "a character"! Am looking to see you in October, hug you and meet your wife!
What a life lived in our era! I never protested or was too much of a druggie, but I sure do appreciate the music of our time! VERY pleased that you were part of the scene and had a hand in making things happen and were PRESENT!! Exciting and adventurous Mr. Talented! Want to read your upcoming book!!
And then a complete switch to health!! May we all have many switches in our life -- add to the adventure! See you in Oct."
Chris Van Laar
What a life lived in our era! I never protested or was too much of a druggie, but I sure do appreciate the music of our time! VERY pleased that you were part of the scene and had a hand in making things happen and were PRESENT!! Exciting and adventurous Mr. Talented! Want to read your upcoming book!!
And then a complete switch to health!! May we all have many switches in our life -- add to the adventure! See you in Oct."
Chris Van Laar
I’m thinking the mindset of a professional wrestler is excellent preparation for a Rock’N’Roll journalist/promoter. You chose the better of the two options (better to break-out a band than to break your neck, right? ;-), although you might have observed even more outrageous behavior in the ring than you did backstage. And, thankfully, we still have you in one piece to enjoy, fully functional and clear headed. Thanks for taking the right road.
Kirk Lamb
Kirk Lamb