History of Johnny Rock

People often ask how I got the name Johnny Rock? In the late 1980s / early 1990's I was in a local Los Angeles band, "Love Like Blood." Love Like Blood was a pop/new wave band. We had a good following of fans that allowed us to play all the big clubs in Hollywood. Every five to six weeks, we played with national acts at legendary Los Angeles clubs like The Whisky A-Go-Go on the Sunset strip. When he saw us perform, the singer's brother always stated "Johnny Rocks," and since then, I was branded as Johnny Rock.

The singer's brother always stated "Johnny Rocks," and since then, I was branded as Johnny Rock.

Johnny "Rock" Mendola

Asia Tour

In the Summer of 1992, "Love Like Blood" secured the opportunity to tour Asia, making stops in Japan, Thailand, and Bangladesh. Yet, this tour was much different than you would expect! As a businessman, I convinced a concert promoter that was touring Asia with celebrity impersonators to book "Love Like Blood" to open the show with our original music and back up the celebrity impersonators."

"Love Like Blood" was to open the show with our original music and back up the celebrity impersonators."

Johnny Rock

Stadium Show Promoter

Two years later (in 1994), the next opportunity came when Michael Jackson had set up his "Dangerous Tour." Michael canceled the show while his plane and crew were in New Delhi, India, preparing to perform at a sold-out 50,000-seat Stadium event. This incident led to an opportunity, and I quickly seized the moment. I had toured Asia with impersonators and now was my chance to take my previous experience and convert it into something big. I then decided that I was to put together a stadium show and replicate Michael's "Dangerous Tour," and this is what led me to become a concert promoter. We gathered some working capital to film a promotional video. Once finished, I took a flight to New Delhi, India, to arrange, produce and promote my "Not So Dangerous, Dangerous Tour." Since my passion was to perform at large outdoor venues, I realized that the only way it would happen was if I set up my own stadium shows. So, in 1994, I was out playing, performing, and promoting my own venues with audiences of 15,000 people while over twelve million viewers had experienced our live television production.

So, in 1994, I was out playing, performing, and promoting my own venues with audiences of 15,000 people while over twelve million viewers had experienced our live television production.

Johnny Rock

Event Organizer

Within weeks, my entrepreneurial endeavor came to a crashing halt when an act of God, a monsoon, wiped out our third show in India. Needles to say, I lost a lot of money! Leaving me with a staff and crew of 28 members, including the band, dancers, choreographer, and sound engineers, without work and stuck in a developing nation, which included high costs for hotels, food, etc. Since my environment had drastically changed, I became a stadium organizer for hire (Talent Broker). In 1997, I was hired to produce "The Hand Over Concert" when Hong Kong was handed back to China.

Within weeks, my entrepreneurial endeavor came to a crashing halt when an act of God, a monsoon, wiped out our third show in India.

Johnny Rock

Continuing on as an event organizer Johnny set up Stadium shows for various artists including Jose Feliciano, Kelly Chan (陈慧琳) and other artists in Korea, Macau, Guam, and Thailand.

One year, in the country of Macau, I was approached by the Blind Aid Society to put on a fundraising concert to support the blind. I quickly got on the phone and booked my dear friend Jose Feliciano.

Johnny Rock

Johnny Rock with Chinese Pop Star Kelly Chan (陈慧琳).
Kelly was the closing act at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The Record Business

Wishbone — From American Rock to International Markets
After returning to the United States, I was approached by Stampede Records, an independent record label that had signed a rock band called Wishbone. Impressed by my previous success in international music markets, the label invited me to join its team to help develop the band's career. My responsibilities included developing concert opportunities, coordinating domestic marketing campaigns, expanding CD distribution, securing radio airplay, and identifying international licensing opportunities. Drawing upon the relationships I had established throughout Europe and Asia, I began introducing Wishbone to overseas record companies. One significant milestone was securing a licensing agreement with Columns Disc in Holland, opening the door to broader European distribution. What began as a domestic artist-development project soon evolved into an international success story, demonstrating the opportunities available to independent artists willing to look beyond the American market.

Wishbone — Breaking onto the U.S. National Rock Charts

The efforts to establish Wishbone in the American and international music markets began producing measurable results. Through strategic radio promotion, distribution, and artist development, Wishbone's self-titled album reached No. 43 on the Gavin Rocks National Top 50, registering an increase in radio spins and climbing 14 positions.
For an independent band on Stampede Records, this was a significant achievement. Wishbone was charting alongside established rock artists such as Van Halen, Pearl Jam, White Zombie, Korn, and Faith No More, many of whom benefited from the promotional resources of major record labels.
The band's international momentum was equally rewarding. Wishbone's recordings were eventually licensed in 13 countries, with the band achieving a No. 1 hit in Holland, Gold recognition in the Benelux market, and exposure on Channel V Asia.
For me, Wishbone's success reinforced an important lesson about the music business: independent artists didn't necessarily need to follow the traditional American major-label route to reach international audiences.
Sometimes the greatest opportunities existed beyond the borders of the United States. That experience would later help shape the philosophy behind my book, Getting That Record Deal: The Backdoor Approach (GTRD). More than simply a guide to navigating the music industry, the book itself became a strategic marketing tool, demonstrating how publishing could establish credibility, build brand awareness, and create new business opportunities. Today, I use GTRD as a real-world case study in my university marketing and entrepreneurship courses, illustrating how a book can serve not only as an educational resource but also as a powerful vehicle for personal branding, positioning, and business development.

I successfully brought Wishbone onto the U.S. national rock radio charts and secured international licensing agreements throughout Europe, Asia, and Brazil, culminating in a No. 1 hit in Holland.

Johnny Rock

Being successful in licensing Wishbone in 13 countries opened up the doors for working with other artist. We have had the privilege of representing a handful of platinum artists over the years, and it has opened up the doors to the major labels abroad. For instance, we picked up The Orchestra (former members of Electric Light Orchestra), and their management company asked if we would shop their new release abroad as well as set up their 2004 Europe/Asia tour. Needless to say, there was no hesitation on our part to take on the project. Now this gets exciting, because every time you pick up a platinum artist, then Universal, Sony, BMG, etc., are interested in talking to you—which leads us back to being in the right place at the right time with the right act. Once you get a relationship established with the A&R guys at the majors, it opens the doors for your other artists. We were also blessed to represent in our catalogue Edie Money, best known for hits like “Baby Hold On To Me,” and “Two Tickets To Paradise”—again the same scenario, an opportunity to shop deals to the majors and break down those boundaries. Since then we have handled a lot of known and unknown acts, one of them being Adam Levy, who has played guitar with Tracy Chapman and Norah Jones. Adam’s CD features tracks with Otis Clay, Norah Jones, and the Holmes Brothers, to name a few. We also represented the "Hollywood Goes Wild" album (thanks to Ron Lovely) that featured Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves, Bruce Willis, Johnny Depp (with Iggy Pop), Russell Crowe amongst others.

We were blessed to represent in our catalogue Edie Money, best known for hits like “Baby Hold On To Me,” and “Two Tickets To Paradise”

Johnny Rock

In December of 2004 we were asked to represent a DVD for distribution in Asia called “A Tribute To The King," featuring the songs made famous by Elvis Presley, by Scotty Moore (Elvis Guitarist) and friends. Filmed at Abbey Road studios (special thanks to Ron Lovely) by a roster of international music heroes including Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, The Rolling Stones' Ron Wood and Bill Wyman, Albert Lee and many more.

Success Stories

We have licensed, distributed and published product worldwide in the following territories: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom. Generating thousands of dollars in advances and royalties, as well as having a hit song (#11) on the Korean radio charts, generating nearly 5,000 units sold in a six week period. Our flagship artist Wishbone has been released in thirteen countries throughout Asia, Brazil, and Europe, which also included a promo tour of Europe.

Our flagship artist Wishbone has been released in thirteen countries throughout Asia, Brazil, and Europe, which also included a promo tour of Europe.

Johnny Rock