Waiting on the Moon

Artists, Poets, Drifters, Grifters, and Goddesses

By: Peter Wolf

Narrated by: Peter Wolf

In the tradition of classic collections of observations and musings such as Christopher Isherwood’s I Am a Camera and Truman Capote’s The Dogs Bark, Waiting on the Moon is a treasure trove of vignettes from a legendary musical figure whose career spans more than six decades and is still going strong.

Peter Wolf grew up in the Bronx, a child of “fellow travelers” whose artistic inclinations influenced both his love of music and his initial desire to become a painter. Stories of his loving and sometimes eccentric parents complement scenes depicting a very young Bob Dylan as he arrived on the Greenwich Village folk scene. Reflections on Wolf’s studies in Boston—where he shared an apartment with David Lynch—are braided with accounts of first love, an untraditional literary education, and early musical influences such as Muddy Waters.

After Wolf joined the J. Geils Band as their front man and his musical fame grew, he rubbed shoulders with other notables who left significant impressions on him, including members of the Rolling Stones, Sly Stone, Tennessee Williams, Alfred Hitchcock, and Van Morrison. Wolf’s marriage to Faye Dunaway is presented in a clear yet balanced and nuanced light.

Told with gentle humor and often heart-rending poignancy, the word portraits in Waiting on the Moon provide a revealing glimpse of artists, writers, actors, and musicians as they work—the creative forces that drive them to achievement; the demons they battle; the patterns of their human relationships. They are meant to inspire not only empathy but also admiration. Like Isherwood, Wolf remains “a camera with its shutter open.”

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2025 Peter Wolf (P)2025 Little, Brown & Company

Critic reviews

“Waiting on the Moon is the page-turner of the decade. It’s as if my three favorite memoirs—The Kid Stays in the Picture, Running With Scissors, and Permanent Midnight—all got together and made a big, healthy, hilariously fucked-up kid who somehow managed to outdo them all.”—Peter Farrelly, Academy Award winning director and writer

"Arriving home from my 114th tour date, Peter's book has kept me wonderful company. As the eastern sun rises through my airplane window, the warmth of its rays reminds me of the love of life and living so beautifully expressed in his writing."—Bruce Springsteen

“This is the book I’ve been hoping Peter would write since we walked the streets of Paris together, back in the 20th Century. A true account of his life, love and music told with unique humor and rare humility.”—Elvis Costello

a true rock star

loved this book, not a boring time to be had. love how peter reads the book

A great storyteller with an enthralling life.

An amazing job of laying the tapestry of his life. Left me wanting more. Thank you.

Who knew Peter Wolf knew EVERYONE?

Anyone who only thinks of Peter Wolf as the singer of "Centerfold" and "Love Stinks" is missing out on a life filled with the most interesting people on the planet. From Bob Dylan to Merle Haggard, Wolf has had history with them all. This is his story.

Peter through the Looking Glass

Peter Wolf is the looking glass. At a quick glance he reflects that of a man but when you fall into him you enter a surreal journey - including the characters along the way. Whether you're a fan of Peter Wolf, the J Geils Band or not, this book is a backstage pass to any student of life and the decades Wolf endured. The book exemplifies the difference between Peter Wolf the frontman and Peter Wolf the human whom observed some of art and music's pivotal moments. It's a love story to music and a salute to all those he met and collaborated with.

Top of the Mountain

Such a fascinating life we should all thank Peter for sharing with us. Such intimate and personal details. Every magical moment he chose to share is priceless. God Bless Peter

Peter is an amazing narrator.his voice and inflection in the story made it a pleasure to listen to

I’m from the suburbs of Boston and so many great bands have come out of this area and J Giles is definitely at the top of the list

fantastic read

Peter Wolf knows how to tell a story. You feel like you were part of his life and escapades.

Whole Lotta Stories

So many cool and interesting tales from a great storyteller. Some of them seem too much to believe, but I suspect that Pete has luckily had many seemingly unbelievable experiences in his career, and we can enjoy hearing these inside stories. It was a fun listen.

Superb, surprising and not just for Geils fans

I hate spoilers, so suffice to say that Peter Wolf was everywhere, met everyone and walked away with some amazing tales. This isn’t your typical rock bio, and while far from being a tell-all, tells you what is needed to leave your jaw hanging. I came across a lot of amazing reviews and figured, how good could the story of the Freeze Frame guy be? So glad I gave this book a shot because it paid off. Surprisingly, the Geils guys barely have cameos, and I’m not sure they could compete with the icons Peter Wolf rubbed elbows with back in the day. My only complaint about this book is that it ended! If you’re a fan of ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s culture, or you just want an interesting read, grab this book now and thank me later.

Fantastic!!

A wonderful, entertaining book, beautifully read by the author. While the book is in general chronological order each chapter is virtually standalone and the book can be read in any order. The stories are AMAZING, Wolf seems to have known or at least encountered EVERYBODY, the list is insane, starting with Marylin Monroe and ending with Merle Haggard. The author has tended to take himself out of the stories and present them more as an observer. The book is certainly not a typical autobiography and is refreshing as such. I think if you are music person you might enjoy the book a bit more then a non-music buff but I think anyone will enjoy this funny and fascinating book by one of the worlds great raconteurs.