". . . the only four investment strategies you will ever need. . . I dare anyone to read this book and not wake up to the realities of Wall Street, and change their investing habits on the spot." —Steve Trager Watson Retired CEO and CIO of the hedge fund Watson Investment Partners, LP
"A true Renaissance man and teacher, Gary Marks adeptly explores four investment strategies that can achieve strong results and peace of mind-two concepts usually considered mutually exclusive in the world of Wall Street investing. Using his vast experience and folksy storytelling, Gary provides lessons, anecdotes, and strategies that will help readers find multiple levels of success." —Mitch Levine Founder and CEO, Enable Capital Management
"Rocking Wall Street brings a musician's heart and soul to the investment process, balancing strategic investing with 'living your life.' Marks's creative approach is sure to strike a major chord with both new and seasoned investors." —Kerry Paul Altman, PhD Clinical Psychologist
"Rocking Wall Street tips the scales over to the side of the investor and away from the hype masters and media 'experts,' whose lures and promises all seem to vanish in a bear market." —Michael J. Sell Former auditor, CPA, Investment Consultant
With all the different financial products and strategies on the market today, it can be difficult to find an investment approach that's right for you—one that will actually succeed in "real-time," considering the limited amount of time you have to engage and compete against investment professionals. And while securing your financial future is a critically important endeavor, it's also important not to get kidnapped by market and media hype or become addicted to the game in the process—so that you can live a fulfilling life with the money you make.
Celebrated money manager and songwriter Gary Marks has been down this road, and along the way, he discovered what it takes to create wealth and enjoy it. Now, with Rocking Wall Street, he wants to show you how to do the same.
Filled with in-depth insights and practical advice, Rocking Wall Street reveals which investment strategies favor the independent investor, and which only benefit the market makers, money managers, and other Wall Street insiders. It skillfully outlines a unique approach for forming risk-averse, multi-manager strategies to lock in financial profits while ingeniously shielding against losses in both bull and bear markets.
With Rocking Wall Street as your guide, you'll discover how to free yourself from the deadly illusions of "traditional" investing techniques, and how to profit with far less risk than anything a traditional broker or a financial advisor can offer. How can you accomplish this? By following the four key investing strategies described throughout these pages:
1)The Emotional Controls: how to hedge your emotions as well as your investments.
2)Knowing the Difference Between Market Stats and Market Hype: there are market statistics, and then there are statistics that are neatly packaged and marketed to you.
3)Hedged Portfolio Construction: how and why to make hedging techniques the rule, not the exception,in your investment portfolio.
4)Planning for the Future and Seeking "The End Game": seeing your portfolio of assets, your career,and your personal life as one inseparable "investment."
From the Back Cover
Praise for Rocking Wall Street
". . . the only four investment strategies you will ever need. . . I dare anyone to read this book and not wake up to the realities of Wall Street, and change their investing habits on the spot." —Steve Trager Watson Retired CEO and CIO of the hedge fund Watson Investment Partners, LP
"A true Renaissance man and teacher, Gary Marks adeptly explores four investment strategies that can achieve strong results and peace of mind—two concepts usually considered mutually exclusive in the world of Wall Street investing. Using his vast experience and folksy storytelling, Gary provides lessons, anecdotes, and strategies that will help readers find multiple levels of success." —Mitch Levine Founder and CEO, Enable Capital Management
"Rocking Wall Street brings a musician's heart and soul to the investment process, balancing strategic investing with 'living your life.' Marks's creative approach is sure to strike a major chord with both new and seasoned investors." —Kerry Paul Altman, PhD Clinical Psychologist
"Rocking Wall Street tips the scales over to the side of the investor and away from the hype masters and media 'experts,' whose lures and promises all seem to vanish in a bear market." —Michael J. Sell Former auditor, CPA, Investment Consultant
For a songwriter with such a distinct sound and style, Gary Marks has been able to succeed in many different musical genres throughout his 35 year career.
In the '70's Marks enjoyed success as both a folk and jazz artist. In the '80's and '90's he became known as one of the most unique and sophisticated rock songwriters in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Since 1973 Marks has released fourteen critically acclaimed recordings, as well as having published twelve books on varying subjects. Gary's Books
Gary's first recording, "Gathering," was released in 1973, featuring John Scofield. In 2007 "Gathering" was re-released as a "rock-jazz classic" by the European record label "Kindred Spirits."
His recording, "A Whisper Can Change The World " was also released in 2007. Listen here.
2009 started well, as Gary signed an exclusive contract with Ocean Park Music Group in L. A. oceanparkmusic.com Ocean Park is one of the most prestigious agents for film and TV in the U.S.
In 2010, Marks released his latest CD, "From Here." Listen here.
(All of Gary Marks' recordings from 1973 to the present are now available on iTunes.)
Gary Marks was born in Manhattan in 1950. His mother was a classical violinist who performed solo at Carnegie Hall at the age of ten. But his mom also loved jazz, rhythm and blues, folk, and rock. . . .Ray Charles, the Beatles, Dylan's first recordings, John Coltrane, Sarah Vaughn, and Motown were the sounds that resonated through his house as a young boy.
In 1973, Marks self-produced "Gathering." His original music was accompanied by his band of future jazz greats, including guitarist John Scofield, pianist Michael Cochrane, and vibraphonist David Samuels. The LP was distributed internationally. He toured the US and Europe before settling down in California in 1976.
A few years later, Gary introduced Scofield and Samuels to three other brilliant musicians that he had met on the West Coast: Art Lande, Mark Isham, and Paul McCandless, of " Oregon." They were soon all playing on Marks' new recordings, "Thoughts of Why." and "Upon Oanda's Wing." Jazz Magazine's W. Patrick Hinely wrote: ". . . A flow chart of 'Upon Oanda's Wing' might closely resemble some of Milton Nasciemento's EMI albums, which still serve as a paragon for anyone trying to be equally convincing across the board, from tight vocals and arrangements, to wide open instrumental playing."
In 1985, "Only Time Can Tell," moved Marks firmly into new territory, as he gathered together some of the best rock players in the Bay Area. The title track was soon recorded by Teresa Trull, on her album, "A Step Away." It received international airplay.
Gary's follow-up album in 1988, "The Real World," brought him further success as a songwriter. Cris Williamson and Teresa Trull recorded three songs from "The Real World" on their duo album, "Country Blessed."
Bay Area music reviewer, Derk Richardson, wrote this in "BAM" (Bay Area Music Magazine) about "The Real World:" ". . . Superb song craft. . . keen arrangements. If familiar reference points are Steve Winwood and Bruce Hornsby, Marks demonstrates as much care to the architecture of a song as those two certified platinum stars did on their most recent outings. Each song is intelligent, exceptional . . ."
Simultaneously in 1988, Marks published his first novel, "The Dance and the Diamond Sky," which uses the late '60's as a backdrop for what continue to be current social and political issues.
Sherry Robb of Robb Literary, Los Angeles wrote: "An amazing book, beautifully written, about a critical time in our country's history. Though this coming of age tale is about a time decades removed, 'The Dance and the Diamond Sky' generates wisdom that directly reflects upon the internal and external struggles we face today. There are no cliches here. There is humor, plenty of drama, and a great ending. A story that needed to be written finally was. . . ."
This was followed in 1990 by, "If All They Said Was True," a recording which introduced nine new songs.
When the San Francisco Bay Guardian published it's 18th annual "Best of San Francisco" edition in 1996, Marks' songwriting career was highlighted: "Marks is a meticulous craftsman, injecting his modern rock sound with interesting harmonic subtleties and powerful lyrics. . . [His] lyrics poetically address how we treat each other and our planet."
Larry Kelp of the Oakland Tribune wrote this about Marks' sixth recording, "Past the Nightwatch." "Marks shows a knack for combining a catchy and memorable song with mature and often brilliant lyrics about love, relationships, and finding a place in the world. . .always a rare thing in the world of commercial music."
Marks also was known in San Francisco circles for his teaching method for piano and composition. The method focuses on teaching the entirety of music theory, songwriting, and improvisation without using reading notation. His method was highlighted on a number of occasions in the national media. Sheilah Glover, KPFA radio in San Francisco , proclaimed: "Gary's teaching method is unique and potent. Students learn at an astounding pace. . . .He gets to the core of the creative process with joy, insight, and a reverence for clarity. He is simply the best teacher of anything in the San Francisco Bay Area."
In 2006 Gary wrote, "Rocking Wall Street," a book exposing the truths and myths about the financial markets, while predicting the coming real estate crash. Marks goes further than an investment "guru" would dare go -- pointing out the addictions of investing, and questioning "work" without meaning. "The End Game" is the core of the book's message, taking a spiritual look at what purpose money serves in our lives. "Whom do we serve?" by spending so much of our life working and collecting material possessions? Who is slave, and who is master? Published and distributed world-wide in 2007 by John A. Wiley & Sons. Financial analyst and best selling author John Mauldin wrote the forward.
Since 2006, Gary has written nine new novels. All of Gary Marks's books can now be accessed for free in the "Books" section of this web site. Gary Marks lives in Hawaii, with his wife, Theresa, and their three children - Skylar, Annabel, and Shawn.
His oldest daughter, Skylar, has followed in her dad's footsteps, recording and releasing three CDs of original music by the age of twelve. Skylar writes, sings, and plays all the instruments. Check out the SKYLAR page on this web site.
Just before 2010 arrived, Gary finished and posted in the BOOKS section of his web site a unique new novel called, "(T)here."
In 2010, Marks finished his fourteenth recording of original songs, "From Here," as well as his tenth novel, "WOW."
Gary is currently working on his next CD and novel.
This review is from: Rocking Wall Street: Four Powerful Strategies That will Shake Up the Way You Invest, Build Your Wealth And Give You Your Life Back (Hardcover)
When I read Rocking Wall Street it had me laughing out loud, because finally someone spoke the truth about the massive risks of following the advice of brokers and media experts. The fact is you simply can't buy and hold your way through the decades unless market valuations are at historically low levels - the last time that happened was the mid-1970's. Before that, the 1930's and 40's. Not even Warren Buffet buys and holds and just walks away. . . .You can learn how to make money safely, and keep the profits, and have a great time reading about how. Gary Marks is a true crusader for the average investor. And a great story teller. No one should be playing casino games with their retirement money. It's easy to see who will win the next time a bear market rolls around. Finally a book that tells it like it is and gives us solid solutions. . .
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This review is from: Rocking Wall Street: Four Powerful Strategies That will Shake Up the Way You Invest, Build Your Wealth And Give You Your Life Back (Hardcover)
I've never written a review before, but I read the Gary Marks book, and I just have to say that the review below that only gave it three stars just isn't getting it right. This book is not simply about hedge funds or how great they are. In fact, the author spends a part of the book telling us why only a small percentage of the hedge funds out there are any good. Most of the book isn't about hedge funds at all. It's about exposing the traps that stock brokers and financial advisors and the financial shows on TV set for us all -- by "us" I mean investors that aren't rich but would like to be some day. This author gives the rich as well as the "yet to be rich" very clear and logical advice about how to invest at every stage of wealth accumulation. But some of the book is also about how to deal with the money we do have, how we can come to enjoy it fully. There is a way this book connected me to a deeper place than any financial book I have ever read before, while also teaching me about investing in a very real and detailed way that will help me be a safer and better investor. I want to thank the author for writing a book that is truly radical and courageous, and doesn't pander to stock brokers, or mutual fund firms, or the media, or people looking for some magical scheme to get rich overnight. Because the three star reviewer below should know, if he really did read the book, that's the quickest way to lose all your money. AND, I also went to Gary Marks' music web site and found --- really great songs! [...]. Once you read his lyrics you'll know he's not just some hedge fund CEO with rich friends. His songs and his book have a lot in common -- a lot of wisdom and a lot of heart. I'm very glad I read this book.
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This review is from: Rocking Wall Street: Four Powerful Strategies That will Shake Up the Way You Invest, Build Your Wealth And Give You Your Life Back (Hardcover)
I'm not a high net worth investor but unlike one of the other reviewers I did find this book incredibly helpful even though I am by no means a super rich, or "qualified" investor. The book is not all about hedge funds by any stretch of the imagination. Most of the book is about teaching us how NOT to get ripped off inside the investment casino, how to avoid getting addicted to media hype about a stock, or about buying Uranium, or whatever. More importantly, it's about how to find a sense of integrity and peace of mind in the investment game, and about money, and about material wealth. Marks asks us, "What would actually make you feel rich?" The answer he suggests is most definitely not about investing in hedge funds. Most stock brokers will hate this book, I could easily imagine that. A lot of people will think this book is putting down traditional investing, because, it is. In that way it will be very controversial. Investors wedded to their mutual funds will only understand this book after the next bear market. The risks they are taking are very likely far higher than they have been led to believe. As far as that same reviewer saying this book is hype for hedge funds, I don't get it. Mr. Marks spends a long time warning readers about the dark side of hedge funds, as well as the markets. Then he gives us pragmatic solutions to invest without gambling on a day to day or month to month basis. There are answers for non-qualified (not rich) investors too. But the answers are not gimmicky. They are real and sober. They are not about "get rich quick." They are about finding a way out of the stress and mental anguish investing inevitably leaves you with, unless you know what you are doing and coming from a truly realistic place. Did that reviewer actually read the entire book? Or just look at one of the ten chapters? I wish I had read a book like this before the last bear market. But I'm at least glad I read it before the next one.
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