We Cover Entertainment, Culture, Lifestyle, and Business for Those Who Rock.
The Rock Father Magazine is where pop culture, parenthood, and business collide — with a heavy dose of rock ’n’ roll attitude. Founded by media veteran and industry insider James Zahn (The Rock Father™), the site serves up a high-energy mix of entertainment, music, lifestyle, and business news for those who live loud and play harder.
We don’t just cover what’s cool — we connect the dots between fun and commerce, helping audiences navigate the worlds of play, gear, and entertainment with authenticity and edge. Our unique content mix ranges from curated music news and features to home and garden, DIY, food and beverage, automotive and car culture, tech, business, podcasts, and beyond.
About James Zahn, aka The Rock Father™
James Zahn, aka The Rock Father™, is a veteran storyteller and cultural disruptor with more than 30 years shredding the edges of entertainment, publishing, business, retail, and pop culture. He’s the brains and brawn behind The Rock Father™ Magazine, where he’s owner, publisher, and Editor-in-Chief — curating a bold blend of business, family life, entertainment, and that unmistakable rock ’n’ roll swagger.
In 2016, he joined Adventure Media & Events on a contract basis, and since 2019, he’s been full-time as the driving force behind The Toy Book, the definitive trade publication for the North American toy industry. Rising through the ranks from Senior Editor to Deputy Editor, then Editor-in-Chief, he’s shaped the mag’s sharp editorial voice and industry-leading insights, elevating the 40-year-old publication beyond the trade, growing readership and revenue while reshaping The Toy Book into a globally recognized multiplatform media brand.
Alongside that, Zahn, as a Senior Editor, crafts content for Adventure Media & Events’ other brands, The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and pens the must-read weekly Toy Report newsletter. With no-nonsense, Midwestern edge, James commands a spotlight that no one else in the biz can touch.
Zahn’s commentary and expertise have lit up the airwaves and pages of Yahoo! Finance, FOX Business, CNN, MarketWatch, Forbes, NBC, ABC, CBS, BBC News, The New York Times, and more. He’s dropped knowledge as a music expert on CNN’s AC360 with Anderson Cooper, shot a pilot with the late Larry King, and rocked the stage on panels at Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC), New York Comic Con, Wizard World Chicago, ASTRA Marketplace & Academy, and The Future of Licensing: Xtracks Executive Summit at UTA in Beverly Hills.
But James is more than just a media and toy industry heavyweight. He’s a creative force with roots deep in storytelling. He’s directed music videos and album trailers for legendary bands like Fear Factory, written comic books, acted in feature films and commercials, and performed onstage in his own bands. For years, he managed and directed videos for metal act Product of Hate, whose albums charted on major metal charts and were released through heavyweight labels like Napalm Records and ADA/Warner Music.
His pen and voice have touched everything from Netflix’s Stream Team to Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He’s also a former Director of New Media Development for FANGORIA Entertainment and Starlog Magazine, and a trusted brand ambassador and consultant for top pop culture, toy, and lifestyle brands worldwide.
James Zahn doesn’t just tell stories — he lives at the crossroads of creativity and commerce, always ready to amplify the culture with sharp insight, bold ideas, and unapologetic passion, rewriting the rules and setting the stage on fire. A visionary with a rebel’s heart, he lives loud, plays hard, and leads the charge into the future.
Connect with James: LinkedIn | X | Facebook | Instagram | IMDb
Adalyn & Finley | The Rock Daughters™
The inspiration that sparked the creation of “The Rock Father™,” it was the birth of Adalyn in 2009 which planted the seeds for what would come next — a shift in focus driven by fatherhood and solidified by an evening conversation by a new mom and dad. With the birth of Finley in 2012, The Rock Daughters™ were now a team, constantly inspiring their parents to do better all while becoming entertainers and storytellers themselves.
The Rock Daughters™ have been seen in popular YouTube videos and have made appearances on WGN News, ABC7, and a special Hot Wheels 50th Anniversary segment on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.
Rob Evanoff | West Coast Contributing Editor
A tenured veteran of the music industry, Rob is the founder and CEO of 1888 Media in Los Angeles. He has been involved in all aspects of the industry, working both at major and independent labels having managed and directed sales, marketing (tour, street, internet, 3rd party), publicity, A&R, advertising, production, graphic design, web design, packaging, business development, digital distribution, legal, licensing, publishing & royalties.
Rob enjoys writing about music and the business of music.
Damian Cousins | Contributing Writer
Damian “The Maestro” Cousins is an avowed lover of heavy metal and the band KISS. A die-hard Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Dallas Mavericks fan, you can usually find him watching games with his autistic son, Corey. He is also a 5-time Fantasy Football champion. Damian previously served as Founder and Publisher of Amps and Green Screens. He contributes music reviews to THE ROCK FATHER Magazine.
Staff Contributors
Covering breaking news and stories from the wires, stories marked with the “Staff Contributor” byline are published by a variety of writers in our virtual newsroom, or original features and special content stories exclusive to The Rock Father™ Magazine.
Former Contributors:
Wayne Mackie | Contributing Writer
Hailing from the Los Angeles area, Mackie and his family have spent time in the Midwest and on the East Coast, where they currently reside. Wayne finds enjoyment in posting music and movie-related news stories and press releases. He met and previously worked with James with at another news outlet in the late 2000s
Tom Stevens | Contributing Writer
Based in Texas, Tom brings together a love of Disney and a love of metal. He is the founder, guitarist, and vocalist of the death metal band, NOKTURNEL in addition to running Nokturnel Eclipse – a destination for quality Spikes and Leather, and being an expert in raising snakes. Tom also holds a vast knowledge of Disney Travel tips.
Contact Information:
Rock Father HQ™ is located in Northern Illinois, roughly 50 miles from the City of Chicago. Contact Publisher James Zahn: james@therockfather.com
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THE ROCK FATHER™ is always three words but may be shortened to two as ROCK FATHER™. It should never, ever be written as “Rockfather” or “The Rockfather.”
