Metal may be the most maligned musical genre out there. But regardless of whether you think its rep is well-deserved or wholly unfair, there is no denying the powerful visual images that have been associated with it from the beginning, seen everywhere from album covers to black concert T’s. From the iconic Zombie-like figure of Eddie, Iron Maiden’s mascot, to the Misfits skull beaming from the front of t-shirts going…
There is no shortage of books out there about the love ‘em or hate ‘em thrash band Metallica. But at almost 400 pages, and just the first part of a two volume set, Birth School Metallica Death, might just be the only book you need on the band. While many of the stories in the first volume are lore at this point, the access these two longtime metal…
River Phoenix was 23-years-old when he died on the sidewalk outside of the Viper Room. And given his childhood – raised in the Children of God cult, forced to panhandle in the streets of South America to feed his family, and serving as the main source of income for his parents and siblings for the rest of his short life – it’s hard to imagine a scenario where he…
Yes the alkie/junkie-who’s-really-a-good-guy genre has been around for a long, long time. The fact that anyone would try and tread that ground after Charles Bukowski is simply mindboggling, but somehow Danny Bland takes the challenge and does remarkably well. In Case We Die, the first novel from Bland (best known as a musician for The Dwarves, Cat Butt and Best Kisser in the World) is dark, emotional and surprisingly funny.…
Cherie Curry’s updated 2010 memoir Neon Angel was a compelling, sometimes traumatic look at her childhood and her time with the influential all-girl teen rock band The Runaways. But it was just that, her take on the band. Queens of Noise is an even-handed look at the band, and those surrounding them, specifically the group’s manager and brainchild (depending on who you ask) Kim Fowley. Written by journalism professor…
The mere fact that Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen can even remember his past given the decades of substance abuse (alcohol, pot, speed, acid, heroin and everything in between) is a testament to the resiliency of the brain. He was even acid king Timothy Leary’s genuine pig for a while (and that’s not hyperbole. He was literally fed acid by Leary who would study the effects). Given all that, it’s not…
Serious Strength Training is a title that looks to provide individuals with education to move past early stages of bodybuilding into the more hard-core weight training. This book provides more than just a set of exercises (which are numerous), providing education in regards to high-intensity training, diet, and even sets of workouts that will increase muscle gains. The “Using Nutritional Supplements” chapter will inform readers about what each class (BCAAs,…
At this point there should not be a single person in this country shocked by the revelation that Fox News – run by longtime Republican strategist Roger Ailes – is simply a tool for conservative issues. Even the tag line “Fair and Balanced” is now delivered in a tone dripping with sarcasm. So Joe Muto’s insider look at the network shouldn’t be met with hand-to-the-mouth shock, but is more likely…
On its surface, The Summer of Beer and Whiskey is a book about the birth of the upstart American Association baseball league in the 1880’s and about Chris von der Ahe, the eccentric owner of the St. Louis Browns who purchased the team so that he could sell more beer. That in and of itself might make for an interesting story, but one with limited appeal if you’re not interested…
John M. Collins is the godfather of the modern paper airplane. That might not be the sexiest title in the world, but few people have obliterated a world record the way that Collins did, crafting a paper airplane that flew 226 feet and 10 inches, a full 19 feet and 6 inches farther than the previous record holder. And now, Collins is kindly offering you the tools to follow in…
I’m not going to wade into the debate of whether or not Public Enemy actually belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (they do, by the way), but their recent induction is obviously the impetus for this latest collection of re-mastered hits. And if it took an induction to get these songs on vinyl again, well hell, it was worth it. Yes, it’s frustrating that only 11 songs…
If there were a PHD-level class in heavy metal Louder Than Hell would be the textbook. Intimidating in size, coming in at nearly 750 pages, this oral history of society’s favorite whipping boy musical genre is as fascinating as it is comprehensive. Beginning with the numerous bands who have been credited with founding the genre (from Black Sabbath to Iron Butterfly) and delving into just about every imaginable subgenre –…
When I was a child, one of my favorite books was a reference guide to all of the monsters and otherworldly creatures in H.P. Lovecraft’s massive bibliography. It didn’t matter that I had never actually read one of Lovecraft’s stories, the illustrations and descriptions of each oddity captivated my ten-year-old self in a way that few other books could. My fascination with animals both real and fictitious has continued to…
You can’t help but catch a strong “Me too!” vibe off of Stephen Pearcy’s memory of his time as Ratt’s founder and frontman (ironically, Ratt always had a “me too” vibe attached to their music as well, being seen as a carbon copy of Motley Crue, despite coming up from the same scene around the same time). Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll is Pearcy’s attempt to one up or at…
Dave Bry’s first book is so brilliant in its simplicity it’s pretty astounding no one has thought of it before – the apology genre. Though his execution is so deft it’s almost certain if anyone had attempted this before it would not be as nearly memorable. Yes, I realize there is nothing new about self-confessional essays, but an entire book of apologies? I think we’re breaking new ground here folks.…
I don’t care if you don’t know your Megadeth from your Metallica, your Fates Warning from your Mercyful Fate, it’s certain that you’re gonna lose several hours to The Merciless Book of Metal Lists. Yes. it’s that good. Complied by former music A&R rep Howie Abrams and music writer Sacha Jenkins, the book is a fantastically entertaining look at all things metal – from logos and t-shirts to bands, list…
It becomes clear very early into “Donnybrook: A Novel” that author Frank Bill has seen some stuff in his southern Indiana hometown. When he isn’t working his day job in a factory, Bill has built his young writing career chronicling meth dealers, criminals, bare-knuckle fighters and all other varieties of desperate, dangerous and sometimes depraved characters on the wrong side of life, first in a collection of short stories titled…
Not to be confused with the just-released memoir by Arista Records legend Clive Davis (The Soundtrack of My Life), Don Silver’s slim, paperback memoir covering much of the time he worked with Davis is actually a far more interesting read. Yes, Davis admits to his bisexuality and battles with Kelly Clarkston in his autobiography, but Silver is far more revealing about just how much of a jackass his former boss…
This book is a compilation of four Advanced Dungeons & Dragons modules (Tomb of Horrors, White Plume Mountain, Expedition to the Barrie Peaks, and The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth). The glossy style of current Dungeons and Dragons releases does these old adventures well, creating something that provides dungeon masters with a much more focused approach than was present during the cardboard / paper module years. The Lost Caverns of…
Pantera seemed to come out of nowhere in the late 80’s with Cowboys From Hell, a rather apt title summing up these Texas-bred good ole’ boys with a penchant for blistering metal and plenty of booze. Though to be fair, they’d been at it playing and recording since the early 80’s – taking the punk rock DIY path of self-releasing – it just took the music world and the larger…