MUSIC BOOKS
(HarperCollins/It Books; $25.99; August 3, 2010)
Dave Mustaine is the first to admit that he’s bottomed out a few times in his dark and twisted speed metal version of a Dickensian life.
Impoverished, transient childhood? Check.
Abusive, alcoholic parent? Check.
Mind-fucking religious weirdness (in his case the extremes of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Satanism)? Check.
Alcoholism, drug addiction, homelessness? Check, check, check.
Soul-crushing professional and artistic setbacks? Check.
Rehab? Check (seventeen times, give or take).
Near-death experience? Check that one, too.
James Hetfield, with whom many years ago Mustaine founded a band known as Metallica, once observed, with some incredulity, that Mustaine must have been born with a horseshoe up his ass. That’s how lucky he’s been, how fortunate he is to be pulling breath after so many close calls. And Hetfield is right. Mustaine has been lucky. He has been blessed. But here’s the thing about having a horseshoe lodged in your rectum: It also hurts like hell. And you never forget it’s there.
Mustaine has battled through it all to achieve dizzying heights. From the early, heady days of Metallica, being unceremoniously let go only to become a world-famous rock star—founder, front man, singer, songwriter, and guitarist (and de facto CEO) for Megadeth, one of the most popular bands in heavy metal—Mustaine’s is a story that will inspire, stun, and terrify.
About the Author
Dave Mustaine, widely regarded as the “founding father” of Thrash Metal, almost singlehandedly created the enduring multiplatinum style that launched both Megadeth and Metallica into the public’s consciousness. From 1985’s Killing Is My Business . . . and Business Is Good to the most recent Endgame, with more than twelve album releases with Megadeth, Mustaine has left a legacy of music that has been described as everything from “poignant” to “insightful” to “angry” to “ironic.” Megadeth earned eight Grammy nominations and six platinum certifications. Mustaine lives in San Diego County, California.
For more information visit AMAZON
(HarperCollins; $25.99; July 27, 2010)
The story of Steven Adler’s life as a member of Guns N Roses, one of rock and roll’s most volatile, decadent and out of control bands, is both terrifying and awe-inspiring. His new book, My Appetite For Destruction: Sex and Drugs and Guns N’ Roses, due for release July 27th, really hits home–but not for being a thrill-inducing rock and roll story. Actually it’s just the opposite. Adler’s candor and self-reflection make this book a different kind of rock star memoir entirely.
Steven Adler absolutely does not try to pretty up his story; there’s no attempt to make himself look heroic or, as so often happens in rock star biographies, victimized. Adler puts aside his own ego to tell a story that is bitingly poignant in its brutal honesty.
To read the complete view visit EXAMINER.COM
I AM OZZY
(Grand Central Publishing Hardcover; $26.99; January 25, 2010)
Take what you thought was “rock and roll excess,” double it, and you still would not be anywhere near the dizzying life of Ozzy Osbourne. Born into a life so poor that the entire family slept in one room, music was his salvation, and his band Black Sabbath went on to change the musical landscape forever. The inevitable sex and drugs came along with along with the rock and roll lifestyle, and Ozzy soon fell into an epic relationship with booze and chemicals.
The stories of Ozzy’s days on the road are now those of legend—biting the head off of a live bat, the tragic plane crash that took the life of his best friend and writing partner—but few know about the real heartbreak he suffered during those days of hard living. I AM OZZY is the heavy metal pioneer’s unbelievable story told, for the first time, in Ozzy’s hilarious, witty, and inimitable voice. In the end it was love that saved him: the love of his wife Sharon and kids Aimee, Kelly, and Jack.
About the Author
Ozzy Osbourne was born in Aston, Birmingham, in 1948. He has sold over a hundred million records both with Black Sabbath and as an award-winning solo artist. He has five children and lives with his wife, Sharon, in California and Buckinghamshire.
For more information visit AMAZON
THE STOOGES: The Authorized and Illustrated Story
by Robert Matheu, Jeffrey Morgan, Alice Cooper (Foreword)
(Abrams; October 2009; $35.00)
Legendary rocker Alice Cooper has written the foreword to “The Stooges: The Authorized and Illustrated Story” (Abrams Books, October 1), the first-ever authorized book about THE STOOGES, including iconic photographs, classic interviews, and vintage articles and ephemera dating from the band’s breakout performances in Detroit in the late 1960s through their most recent shows in 2008.
Formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967, THE STOOGES are icons of modern rock, influencing the fledgling sounds of punk, heavy metal, and hard core. From the beginning, lead singer and provocateur Iggy Pop (born James Osterberg) astounded audiences with his outrageous stage performances, accompanied by guitarist Ron Asheton, his drummer brother Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave Alexander with their raw and bracing sound. The group disbanded in 1974, but reunited in 2003 to play before a vastly expanded fan base of over 10 million devotees worldwide.
With contributions from noted music journalists Dave DiMartino, Ben Blackwell, Ivan Suvanjieff, Brian J. Bowe, and Machine Rock, as well as acclaimed photographers Joel Brodsky, Ed Caraeff, Mick Rock, and Lisa Gottlieb, “The Stooges: The Authorized and Illustrated Story” gives readers the definitive account of how these icons of rock ‘n’ roll redefined music, performance, and expectations, time and time again.
To read the complete article visit BLABBERMOUT.NET
AN EDUCATION IN REBELLION: The Biography of Nikki Sixx
by Jake Brown
(Rock ‘N’ Roll Books; October 2009)
Rock ‘N’ Roll Books/SCB Distribution will reissue “An Education in Rebellion: The Biography of Nikki Sixx” with a brand new cover.
Packed with star-studded exclusive interview material with MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee, SIXX: A.M. frontman/songwriting partner James Michael, legendary producer Bob Rock, female rock icon Lita Ford, late QUIET RIOT frontman Kevin DuBrow , ‘80s CRÜE producer Tom Werman, ’90s producer Scott Humphrey, former MÖTLEY CRÜE/BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION guitarist/vocalist John Corabi, side-project 58 co-producer Dave Darling, former LONDON bandmate Lizzy Grey, legendary rock photographer Neil Zlozower, former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick, recovery counselor Bob Timmons, and a host of others contributing commentary on the life and times of MÖTLEY CRÜE founder/lead songwriter/bassist Nikki Sixx.
Originally released in 2002, the 320-plus-page book has been entirely re-edited, updated through 2009, and features a two-disc bonus sampler featuring original bands influenced by the music of Sixx/MÖTLEY CRÜE.
To read the complete article visit BLABBERMOUTH.NET
(William Morrow; $16.66; October 13, 2009)
Australian rock giants AC/DC have sold more records in the U.S. than Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, and than the Rolling Stones, yet have always been undervalued and unappreciated by mainstream rock music critics. In Why AC/DC Matters, former Rolling Stone staff writer and New York Times bestselling author Anthony Bozza addresses this inequity, penning a just tribute to these monsters of rock. Brimming with fascinating stories and insights from musicians, fans, music scholars, and the author himself, Why AC/DC Matters is an overdue homage to arguably the greatest rock and roll band of all time.
About the Author
Anthony Bozza is the author of four New York Times Bestsellers, including Whatever You Say I Am: The Life and Times of Eminem, Slash, co-written with Slash and the #1 bestselling Too Fat to Fish, co-written with Artie Lange. Bozza was a staff writer and editor for Rolling Stone magazine for seven years, during which he profiled a diverse range of artists from Eminem and the Wu-Tang Clan to Trent Reznor and U2. He lives in New York City.
