'The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of Hair Metal' -- New Book

A BBG! reader has written an awesome book about glam. I am working my way through it (this is not a slim book - it is very comprehensive!) but I wanted to share now so you could grab for a beach read before the holiday weekend here in America. The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of Hair Metal, by Christopher P. Hilton, is available now in both Kindle and paperback format. Click the image to the left to directly purchase the book. I will have a full review of the book soon. Here is the book description:  

The spectacular story of ‘80s Hair Metal! What hidden mayhem truly lurked behind the curtain as outrageous bands such as Poison were having Nothing But a Good Time, only to find out later that Every Rose Has Its Thorn…

 

An intoxicating chronicle detailing the sensational arc of one of the history’s most polarizing and successful musical genres—the ‘80s-born hard rock and heavy metal circus affectionately known as Hair Metal. Spotlighting bands such as Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, and many others, prepare for an electrifying journey of enormous highs, unspeakable lows, and the improbable comeback of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most extraordinary and influential eras.

 

Rising from the gutters of Los Angeles in the early ‘80s, an explosive new style of music was unrelentingly thrust upon the world. Fusing the rebellious aggression of traditional heavy metal with upbeat hooks and melodies, “Hair Metal” would emerge over the coming decade as one of the most successful and dominant forces the music industry had ever seen.

 

Defined by shredding guitars, flamboyant frontmen, fist-pumping anthems, and an extravagant fashion sense, bands like Def Leppard and Guns N’ Roses dominated the landscape, selling millions of albums and playing to sold-out arenas of frenzied fans across the globe. “Sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll” was taken to new extremes as excess in all forms ruled supreme in one gloriously outrageous celebration.

 

Then, seemingly out of nowhere in the early ‘90s, Hair Metal violently imploded in a stunningly mind-blowing fall from grace. The genre struggled with near-extinction for the better part of the decade as Grunge served as a new God to worship, representing the complete antithesis of everything ‘80s rock had come to symbolize. Many hair bands futility attempted to change with the times; most simply disintegrated.

 

Finally, at the turn of the century, Hair Metal miraculously sprung back to a renewed lease on life, rising from the ashes and establishing a stable platform upon which it has proudly stood to service its legion of devoted followers for the past twenty years.

 

Strap in for Hair Metal’s thrilling ride, with an in-depth look at the music, artists, and behind-the-scenes stories comprising an extraordinary era that impacted millions of lives. A time when real-life rock ‘n’ roll was truly more remarkable than fiction.

 

The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of Hair Metal—the one book no fan should be without! Your journey awaits . . .

 

“For both devoted fans and people who just hum the tunes, this is the definitive account of Hair Metal's history, including all of the behind-the-scenes drama and spectacle—a well-written and exciting adventure.”—Jonathan P. Brazee, USA Today Bestselling writer and multiple Nebula and Dragon Award finalist.

Comments

[Shawn]

Looks like a good read will add to my list.

[Gary]

Do it Shawn. I just finished it over the weekend, and the dude does an incredibly thorough job. I recommend it to anybody on here who’s a reader and wants some great flashbacks that’ll jog what’s left of the brain cells from the era. . 2 thumbs up from Statler up here in the mezzanine. (Waldorf had the prune soufflé and is otherwise “occupied”)

[Brian C]

Very cool.

Is there a certain way to purchase the book where the author gets more of the proceeds from the sale? I could buy through amazon, but if they take a bigger slice than if I buy through another source, I’d gladly use the other source.

[Gary]

I got mine through Amazon for my Kindle. Like Ally said, it’s a long read, but a great one. Guy really did his homework.👍

[HrMtlFan]

Hi Guys, the "author" here...thanks so much for your interest in the book, your kind words, and inquiring the best place to get it from! Amazon is the best source, as they have it in-stock and will get it to you the quickest if you order the physical copy. Yes, they take a decent sized cut, but no worries, I didn't write it with the intent of making any real money on it...really just wanted to share it with devoted fans like yourselves! :-) I truly do hope you enjoy it...if you do, and you deem it worthy, if you would be kind enough to leave a 5-star review on Amazon, I would be eternally grateful! Thanks again!

[Kixchix]

Congrats on the book dude. Was using the moniker “hair metal” a tough choice? I personally don’t mind it because it immediately drills to the core bands and the Sunset Strip. But the layperson sometimes heads to derision of the genre.

I will ask my local library to purchase it if ya don’t mind. My taxes are so high it’s about time they went to a worthy cause! Thanks.

[Bkallday]

Nice touch Mr. Author. I don't usually go for these kind of books, since there are so many related that i just don't know what's good and whats not but i will definitely consider this one, just because you're such a solid dude. Props! \m/

[HrMtlFan]

KixChix, yes, it was a very, very difficult decision to use the term "hair metal." In fact, the first sentence of the first chapter reads: "I have a confession to make...I hate the term hair metal." That chapter deals almost entirely with the exact topic you raise, which is the polarizing nature of the word and the very different things it means to different people, and how various bands tend to get classified. In the end, I used it for the reason you state, because, whether we like it or not, it is the singular most universal way to clearly identify the subject matter. I think it would be awesome if you get the book from the library! Really hope you enjoy it!

[Brian C.]

Thanks for the response.

Just ordered a copy from amazon.

[fletch]

ordered. Can't wait to read. peace/rock on!

[crued]

Ordered! thx for posting here "Author"

[MR Thunderthighs]

It is long over due.