What will you find in the new Stephen Pearcy book?

Pearcy, who, in his words, once held a “platinum card for debauchery”, tells some interesting tales, including his early life in San Diego (his high school was the inspiration for Fast Times at Ridgemont High) where he suffered a horrifying accident that should have left him unable to walk again, and the 80′s Sunset Strip scene with pals Motley Crue and Van Halen. Plus, he reveals why Bret Michaels of Poison should give him a call—Pronto!

In this interview, we talk about these stories in his memoir and what is the status of new music from Ratt.

Buy Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll: My Life in Rock.  Follow Pearcy on Twitter.  For all things Pearcy, including information on his new Mic Knuckles, go to his website.  Find Stephen on Facebook and get book tour dates.

- Have you checked out Legs McNeil’s epic new(ish) blog? It continues to be chock full of good stuff all the time.

- In support of their upcoming book, the original MTV VJ’s now have a website with their book signing dates and other stuff.

- The Merciless Book of Metal Lists is out now.

- Pre-order is now up for Rush: The Illustrated History by former guest of the show Martin Popoff.

- If you missed it, the surviving members Beastie Boys signed up for a memoir due out 2015. 

-Bazillion Points Books announced its upcoming release Experiencing Nirvana: Grunge In Europe 1989 by Bruce Pavitt.

- Bill Wyman’s Scrapbook Legacy Edition is now available.  Enter to win a copy here.

-Happy Punks 123, A Counting Book would make a cool gift for some hip new parents.

- I Am Brian Wilson has been announced for 2015.

- Some early dish is being released from the upcoming MTV VJ’s book. Here’s a David Lee Roth coke story via The New York Daily News.

Not Only Women Bleed by Dick Wagner is a great rock memoir – funny, poignant, and full of great stories from an impressive career.  Wagner takes the reader through his early days in Detroit and rising to the top of that music scene, touring with Lou Reed, and then Alice Cooper with whom he wrote some of Cooper’s biggest hits (including “Welcome To My Nightmare” and “Only Women Bleed”). Wagner also got to produce his hero Little Richard, and that recording session devolved into something so crazy, it’s one of the funniest stories in the book. And there are plenty more stories where that came from. Wagner fans will also love all the little known stories and tidbits, including details on the time he auditioned to be the lead singer of Blood, Sweat and Tears.

One more reason this autobiography really works is the style of the book. It’s set up in a series of vignettes which makes it extremely readable and enjoyable.  More rock memoirs could benefit from using this style, just sayin’…

In this interview, which like Wagner’s book is a series of vignettes, we talk about working with Little Richard, writing “Welcome To My Nightmare” on the beach with Alice Cooper (of which there’s a performance with that piece of the interview) and working with Lou Reed and Steve Hunter.  There’s also talk of a possible film version of Wagner’s life, which after reading the book, would be likely be wonderful.

Buy Not Only Women Bleed: Vignettes from the Heart of a Rock Musician [With 2 CDs]. Visit Dick’s website (where you can also read an excerpt from the book). Find Dick on Facebook.

Metal fans will love the new book Louder Than Hell. Look for it to release on May 14th. And, here’s what the press release had to say:

LOUDER THAN HELL

THE DEFINITIVE ORAL HISTORY OF METAL
By Jon Wiederhorn & Katherine Turman

BASED ON HUNDREDS OF ORIGINAL INTERVIEWS WITH METAL LUMINARIES INCLUDING LEMMY/MOTORHEAD, MEMBERS OF BLACK SABBATH, MEGADETH, KORN, PANTERA, LIMP BIZKIT, METALLICA, MARILYN MANSON, VAN HALEN, AND MANY MORE!

“Essential.” —REVOLVER (4/4 stars review!)

“An indispensable oral history of an often misunderstood musical genre.”
—KIRKUS REVIEWS (a starred review!)

“I’m not saying this just because I’m in the book, but . . . if you love metal, great stories, and music history told by the people who made it, then Louder than Hell is a must-read.”
—ALICE COOPER

“…the authors’ inclusiveness give this examination a weight that is just as heavy as the music.”
—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

“This is the best oral history I’ve read since Please Kill Me. Louder than Hell is the first book that really delivers the brutal truth from the mouths of the artists and key players themselves!
I couldn’t put it down.” —MATT PINFIELD

Compiled from over 400 interviews conducted by respected music journalists Jon Wiederhorn and Katherine Turman, LOUDER THAN HELL: The Definitive Oral History of Metal (It Books; May 14, 2013; Hardcover; $32.50) is a chronological history of heavy metal, told through the words of the men and women who created it, played it, re-invented it, and continue to rock it.

Revolver senior editor Wiederhorn and Nights with Alice Cooper producer Turman dug deep into their extensive list of contacts to uncover never-before-heard stories, eye-opening admissions and the truth behind metal’s most explosive legends. Candid and confessional commentary comes straight from icons of the genre, including: Ronnie James Dio, Ozzy Osbourne, Bruce Dickinson, Eddie Van Halen, Vince Neil, Tommy Lee, Lita Ford, Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield,

Axl Rose, Slash, Corey Taylor, Dave Mustaine, Chuck Schuldiner, Lemmy Kilmister, King Diamond, Dave Grohl, Trent Reznor, Slayer’s Kerry King, Phil Anselmo, Rob Zombie and more. With an introduction by Scott Ian of Anthrax and an afterword by Rob Halford of Judas Priest, and with two 16-page photo inserts, with some never-before seen candid shots by celebrated rock photographers Stephanie Cabral and Robert Matheu, this is the book metal fans have been waiting for.

The many musicians interviewed by these veteran journalists offer their take on their influences, touring, the music business, and songwriting, as well as their often-traumatic upbringings, battles with substance abuse, and bizarre sexual exploits. Industry insiders (including managers, record label executives, family members, friends, scenesters, groupies, journalists, and porn stars) provide additional insight.

From the creation of Black Sabbath in the late 1960s, to Judas Priest’s development of the leather-and-studs look, to Metallica introducing the world to thrash, to the inception of Ozzfest, to Faith No More accidentally creating the first hybrid of rap and metal, to the provocative exploits of the Sunset Strip scene, to the death and destruction surrounding Norwegian black metal, LOUDER THAN HELL gets to the meat of the metal matter:
Rob Halford of Judas Priest reveals how he kicked cocaine and alcohol in 1986 after tragically witnessing his boyfriend’s suicide and sought solace in spirituality, which has helped the Metal God stay clean to this day.
Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose talks about the early days of Guns N’ Roses, the making of the 36-million-copy-selling debut Appetite for Destruction, and how Robert Willams’ graphic cover art was censored.
Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi explains how he lost parts of his fingers while working a day job in a factory – and created homemade prosthetics so he could play guitar, which changed the tonality of the instrument and the sound of heavy metal forever.
Megadeth bassist Dave Ellefson shares how he dug through his own vomit in search of the balloon of heroin he’d swallowed to avoid being arrested by the police, and then used that heroin to celebrate his victory over not getting busted.
Members of Metallica and Anthrax detail the horrifying events of 1986 when Metallica’s tour bus crashed and tipped over, crushing bassist Cliff Burton beneath it while the rest of the members escaped relatively unscathed.
Alice Cooper reveals how it was really wheelchair-bound members of his AUDIENCE who tore the live chicken apart during his fateful concert in Toronto, while Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne give first-person accounts of Ozzy biting the head off a dove while wasted during a high-level record company meeting, and decapitating a bat onstage during his Diary of a Madman tour.
Hellhammer, drummer of Norway’s pioneering black metal band Mayhem, talks about ex-vocalist Dead committing suicide and how guitarist Euronymous used a chunk of Dead’s brain to make a Mexican stew.
Biohazard guitarist Billy Graziadei details how gang bangers stabbed a member of the group’s posse with a hunting knife while shouting, “Payback, Motherfucker!” and how the band vowed to retaliate. Vocalist Evan Seinfeld also recounts his graphic sexual liaisons while on tour, and how they led to his career in porn.
Slipknot bassist Paul Gray (who died of an overdose at age 38 during the writing of LOUDER THAN HELL) discusses the evolution of the lineup; physical fights between band members, and his own struggles with addiction.

LOUDER THAN HELL explores the transformation of metal culture, with stories and anecdotes straight from the mouths of the most infamous and successful bands. Filled with hundreds of revealing interviews representing every type and era of heavy metal—from metal progenitors such as Blue Cheer, Led Zeppelin, and the MC5 to current day innovators including Slipknot, Mastodon, and Lamb of God—LOUDER THAN HELL is the ultimate look behind the curtain at one of our most dynamic, controversial and enduring musical genres.

About the Authors:

Jon Wiederhorn is a senior writer for Revolver who also writes for Guitar World, Yahoo.com, eMusic.com, and SPIN.com. His second book, the authorized biography of Ministry’s Al Jourgensen, Ministry: The Lost Gospels According to Al Jourgensen, is scheduled for release in August. His work has also appeared in SPIN, Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, Raygun, RIP, Alternative Press, Raw, Cosmopolitan, Teen People and Metal Hammer. Jon currently lives in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, down the street from legendary ‘80s/’90s metal club L’Amour. His greatest accomplishment is teaching his two pre-teens to flash the devil horns long before they discovered Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber.

Katherine Turman is the producer for Alice Cooper’s nightly syndicated radio show, Nights with Alice Cooper. A former editor of RIP magazine and producer at TV’s The Sharon Osbourne Show as well as radio’s Rockline, her writing has been in major publications including Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, Mother Jones, SPIN, Billboard, Marie Claire, Guitar World, Metal Hammer, Village Voice and Daily Variety. A Los Angeles native, she now lives in Brooklyn.

Advance Praise for LOUDER THAN HELL:

“Louder Than Hell comes straight from the twisted minds of rock icons and flows seamlessly through various eras of heavy metal. You hear from the guys that were there on the stage, in the pit, puking in the gutter. It brought back memories, and I even learned a few things I never knew. I really dig this book.” —Riki Rachtman, DJ, VJ

“Books on the history of even something as cool as metal can be a bit antiseptic and boring—not this one. It’s the story straight from the horse’s mouth. Even better is when the horses have experimented with drugs and black out occasionally. . .” —Brendon Small, creator of Dethklok and Metalocalypse

“Who likes rock n roll here?? Well if you do, this is the book for you! Every rock has been overturned, every band has been analyzed, quoted, and lionized and every page offers a new fact or figure that you probably didn’t know. This is the definitive chronicle of all that is heavy metal and I’ve read them all!” —Chris Jericho, Fozzy

“Katherine Turman and Jon Wiederhorn know metal. Louder than Hell is an amazing gathering of different breeds of heavy metal rockers telling the tales metal fans want to hear.”
—Tom Morello, Rage Against the Machine

“This is the book every metal fan should own. A fascinating high-octane chronicle of metal mayhem that takes readers on a wild ride, from metal’s earliest days to the head-banging present. I’m not saying this just because I’m in the book, but . . . if you love metal, great stories, and music history told by the people who made it, then Louder than Hell is a must-read.”
—Alice Cooper

“Louder than Hell is a love letter to the misunderstood genre of heavy metal music, written by trusted companions who had a front row seat on the devil’s rollercoaster. The definitive chronological testimony by the people who were there, including some who are no longer with us.” —Mark McGrath, Sugar Ray and co-host Extra

“An amazingly comprehensive book on all eras and genres of hard rock and heavy metal. The stories and attention to detail make it an instant must for anyone who ever was or is a fan.”
—Eddie Trunk, DJ and host of “That Metal Show” on VH1 Classic

- Here’s what Mike Scott of The Waterboys was reading this weekend.

- Lou Gramm of Foreigner releases his book Juke Box Hero: My Five Decades in Rock ‘n’ Roll on May 1st.  Here’s where he’ll be signing his book

- Stephen Pearcy of Ratt is about to unleash his book Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll: My Life in Rock on the world. He’ll also be out signing and what not.

- Burt Bacharach’s memoir Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music out May 7th . Meet Burt

- Gregg Allman’s memoir My Cross to Bear has been optioned for a movie.  The question is, who’s going to play Cher?

Follow us on Twitter for more news during the week.

Last Shop Standing: Whatever Happened To Record Shops? by Graham Jones has been turned in to a movie.  The film has been named the official film of Record Store Day 2013 and is now available on DVD.

According to the press release for the film :

“It’s like a library for your ears and your mind.” So says Johnny Marr, about record shops, in our OFFICIAL FILM OF RECORD STORE DAY: Last Shop Standing: The Rise and Fall and Rebirth of the Independent Record Shop.  It’s based on a book by Graham Jones, directed by Pip Piper, and we think you’ll dig it too.  Johnny is just one of the musicians who talks about their love for the indie record store, a love which continues this week as his debut solo record, THE MESSENGER, hits their stacks.

The film will have its US debut in Houston on Friday, April 19th.

Check out the trailer with Marr and other all-star musicians.

Eric Burdon plays the Paste Magazine party at SXSW 2013. Photo by Extrawack

After showing the kids how it’s done at SXSW, the legendary Eric Burdon announced plans to write his book, Breathless, which will be out later this year.

Here’s the press release with details:

Los Angeles, CA-March 26, 2013 – In a year of a creative renaissance, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer Eric Burdon, has just announced a joint book deal with Alfred Music and ABKCO Music and Records.

Eric Burdon is best known as frontman of the legendary British Invasion-era rock band, the Animals and the ground-breaking, multi-ethnic rhythm and blues band, War. Burdon is enjoying one of the biggest years yet in his influential 50-year career. On the heels of a break-out performance at SXSW, the release of two new records, including the critically-acclaimed new album, ‘Til Your River Runs Dry, Burdon’s book, titled, Breathless, is slated for publication late this year.

Burdon adds, “I live my life, Breathless…A life of constant motion and excitement. A life that many will envy and most would avoid!” said Burdon. “I’m extremely fortunate, at age 71, to look back on my life and write down some of the incredible things that have happened to me. In the day-to-day life of a traveling musician, it’s easy to miss so many details. The world goes by at high-speed; it will take your breath away. People we’ve encountered at pivotal moments who profoundly influence our direction are not necessarily the people whose names everybody knows. More often, they are the people who say or do just the right thing, at the right time. I’m writing this book to help myself remember the past, acknowledge the present and help the new generation to discover their own truth…I am writing this book for all of you who helped me discover who I am today.”

Burdon’s distinctly soulful voice, powerful lyrics and musical choices are often credited for shaping the landscape and history of rock and roll over the course of the last few decades, with timeless hits including “It’s My Life,” “House of the Rising Sun,” “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood,” “When I Was Young,” and “Spill The Wine,” among many others, causing some of rock’s most articulate voices, from Bruce Springsteen to Patti Smith and Iggy Pop, to cite his strong influence upon their work.

Earlier this year Eric released ‘Til Your River Runs Dry which has been heralded as his most personal album to date. It has been met with critical acclaim worldwide and is making an impact on AAA radio. Hailed by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time,” Eric Burdon has long been a groundbreaker while maintaining a commanding presence in music with the Animals, with WAR and, simply, as Eric Burdon.

Breathless is presently being written and developed by Eric with the support of his music publishing company and record label ABKCO, the longstanding independent that also represents the catalogs of such legendary artists as Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, Bobby Womack, The Kinks, The Animals and many more.

“Eric Burdon is such an important voice in history, musically and lyrically,” said Alfred CEO Ron Manus, who is working personally on the project. “What I find the most interesting in listening to him speak is his choice of words. They are very deliberate, very mesmerizing.”

“ABKCO always looks to extend the reach and range of our artists into various media. We are proud to present Eric Burdon’s Breathless as our first audio book concurrent with the release of Alfred Music’s printed version. Over the years ABKCO has enjoyed an excellent working relationship with Alfred and they were our first choice with this project” adds ABKCO Senior Executive Vice President Alisa Coleman.

“The stories he tells are so thought out and appropriate,” said Manus. “It’s not just his voice. It’s his inner voice and the tone of his language… that’s what we are so excited to capture in this book. We are looking forward to hearing Eric’s stories, as only he can tell them, and want to use our 90-plus years of publishing experience to help him fulfill his vision in the best way possible.”
Though traditionally a music education publisher, Alfred has developed a growing roster of memoir-style texts. “Alfred has a mission to help people experience the joy of making music and this is just an extension of that, through the voices of these important figures in music,” said Manus.

As you would expect, a thirty-five year career as bassist in two of the world’s most beloved bands has enabled Peter Hook to assemble a compelling and insightful volume of stories that music lovers will enjoy and fans of Hook’s bands, Joy Division and New Order, will absolutely love. In a clever twist, Hook has left some myths unanswered, allowing some of the mystery of Joy Division to live on.

A product of sixty-five rewrites, Unknown Pleasures – Inside Joy Division is filled with hilarious road prank stories and “woe-is-me” tales of Hook having to drive the band van, showing a rarely seen lighter side of the Joy Division story, but ultimately, as he admits, this book is as much about revered singer Ian Curtis as it is about Hook.

Hook makes it very clear that the facts may not be absolutely accurate, but this is the story as he remembers it. The book is chock full of extras including set lists, drawings, and Hook’s own take on each song of each Joy Division album. Of course, it’s suggested that you listen to the music as you read along to get the fullest understanding of Hook’s commentary.

In this interview, which took place in the “Rare Books” room at the famous Strand Book Store in Manhattan (just a few blocks from the scene of some of New Order’s earliest US concerts), we talk about Hook’s need to set the Joy Division record straight, why now is the right time for this book to come out, the influence of his Mom and Auntie Jean on his life, and his thoughts on writing a similar book about his time in New Order.

Buy Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division. Follow Hooky on Twitter.

Turn Up The Radio

Barred For Life

Left Of The Dial

Official Truth

Louder Than Hell

Ratt & Roll: My Life in Rock

Harley Loco

VJ The Unplugged Adventures

You Don't Know Me But You Don't Like Me

Detroit Rock City Uncensored History

Wordpress Slideshow

There’s lots of great rock books coming out soon. Here are ten of our top picks. 

- Turn Up the Radio!: Rock, Pop, and Roll in Los Angeles 1956-1972  (out 5/15)

-  Barred for Life: How Black Flag’s Iconic Logo Became Punk Rock’s Secret Handshake  (out 3/1)

- Left of the Dial: Conversations with Punk Icons  (4/1)

- Official Truth, 101 Proof: The Inside Story of Pantera  (3/12)

- Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal  (5/14)

- Sex, Drugs, Ratt & Roll: My Life in Rock  (5/7)

- Harley Loco: A Memoir of Hard Living, Hair, and Post-Punk, from the Middle East to the Lower East Side  (4/4)

- VJ: The Unplugged Adventures of MTV’s First Wave (5/7)

- You Don’t Know Me but You Don’t Like Me: Phish, Insane Clown Posse, and My Misadventures with Two of Music’s Most Maligned Tribes  (6/11)

- Detroit Rock City: The Uncensored History  (April)