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Don’t Call It Hair Metal: Art in the Excess of ’80s Rock
A love letter to the hard-rocking, but often snubbed, music of the era of excess: the 1980s
There may be no more joyous iteration in all of music than 1980s hard rock. It was an era where the musical and cultural ideals of rebellion and freedom of the great rock ’n’ roll of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s were taken to dizzying heights of neon excess. Attention to songcraft, showmanship, and musical virtuosity (especially in the realm of the electric guitar) were at an all-time high, and radio and MTV were delivering the goods en masse to the corn-fed children of America and beyond.
Time hasn’t always been kind to artists of that gold and platinum era, but Don’t Call It Hair Metal analyzes the sonic evolution, musical diversity, and artistic intention of ’80s commercial hard rock through interviews with members of such hard rock luminaries as Twisted Sister, Def Leppard, Poison, Whitesnake, Ratt, Skid Row, Quiet Riot, Guns N’ Roses, Dokken, Mr. Big, and others.
There may be no more joyous iteration in all of music than 1980s hard rock. It was an era where the musical and cultural ideals of rebellion and freedom of the great rock ’n’ roll of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s were taken to dizzying heights of neon excess. Attention to songcraft, showmanship, and musical virtuosity (especially in the realm of the electric guitar) were at an all-time high, and radio and MTV were delivering the goods en masse to the corn-fed children of America and beyond.
Time hasn’t always been kind to artists of that gold and platinum era, but Don’t Call It Hair Metal analyzes the sonic evolution, musical diversity, and artistic intention of ’80s commercial hard rock through interviews with members of such hard rock luminaries as Twisted Sister, Def Leppard, Poison, Whitesnake, Ratt, Skid Row, Quiet Riot, Guns N’ Roses, Dokken, Mr. Big, and others.
320 pages, Paperback
Published May 16, 2023
20 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
About the author
Sean Kelly
2 books2 followersSean Kelly is the billboard-charting guitarist of his own band, Crash Kelly. He has released several classical guitar albums, and tours as lead guitarist for Grammy Award–winning superstar Nelly Furtado. Kelly has also performed with Helix, Carl Dixon, Gilby Clarke, and Carole Pope, among many others. He lives in Toronto.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
May 15, 2023
Glam rock/hair metal (I say hair metal affectionately, I promise!) is my absolute favourite music genre, so I knew I had to read this book. Some of my friends over on Twitter might recall that I said this book was written for me, and it really was. Thank you Mr Kelly.
So, inside we have lots of interviews with iconic music legends, about their creative process, or other musicians or what they thought about the scene at the time, some info about the bands/artists mentioned in the book, what Kelly thinks they sound like (x meets x with x, I'm not doing it justice, it's way more creative and at times funny, but when you really think about it...it's true), the kind of impact they made, which other bands they inspired, as well as the author's personal story (how he got into rock, heavy metal and beyond).
All of that made for a very entertaining read, more so because I love almost every single band/artist mentioned in the book, and there were no boring parts.
The ONE thing that could make this even better is a playlist of all songs mentioned at the end. I don't know if the final version will have it or not, but if not I figure I can always go back and make my own.
I also wish it was longer, because I didn't have enough (but when it comes to this genre there's no such thing as enough).
I'm looking forward to whatever Mr Kelly puts out next, I'll definitely be reading it.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
So, inside we have lots of interviews with iconic music legends, about their creative process, or other musicians or what they thought about the scene at the time, some info about the bands/artists mentioned in the book, what Kelly thinks they sound like (x meets x with x, I'm not doing it justice, it's way more creative and at times funny, but when you really think about it...it's true), the kind of impact they made, which other bands they inspired, as well as the author's personal story (how he got into rock, heavy metal and beyond).
All of that made for a very entertaining read, more so because I love almost every single band/artist mentioned in the book, and there were no boring parts.
The ONE thing that could make this even better is a playlist of all songs mentioned at the end. I don't know if the final version will have it or not, but if not I figure I can always go back and make my own.
I also wish it was longer, because I didn't have enough (but when it comes to this genre there's no such thing as enough).
I'm looking forward to whatever Mr Kelly puts out next, I'll definitely be reading it.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
April 27, 2023
3.5 Stars
When author/musician/music teacher Sean Kelly was a young spud growing up in Canada he was bitten by the Hair Metal bug. He learned of these bands through rock magazines like Creem, Hit Parader, and RIP, to name just a few. We are kindred spirits, because I also used to subscribe to all manner of rock mags during the late eighties (still have them!). Like Sean, I would peruse the posters, color photos and articles, getting intrigued by certain bands just by reading about them. There was no internet, cellphone or YouTube, so further exploration would entail actually buying the album, cassette, and later... CDs. MTV's "Headbanger's Ball" was another avenue to enticement where bands such as Twisted Sister, Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, Skid Row, Stryper, Warrant, Ratt, Dokken, Def Leppard, LA Guns, Slaughter, Dangerous Toys, Cinderella, Poison, Europe, Kingdom Come, Motley Crue and so many others- pouted and pranced in their videos with their hair sprayed out to there, wearing makeup, leather or stretchy animal-printed pants, boots and high heels. Other bands followed such as Queensryche, Guns n' Roses, King's X, and White Lion until the 90s hit and in came the Seattle sound revolution, consisting of bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. These flannel shirt clad bands lent a seriousness to their presentation that left the 80s Hair Metal bands with a kind of stigma- much like disco hatred post seventies.
The author defends his undying love of the Hair Metal art form, while being annoyed that he even has to defend it. With Kelly's excellent and artful writing style he offers a full-bodied account of the historical musical influences that informed these Hair Metal bands, while crafting their own personas. Interspersed in the narrative are interviews from these 80s so called Hair Metal band members, intricate accounts of iconic albums and their recording techniques, as well as their struggles/challenges when the music industry began to turn their back on these bands.
I noticed some other reviews complaining that this author talked too much about himself, but this did not bother me. As a fellow Hair Metal devotee, we had shared experiences I revelled in. Also, since he became kind of a famous musician himself (Helix, Crash Kelly) that wound up in bands supporting some of these acts, he has skin in the game and the cred to talk about it. He is friendly with a good number of these musicians, and had his dream come true by being selected to perform in a Christmas musical on lead guitar with his hero, Dee Snider of Twisted Sister.
I really liked how he ended the book with photos of band memorabilia and advertisements where he explained a bit about each band or album and what he loved about them. Overall, this was a pleasurable and informative nostalgia trip that I shared with Sean, so well done!
Thank you to the publisher ECW Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
When author/musician/music teacher Sean Kelly was a young spud growing up in Canada he was bitten by the Hair Metal bug. He learned of these bands through rock magazines like Creem, Hit Parader, and RIP, to name just a few. We are kindred spirits, because I also used to subscribe to all manner of rock mags during the late eighties (still have them!). Like Sean, I would peruse the posters, color photos and articles, getting intrigued by certain bands just by reading about them. There was no internet, cellphone or YouTube, so further exploration would entail actually buying the album, cassette, and later... CDs. MTV's "Headbanger's Ball" was another avenue to enticement where bands such as Twisted Sister, Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, Skid Row, Stryper, Warrant, Ratt, Dokken, Def Leppard, LA Guns, Slaughter, Dangerous Toys, Cinderella, Poison, Europe, Kingdom Come, Motley Crue and so many others- pouted and pranced in their videos with their hair sprayed out to there, wearing makeup, leather or stretchy animal-printed pants, boots and high heels. Other bands followed such as Queensryche, Guns n' Roses, King's X, and White Lion until the 90s hit and in came the Seattle sound revolution, consisting of bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. These flannel shirt clad bands lent a seriousness to their presentation that left the 80s Hair Metal bands with a kind of stigma- much like disco hatred post seventies.
The author defends his undying love of the Hair Metal art form, while being annoyed that he even has to defend it. With Kelly's excellent and artful writing style he offers a full-bodied account of the historical musical influences that informed these Hair Metal bands, while crafting their own personas. Interspersed in the narrative are interviews from these 80s so called Hair Metal band members, intricate accounts of iconic albums and their recording techniques, as well as their struggles/challenges when the music industry began to turn their back on these bands.
I noticed some other reviews complaining that this author talked too much about himself, but this did not bother me. As a fellow Hair Metal devotee, we had shared experiences I revelled in. Also, since he became kind of a famous musician himself (Helix, Crash Kelly) that wound up in bands supporting some of these acts, he has skin in the game and the cred to talk about it. He is friendly with a good number of these musicians, and had his dream come true by being selected to perform in a Christmas musical on lead guitar with his hero, Dee Snider of Twisted Sister.
I really liked how he ended the book with photos of band memorabilia and advertisements where he explained a bit about each band or album and what he loved about them. Overall, this was a pleasurable and informative nostalgia trip that I shared with Sean, so well done!
Thank you to the publisher ECW Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
May 18, 2023
“But in the end, don’t call it hair metal. It’s only rock’n’roll. And I like it. I think you might too.”
These days I’m not exactly an melophile. As a pre-teen/teen I spent pocket money on cassettes (and later CD’s), I bought Smash Hits magazine, watched Video Hits andCountdown, and listened to the Top 40 on the radio, fingers poised to press ‘Play’ and ‘Record’ to make my own mixtapes. I went to a handful of big act concerts, saw some smaller bands in pubs, and went clubbing all night. I even dated a bass guitarist in a heavy metal garage band who tried to teach me to play Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven. But then I got married and had kids and for the next decade or so The Wiggles and High 5 played on repeat. All this explains, I think, why my taste in music tends to be stuck in the 1970’s and ‘80’s. From the pop hits to the power ballads, the one-hit-wonders to, yes, hair metal, I love it all.
In Don’t Call It Hair Metal, Sean Kelly defends the integrity of the hard rock bands whose sartorial style of big hair, spandex and leather outfits, makeup and showmanship, belied their musicianship. As a musician himself, he writes with authority as he explores the influences on their sound, defined by the combination of a traditional heavy metal sound with elements of pop-influenced hooks, guitar riffs, and shreds, it’s evolution as the look and sound captured commercial interest, and its eventual decline in popularity. Commentary from iconic musicians provides insight into, and reflection on, the era of the industry, including both its music and its culture.
Among the many bands Kelly makes reference to are Twisted Sister, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Whitesnake, Skid Row, Stryper, Warrant, Def Leppard, LA Guns, Slaughter, Kiss, Cinderella, Poison, Europe, Guns N Roses, and Motley Crue. I ended up browsing through YouTube searching out well remembered, and forgotten, hits to watch the performances with new appreciation, and fond nostalgia.
I appreciated the moments that Kelly wrote about his own connection to the music, because for me songs are almost always tied to memories. I have to admit, a lot of the technical information in this book went right over my head, so I think perhaps it’s best suited for readers conversant with musical knowledge to extract full value from it.
While I may not know much about music, I know what I like, and whatever Kelly, or others, wants to call it, I’ll continue to enjoy playing air guitar and belting out the lyrics whenever Livin’ on a Prayer, We’re Not Gonna Take It, or Paradise City, play.
These days I’m not exactly an melophile. As a pre-teen/teen I spent pocket money on cassettes (and later CD’s), I bought Smash Hits magazine, watched Video Hits andCountdown, and listened to the Top 40 on the radio, fingers poised to press ‘Play’ and ‘Record’ to make my own mixtapes. I went to a handful of big act concerts, saw some smaller bands in pubs, and went clubbing all night. I even dated a bass guitarist in a heavy metal garage band who tried to teach me to play Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven. But then I got married and had kids and for the next decade or so The Wiggles and High 5 played on repeat. All this explains, I think, why my taste in music tends to be stuck in the 1970’s and ‘80’s. From the pop hits to the power ballads, the one-hit-wonders to, yes, hair metal, I love it all.
In Don’t Call It Hair Metal, Sean Kelly defends the integrity of the hard rock bands whose sartorial style of big hair, spandex and leather outfits, makeup and showmanship, belied their musicianship. As a musician himself, he writes with authority as he explores the influences on their sound, defined by the combination of a traditional heavy metal sound with elements of pop-influenced hooks, guitar riffs, and shreds, it’s evolution as the look and sound captured commercial interest, and its eventual decline in popularity. Commentary from iconic musicians provides insight into, and reflection on, the era of the industry, including both its music and its culture.
Among the many bands Kelly makes reference to are Twisted Sister, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Whitesnake, Skid Row, Stryper, Warrant, Def Leppard, LA Guns, Slaughter, Kiss, Cinderella, Poison, Europe, Guns N Roses, and Motley Crue. I ended up browsing through YouTube searching out well remembered, and forgotten, hits to watch the performances with new appreciation, and fond nostalgia.
I appreciated the moments that Kelly wrote about his own connection to the music, because for me songs are almost always tied to memories. I have to admit, a lot of the technical information in this book went right over my head, so I think perhaps it’s best suited for readers conversant with musical knowledge to extract full value from it.
While I may not know much about music, I know what I like, and whatever Kelly, or others, wants to call it, I’ll continue to enjoy playing air guitar and belting out the lyrics whenever Livin’ on a Prayer, We’re Not Gonna Take It, or Paradise City, play.
February 29, 2024
SEAN KELLY YOU ARE A GENIUS. I love this book omg. As an 80s fan I loved all the insight it gave into how the genre came about and the culture in general. A culture I am really interested in. I loved all the mentions of bands I love too!
“Yes, yet another Mötley Crüe song throwing me into a state of theological turmoil” LOL
“Yes, yet another Mötley Crüe song throwing me into a state of theological turmoil” LOL
March 22, 2023
In the summary they say this is a love letter to heavy-metal but throughout the book it looks more like a love letter to heavy-metal magazines as we are told about precushions drum beats electric guitar riffs ET see I am not downing the book because I love that the interviews were great I just wish when mentioning someone that he would at least tell us why this person‘s opinion was important or apropos to the topic. It was a great Jaunte down memory lane and one I totally enjoyed the only negatives of what I’ve mentioned already and the rest was all gravy and all good! I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
November 7, 2023
I thought I was a Hair Metal expert having grown up in the best decade ever, the 80s. Sean Kelly has created an encyclopedic masterpiece of the music I love. Mentioning bands that I had forgotten about, starting with the birth of the genre to it's demise thanks to Nirvana. A great read, though I did find it frustrating having to look up band and spend a hour listening to their catalog. That's why it took me so long to read. How about some QR codes to the songs on your you tube channel.
April 6, 2023
A very long love letter to 80's music. But it wasn't all fanboy love. Kelly works in the industry now and knows his stuff. This book made me very nostalgic for the music of my teen years. I'm going to have to reexamine some of these bands.
I received a free digital ARC from netgalley.com.
I received a free digital ARC from netgalley.com.
June 17, 2023
Interesting insights and information as well. But it’s the nostalgia that made this work for me.
June 30, 2023
While exceptionally written, with experience and musical knowledge that exceeds the casual music listener, for that very reason I came out of reading this disappointed. I was excited when first coming across this book, as a gateway to my own nostalgia, in an era I grew up in with the sounds of my youth bringing back memories, I thought this would be a fun, easy read. It wasn't. For me, it's a cross between a memoir and a college thesis. I was thankful for having an elective music class of my own which educated me in the numerous terms used by the author, but even with that, the academic approach took away from the fun factor.
The author certainly makes his point, and my review is no discredit to the work or him. The book did set off a week's worth of me playing all these tunes on repeat, so some joy did come out of it.
The author certainly makes his point, and my review is no discredit to the work or him. The book did set off a week's worth of me playing all these tunes on repeat, so some joy did come out of it.
June 30, 2023
Sean Kelly is a musician who is passionate about 1980's metal rock. I chose to read this book because I am a fan of the music of the 1980's. However, compared to the knowledge and passion that the author displays in this book, I am just mildly interested in the topic! The author discusses musicians, their influences, and their innovations. If you are a fan of Hair Metal, this is the book for you!
July 8, 2024
An interesting book but targeted at those in the know. I was hoping this would lead the uninitiated into the whole scene but most of the time it assumes the reader already knows most of the bands, musicians and other players. This is even my time period, or at least the later part of it is, only I wasn’t all that into this type of music so much of the references didn’t hit with me.
Still it was interesting and a lot of value is in all the interviews and direct quotes, with fun anecdotes and tidbits.
Still it was interesting and a lot of value is in all the interviews and direct quotes, with fun anecdotes and tidbits.
July 7, 2023
Where do I even begin with this masterpiece !
I LOVED everything to do about this book.
I truly felt like this book was meant for people who love this kind of music.
When reading about my all time favourite bands and music it made me so happy. I feel a true connection to this music, and reading this book made my music heart feel full!
I’ve also meet Sean. He’s one of the most nicest and humbling person. He takes his time to actually have a conversation with you … and in my case my daughter about her playing guitar.
I STRONGLY recommend this book for all the 80s and music lovers ♥️🤟
I LOVED everything to do about this book.
I truly felt like this book was meant for people who love this kind of music.
When reading about my all time favourite bands and music it made me so happy. I feel a true connection to this music, and reading this book made my music heart feel full!
I’ve also meet Sean. He’s one of the most nicest and humbling person. He takes his time to actually have a conversation with you … and in my case my daughter about her playing guitar.
I STRONGLY recommend this book for all the 80s and music lovers ♥️🤟
June 2, 2023
Was slightly annoyed with how irritated the author gets at the term "hair metal" especially when he literally says 'opera vs oratorio is just nitpicking' but that cleared up with the epilogue. Great book, gives an excellent feel for the time period and the music world at that time, especially the specifically rock/metal part of the music world. I'm sad that Blue Oyster Cult and King Diamond (or even Mercyful Fate) weren't mentioned even in passing, but great book regardless.
August 8, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed this thoughtful, highly personal look at one of my favorite styles of rock n roll. Kelly provides deep analysis and in speaking to many of the key players in '80s hard rock (including members of Poison, Ratt, Guns N Roses, Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Dio, Mr. Big and others), he helps to humanize an often maligned era. If you are a fan of '80s rock, there is a lot to chew on here.
August 31, 2023
I enjoyed this way more than I expected to. And it's exactly what you think it is - a love letter ... a defense of '80s "pop" AKA "Hair Metal" From Autograph to WASP, Sean Kelly, a minor guitar god in his own right and knows the ins and outs of the music biz, makes the case for why this oft-maligned musical genre is and always will be TOTALLY AWESOME.
April 24, 2023
I was a goth in the 80s and I'm not a huge fan of metal.. That said I like to learn about the different genre of music and this was a well researched and entertaining book.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
June 6, 2023
Interesting Read
Learned several things about bands thru-out the book. Lived in Seattle when Grunge came along & wondered where my Rock & Roll went. I’m glad that some bands were able to benefit from their discoveries. Well written by a Rocker!
Learned several things about bands thru-out the book. Lived in Seattle when Grunge came along & wondered where my Rock & Roll went. I’m glad that some bands were able to benefit from their discoveries. Well written by a Rocker!
June 23, 2023
As an 80s kid, this is the music of my childhood. I loved hearing all the stories from the actual artists as well as someone that lived the music too. This was a very cool read.
August 30, 2023
I enjoyed this book quite a bit as it takes on 80's hard rock and heavy metal from a musician's perspective.
April 20, 2023
My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher ECW Press for an advance copy of this book on big hair, big guitars and songs about going round and round, foolin and even about the winds of change.
Music can unite people, usually against music they don't like. Rap is crap. Disco albums should be blown up. Modern music is all autotuned. Those Beatle boys need haircuts. What's with all the guitars. Frank Sinatra called Elvis "ugly and degenerate". And the 80's was all about big hair and shredding guitars. People have been criticizing music since the first cave man put his or her lips together and whistled. And the last two humans fleeing this dying planet will probably be fighting over the song choice on the Artificial Intelligence radio. Saying a form of music is bad says more about the person than the listener. I was a Rush fan before the Foo Fighters made them cool. I think songs only start getting interesting at the 8 minute mark. I've heard the complaints. Sean Kelly likes his songs with a smell of Aqua Net. And he is darn proud of it. Don’t Call It Hair Metal: Art in the Excess of the ’80s Rock is a love ballad to the heavy rock music of the 80's and 90's when bands partied hard, played harder, teased their hair, and refined what could be done on stage, in the studio, and their effect on music today.
Sean Kelly begins the book with a personal story of loss, and like many of us turns to music for consolation. Kelly plays a song from the band Mr. Big, a supergroup from the 80's. Supergroups were music bands made of members of other musical bands that came together. Not a choice one would have expected, mostly as the band is really known for only one song. However Kelly describes why this song is perfect, how this band contributed much in music, and too bad if someone doesn't understand. I knew at this point I was going to like this book, even if we differed on song selections. From here the book roves over the musical landscape looking at early influences, bands that should be better known, and even better stories about the music and behind the scenes in the studio. Kelly is part of the music industry and interviews a varied group of people, from fans, to musicians, critics to people in the business.
The book is about the music, and Kelly never forgets that. The best thing while reading this, if on e-reader is to get a music account going, because Kelly offers a lot of music to listen to. And while one might go, ughh those guys suck, Kelly is very good at parsing a song, the writing, the attitude, and even more how and why people listened to it in such a way, that ears will demand another chance to hear them. The art remains the same, and a lot of these songs do hold up. Being a book on music there will be differences, but even the Beatles had some clunkers. Kelly is from Canada, so there might be a few bands that were bigger in the Great White North or Japan, that might be new to listeners, but again that is part of being a fan. Always finding new tracks even when one things that all the songs have been found.
Recommended for 80s rock fans, or music fans in general for the writing and the interviews. Especially the studio information. Most of these bands will still be on the classic rock channels either on Sirius or on terrestrial radio. This book will make you want to check them out. If one is lucky enough to have hair party on. I look forward to more works by Sean Kelly.
Music can unite people, usually against music they don't like. Rap is crap. Disco albums should be blown up. Modern music is all autotuned. Those Beatle boys need haircuts. What's with all the guitars. Frank Sinatra called Elvis "ugly and degenerate". And the 80's was all about big hair and shredding guitars. People have been criticizing music since the first cave man put his or her lips together and whistled. And the last two humans fleeing this dying planet will probably be fighting over the song choice on the Artificial Intelligence radio. Saying a form of music is bad says more about the person than the listener. I was a Rush fan before the Foo Fighters made them cool. I think songs only start getting interesting at the 8 minute mark. I've heard the complaints. Sean Kelly likes his songs with a smell of Aqua Net. And he is darn proud of it. Don’t Call It Hair Metal: Art in the Excess of the ’80s Rock is a love ballad to the heavy rock music of the 80's and 90's when bands partied hard, played harder, teased their hair, and refined what could be done on stage, in the studio, and their effect on music today.
Sean Kelly begins the book with a personal story of loss, and like many of us turns to music for consolation. Kelly plays a song from the band Mr. Big, a supergroup from the 80's. Supergroups were music bands made of members of other musical bands that came together. Not a choice one would have expected, mostly as the band is really known for only one song. However Kelly describes why this song is perfect, how this band contributed much in music, and too bad if someone doesn't understand. I knew at this point I was going to like this book, even if we differed on song selections. From here the book roves over the musical landscape looking at early influences, bands that should be better known, and even better stories about the music and behind the scenes in the studio. Kelly is part of the music industry and interviews a varied group of people, from fans, to musicians, critics to people in the business.
The book is about the music, and Kelly never forgets that. The best thing while reading this, if on e-reader is to get a music account going, because Kelly offers a lot of music to listen to. And while one might go, ughh those guys suck, Kelly is very good at parsing a song, the writing, the attitude, and even more how and why people listened to it in such a way, that ears will demand another chance to hear them. The art remains the same, and a lot of these songs do hold up. Being a book on music there will be differences, but even the Beatles had some clunkers. Kelly is from Canada, so there might be a few bands that were bigger in the Great White North or Japan, that might be new to listeners, but again that is part of being a fan. Always finding new tracks even when one things that all the songs have been found.
Recommended for 80s rock fans, or music fans in general for the writing and the interviews. Especially the studio information. Most of these bands will still be on the classic rock channels either on Sirius or on terrestrial radio. This book will make you want to check them out. If one is lucky enough to have hair party on. I look forward to more works by Sean Kelly.
March 28, 2023
Don't Call It Hair Metal by Sean Kelly is a fun and, if you're of an age to remember that period, nostalgic read. It isn't so much an organized argument for that period of music as it is a restatement of the standard, and correct, assertion that what came before influences what came after, which in turn influences what comes after. In other words, it is a continuum, and even periods and/or styles that catch flak are still a part of the history. Nothing new here as far as the "argument," but a nice history of the music nonetheless.
I have to admit a little bias, I have a hard time valuing anyone's opinion who ever thought it would be a good idea to grow a mullet. Have long hair or don't. If you can't, find other ways to speak out, don't halfass it. Okay, that is a little tongue-in-cheek, but not entirely. As for the music, I preferred other heavy rock during that time, but did enjoy what has become hair metal. Unfortunately, groups that weren't really thrown into that category at the time have become associated with it as time has gone on, and this book is no exception. Yet that also serves to support the general idea that the music itself was good and a part of the rock continuum, since the lines we perceived at the time blur when we reflect on it.
I would definitely recommend this to rock historians, formal and informal, as well as fans who remember the period. The excerpts from interviews are used very well throughout the book to help tell the larger story. The weakness is that Kelly insists on interjecting his personal commentary when it simply isn't necessary, but some of it adds to the book and none of it detracts from the larger idea of this as more of a history than an argument.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
I have to admit a little bias, I have a hard time valuing anyone's opinion who ever thought it would be a good idea to grow a mullet. Have long hair or don't. If you can't, find other ways to speak out, don't halfass it. Okay, that is a little tongue-in-cheek, but not entirely. As for the music, I preferred other heavy rock during that time, but did enjoy what has become hair metal. Unfortunately, groups that weren't really thrown into that category at the time have become associated with it as time has gone on, and this book is no exception. Yet that also serves to support the general idea that the music itself was good and a part of the rock continuum, since the lines we perceived at the time blur when we reflect on it.
I would definitely recommend this to rock historians, formal and informal, as well as fans who remember the period. The excerpts from interviews are used very well throughout the book to help tell the larger story. The weakness is that Kelly insists on interjecting his personal commentary when it simply isn't necessary, but some of it adds to the book and none of it detracts from the larger idea of this as more of a history than an argument.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
April 24, 2023
Sean Kelly's new book, his second (the first was about Canadian heavy metal), is a perfect example of an expert author with a great authorial voice taking us on a sometimes arcane but always wildly entertaining journey into the minutiae of his passion.
Hair metal may not have been the coolest, and the marketing of grunge may have tried to make us forget it, but Kelly is on a mission to change our minds. And I think he succeeds! He understands the stereotypes, and to some extent he acknowledges their truths, but he also gallantly defends the artistic and emotional virtues to be found in the music of the giants of eighties pop metal (you know the names — Winger, Warrant, Enuff Z'nuff, Mr. Big, Poison, etc.), rightfully pointing out that in the end, ALL art is serious art. It's just that not all art is necessarily to your personal taste.
But possibly the best part of Kelly's book is his voice — humorous, touching, sophisticated, and erudite, showing a vast breadth of knowledge about all different kinds of music to use as points of comparison, as well as a clear-eyed view of pop culture and the music industry and its often shallow machinations. Kelly dissects it all with clarity, self-knowledge, and plenty of wit.
And fans of the genre will be astounded at the sheer amount of personal interviews and great quotes from the musicians who made all this music that the book contains.
Long story short, this should be essential reading not only for fans of the genre under discussion, but also for anyone who loves pop culture history, rock music in general, and entertaining voicey narrative nonfiction. Maybe we should call Kelly "the Bill Bryson of rock 'n roll"!
Hair metal may not have been the coolest, and the marketing of grunge may have tried to make us forget it, but Kelly is on a mission to change our minds. And I think he succeeds! He understands the stereotypes, and to some extent he acknowledges their truths, but he also gallantly defends the artistic and emotional virtues to be found in the music of the giants of eighties pop metal (you know the names — Winger, Warrant, Enuff Z'nuff, Mr. Big, Poison, etc.), rightfully pointing out that in the end, ALL art is serious art. It's just that not all art is necessarily to your personal taste.
But possibly the best part of Kelly's book is his voice — humorous, touching, sophisticated, and erudite, showing a vast breadth of knowledge about all different kinds of music to use as points of comparison, as well as a clear-eyed view of pop culture and the music industry and its often shallow machinations. Kelly dissects it all with clarity, self-knowledge, and plenty of wit.
And fans of the genre will be astounded at the sheer amount of personal interviews and great quotes from the musicians who made all this music that the book contains.
Long story short, this should be essential reading not only for fans of the genre under discussion, but also for anyone who loves pop culture history, rock music in general, and entertaining voicey narrative nonfiction. Maybe we should call Kelly "the Bill Bryson of rock 'n roll"!
January 2, 2024
3.5⭐️ A true love letter to 80s hair metal.. errr glam rock. I was excited about this one however it’s a bit more memoir-ish with a lot of technical music speak and info dumping that goes on and on in roundabout tangents. Don’t get me wrong, I was steeped in the genre back in the day and still revisit it a lot so I agree with everything in this book: the technical wizardry and musicality of so many of the bands and the general lack of respect as indicated by the title’s label. Also that pretty much all 80s music and probably all music genres in general are hair music when you think about it. The author knows this stuff inside out and the enthusiasm is infectious. I learned a few things and even listened to a few acts I had either written off at the time as not for me, like Dangerous Toys, or hadn’t heard of before such as Lee Aaron(!!!). I also really appreciate that he addresses the worst parts culturally that ALWAYS rankled me, the inherent misogyny and universal objectification of women as well as Axl Rose’s racism specifically. You can’t justify any of it no matter how much you love the music. It would’ve been nice had he explored it more in depth through the artists’ current perspectives and interviews. As written however, I think it may be more for the musicians themselves or possibly 80s music history enthusiasts. I still kinda liked it though.
February 1, 2024
The author starts out with the eponymous argument and rather than steadfastly holding on to the position, he shares wholeheartedly a lived experience, well researched and inclusive monsters of rock tour de force into the metal health of the heavier side of rock. Never dissing on any artist, he is guilty of over inclusion through a deep knowledge of music, breadth of association and the boy has a lyrical quality to his narration which brings forth his envelopment and love of music.
For me as the reader I could not keep away from the work, completing it in two sittings with a semi permanent grin of the Cheshire Cat’s bastard son, nostalgia being part of it, but mostly the joy of youth and exhalation, reminded and illuminated with different prismatic lenses of the immersive experience of festival, stadia, concert, club, back yard party, garage, car, home speaker and tinnitus inducing headphones of all things musical.
I think Kelly misses the opportunity or the legal permission to conclude, “I know, it’s only rock n roll, but I like it”!
PS having a music streaming service handy adds to the quadraphonic soundtrack of this celebratory work.
Thanks Sean. You can play, you can write and to paraphrase you father, God rest his soul, you’ve already told us more than you know.
For me as the reader I could not keep away from the work, completing it in two sittings with a semi permanent grin of the Cheshire Cat’s bastard son, nostalgia being part of it, but mostly the joy of youth and exhalation, reminded and illuminated with different prismatic lenses of the immersive experience of festival, stadia, concert, club, back yard party, garage, car, home speaker and tinnitus inducing headphones of all things musical.
I think Kelly misses the opportunity or the legal permission to conclude, “I know, it’s only rock n roll, but I like it”!
PS having a music streaming service handy adds to the quadraphonic soundtrack of this celebratory work.
Thanks Sean. You can play, you can write and to paraphrase you father, God rest his soul, you’ve already told us more than you know.
April 14, 2023
(I got a free preview of this book from NetGalley. I hope more proofreading was done on these "uncorrected galleys" before this went to print.)
I read just about everything I can get my hands on about the music I grew up listening to, and author Sean Kelly is almost exactly my age, so this is very much a trip down memory lane, even referencing the same music magazines I read. However, he actually learned to play the guitar (a process I didn't get very far into) and has been a professional touring musician, so his view on the hard rock/hair metal/etc. of the era comes from a very different point from mine. I don't know anything about playing techniques or recording processes, so sometimes discussion of those things went over my head. On the other hand, I did learn some things too, and it's a refreshingly different kind of "behind-the-scenes" from most rock music books, which focus on personal drama.
I enjoyed the book (particularly once I cued up music of the appropriate years for each chapter) even if I found it less of an easy read than most music books because some of it dealt with different aspects of how music is created.
I read just about everything I can get my hands on about the music I grew up listening to, and author Sean Kelly is almost exactly my age, so this is very much a trip down memory lane, even referencing the same music magazines I read. However, he actually learned to play the guitar (a process I didn't get very far into) and has been a professional touring musician, so his view on the hard rock/hair metal/etc. of the era comes from a very different point from mine. I don't know anything about playing techniques or recording processes, so sometimes discussion of those things went over my head. On the other hand, I did learn some things too, and it's a refreshingly different kind of "behind-the-scenes" from most rock music books, which focus on personal drama.
I enjoyed the book (particularly once I cued up music of the appropriate years for each chapter) even if I found it less of an easy read than most music books because some of it dealt with different aspects of how music is created.
June 27, 2023
Kelly has performed with Nelly Furtado, Lee Aaron, Coney Hatch, and Crash Kelly as a guitar player, as well as a music teacher in Canada, who starts the book by looking at the hairstyles of history's "rock stars" like Louis XIV, Franz Liszt, and Bach before going into the more image-based acts like David Bowie and if the term "hair metal" is offensive or not in comparing it to other decades of music and the debate on when hard rock/heavy metal actually started.
The cultural aspect is interesting for people outside of Canada where the author discusses what albums were big for him and in his hometown as opposed to albums that were big in my area of Ohio in the U.S.
This is a nice entertaining read.
For an In-depth review, visit my blog at : https://lancewrites.wordpress.com/202...
The cultural aspect is interesting for people outside of Canada where the author discusses what albums were big for him and in his hometown as opposed to albums that were big in my area of Ohio in the U.S.
This is a nice entertaining read.
For an In-depth review, visit my blog at : https://lancewrites.wordpress.com/202...
August 6, 2023
It's okay. It's a real love letter to music I very much enjoy.... but I'm still waiting for a serious analysis that dives deep into the music of this era in a more analytical way.
The pacing of this is all off, with way too much time spent on before the "hair metal" years - I wanted more on the bands, albums and songs themselves. Those bits were the best and are a gateway to rediscovering some quality music.
The downsides: It's over written to the extent that its hard to follow. It could have done with a ruthless editor. In particular it needs to lose the rambling anecdotes (author sounds a lovely guy but I don't really care for hearing about different auditions he took part in or musicians he bumped into).
Enjoyable enough.
The pacing of this is all off, with way too much time spent on before the "hair metal" years - I wanted more on the bands, albums and songs themselves. Those bits were the best and are a gateway to rediscovering some quality music.
The downsides: It's over written to the extent that its hard to follow. It could have done with a ruthless editor. In particular it needs to lose the rambling anecdotes (author sounds a lovely guy but I don't really care for hearing about different auditions he took part in or musicians he bumped into).
Enjoyable enough.
December 28, 2023
I attribute my low star rating on this one as a failing on my part.
The author narrated his own work for the audio version exceptionally well. He came across as a knowledgeable expert on the subject matter. So why didn't this get 5 stars? The in the weeds of the creation of the music (e.g. amp overdrives and mic placement) went over my head and kicked me out of the story telling. If I was more of a musician rather than just a fan of the metal from that time period this book would probably have been more meaningful and informative.
One of the recurring themes of the book is that some musicians play for other musicians instead of the audience at their show(s). I think this book might be the same way in that it's for other musicians not just fans of that era.
The author narrated his own work for the audio version exceptionally well. He came across as a knowledgeable expert on the subject matter. So why didn't this get 5 stars? The in the weeds of the creation of the music (e.g. amp overdrives and mic placement) went over my head and kicked me out of the story telling. If I was more of a musician rather than just a fan of the metal from that time period this book would probably have been more meaningful and informative.
One of the recurring themes of the book is that some musicians play for other musicians instead of the audience at their show(s). I think this book might be the same way in that it's for other musicians not just fans of that era.
March 15, 2023
This was ok. It’s a genre book, so it’s weird to see an author set up an argumentative stance to something readers won’t disagree with. He’s very proud of his rock roots and should be.
The interviews in here are really interesting. I wish there were more. There’s a lot of author chatter and I wish there was less of it. In the part the book that covers the “history” include a long list of pedals and effects that doesn’t add anything to the book, and with no explanation of what they do, it’s just useless page filler. There’s a lot of that.
Like I said, this book was just ok.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.
The interviews in here are really interesting. I wish there were more. There’s a lot of author chatter and I wish there was less of it. In the part the book that covers the “history” include a long list of pedals and effects that doesn’t add anything to the book, and with no explanation of what they do, it’s just useless page filler. There’s a lot of that.
Like I said, this book was just ok.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.
January 12, 2024
This is probably one of the most comprehensive takes on the music that colored my youth. I, like the author am a huge fan of and am a staunch defender of the genre known as "hair metal". As the years have gone by this music has had way more staying power than the genre that supposedly killed it. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes this timeless music with it's pristine production and technical wizardry in musicianship will always hold a warm place in my heart. Great read for those that love this type of music.
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