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Don't Call It Hair Metal

Art in the Excess of '80s Rock

ebook
2 of 2 copies available
2 of 2 copies available

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.

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    • Library Journal

      May 1, 2023

      Canadian music teacher Kelly writes a love letter to the genre of hair metal. The hugely popular heavy metal subgenre began in the 1980s, a time when fashion and flamboyance seemed just as important as musical ability. Bright, elaborate stage wear and teased-up, heavily sprayed hairdos (hence the name) were paired with catchy riffs and operatic vocals to create a memorable musical era. As a longtime musician who has played within this genre for decades, Kelly is on a mission to convince readers that hair metal is neither silly nor unimportant. He provides loads of examples of the talent and high-quality musicianship that has gone into records in this genre, as well as its influence on other musical styles. While the book's prose is at times fanboyish and verbose, the author's enthusiasm carries through and makes a convincing case for the music. VERDICT A solid addition to any library's music collection.--Brett Rohlwing

      Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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  • English

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