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Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal Paperback – April 29, 2014
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The definitive oral history of heavy metal, Louder Than Hell by renowned music journalists Jon Wiederhorn and Katherine Turman includes hundreds of interviews with the giants of the movement, conducted over the past 25 years.
Unlike many forms of popular music, metalheads tend to embrace their favorite bands and follow them over decades. Metal is not only a pastime for the true aficionados; it’s a lifestyle and obsession that permeates every aspect of their being. Louder Than Hell is an examination of that cultural phenomenon and the much-maligned genre of music that has stood the test of time.
Louder than Hell features more than 250 interviews with some of the biggest bands in metal, including Black Sabbath, Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Slayer, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Spinal Tap, Pantera, White Zombie, Slipknot, and Twisted Sister; insights from industry insiders, family members, friends, scenesters, groupies, and journalists; and 48 pages of full-color photographs.
- Print length768 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherIt Books
- Publication dateApril 29, 2014
- Dimensions6 x 1.32 x 9 inches
- ISBN-100061958298
- ISBN-13978-0061958298
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Whether you’re the sort of man who knows everything from who first threw the Devil Horns to the correct pronunciation of Yngwie Malmsteen, there is something fascinating to learn from Louder Than Hell . . . Shed[s] new light on the making of Satan’s Music.” — Esquire
“Presents the collective memory of heavy metal through the ages and eras in the voices of the men who lived it . . . It’s an aficionado’s delight.” — New York Daily News
“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
“A great read and an instant classic.” — The Onion's A.V. Club
“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
“Two devil horns up!” — USA Today
A compelling, first-person account of a seemingly unstoppable force . . .the book reads like an extended, uncensored, shockingly satisfying episode of VH1’s Behind the Music. — Washington Post
“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
Often hilarious, occasionally, ‘God, I wish I hadn’t read that!’, sometimes profound, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes infuriating . . . no one holds back on any subject. . . you come away from this book with a crystal-clear vision of this world — The Huffington Post
“The authors inclusiveness give this examination a weight that is just as heavy as the music.” — Publishers Weekly
“A who’s who of heavy music . . . What makes Louder Than Hell un-put-down-able are the stories . . . Essential.” — Revolver (4 stars)
“No one’s gone quite as deep into the genre’s recesses as this 746-page oral history, which covers everything from the birth of Black Sabbath to Dave Mustaine’s departure from Metallica to the disaster that was Woodstock ‘99.” — Rolling Stone, four stars
“Jon Wiederhorn and Katherine Turman 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
“If you love metal, great stories, and music history told by the people who made it, then Louder than Hell is a must-read. This is the book every metal fan should own. — Alice Cooper
“Louder Than Hell comes straight from the twisted minds of rock icons and flows seamlessly through various eras of heavy metal. . .I really dig this book.” — Riki Rachtman
“I’ve said thousands of times that reading ‘totally sucks.’ But this book does indeed not suck. Books on the history of even something as cool as metal can be a bit antiseptic and boring-not this one.” — Brendon Small, Dethklok
“Who likes rock n roll here?? Well if you do, this is the book for you! . . . This is the definitive chronicle of all that is heavy metal and I’ve read them all!” — Chris Jericho, Fozzy
“As definitive as it gets, bonding historical anecdotes to pieces of debauched mythology from the scene’s platinum superstars and fringe icons . . . as indispensable as a skull-adorned leather jacket.” — Entertainment Weekly, A-
From the Back Cover
Louder Than Hell is the definitive oral history of heavy metal, crafted from more than four hundred interviews with icons of the genre from its inception to today, including Ozzy Osbourne, Eddie Van Halen, Tommy Lee, Lars Ulrich, Vince Neil, Axl Rose, Corey Taylor, Dave Grohl, Trent Reznor, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, and Dimebag Darrell. From groundbreaking innovations such as the dawn of distortion and the birth of cookie monster vocals to amazing tales of destruction and wild sexcapades, Louder Than Hell is packed with raw, unflinching stories, eye-opening admissions, and the truth behind some of metal's wildest moments.
About the Author
Jon Wiederhorn is a veteran rock journalist who wrote the authorized biography Ministry: The Lost Gospels of Al Jourgensen and is currently working with Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian on his memoir I'm the Man, due in 2014. In the past, he has worked on editorial staffs at Rolling Stone, Guitar magazine, and MTV. He is a senior writer for Revolver magazine and regularly writes for major publications, including Guitar World, emusic.com, and SPIN. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Katherine Turman is a journalist and the producer of Alice Cooper's syndicated radio show, Nights with Alice Cooper. She was the editor of RIP magazine and the LA Alternative Press and is a frequent contributor to the Village Voice. She formerly produced the live radio show Rockline, and was a music producer for The Sharon Osbourne Show. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Product details
- Publisher : It Books; Reprint edition (April 29, 2014)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 768 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0061958298
- ISBN-13 : 978-0061958298
- Item Weight : 1.76 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 1.32 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #126,350 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #39 in Heavy Metal Music (Books)
- #128 in Music History & Criticism (Books)
- #315 in Rock Music (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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While the book isn't perfect, with very little time spent on doom metal, it nonetheless avoids the standard ass kissing of Metallica, giving other bands equal time. Unfortunately I learned more about my favorite music's personal histories than I really wanted to. While the old axiom of sex, drugs and rock and roll is alive and well, even after hearing infamous tales of sordid adventures some of the deeds done by far too many rockers went past traditional "partying" into deviant psychotic and enormously addictive episodes that would kill an average person. It is indeed a wonder some rock stars are even alive.
Parents, this is touchy material. While I am an enemy of censorship and believe stories should be truthful, the examples by some of these interview subjects, like Dave Mustain and Megadeth, who were absolutely wasted for several years and horrendous heroin junkies to boot, to tales of sexual exploits that sink to new lows in disgust, "Louder Than Hell" will no doubt be seen as an affirmation of the party life to youngsters looking for answers or some kind of approval in some of the worst places they could possibly look. There is balance, as some who were a breath away from death lament their close calls and enjoy life on the sober side now, but clean and sober stories are not as fun to read about. Metal fans must understand that their heroes can be enormously talented and gifted artists, but at the same time playing with mortal fire by delving into every intoxicant and drug their bodies can take. These people will pay for their excesses - you can't abuse your body the way some of the people in this book have and not expect major heart problems and God knows what else as they age. Rock and roll is fun, but it is not the ticket to immortality.
The history of metal is up to date and accurate, and when they do focus on music, it's quite informative. "Louder Than Hell" is a good book that one hopes the reader will regard as a positive experience and not imitate some of the incredibly stupid behavior their heroes possess. It is one of the most personal books about the metal life written so far and valuable for that fact alone.
Top reviews from other countries
With excerpts from the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Ronnie Dio and Dimebag Darrell, you can hear the stories from those who were there and lived them.
Put together in a style that flows beautifully, this book is an essential addition to the library of every discerning heavy metal fan.








