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Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion Kindle Edition

by Tom Beaujour (Author), Richard Bienstock (Author), Corey Taylor (Foreword) Format: Kindle Edition

4.6 3,188 ratings

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The New York Times Bestseller

The Explosive National Bestseller

"A backstage pass to the wildest and loudest party in rock history—you'll feel like you were right there with us!" —Bret Michaels of Poison

Nothin' But a Good Time is the definitive, no-holds-barred oral history of 1980s hard rock and hair metal, told by the musicians and industry insiders who lived it.

Hard rock in the 1980s was a hedonistic and often intensely creative wellspring of escapism that perfectly encapsulated—and maybe even helped to define—a spectacularly over-the-top decade. Indeed, fist-pumping hits like Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” Mötley Crüe’s “Girls, Girls, Girls,” and Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle” are as inextricably linked to the era as Reaganomics, PAC-MAN, and E.T.

From the do-or-die early days of self-financed recordings and D.I.Y. concert productions that were as flashy as they were foolhardy, to the multi-Platinum, MTV-powered glory years of stadium-shaking anthems and chart-topping power ballads, to the ultimate crash when grunge bands like Nirvana forever altered the entire climate of the business, Tom Beaujour and Richard Bienstock's Nothin' But a Good Time captures the energy and excess of the hair metal years in the words of the musicians, managers, producers, engineers, label executives, publicists, stylists, costume designers, photographers, journalists, magazine publishers, video directors, club bookers, roadies, groupies, and hangers-on who lived it.

Featuring an impassioned foreword by Slipknot and Stone Sour vocalist and avowed glam metal fanatic Corey Taylor, and drawn from over two hundred author interviews with members of Van Halen, Mötley Crüe, Poison, Guns N’ Roses, Skid Row, Bon Jovi, Ratt, Twisted Sister, Winger, Warrant, Cinderella, Quiet Riot and others, as well as Ozzy Osbourne, Lita Ford, and many more, this is the ultimate, uncensored, and often unhinged, chronicle of a time where excess and success walked hand in hand, told by the men and women who created a sound and style that came to define a musical era—one in which the bands and their fans went looking for nothin’ but a good time…and found it.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"the definitive account of the era" ―PopMatters

"an intensive swim through what it felt like to be alive and flyering the Sunset Strip in the ‘80s" ―Cryptic Rock

"Tom Beaujour and Richard Bienstock have a remarkable knack for placing readers in the moment with every page turn, resulting in a perfectly crafted masterpiece that encapsulates one of the most iconic eras in music history." ―Vinyl Writer

"a quick-moving and engrossing read... a compelling conversation among a couple hundred people who defined the metal era." ―Culture Sonar

"This is one heck of a book." ―Metal Sludge

"Rock music fans will be banging their heads to this book." ―Library Journal

"Beginning with the early days of Quiet Riot and Van Halen, the book takes the reader through glam’s ascent from L.A. clubs to arenas everywhere, spending equal time on Crüe-style debauchery and the behind-the-scenes business that made these bands superstars, through the arrival of Nirvana, which turned the hair metal craze into poison overnight." ―Booklist

"Lively, comprehensive... An engrossing deep dive into a lurid, free-wheeling monument in pop music." ―Kirkus

"Revolver cofounder Beaujour and former Guitar World editor Bienstock give heavy metal a flamboyant retrospective in this raucous oral history...Metalheads and those with a fondness for the over-the-top antics that marked the genre and era are in for a treat." ―Publishers Weekly

"From the streets to the Strip, the studio to the stage, this is an epic tale told by the people that lived it. It's a backstage pass to the wildest and loudest party in rock history―you'll feel like you were right there with us!" ―Bret Michaels of Poison

“If you want to relive the explosive decade, this is as close as you're gonna get. All right here, right now.” ―Stephen Pearcy of Ratt

"Tom and Rich ― the two music journalists most likely to be called as expert witnesses in a court case about hair metal ― have compiled a fun, funny, and frightening chronicle of the so-called 'Decade of Decadence' with interviews from every major player in the scene." ―Kory Grow, Rolling Stone

“Sure, there’s plenty of sex, drugs and rock & roll but, like the best rock books, Nöthin' But a Good Time is really about people and their stories. Those stories attest to the power of hard work, ambition, friendship and community. And that's what makes this hilarious, sordid and deeply researched book so inspiring.” ―Michael Azerrad, author of Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991 and Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana

"No stone is left unturned in this deep dive into the bands you love, and the bands you love to hate. This book goes to 11." ―Katherine Turman, co-author, Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal

“An extremely well-written, thoughtful, and indeed inspiring exposé on one of the most misunderstood musical genres in history. Come for Yngwie Malmsteen, stay for Gunnar Nelson.” ―Dave Hill, comedian, author, Parking the Moose

“Tom Beaujour and Richard Bienstock recreate the reckless and carefree era of hair metal―a fantastical, debauched world of car wrecks and casual sex, codpieces and Capezios, boys dressed like girls and girls dressed in almost nothing, cocaine and even more cocaine and no, seriously, So. Much. Cocaine. Nöthin’ But a Good Time is the literary equivalent of a pyro explosion.” ―Rob Tannenbaum, author of I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution

“I came for the debauched Guns ‘N Roses, Mötley Crüe and Poison stories and was not disappointed. I did not expect equally delightful stories about Stryper, Warrant, Faster Pussycat, Nelson and Trixter. Brilliant book of familiar and forgotten rock history.” ―Steve Knopper, editor-at-large, Billboard, author, Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age

About the Author

RICHARD BIENSTOCK is a journalist whose writing has appeared in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Spin, and other publications. He is a former senior editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored and co-authored several books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck. He is also the New York Times bestselling co-author of Nothin' But a Good Time.

TOM BEAUJOUR is a journalist as well as a co-founder and former editor-in-chief of Revolver, America’s premier hard rock and heavy metal monthly. Beaujour has produced and mixed albums by Nada Surf, Guided by Voices, the Juliana Hatfield Three, and many others. He is also the New York Times bestselling co-author of Nothin' But a Good Time.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08BYBNGMW
Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Press (March 16, 2021)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 16, 2021
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 44278 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 549 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #355,688 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #36 in Heavy Metal Music (Kindle Store)
- #183 in Music History & Criticism (Kindle Store)
- #274 in Rock Music (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.6 3,188 ratings

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Tom Beaujour
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Former Editor in Chief of Revolver and Guitar Aficionado magazines, bit part player on Orange is the New Black, music producer.
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Richard Bienstock
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RICHARD BIENSTOCK is the New York Times Best Selling co-author of Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is a former senior editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine, and his writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Spin, and other publications. He has authored and co-authored several books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the award-winning documentary of the same name, and Slash: An Intimate Portrait, with Slash, Joe Perry and Ron Wood.
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kevin humphrey

80’s rock

Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2024

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Interesting stories in this book, great read!

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Mike K

For anyone that remembers the 80s hair era, this book is a must-read!

Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2022

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I love this book! Reading back on the origins and behind the scenes happening of the hair-band era brings back some great memories. Lots of great interviews and insights from all the big players of the day, as well as some of the lesser-known acts that never made it past the club circuit. There are also comments from producers, record execs, and photographers that dealt with the ups, downs, and temperaments of these young 20-somethings suddenly thrown into super-stardom. And this book doesn't skimp on content -it took about 10 or 12 hours to read, and just like a great album, there's no filler!

One person found this helpful

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Brooke E. Habecker

Best Book on Hard Rock (and I’ve read a bunch)

Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2021

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Y’all, I just got this book today. I said, oh, rockin’. I’ll just read the intro because I’m trying to learn Spanish and I had other reading to do. 120 pages later.... I was six years old in 1980, and by the time I got into hard rock, these bands were making their most expensive, most promoted records. It was intoxicating. I wish I’d been old enough and lived far enough south to go to the Whisky and Gazzarri’s. Alas. But I’m a giant fan to this day and this book is SO FUN! You’ll recognize all the names , even the managers and producers because we all read every word of those liner notes, didn’t we? This book makes me smile and laugh and if you are into 80s hard rock, it’s a must-read. Well written by journalists with excellent rock credentials. Buy it.

11 people found this helpful

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Christian Josi

…How Can I Resist?

Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2022

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This is a cool book--pretty much an oral history as told through a series of direct quotes by the musicians and industry players who were all in this beautifully bonkers pool together for a brief but unforgettable moment in music history.

The fact that it's broken down into quotes (gathered and edited in expert fashion by Bienstock and Beaujour--serious guys) makes it highly readable and definitely keeps the book in your hands. Referring to a book as 'hard to put down" is totally trite in a review, but in this case it really is true. I mean, I am not a fast reader and I burned through this 560-pager like I was in a race.

I was about 15 years old when I started hanging out on the Sunset Strip with my older and cooler friends who would let me tag along with them on weekends on pilgrimages from our suburban L.A. digs to places like the Whisky, Roxy, Troubadour, Gazzaris--all the places you find in this book--and I saw a LOT. The scene was at a fever pitch at the time and as it turns out just about to peak. Many of the stories covered in Nothin' But A Good Time I was familiar with. In some cases, I was even there. A fly on the wall. So as one would imagine the book brought back some incredible memories and reminded me how lucky I was to have seen so much of it with my own eyes. I still have friendships with musicians and scenesters from the time, and this read reminded me how much I treasure those.

It is hard to overstate what a magical time this was, and indeed what a profound moment it was in the history of Rock N Roll. Any written history of the period is essential and valuable. For this, Bienstock and Beaujour are heroes.

Downsides? Nothing big. As fun and addictive as it is to read so many pages with so many stories coming directly and unedited from horses' mouths, so to speak, a little less of that and a little more authors' narrative would have been welcome. There are also a handful of people from the era who are alive and well--and in many cases still actively recording and touring--that it would have been cool to hear from (more Armored Saint, less Nelson?), but these are just nitpicks. The book is called Nothin' But A Good Time, for crying out loud, and it is pretty much just that.

6 people found this helpful

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John S. Parker

Great book about the 80s glam metal scene

Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2022

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Loved this book. The most comprehensive, informative, and interesting book about the scene. You can tell it was very carefully put together and edited. They didn't just interview a bunch of nobodies who were around at the time and then slap it together with almost no structure (something I've seen a lot with oral histories). A lot of the biggest names in the industry contributed their stories and it was put together in a very cohesive way. The stories and insights are great. Highly recommend.

One person found this helpful

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Mark Anderson

The best of the bunch

Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2021

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I've been a headbanger for over 40 years, have seen a lot of these bands in concert multiple times, bought hundreds of records and cds, read a bunch of books about the bands and the music, and this is BY FAR the most informative and entertaining book yet. If you lived through it, like I did, or just want to know how it all went down, this is a must read. And the fact that it's told by the people who made it all happen makes it all the better. From the record executives, band managers, club owners to the band members, fans, family and friends, and everyone in between, you get it all. If you love 80's metal, then you absolutely MUST read this book. You won't regret it.

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Apple-O

Great stories and history of these bands; more please

Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2023

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I thought the early Van Halen section was the best, but they should have included a lot more on that band. The stories are mostly interesting and fun. They could probably make a sequel with stories from any number of bands missing from these pages.

2 people found this helpful

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Brenda Lairson

Gift

Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2023

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The receiver of the gift was very happy

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Javier Eduardo

80s HR Explosion

Reviewed in Mexico on December 18, 2023

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Llego en tiempo, una parte de la historia musical en este buen libro.

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Andre G. Fuscaldi

Guia definitivo sobre a cena hard rock em Los Angeles e nos EUA como um todo nos anos 80.

Reviewed in Brazil on December 13, 2023

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Um livro muito divertido de ler. Ótimas histórias sobre as bandas americanas de hard rock dos anos 80. Histórias narradas pelos próprios músicos envolvidos. Texto em inglês.

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StevieG

Fabulous book

Reviewed in Canada on April 21, 2023

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If you were into 80s hair metal bands, this is the book to get. The stories of all famous bands and how they got together and the tales of behind the scenes as told by the band members, producers,managers and fans.
Mötley Crüe, G'N'R, Ratt,Dokken,Cinderella,Quiet Riot, Brtny Fox, Poison,Warrant,LA Guns etc etc they are all here.
Highly recommend 😁👍

Emmanuel C.

Très bien

Reviewed in France on September 22, 2023

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Collection d’anecdotes et témoignages sur la montée au firmament des groupes de la côte ouest dans les années 80.

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ElCapitan

Rock and roll will never die

Reviewed in Italy on December 24, 2023

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"Nöthin' but a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion è un viaggio avvincente e senza censure nel cuore dell'esplosione dell'hard rock degli anni '80. La narrazione coinvolgente di Tom Beaujour e Richard Bienstock ci trasporta nell'era dorata del rock, con interviste approfondite, aneddoti esclusivi e dietro le quinte che gettano nuova luce sulle icone musicali di quegli anni.

**Punti Positivi:**

1. **Racconti Autentici:** Le interviste dirette con le band e i protagonisti dell'epoca forniscono una prospettiva autentica e approfondita sulla scena dell'hard rock negli anni '80.

2. **Stile di Scrittura Coinvolgente:** La scrittura di Beaujour e Bienstock è coinvolgente, divertente e ricca di dettagli, trasportando il lettore nel cuore dell'azione con ogni pagina.

3. **Ampia Copertura:** La copertura non si limita solo alle grandi band, ma esplora anche storie meno conosciute, aggiungendo profondità e completezza alla storia dell'hard rock degli anni '80.

**Considerazioni:**

1. **Prospettiva Americana:** La prospettiva è fortemente orientata agli Stati Uniti, e alcuni lettori potrebbero desiderare una maggiore inclusione di band internazionali.

In definitiva, Nöthin' but a Good Time è un must-read per gli amanti della musica rock degli anni '80. Una lettura avvincente che offre un'immersione completa nel mondo affascinante e sfrontato della scena dell'hard rock di quell'epoca, ricca di eccessi, successi e storie che continuano a ispirare e divertire."

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