Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal (108 page)

KATHERINE TURMAN
is the producer of Alice Cooper’s nightly syndicated radio show,
Nights with Alice Cooper
. Her writing has appeared in publications including the
Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, Mother Jones, Village Voice, SPIN, Billboard, Marie Claire, Guitar World, Metal Hammer, Raygun, and Daily Variety
. She was the editor of
RIP
magazine and the
LA Alternative Press
; she formerly produced the live radio show
Rockline,
and was a music producer for TV’s
The Sharon Osbourne Show
. A Los Angeles native, Katherine now lives in Brooklyn.

Visit
www.AuthorTracker.com
for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors.

P
RAISE FOR
LOUDER THAN HELL

“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

“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. This is the book every metal fan should own.”

—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 roller coaster. The definitive chronological testimony by the people who were there, including some who are no longer with us.”

—Mark McGrath, Sugar Ray; cohost of
Extra

“
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

“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

“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

“We all know reading is NOT cool. 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. 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, Dethklok

“Who likes rock and 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

CREDITS

The pagination of this electronic edition does not match the edition from which i was made. To locate a specific passage, please use the search feature on your e-book reader.

Prologue: Heavy Metal Thunder

William Burroughs, p. 1, from
Burroughs Live: The Collected Interviews of William S. Burroughs, 1960-1997
by William Burroughs and Sylvere Lotringer, Semiotext(e), MIT Press, p. 72

Mars Bonfire, p. 2, from
Heavy Metal: The Music And Its Culture
, Revised Edition, by Deena Weinstein, Da Capo Press, 2000, p. 19

Barry Gifford, p. 2, from interview with Anne B. Killheffer, property of interviewer

Bob Lefsetz, p. 4, from “The Last in Line” by Bob Lefsetz, The Lefsetz Letter: First in Music Analysis, lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2010/05/19/the-last-in-line/

Gene Simmons, p. 4, from “Your Letters,” Genesimmons.com, www.genesimmons.com/fanstories/letters7/index609.html

Kick Out the Jams: Proto Metal, 1964–1970

Jimmy Page, p. 8, from “Heavy Friends” by Brad Tolinski,
Guitar World Presents Guitar Legends
, March 2004 (p. 57)

Ritchie Blackmore, p. 9, interview by Jeff Perlah, property of interviewer

Iggy Pop, p. 11, from “Naughty Little Doggie” by Jennifer Clay,
RIP
magazine, April 1996

Iggy Pop, p. 12, ibid

Iggy Pop, p. 13, ibid

Ritchie Blackmore, p. 16, interview by Jeff Perlah, property of interviewer

Jimmy Page, p. 18, from “The Greatest Show on Earth” by Brad Tolinski,
Guitar World Presents Guitar Legends
, March 2004 (p. 72)

Richard Cole, p. 18, from
Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga
by Stephen Davis, Harper Collins, p. 87

Iggy Pop, p 19, from “Naughty Little Doggie” by Jennifer Clay,
RIP
magazine, April 1996

Jimmy Page, p. 20, from “The Greatest Show on Earth” by Brad Tolinski,
Guitar World Presents Guitar Legends
, March 2004 (p. 75)

Ritchie Blackmore, p. 23, from interview by Jeff Perlah, property of interviewer

Jimmy Page, p. 24, from “The Greatest Show on Earth” by Brad Tolinski,
Guitar World Presents Guitar Legends
, March 2004 (p. 75)

Masters of Reality: Sabbath, Priest, and Beyond, 1970–1979

Sharon Osbourne, p. 31, from “Against All Ozz: Ozzy Osbourne Bites Back” by Jon Wiederhorn,
Penthouse
, Nov. 1998, p. 48

Tony Iommi, p. 33, from
Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven & Hell With Black Sabbath
by Tony Iommi with TJ Lammers, Da Capo Press, 2011, p. 22

Ozzy Osbourne, p. 39, from “Against All Ozz: Ozzy Osbourne Bites Back” by Jon Wiederhorn,
Penthouse
, Nov. 1998, p. 47

Paul Stanley, p. 50, from
Kissology, Vol. 1: 1974-1977
Starring Kiss, 2006

Gene Simmons, p. 52, from
Kissology, Vol. 1: 1974-1977
Starring Kiss, 2006.

Gene Simmons, p. 53, ibid

Gene Simmons, p. 57, from
Kiss and Make-Up
by Gene Simmons, Crown, 2001, p. 4

Ace Frehley, p. 59, from interview with Jeff Kitts, property of interviewer

Gene Simmons, p. 59, from
Kissology, Vol. 1: 1974-1977
Starring Kiss, 2006

Gene Simmons, p. 60, ibid

Gene Simmons, p. 60, from
Kiss and Make-Up
by Gene Simmons, Crown, 2001, p. 130

Dave Evans, p. 61, from
AC/DC High-Voltage Rock ’N’ Roll: The Illustrated History
by Phil Sutcliffe, Voyageur Press, 2010, p. 31

Angus Young, p. 62, from
Highway to Hell: The Life and Death of AC/DC Legend Bon Scott
by Clinton Walker, Verse Chorus Press, 1994, p. 127

Malcolm Young, p. 62, from “AC/DC Celebrate their Quarter Century” by Sylvie Simmons,
Mojo
Magazine

Peter Criss, p. 70, from “Peter Criss” by Gary James, Famousinterview.com, www.famousinterview.ca/interviews/peter_criss_2.htm

Gene Simmons, p. 70, from
Kiss and Make-Up
by Gene Simmons, Crown, 2001, p. 139

Ace Frehley, p. 70, interview by Jeff Kitts, property of interviewer

Alistair Kinnear, p. 71, from “Alistair Kinnear’s recollection of 19th February 1980” by Alistair Kinnear, “Metal Hammer and Classic Rock Present AC/DC Special,” 2005

Angus Young, p. 72, from “Brian: The Baptism of Fire” by Michel Rémy, Let There Be Light, 1994

Phil Rudd, p. 72, from
AC/DC High-Voltage Rock ’N’ Roll: The Illustrated History
by Phil Sutcliffe, Voyageur Press, 2010, p. 94

British Steel: New Wave of British Heavy Metal Shapes the Future, 1980–present

Ozzy Osbourne, p. 83, from “Against All Ozz: Ozzy Osbourne Bites Back” by Jon Wiederhorn,
Penthouse
, Nov. 1998, p. 48

Sharon Osbourne, p. 84, from “Against All Ozz: Ozzy Osbourne Bites Back” by Jon Wiederhorn,
Penthouse
, Nov. 1998, p. 48

David Fricke, p. 86, from “AC/DC Back in Black” review by David Fricke,
Rolling Stone
, July 1980

Steve Harris, p. 90, interview by Mick Wall, property of interviewer

Dave Murray, p. 91, ibid

Steve Harris, p. 91, ibid

Neil Kay, p. 92, ibid

Geoff Barton, p. 94, ibid

Jackie Chambers, p. 99, interview by Ray Van Horn, property of interviewer.

Martin Birch, p. 101, ibid

Adrian Smith, p. 102, ibid

Steve Harris, p. 102, ibid

Glenn Danzig, p. 110, from “Danzig: Mother’s Finest” by Katherine Turman,
Rip
magazine, Sept. 1994, p. 45

Phil Caivano, p.111, from “Pussy Magnet” by Jon Wiederhorn,
Penthouse
, Aug. 1999, p. 62

Phil Caivano, p. 112, ibid

Dave Wyndorf, p. 116, from “Dave Ling’s Diary” by Dave Ling, Dave Ling Online, July 2007, www.daveling.co.uk/diaryjuly07.htm

Youth Gone Wild: Metal Goes Mainstream, 1978–1992

Eddie Van Halen, p. 122, from “Van Halen Family Values” by Jon Wiederhorn,
Penthouse
, Sept. 1998, p. 126

Kevin DuBrow, p. 123, interview by Ray Van Horn, property of interviewer

Kevin DuBrow, p. 124, from “Van Halen Family Values” by Jon Wiederhorn,
Penthouse
, Sept. 1998, p. 127

Eddie Van Halen, p. 124, ibid

Kevin DuBrow, p. 125, ibid

Kevin DuBrow, p. 130, ibid

Jake E. Lee, p. 135, from “How to Succeed Without Really Whammying” by Steven Rosen,
Guitar World
, Nov. 1986

Kevin DuBrow, p. 146, interview by Ray Van Horn, property of interviewer

Randy Rhoads, p. 147, from “Randy Rhoads: A Biography by Family, Friends and Fellow Musicians” by Jas Obrecht,
Guitar Player
, Nov. 1982

Ozzy Osbourne, p. 148, ibid

Ozzy Osbourne, p. 149, from
I Am Ozzy
by Ozzy Osbourne with Chris Ayres, Grand Central Publishing, p. 240

Brad Gillis, p. 151, from “Dear Guitar Hero: Night Ranger’s Brad Gillis and Joel Hoekstra,” GuitarWorld.com, March 2, 2010, www.store.guitarworld.com/dear-guitar-hero-night-rangers-brad-gillis-and-joel-hoekstra

Jake E. Lee, p. 151, from “How to Succeed Without Really Whammying” by Steven Rosen,
Guitar World
, Nov. 1986

Eddie Van Halen, p. 161, from “Van Halen Family Values” by Jon Wiederhorn,
Penthouse
, Sept. 1998, p. 127

Alex Van Halen, p. 162, ibid

Sweet Connie Hamzy, p. 162, from “The Howard Stern Show,” Dec. 8, 2010, groupieblog.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/connie-hamzy-on-howard-stern-show/

Jeannie Crane, p. 162, from Australian TV program
Hard Copy
, ep. “Groupies,” 1988 www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6wZoYMS2HM&feature=player_embedded#!

Frank Zappa, p. 164, from the Record Labeling Hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation in the United States Senate, Sept. 19, 1985, www.joesapt.net/superlink/shrg99-529/toc.html

Susan Baker, p. 164, from the Record Labeling Hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation in the United States Senate, Sept. 19, 1985, www.joesapt.net/superlink/shrg99-529/toc.html

Vince Neil, p. 176,
Mötley Crüe: The Dirt – Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band
by Mötley Crüe with Neil Strauss, Regan Books, p. 130

Eddie Van Halen, p. 180, from “Van Halen Family Values” by Jon Wiederhorn,
Penthouse
, Sept. 1998, p. 127

Eddie Van Halen, p. 182, from “Van Halen Family Values” by Jon Wiederhorn,
Penthouse
, Sept. 1998, p. 126

Robbin Crosby, p. 184, from “VH1 Behind the Music: Ratt,” Ep. 198, May 11, 2006

Caught in a Mosh: Thrash Metal, 1981–1991

Lars Ulrich, p. 196, from
Get Thrashed
, directed by Rick Ernst, produced by Rat Skates, Saigon 1515 Productions, 2006