Bang Your Head: The Rise And Fall Of Heavy Metal review
Wow, when did heavy metal fall? Why was I not informed of this until now? Ok, at least they apologize for this grand falsehood inside the book, but let me just say pretty much everything else on the outside cover is a load of false advertisement.
Let us begin shall we? Before buying a book I will generally read the synopsis on the back, the line that stood out to me was "An epic history of every band and every performer that has proudly worn the heavy metal badge". Man, do I ever feel scammed, the line should have read "A dry compilation of media tabloid headlines of every performer to be part of KISS, Metallica, Led Zeppelin, or Black Sabbath", that would probably describe this childish piece of literature much more effectively. Judging by the line above you can probably guess what the book is like, its pretty much a summary of the media rumors that one can see on MTV every week, the disappointing part being that half the tabloid stories that make up this book aren't even all that entertaining. The painfully long section on KISS seemed to take up at least 2/5 of the book was possibly the most dry series of words I ever had the shame of laying my eyes on.
Maybe I'm being a little harsh; this book could be informative if you never knew that Ozzy once bit the head off a bat, or that Alice Cooper threw a live chicken into an audience, beginners stuff. Almost every tale in this book is as over-told as the ones previously listed. Not being a big literature fan in the first place I thought I'd be doing myself a favor and expanding my knowledge in a field that interests me, all I learned was what a boring band KISS actually was. I felt generally insulted by this book, as a metal-head, giving money to another supposed metal-head, to give him further knowledge on something, only to find out I probably knew more than this author. The closest thing we see to a reference of extreme metal is a sentence or two on Venom, then back to more info on Aerosmith. The only thing that saves this book from earning itself a solid 2/10 is the off chance that they are referring to the specific subgenre of metal known as heavy metal, but it seems very unlikely.
Disclaimer: If you have been into metal for longer than a month, and you passed grade 5 English class, you could write a better book.
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
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Comments: 51
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| GT Coffee!! Staff Posts: 5101  |
Haha if the book wasn't entertaining your review was...and thank god I don't have to read this book now (not that I had planned too)
----  Dreams are made so we don't get bored when we sleep
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071  |
Although I have ONLY heard bad stories about this book I am still planning to get it just to have a laugh or to annoy the hell out of me.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| Bararey Winter is Coming Elite Posts: 3139  |
Seems like this book is a waste of time and space. Who wrote it?
---- "Rhaegar fought valiantly, Rhaegar fought nobly, Rhaegar fought honorably. And Rhaegar died." Ser Jorah Mormont
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718  |
Written by Bararey on 26.03.2008 at 09:54 David Konow. Or I should say, David Konownothing.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
btw check out the buyers' comments on Amazon here. They MUST be morons. http://www.amazon.com/Bang-Your-Head-Heavy-Metal/dp/0609807323 Another atrocious book is: Life On Planet Rock by Lonn Friend, that guy who was a journalist for that horrendous so-called metal mag called RIP has an ego the size of the galaxy. He even dares state that Metallica made it big because of himself and RIP. Apparently he forgets the fact that Metallica was already big in Europe (bigger than any hair and sleaze band whatsover) before they broke into the US market.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 26.03.2008 at 10:22 I actually didn't mind Life On Planet Rock. The main problem I had with that one was the fact he seemed to afraid to say anything bad about anyone. Kurt Cobain full on trashes him and all he can say is "He was messed up on drugs, so he was misunderstood". But the fact that this book cites 81 other books is ridiculous, it further proves my point on just a compilation of common knowledge rock n roll tabloid stories. 383 pages (excluding source notes and introduction) divided by 81 equals 4.73. Hmm, this guy cant write a solid 5 pages (averaged out) without having to go to another source, thats just great writing right there.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Nox Lux codebreaker Posts: 1979  |
Stop with all the commas, Dr. Rock - it gets distracting. Try using hyphens (or parentheses) like the ones I just used.
---- ][{ ]|/ ][_ "][" -- ][3) ][_ /=|[ [( ][{ -- ][][][ |E[ "][" ]|= ][_ "Thoughts fall in season with the right stand, rake the land This Autumn's early leafshed a recompense for Summer's wane." ~ Nox Lux
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 |
Written by Nox Lux on 02.04.2008 at 07:31 Thanks for the tip. I'm a big fan of the commas though, it really shows my speech pattern - a stop and go type thing. (enjoy that one?)
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Nox Lux codebreaker Posts: 1979 |
Not really. You started a new sentence with an extension, a parenthesis and no capital letters. Just kidding around, dude.  I know it's only a comment on a forum, before you start thinking I'm an arsehole.
---- ][{ ]|/ ][_ "][" -- ][3) ][_ /=|[ [( ][{ -- ][][][ |E[ "][" ]|= ][_ "Thoughts fall in season with the right stand, rake the land This Autumn's early leafshed a recompense for Summer's wane." ~ Nox Lux
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| tulkas el parcero Posts: 4742  |
"Disclaimer: If you have been into metal for longer than a month, and you passed grade 5 English class, you could write a better book."  well, from this review all i can say is that i'll definetly not read the book, haha. too bad that a good idea could be developed in such a bad way, as dr. rock says it does. btw, was the writer a metalhead? according to what the review says that is in the book, i wouldn't think so. anyone knows who wrote it?
---- love is like a jar of shit with a strawberry on top
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 |
Written by tulkas on 02.04.2008 at 08:11 David Konow, he also writes for Guitar World magazine. He probably does have a lot of knowledge in mainstream old school bands, other than Megadeth and Metallica he doesn't even touch thrash., but it seems he has no clue about anything outside of Headbangers Ball...definitely not the knowledge needed to write a book out of, let alone boast about it the way they do on the back cover.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| LeChron James Helvetesfossen Posts: 3561  |
there are only a few books that i'll swear to in terms of my metal literature, and this definitely isnt one of them.
---- Kick Ass, Die Young Less is More Stay Pure Stay Poor Music was my life, music brought me to life and music is how I will be remembered long after I leave this life. When I die there will be a final waltz in my head that only I can hear.
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| 5.T.4.L.k.E.R Posts: 54  |
*Googles the book* OK i don't really need to or want to read that book after reading the original post above. i mean why the fuck would I need to read such bullshit???
---- ...enter by the Mystical Gates of Reincarnation
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| Daggon Underpaid M.D. Posts: 1689  |
Ok I won't read that kind of shit in my life hahaha, very hilarious Dr. Rock
---- "Les vers savent qu'ils n'ont pas d'ailes, c'est pour cela qu'ils se cachent sous terre"
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| Metalbound7 Posts: 229  |
The fall of Heavy Metal.......WTF!? its this some kind of joke? im sure my 3yo cousin is more Metalhead than the retarded poser that wrote that worthless piece of pusillanimous literature...
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| Winterfog Posts: 102  |
 Why would anyone write about "The fall of Heavy Metal"!! When did that happen 
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| Hermann Langke Brahmastra Corps Posts: 471  |
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| Hermann Langke Brahmastra Corps Posts: 471 |
Written by GT on 26.03.2008 at 09:35 no that's a great book.friend.
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by Hermann Langke on 17.10.2009 at 12:03 You mean to ssay tyou think this book is great? If so then you haven't been into metal for longer than a month (like said in the review)
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Hermann Langke Brahmastra Corps Posts: 471 |
That's rubbish.that book gave me an in-depth analysis of the bands included there.And i have been a Metal fan for the last 11 years buddy.:nogood:
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 |
Written by Hermann Langke on 18.10.2009 at 14:45 I would like to know what the media outlets where you're from are like. All the so called "in-depth analysis" you're talking about I knew about before I got into metal, this book is merely a compilation of media tabloid headlines, thats it. I think Marcel can agree with me, and he's been into metal for longer than both of us combined.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| DayFly Posts: 383  |
Written by Doc G. on 18.10.2009 at 19:59 Look at the kid's reviews and be lenient, for he doesn't know better.
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 |
Written by DayFly on 18.10.2009 at 20:07 His album votes speak for themselves...only 1 vote below an 8, he seems to like anything.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Hermann Langke Brahmastra Corps Posts: 471 |
Written by Doc G. on 18.10.2009 at 19:59 It is understandable.I am from India and that too from a remote part of the country.Still i discovered Metal when i was just 9 years old.now i am 20.got the point buddy?
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| BitterCOld The Ancient One Admin Posts: 15250  |
I'm not your buddy, guy. Ian Christe's "Sound of the Beast" (site here) was a pretty good breakdown of the history of metal and paid a decent amount of attention to bands outside the usual ones that get all the run.
---- get the fuck off my lawn. Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 |
Written by Hermann Langke on 19.10.2009 at 15:27 Actually no, you really haven't proved anything, just stated your age repeatedly.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by Hermann Langke on 21.10.2009 at 12:44 Start making sense for fuck's sake, buddy.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Hermann Langke Brahmastra Corps Posts: 471 |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 21.10.2009 at 12:46 Now this is getting a bit too far.You do not like it.fine.I like it.fine.:cool:
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