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Don't Call It Hair Metal

Art in the Excess of '80s Rock

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Don't Call It Hair Metal

By: Sean Kelly
Narrated by: Sean Kelly
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About this listen

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.

©2023 Sean Kelly (P)2023 Tantor History & Criticism Music Social Sciences Guitar
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Sean captures the essence of the time and genre with expert analysis of styles and influence with a musicians eye. Most impressed with his summary of NWOBHM which brought back great memories. Well done Sean!

Relive your youth (gone wild)!

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A great book for any fans of an often overlooked era that shaped so many lives. The author's passion shines through in every chapter. Loved it!

An enjoyable listen.

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