Text written by Wikibrother Lucas David
Rock has always been a subject that has provided plenty of material for fans and those curious about it. Besides albums, covers, and liner notes, there are many documentaries and, lately in Brazil, we've seen a significant increase in the release of biographies , whether of bands or individual artists.
Books by Rob Halford, KK Downing, Chuck Schuldiner , and Death, Ronnie James Dio , to name a few, are arriving in the country in very special editions, and we can see how important this is for lovers of the genre.
It's difficult to find a rock fan who doesn't know the year a band recorded an album, the songs on it, the names of the members, the producer, and the behind-the-scenes stories that helped create classic albums. The importance of these stories to the public is immense, as many of these artists helped define the styles we know today, whether in Heavy Metal (Dio, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden) , Death Metal (Death and Cannibal Corpse ), or Black Metal ( Mayhem and the bands featured in the book Lords of Chaos ), and keeping this history alive is what makes these styles known and celebrated to this day.
Of course, buying and reading these materials isn't mandatory, since everyone has their own way of absorbing different content, but it's a little difficult not to be interested in the person's story, how they were formed and achieved success, the formation of the band and the recording of the songs, how they faced problems during their career and periods of low sales, problems with drugs and alcohol, and, finally, how many survived and are still active today, still doing world tours.
One of the great examples is Ozzy Osbourne , who released the books *I Am Ozzy* and *Trust Me, I Am Dr. Ozzy: Advice from the Greatest Survivor of Rock* . Those who know his stories know that the Madman has been through many problems, some close to death, but still has the strength to continue composing and touring. Even though the last tours were canceled, many hope to see him on stage again.
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Below is a short list of recommended books and biographies (in addition to those mentioned above):
Lords of Chaos – This is the first book that comes to mind when thinking about true Norwegian black metal. It's an inescapable landmark in the genre's history, as much as Mayhem's De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, the burning of the Fantoft church, or Varg's famous photo with a Viking club. Any serious study of black metal today should include this book, whether in affirmation or negation, and anyone interested in the subject certainly has much to learn from the impressive volume of interviews, photos, documents, and journalistic material compiled by Moynihan and Søderlind. According to the authors, "here, blood, fire, and music were volatile ingredients that fueled an alchemical explosion that continues to reverberate loudly in the apocalyptic culture of the modern world."
Iron Man: My Journey Through Heaven and Hell with Black Sabbath – The definitive story of the founding father of heavy metal, Tony Iommi . With Black Sabbath, he built the foundation from which all heavy music originates. In the words of Eddie Van Halen : “He is the creator of heaviness. He took rock 'n' roll and turned it into heavy metal.” With short chapters, this autobiography covers all phases of the artist's life. His childhood in Birmingham, the discovery of music, the accident that changed his life, and all the achievements and madness that came after, when Sabbath imprinted its name in the pantheon of rock greats.
Death By Metal: The Story of Chuck Schuldiner – This book tells the entire story of the creator of one of the most brutal styles in rock, Death Metal. Thanks to Chuck, over the years DEATH has become a complex war machine. Far from the stereotypes and clichés of the musical movement that the band helped to create, the band elevated the very idea of heavy metal to a superior level that few dared to touch. Tracing the most important events in Chuck's life and career, extracting details from those who knew him closely and examining all his albums from a musical and lyrical point of view, this book celebrates the life and work of a great artist, whose contribution is of seminal importance in the history of heavy metal.
Rainbow In The Dark: The Autobiography of Ronnie James Dio – It is a frank, surprising, often hilarious, sometimes sad testament to dedication and ambition, filled with poignant anecdotes, glorious tales of excess, and sincere recollections of what really happened behind the scenes in the life of one of the most famous and celebrated musicians of all time.
These materials help expand knowledge and provide a "baggage" beyond music. They also show society and those who reject the styles because of the "noise" that it is possible to delve deeper and increase the passion and, as mentioned before, keep the history of this worldwide movement alive.
We should mention the Slayer biography , titled The Bloody Reign of Slayer , which will be released on September 30th with an appendix covering the band's last years up to 2019, as well as a special chapter on guitarist Jeff Hanneman , and also the upcoming release from Estética Torta publishing house: Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Complete and Uncensored History of 80s Hard Rock .
*This text was written by a Wikimate and does not necessarily represent the opinions of the site's authors.
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