Appetite For Dysfunction: A Cautionary Tale

by Vicky L. Hamilton, Vicky L. Hamilton (Illustrator)

Appetite For Dysfunction: A Cautionary Tale

Appetite For Dysfunction is a self-exploratory journey through Vicky’s life. A small town girl who risks everything by dropping out of art school, leaving behind the safety of loved ones and small town values, and making her way to Hollywood. When Vicky arrived, she landed a job as a mere record store clerk, to then miraculously find herself deep in the trenches of an unscrupulous, male dominated, music entertainment business, and blossomed into Hollywood’s most controversial A&R woman and band manager. Vicky followed her dream and achieved it. She became the top female record company executive and personal band manager. Only to reach her aspirations while working with Guns N’ Roses, to then take on the most coveted A&R position to date at Geffen Records, under David Geffen himself. It was common knowledge, that while David Geffen was relaxing at his Malibu beach house, Hamilton was busy scouring dark clubs for talent. Doing the kind of legwork many larger record labels had gotten away from.

Appetite For Dysfunction is the first time Vicky candidly speaks out about the life she lived on the front lines, deep in the heartless world of the music business. Hamilton brings to this book her unbiased observations and shrewd glimpses about who these rock stars and executives are at the core of their beings, and about herself, as well. She expresses her gratitude for her historic past and her accomplishments, as well as her own shortcomings along the way. She shares her victories, her mistakes, the horror stories, and her dark comedic approach to “making it” in the entertainment business. Even while getting her heart broken on many occasions, leading to some cataclysmic breakdowns,Vicky battles to hang on to her integrity. Painfully taking the highroad, as she loses her job at Capitol Records, while facing eviction and a phone that suddenly stopped ringing, Vicky holds her head high, humbly reinvents herself, and literally, goes on with the show.

One of the many highlights of this book is when Vicky produced and released June Carter-Cash’s record, Press On>. Hamilton was so determined to get June a record deal that, when no one else wanted to make a record with June, Vicky started her own label, Small Hairy Dog. Through her relationship with Carter-Cash, while making Press On>, Vicky found herself trusting her own faith and intuition and began questioning her personal lifestyle choices and stopped looking outside of herself for happiness. No longer coming from a place of fear, Vicky finds sobriety and a new perspective on life. Vicky’s persistence and shift of faith paid off when June’s record won a Grammy.

This book is about a small town girl who follows her heart to Hollywood, finds success only to lose it all, after chasing a dream that becomes a nightmare, because nothing and no one are what they appear to be. Hitting the bottom of a dark and lonely abyss to then climb out triumphantly. This book shares Vicky Hamilton’s undeniable optimism, hope and faith-eternal, and is a must read for anyone who is a music fan and curious about the golden era of the record business, and for anyone with a dream of their own.

Vicky Hamilton is a long time Grammy Award-Winning music industry executive and personal manager, featured on VH-1s, Biography Channel's and BBC. 

She is considered one of the most successful female music executives in the industry. Pull down the safety bar, Appetite For Dysfunction is a wild and exhilarating ride.

 

Genres: Audiobook

482 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 4, 2016

Reviews

[KAY · Rating 4 out of 5]

No punches pulled and engagingly written

I had always heard Vicky’s name as a background mover and shaker in the LA scene. I was excited to learn she had written her story. I was not disappointed with the time I invested in reading it. She told HER story from HER POV without worrying about how it would land. That’s balls.

Recommended for anyone interested in LA music history or in how the music biz works. Great job and the only reason for the 4 and not 5 star review is that it really would have benefited from a harsher eyed copy editor.

Bring on volume 2.

[diz · Rating 4 out of 5]

i enjoyed a book from a different POV in the 80s LA scene. overall, I found this book very inspiring. it felt very honest, and it held my attention well. I appreciated reading this, and felt like I learned a thing or two along the way.
(there was quite a few misspellings, especially with names).

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sex, drugs, and rock and roll! Wow. What a sheltered life I have led. I admire Vicky's tenacity in having a dream and sticking with it through many trials and tribulations. Loved that she was able to get a record deal for June Carter Cash and had a great relationship with June and Johnny.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend of a close friend who used to manage Guns n Roses, Poison, and Motley Crue. That scenario (friend of a friend) worried me because if I didn't like the book, what would I say? Fortunately, I needn't have worried so. The book reveals the trials and tribulations of the music industry from the early 80's until now, and has some revealing insider information on the aforementioned bands (Motley Crue really were demonic, kids). For me personally, I appreciated Vicky's stories about Guns n Roses, Toad the Wet Sprocket (my first concert), and the Cash's - Johnny & June. Once I got into the book I found it to be an engaging read that never allowed my attention to waver. Highly recommended.