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Raising Hell: Backstage Tales from the Lives of Metal Legends
From the author of the celebrated classic Louder Than Hell comes an oral history of the badass Heavy Metal lifestyle―the debauchery, demolition, and headbanging dedication―featuring metalhead musicians from Black Sabbath and Judas Priest to Twisted Sister and Quiet Riot to Disturbed, Megadeth, Throwdown and more.
In his song “You Can’t Stop Rock and Roll” Ozzy Osbourne sings, “Rock and roll is my religion and my law.” And that’s why Raising Hell is a must-have for anyone who wants to read about the iconoclastic culture of headbangers and the wild lives they lead. The book contains the crazy, funny and sometimes horrifying anecdotes musicians have told about a lifestyle both invigorating and at times self-destructive.
The metal genre has always been populated by colorful individuals who have thwarted convention and lived by their own rules. For many, vice has been virtue, and the opportunity to record albums and tour has been an invitation to push boundaries and open a Pandora ’s Box of wild experiences. Even before they joined bands, the urge for metalheads to rebel and a seemingly contradictory need to belong was ingrained in their DNA. Whether they were oddballs who didn’t fit in or angry kids from troubled backgrounds, metal gave them a sense of identity and became more than a form of music.
From the author of the classic collection of Metal music-making tales Louder Than Hell comes a collection that goes behind the music with the lead singers, guitarists, bassists, drummers, stage hands, roadies, groupies, fans, and more. These are the stories of the parties, the tours, the rage, the joy, . . . the Heavy Metal life!
In his song “You Can’t Stop Rock and Roll” Ozzy Osbourne sings, “Rock and roll is my religion and my law.” And that’s why Raising Hell is a must-have for anyone who wants to read about the iconoclastic culture of headbangers and the wild lives they lead. The book contains the crazy, funny and sometimes horrifying anecdotes musicians have told about a lifestyle both invigorating and at times self-destructive.
The metal genre has always been populated by colorful individuals who have thwarted convention and lived by their own rules. For many, vice has been virtue, and the opportunity to record albums and tour has been an invitation to push boundaries and open a Pandora ’s Box of wild experiences. Even before they joined bands, the urge for metalheads to rebel and a seemingly contradictory need to belong was ingrained in their DNA. Whether they were oddballs who didn’t fit in or angry kids from troubled backgrounds, metal gave them a sense of identity and became more than a form of music.
From the author of the classic collection of Metal music-making tales Louder Than Hell comes a collection that goes behind the music with the lead singers, guitarists, bassists, drummers, stage hands, roadies, groupies, fans, and more. These are the stories of the parties, the tours, the rage, the joy, . . . the Heavy Metal life!
480 pages, Hardcover
First published January 7, 2020
33 people are currently reading
230 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
January 9, 2020
What does Raising Hell mean to you? I thought it would be stories of raucous life on the road in a rock band. Kind of a modern Almost Famous.
What I got? Braggy “true” stories from artists and bands most people will not recognize. I’ve hung out with punk and rock bands. Some stories of drinking/drugging too much, breaking everything, and generally making bad decisions seem highly likely to have happened. But many sound like hazily remembered, and suspiciously favorable, dreams from the past. Worse, both begin to bore with repetition.
If you are a pre-teen or teenage boy, Raising Hell will have you repeating passages to friends and practicing your dusty old drum kit hoping to live the metal life yourself someday. For females or mature adults, it’s probably not going to be a great read. So overall, 3 stars.
Thanks to Diversion Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
What I got? Braggy “true” stories from artists and bands most people will not recognize. I’ve hung out with punk and rock bands. Some stories of drinking/drugging too much, breaking everything, and generally making bad decisions seem highly likely to have happened. But many sound like hazily remembered, and suspiciously favorable, dreams from the past. Worse, both begin to bore with repetition.
If you are a pre-teen or teenage boy, Raising Hell will have you repeating passages to friends and practicing your dusty old drum kit hoping to live the metal life yourself someday. For females or mature adults, it’s probably not going to be a great read. So overall, 3 stars.
Thanks to Diversion Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
February 22, 2023
Amazon says this book is 480 pages. On my Kindle it felt like it went on forever. It was fine for what it is. Nothing shocking, some giggles. Easy to read a few stories and go to another book. I am a sucker for any rock biography-type stuff so I couldn't pass it up. Author's disclaimer at the beginning is true throughout... don't expect any jaw-dropping stories or any in-depth reading.
November 26, 2020
Wanted to enjoy this oral history of metal stories but after ten pages with many people I wasn’t even a fan of, I gave up!! Just no engagement with this book.
December 8, 2021
This book avoids being a depressing slog through infantile behavior ala The Dirt or similar rock tell-alls, but there's really not much here. I think it's admirable that they try to stress the consensual nature of sexual escapades or the downsides of excessing drinking and hard-drug abuse, but that doesn't make this substantial or worth your time.
September 17, 2020
I'm giving this five stars because I was at one of the concerts mentioned in the book. On pages 199-200 Sam Rivers, Limp Bizkit. It was at Mercer Arena in Seattle, Wa. on June 22, 1999. I don't remember much about the show. It was a long time ago. This is what I do remember 1) It seemed like there was a long wait before Kid Rock went on. 2) Kid Rocks drummer was an African American woman with a big Afro. 3) I went with this guy I hadn't been going out with for very long. At one point this girl walked past us and she was walking all funny and he looked at her and said in a shocked voice I think she's on something. I couldn't believe he said that and I said, So? Who cares? 4) The audience were told Sam went to the hospital but I don't think anyone believed it at first. 5) I couldn't believe how many people were overly interested in that eye rolling experience of those two girls making out. 6) Limp Bizkit played the Prince song 1999.
On another topic, I thought it was funny how many of those Heavy Metal guys were scared of Black Sabbaths music when they first started listening to them. I was listening to Black Sabbath when I was 5 (It was what was being played at my house) and I was never scared of it. In fact I loved the cover for Black Sabbaths first album. It had a picture of a green skinned woman in front of a creepy looking house. I was very interested in witches at that time and I was sure this gal was a witch. I spent a lot of time looking at that cover and making up stories about her. lol.
On another topic, I thought it was funny how many of those Heavy Metal guys were scared of Black Sabbaths music when they first started listening to them. I was listening to Black Sabbath when I was 5 (It was what was being played at my house) and I was never scared of it. In fact I loved the cover for Black Sabbaths first album. It had a picture of a green skinned woman in front of a creepy looking house. I was very interested in witches at that time and I was sure this gal was a witch. I spent a lot of time looking at that cover and making up stories about her. lol.
October 17, 2019
I remember how much fun hearing about the off stage antics of some of my favorite bands in the 60's and 70's! The Kinks brother's Ray and Dave would routinely beat the day lights out of each other, even during concerts! Led Zepplin had some truly strange groupie encounters.... The Who's drummer, Keith Moon, was seriously a mad man. So, of course, I had to read this one! I wasn't disappointed (Rock will never let you down with tales from the road ((and off road))). It's filled with some of the most bizarre stories, as told by maybe not so credible participants (considering the drugs and alcohol...) and witnesses. Just hair raising and hilarious! I don't know how these guys survive (many don't, I'm sure, but not as many as you would think actually die- surprisingly. Like rockers are the roachs of the music world). I love that Ozzie gave his insights to the book- I can recall incidents concerning him in the 70's and 80's. heavy metal fans in particular, but rock fans in general, too, will enjoy this book. Have a fan in your life? Get them this as a gift! Thank you Jon Wiederhorn! Great book! I'm going to enjoy browsing this book for many a day!
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I received a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
November 26, 2019
This book was so much fun! Not all the stories were the most cheerful, but that’s rock and roll! The people interviewed for this book cover the metal spectrum from hair metal to death metal.
I enjoyed the author’s other book and went into this book with high hopes and this exceeded them.
Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this one! Sooo good!
I enjoyed the author’s other book and went into this book with high hopes and this exceeded them.
Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this one! Sooo good!
August 28, 2021
An oral-history of Heavy Metal debauchery. Tedious and repetitive, occasionally funny but mainly a good reminder of how grateful I am that my high school bands were terrible and never went anywhere. Not the life for me. A lot of musicians I admire are noxious creeps.
October 1, 2021
This book was so awesome!So many cool stories!!Who knew Morbid Angel were suck dickheads? lol
January 19, 2022
Difficult to read, mixed on the takeaway. I feel like I knew going in I would be disappointed--partly as someone who knows most of the bands mentioned in this collection of interviews (both mainstream and smaller acts), partly as someone who loves show stories, and partly as someone who just loves the broad spectrum of metal music. The ethos and medium of the book are a bit muddied and odd; there's little actual writing on Wiederhorn's part (400+ pages of just interviews is mind-bogglingly tedious, dry, not to mention how some of the interviewee's answers should have just been cut for how uninteresting they are). There are fun passages here and there, and I appreciated how Wiederhorn wasn't afraid of hearing from musicians across subgenres of metal that don't get the attention that most classic heavy metal does.
Reading this makes me feel a void inside where a strong piece of literature chronicling metal music could be. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough or I'm just afraid I'll read more tiresome stuff like this book. Academic or non-academic, metal literature seems to be the hardest to find, despite one element that Wiederhorn clearly illuminates with this book: there are interesting voices, influences, and stories behind the myriad metal musics, ones well worth investing journalistic investigation. But Wiederhorn ultimately seems too caught up in senseless glorification, focusing too much on a towering quantity of stories rather than fewer, higher quality ones.
Ugh. My first serious review in a long time. I really don't want to think about this book anymore. I don't even care about what kind of picture this book paints for metal music--I'm not an elitist--but the preservation of music culture as it pertains to history is something I think good music writing, criticism, journalism, archival, and narrative can do. In a way, Wiederhorn does succeed in that. But most of these stories are just... stories without any substance. Maybe that's where my biggest disappointment lies. I read this book and struggled to feel much of anything--no energy, no soul, no fire, no nothing.
Reading this makes me feel a void inside where a strong piece of literature chronicling metal music could be. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough or I'm just afraid I'll read more tiresome stuff like this book. Academic or non-academic, metal literature seems to be the hardest to find, despite one element that Wiederhorn clearly illuminates with this book: there are interesting voices, influences, and stories behind the myriad metal musics, ones well worth investing journalistic investigation. But Wiederhorn ultimately seems too caught up in senseless glorification, focusing too much on a towering quantity of stories rather than fewer, higher quality ones.
Ugh. My first serious review in a long time. I really don't want to think about this book anymore. I don't even care about what kind of picture this book paints for metal music--I'm not an elitist--but the preservation of music culture as it pertains to history is something I think good music writing, criticism, journalism, archival, and narrative can do. In a way, Wiederhorn does succeed in that. But most of these stories are just... stories without any substance. Maybe that's where my biggest disappointment lies. I read this book and struggled to feel much of anything--no energy, no soul, no fire, no nothing.
August 25, 2021
Being a huge metal and rock fan, as well as a huge fan of stories that are a bit "out there", I had some expectations for this book.
While this book does have some wild stories, some geniunly bizzare, dangerous, degrading stuff, it wasn't quite enough. Wiederhorn tried to stay away from the most known stories, like anything Zepplin and Ozzy/Black Sabbath related, which might be the reason this book is somewhat lacking.
There are some funny, laugh out loud, moments in this book, there are also stories that will have you shake your head or feel a bit disgusted. All of that are good things. These people are not posterboys for good behavior.
It could however have been much worse. Having recently read the one about Marilyn Manson, this one felt tame. Compared to The Dirt, anything about Sabbath, or any of the hundred Ozzy stories Sharon or Zakk Wylde have shared over the years in interviews, most of it seemed mundane.
While it was still a fun read, it might have been better with fewer, more entertaining stories.
While this book does have some wild stories, some geniunly bizzare, dangerous, degrading stuff, it wasn't quite enough. Wiederhorn tried to stay away from the most known stories, like anything Zepplin and Ozzy/Black Sabbath related, which might be the reason this book is somewhat lacking.
There are some funny, laugh out loud, moments in this book, there are also stories that will have you shake your head or feel a bit disgusted. All of that are good things. These people are not posterboys for good behavior.
It could however have been much worse. Having recently read the one about Marilyn Manson, this one felt tame. Compared to The Dirt, anything about Sabbath, or any of the hundred Ozzy stories Sharon or Zakk Wylde have shared over the years in interviews, most of it seemed mundane.
While it was still a fun read, it might have been better with fewer, more entertaining stories.
April 11, 2020
I received an advanced copy of this quite a while ago to review and recently got a chance to give it a read.
There’s a lot of entertaining stories in this book. Some will make you laugh, some make you feel bad for those telling the story, and then you have some that will make your jaw hit the floor. Tales of literal sex, drugs, and rock & roll. Everything from crazy groupie stories, to near death experiences, and even fights with other bands. You’ll recognize the names in this book because they are all known bands if you’re a true metal fan. It’s crazy. My 3 stars would have been 4, but my prerelease copy was heavily filled with format and grammatical errors which I hope have all been cleaned up for its final production for public sale. Other than that, it’s a must read if you’re a metal fan of bands past and present.
There’s a lot of entertaining stories in this book. Some will make you laugh, some make you feel bad for those telling the story, and then you have some that will make your jaw hit the floor. Tales of literal sex, drugs, and rock & roll. Everything from crazy groupie stories, to near death experiences, and even fights with other bands. You’ll recognize the names in this book because they are all known bands if you’re a true metal fan. It’s crazy. My 3 stars would have been 4, but my prerelease copy was heavily filled with format and grammatical errors which I hope have all been cleaned up for its final production for public sale. Other than that, it’s a must read if you’re a metal fan of bands past and present.
March 7, 2025
Unlike other Metal books, this doesn’t actually examine any music or try to tell the history of any band or the genre as a whole. In the book’s defense, it tells you right away what you’re in for in the intro: A bunch of stories from Metal/Hard Rock bands both world famous and more under the radar acts.
I just thought it got old pretty quick hearing stories about weird times on the road. It can get interesting when bands discuss certain life events or discuss mosh pit culture, but it just felt weird having entire chapters dedicated to nausea and bragging about sex on the road. Some nice stories here and there, and I suppose people who loved the antics found in Motley Crue’s The Dirt, but ultimately I just felt like the book could’ve gotten way more out of having all these legendary names than what we got.
I just thought it got old pretty quick hearing stories about weird times on the road. It can get interesting when bands discuss certain life events or discuss mosh pit culture, but it just felt weird having entire chapters dedicated to nausea and bragging about sex on the road. Some nice stories here and there, and I suppose people who loved the antics found in Motley Crue’s The Dirt, but ultimately I just felt like the book could’ve gotten way more out of having all these legendary names than what we got.
July 20, 2021
I liked Jon Wiederhorn's Louder Than Hell so I was looking forward to this one. But this is just a collection of anecdotes told by the people involved with no context. So it's basically just a collection of quotes. Being an awesome metal musician doesn't mean you're necessarily a good storyteller, so many of these "tales" are pretty one-dimensional and start sounding a like. I think that the subject is actually interesting and something fans don't really see, but this book falls short of delivering on being, like, a backstage pass or something. There's also an entire chapter about puking, which, no thanks.
December 24, 2023
I really liked this book. It's an honest insight to all the mayhem and craziness lived by metal bands throughout their careers. Highly recommended reading to anyone who wants to know more about this type of music and the "sex, drugs and rock and roll" lifestyle.
My only problem with the book is the fact that, the author, being american, only speaks with or about U.S. or British bands, ignoring many legendary acts that made the scene in Europe. I'm sure that the inclusion of narratives from bands from the old continent (specially Germany and Scandinavia) would enrich and possibly give different perspectives on the subject. That's why I cannot give a 5 star rating. Sorry...
My only problem with the book is the fact that, the author, being american, only speaks with or about U.S. or British bands, ignoring many legendary acts that made the scene in Europe. I'm sure that the inclusion of narratives from bands from the old continent (specially Germany and Scandinavia) would enrich and possibly give different perspectives on the subject. That's why I cannot give a 5 star rating. Sorry...
May 20, 2023
This was pretty entertaining, got a lot of chuckles from me. And I learned that Rob Zombie is pretty universally hated by anyone who ever crossed his path. Hahaha! I’m not sure why I find that funny, I just do.
November 7, 2024
This book is currently available to listen to for free on Audible. It was an interesting book with plenty of behind-the-scenes stories from some well-known metal band members. If you are into metal music, especially older metal bands, this might be a fun one for you.
May 13, 2020
Fantastic!!!
Every Metal Maniac/fan should read this. I could not stop and did in the shortest time. This is Metal! Read it and weep.
Every Metal Maniac/fan should read this. I could not stop and did in the shortest time. This is Metal! Read it and weep.
June 1, 2020
I read about half this book. I enjoyed what I read, but it's long and I'm over it. DNF at 48%
April 27, 2021
I couldn't put it down. Great stories for any metalhead.
December 25, 2021
Only one devil horn up.
March 6, 2023
Boring, too much of the same.
May 27, 2023
This was such a great book, I loved all of the stories. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator also did a great job by bringing the book to life.
July 25, 2024
Fun oral history of some metal/rock shenanigans
April 20, 2025
If I knew who the majority of these people were it may have been more interesting….seemed to drag on.
April 9, 2024
Fun Read, informative and oddly funny
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews