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Lipstick and Leather: On the Road With the World's Most Notorious Rock Stars
What do Motörhead, Black Sabbath, Elvis Costello, Rush and Chumbawamba have in common?
Kim Hawes, pioneering female tour manager. Through hard work, hard partying and hard times, Kim hurled a TV through the glass ceiling of the male-dominated music industry. Sleeping on tour buses, kicking superstars offstage and pranking members of the world’s biggest rock bands, Kim has done it all.
Lipstick and Leather is no ordinary tale of life on the road.
Kim Hawes, pioneering female tour manager. Through hard work, hard partying and hard times, Kim hurled a TV through the glass ceiling of the male-dominated music industry. Sleeping on tour buses, kicking superstars offstage and pranking members of the world’s biggest rock bands, Kim has done it all.
Lipstick and Leather is no ordinary tale of life on the road.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published April 6, 2023
2 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 23, 2023
Kim Hawes is an inspiration. Her career trajectory is the stuff of teenage dreams and parental nightmares. That said, she was lucky to have a very supportive Mother. I hope 'Lipstick and Leather' gives some wee girls some big dreams.
September 29, 2023
Good fun read about the chaotic and fast paced life of a female tour manager.
August 25, 2023
3.5
The tag line tells vou all vou need to know about this one: "on the road with the world's most notorious rock stars".
Lipstick and Leather is the memoir of Kim Hawes. By chance, Kim landed a job as a merchandise seller at a local gig. The taste of touring gets under her skin and she doesn't have to think before accepting other jobs and promotions in the industry until she eventually becomes a tour manager for bands like Motörhead, Chumbawumba and Concrete Blonde.
I've read my fair share of memoirs and there's a marked difference between authors who keep a faithful diary over the years, and those who rely on their memories. This is the latter, so it reads quite fragmented and I suspect time has taken the edge off some of the grittier details.
It’s a fun read though and an interesting peek behind the curtain of how bands toured back in the 80s and 90s.
The tag line tells vou all vou need to know about this one: "on the road with the world's most notorious rock stars".
Lipstick and Leather is the memoir of Kim Hawes. By chance, Kim landed a job as a merchandise seller at a local gig. The taste of touring gets under her skin and she doesn't have to think before accepting other jobs and promotions in the industry until she eventually becomes a tour manager for bands like Motörhead, Chumbawumba and Concrete Blonde.
I've read my fair share of memoirs and there's a marked difference between authors who keep a faithful diary over the years, and those who rely on their memories. This is the latter, so it reads quite fragmented and I suspect time has taken the edge off some of the grittier details.
It’s a fun read though and an interesting peek behind the curtain of how bands toured back in the 80s and 90s.
January 26, 2025
As someone who grew up being obsessed with music and bands in the early 1990's I enjoy hearing the behind the scenes insight. I loved hearing about how Kim started out selling merch and worked her way up to band manager. In a world dominated by men in the 1980's, a big kudos to her!
Some of the stories were terrifying. So many close calls with what could have been disaster. Overall, a quick memoir read. I am always truly amazing at how much people can remember in great detail about their lives decades earlier. I can't even recall what I had for dinner last week. lol
3.5 stars for me
Some of the stories were terrifying. So many close calls with what could have been disaster. Overall, a quick memoir read. I am always truly amazing at how much people can remember in great detail about their lives decades earlier. I can't even recall what I had for dinner last week. lol
3.5 stars for me
January 28, 2024
I loved this book, it’s full of things I’ve never thought about when stood in the audience at a big gig. If you like books about trailblazing women getting stuff done and insider info on rock stars then you’ll enjoy this.
December 28, 2024
My only criticism of this book is that I wanted even more detail and insight. Kim has lived the life of rock bands on tour. This book only scratches the surface of what she has seen and done. Which doesn't prevent it being an amazing read.
November 15, 2023
Interesting read.
July 14, 2024
14 I am not sure that I want to open the curtains on what goes on behind the scenes. I am sure that I don’t want to put a blemish on my memories though. A very sordid world which is far from the lyrics of some of the songs that they wrote.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews