Chad Bowar of About.com recently interviewed very own Eddie Trunk. Portions of the discussion appear below.
Q: Is a second book like a second album, where you have your whole life to do the first one, but only a few months for the second one and a lot more pressure and expectations?
A: That’s a great question. (laughs) Certainly the expectation is there for people who have the first book. The first book was incredibly well-received by most people, more so than I think me or my publisher ever envisioned. All the elements
that people loved about the first book: the layout, the mix of photos versus text, the personal stories, the playlists, all the anecdotes; they are all there. This book is a sequel in the truest sense of the word.
The big difference of course is this one has 35 chapters on bands that were not in the first book. I really wanted to include many of these bands in the first book, but I ran out of space. I hope it lives up to the expectations and the precedent that was set by the first book. Obviously, as you move into another 35 bands, not every one is going to be a household name. But a lot of people are looking forward to reading about some of the more off-the-radar bands. And there’s plenty about established bands, as well.
Q: Was there an artist or artists that people complained weren’t included in the first book that you were able to put in this one?
A: I didn’t really hear from so many people about bands that weren’t in the first book. I did hear from a lot of people about bands that were in the first book that they were kind of surprised about. An example of that would be Bon Jovi. Younger people especially don’t quite understand the connection that Bon Jovi had with this scene when they first came on it. If you’re not my age (I’m 49), you might not understand that they were very much a part of the hard rock/metal scene early on, and have evolved past it. Billy Squier, same story, from book one.
There were a couple of bands that I’m personally very close to that weren’t included in the first book that are in this one. People were like, “I can’t believe you didn’t include Overkill in the first book.” Overkill is a band that I was personally very close to from the beginning, being they were a Jersey band, and they are still friends to this day. One of the guys said, “Jesus, we’ve known this guy for 30 years and didn’t make his book!” (laughs).
It was nothing personal, I love Overkill. But each book has to be a balance between bands I feel are important to include, bands I feel are important to include because of my personal relationship with them, and there are bands that I’m a really big fan of that maybe weren’t ever all that popular, but I want to include. So it’s got to be a balance. Obviously you have to have some name bands in there so that the book sells and enough people recognize the names. Then there are those bands that I love and want to talk about. So I’m happy to say Overkill is in this book, as are Testament, who were a big part of my early years in the music industry. Same with White Lion. I have a huge history with those guys. In this book I was able to include those guys and get their stories out.
Q: One band that’s included in the book that you have championed is Y&T, who I think are very underrated.
A: I’ve always loved Y&T. As a kid I used to go see them at clubs like L’Amours in Brooklyn in the early ‘80s. I’ve seen them so many times over the decades. I think Dave Meniketti is one of the great singers and guitar players who doesn’t get the accolades he should. I was really glad to be able to include them. One of the things that happened with the first book that I hope happens with this book is that you have the big bands that everybody knows like Ratt and Whitenake. But you also have Y&T and Riot and Angel, bands that maybe not everybody knows. That is something I hope people get turned onto through the book. Everything I’ve ever done is about sharing music that I love and maybe getting people to discover stuff they didn’t know about.
Q: Some classify Y&T as “hair metal,” a term you do not like and have talked about on your show. Do you have a problem with it if it’s used as a term of endearment?
A: I’m not the thought police (laughs). I just say how I feel about things. Why I was vocal about that is that mostly younger people that didn’t grow up in the times where these bands were crucified, don’t realize that was born as a derogatory term. It was a statement that was applied to these guys that really hurt them for decades. I had Jake E. Lee on That Metal Show recently, and he said he couldn’t get gigs throughout the ‘90s because every time he’d go in for an audition, bands would say, “There’s that hair metal guy.”
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75 Responses
I’m sorry regarding the “hair metal” thing, but those bands lent themselves to it. If you’re all going to get your hair done and wear make-up and high heels and leather – basically look like girls, those bands should be thrilled that they weren’t call a lot more derogatory names. And I’d say that Angel started it, though KISS was certainly an influence to a point. But at least Angel and KISS had a few rocking songs. For the most part I thought all the “hair metal” bands were incredibly limp: Poison, Bon Jovi, Cinderella, White Lion etc…. I could take Ratt and I understand Motley Crue, though I’d rather listen to their two main influences – Aerosmith and Van Halen. Thank God for the Seattle bands and G ‘n R for ending this sorry chapter of hard rock.
I agree that the look was awful (especially in hindsight… I was a teenager at the time), and some of the bands WERE limp, but because you mentioned them I have to stick up for Cinderella. At least, I have to stick up for their first album. Night Songs was a really solid record. They got softer and poppier after that but the first album was pretty damned good. Same with White Lion, get past the pretty boy looks and the candy coated radio songs and the first couple of albums had some respectable stuff on them. I wish Motley Crue would have come back to the Shout At The Devil sound after a while, but they became a sleazy party pop metal band – like most of them after 1986 or so.
Night Songs was a great record. But those dudes looked like a hair metal band on that album cover and they got labeled because of it. Clearly a record label idea. Never liked White Lion, but gotta admit they’re cover of Radar Love was pretty good. Saw them open for AC/DC and Aerosmith and they were not a good live act. RATT was my favorite of that genre. Great riffs and Pearcy’s voice was very unique at that time.
And one other thing, to Eddie’s point about Y+T. They are/were one of the most under-appreciated bands of the 70/80’s. And they were NOT Hair Metal. Anyone who called them that didn’t listen to their music. Fantastic band and Dave Meniketti is a true talent both vocally and on the six string. I got your back Eddie on the Yesterday and Today issue.
they released several hair metal albums, coasting with the times
I can’t blame Y&T for the move towards pop metal after In Rock We Trust, as they were trying to make a living. But even with the keyboards and teased hair, it was still some of the best stuff being put out in the late 80’s. I was lucky growing up in the San Francisco bay area as we’d get to see the band every few months and I saw them grow from playing the veterans memorial in Petaluma, CA to headlining the Arco Arena in Sacramento. It’s a shame they never had their BIG breakthrough. Huge fan of Y&T.
Yeah, I think Ratt still holds up for the most part. Again, you have to dig beyond the glammy look. Out Of The Cellar was a pretty heavy record (let’s be clear here – I’m not comparing them to Metallica heaviness circa 1984, but for a mainstream rock band they were heavier than VH, Bon Jovi, Journey – yes they were and are a big time rock band especially then). I actually think Pearcy is the weak link in that band but he fits well enough. Warren DeMartini is awesome, and their last album a couple years ago was very good.
gn’r were hair metal too.
I agree with Eddie. Hair metal is us a label brought on by the grunge movement of the 90’s. What will we call that? Flannel metal? See what Dave Grohl thinks!!
Unfortunately the scene got oversaturated by bands that were bigger on hairspray and spandex than they were on talent and it became kind of a joke. I remember watching the Bullet Boys and Britney Fox on MTV and thinking “This is what it’s become?” There had to be some kind of backlash, and the bubble had to burst, it’s just unfortunate that many of the bands of the time that actually DID have talent and music good enough to endure got swept away with the rest of the debris. I think Dokken tried to just play in normal clothes and the record company said “you can’t do that!” (I can’t recall where I heard that, so I can’t vouch for authenticity).
I keep waiting for the bubble to burst on rap, but it doesn’t seem to be happening.
I totally agree about disliking the term hair metal. It was created to denounce the whole genre. Back then it was just hard rock, pop metal, or just rock. Sure many bands looked ridiculous and even for me it got overblown and tired in the late 80s. But, it was theatrical and entertaining if you were there…and the thing that rarely gets attention is the fact most of those bands that were great musicians. Some of the best players came out of that era. That may not matter to some, but its worth noting that playing guitar well was the standard for most of the bands. The singers could sing. I will always prefer that to the boring grunge era and the cookie monster vocals of today. Like most eras of music,.it gets bloated and overdone until everyone made their money and it is time for something else. I loved.it from 83 until late 1986 or so. Once Slippery got huge then.we got Danger Danger, Firehouse,.VV Invasion etc.
“Cookie Monster Vocals” – That’s hilarious and spot on. I can’t stand singers who try to fake a more masculine voice. It reaks of…..
Oh no, Firehouse! I wish you hadn’t reminded me about them. Ugh. Perfect example of how sickly polished and pretty and lame things had become. The girls in school liked them though. Thankfully by that time I had mostly moved on to Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth, etc. when I got to my “angry teen” years. Not as many girls in that fan club though.
Wonder who had the longest extensions or just plain wigs? Joe Elliot had long ones. Roth & Simmons championed the wig factor. Angel seemed to be the first hair band of metal though Alice Cooper had real long in ’67 in Phoenix though not metal. Y&T were shorted in the mix, great band.
Hey Lee, you know who had hair extensions and a weave? Vinny Appice. Hey Lee, you know who had a cool beard tied with a string called a nib which inspired the classic N I B? Initials B.W. I don t mean Brad WILKIE. So FOLLOW ME NOW AND YOU WILL NOT REGRET LEAVING THE LIFE YOU LED BEFORE WE MET.
FLANNEL METAL That’s funny
I wonder if Vinny had post it notes on his toms like Bill. ’80 it was game set match and young Vin on the skins ripping through Heaven & Hell like in Derringer ’78.