Just think about it: how many of us have thought of where would we travel back in time if we owned a time machine similar to the one that the great H.G. Wells came up with in the late 19th century. Personally, I always had 2-3 options although the one that prevailed was Los Angeles in 1981 and most specifically in the famous Sunset Boulevard when the so-called Hair Metal revolution began with such bands as Motley Crue, Quiet Riot, Great White, Ratt etc. Naturally, chances of discovering such a time machine are not only minimal but also a figment of the imagination so the other alternative is this book called “Nothin’ But A Good Time”. This is really one of those rare opportunities for some to relive those precious moments and for the rest of us to see if everything that we have read and heard through the years is true or just an exaggeration.
For starters, “Nothin’ But A Good Time” is not an exhaustive history of the 80s hard rock music. It’s not even a detailed deposition of the career of the most prominent bands of that era. What this book is all about it’s really a journey back to some of the best episodes of that era. Most importantly, the authors paint a detailed picture of the overall context of that time and age in order to fully understand the hair metal phenomenon. After all, that revolution was not strictly a musical one but also affected the image, look and overall lifestyle of the fans and bands that revolved around it. And there were thousands of them!
Musicians, club owners, hangers on, producers, label executives share with us some of the most vivid memories making the whole narration even more fascinating. Mind you that this book is not for the faint at heart as the famous motto “sex, drugs and rock n’ roll” looms over the pages of “Nothin’ But A Good Time”. The structure of the book which is based on quotes makes the whole reading even more interesting thus you get an even better picture of the people, the place, the era…
A book highly recommended for all the hard rockers out there who all they wanted in their life was…Nothin’ But A Good Time!
