Review: Nothin’ But A Good Time, by Justin Quirk

PAPERBACK
978-1-78965-135-5
3 September 2020
£10.99 / $14.99 / €11.66

From 1983 until 1991, Glam Metal was the sound of American culture. Big hair, massive amplifiers, drugs, alcohol, piles of money and life-threatening
pyrotechnics. This was the world stalked by Bon Jovi, Kiss, W.A.S.P., Skid Row, Dokken, Motley Crue, Cinderella, Ratt and many more. Armed with hairspray, spandex and strangely shaped guitars, they marked the last great era of supersize bands.
Where did Glam Metal come from? How did it spread? What killed it off? And why does nobody admit to having been a Glam Metaller anymore?

My Review

Thanks to Unbound for my copy of this book and to Anne Cater for organising the blog tour.

Quirk takes us on a tour of glam metal from its origins in the late 1970s to its sort-of-death in 1991. Year by year, the author discusses who released what, concerts, influences, who died, who was a massive prick (Axl Rose – it’s always Axl Rose), who lost an arm, or got high too much, who was wearing exploding codpieces and the terrible, terrible hairstyles. He discusses how Glam Metal evolved (not really, after about 1987) and the influence it had on other music (not much) and society (it scared a few conservative Christians in the US). The music was juvenile and fun, except where it was serious or stodgy, because a lot of glam just wasn’t good music and it ate itself eventually, recycling early glam before too long. But, it also reflected the empty bombast of the US at the time, with the inflated ego and push to make money at all costs, out of nothing, of empty air.

The author uses interviews and a variety of memoirs to bring together an overview of a scene that started in the UK but really made its home in LA. The writing is at times very eloquent and humorous, and at others a little dull. I liked the inclusion of footnotes, especially those that covered more than one page and told of events that were tangential to the main drive of the narrative.

I really rather enjoyed this book, and learnt about the music of the decade I was born. I recognised some of the bands, the musicians and even some of the songs. I think I occasionally listen to some of them, usually on my Spotify Daily Mix. I certainly did when I was reading this book, I had an 80s Hard Rock playlist recommended and the book certainly gave context to some of the music.

Good read, probably one for the enthusiast or music history buff; having a passing knowledge of who Motley Crue, Aerosmith etc. are would be helpful for a casual reader.

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AUTHOR DETAILS

Justin Quirk is a writer and editor based in London. Since starting his career at the Guardian, he has written for titles including i-D, Dazed and Confused, Kerrang!, Q, Word, the Independent, The Sunday Times, Arena and Esquire. He has also worked as a curator, DJ and creative director and regularly appears on the BBC World Service discussing culture and current affairs. He lives in London.