American Hair Metal: Can’t Get Enough!

Blush (New York Rock) has created an updated edition of his book about late-’80s hair metal bands. Like its predecessor, the book incorporates more than 200 color photos to highlight working-class bands such as Warrant, Poison, Cinderella, Skid Row, and Mötley Crue, who embraced the slogan “sex, drugs, and rock and roll.” This version is an expanded one, but much of the content can be found in the first edition. With no holds barred, the author scatters vintage quotes—from such magazines as Circus—among the photos to chronicle the frequent use of substances such as alcohol and cocaine, wanton sex, and the overall excess of misogynist band members, who delivered a raucous, million-selling, pop metal package. He emphasizes the groupies who seemingly idolized the androgynous-looking musicians, who wore high heels, flashy blouses, tight spandex pants, and makeup. They also teased their poufy hair, which they plastered in place with hair spray. The book ends with an interview with bassist Rik Fox of W.A.S.P. and brief, one-page biographies of the most prominent hair metal bands.