the boundaries of cultural taste, incited rioting in crowds of raucous youth,
and inspired millions to pick up electric guitars and crank the amplifier volume
to eleven. In this irreverent guide to all things metal, veteran headbanger and
esteemed music reviewer Daniel Bukszpan narrates the illustrious careers of
luminaries from Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin to shock rockers
Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson to today's death and black metal giants Entombed
and Mayhem. The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal chronicles the evolution of this colorful genre, band by band, with a lively examination of the musical landscape and the artists who've designed it. Features include:
A foreword by heavy metal legend Ronnie James Dio, who in his career has fronted such bands as Black Sabbath, Elf, Rainbow, and Dio
Sharp-witted analysis of more than 200 of the most significant heavy metal bands and artists, chronicling their rise from obscurity to fame and, in some instances, back to obscurity again
More than 600 color photographs, from concert shots and publicity stills to album covers, tour posters, and the all-important denim jacket patches
Informative sidebars that offer insight into the many facets of heavy metal culture: metal sub genres, band rivalries, metal fashion trends, intraband conflicts, influential record labels, and must-read magazines
A timeline of landmark events in heavy metal history
Twenty top-ten lists that are sure to earn the author hate mail for the rest of his natural life (best metal guitarist, most underrated bands, best-selling artist, best-selling album, and much more)
Whether you're an ethnomusicologist, dedicated metal fan, or pop culture vulture, this fantastically illustrated book is both an exhilarating read and an essential music reference.
About the Author:
Daniel Bukszpan is a seasoned metalhead, accomplished guitarist, and freelance journalist. Since 1994 he has written numerous music reviews as well as feature articles-specifically about heavy metal-for various publications, such as The Pit Report and Shout
magazine. He spends much of his discretionary income amassing a pop-culture
collection of CDs and trivia about heavy metal bands from around the world. His
affection for this much-maligned musical form has inspired him to form Slow
Horse-an internationally obscure band whose sound has been described as "Ozzy
Osbourne on cough syrup"-and establish a record label, Smoking in Bed Records.
Bukszpan lives in New York City's East Village.
