desertcart.com: Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir – The New York Times Bestselling Rock Biography of Firing, Founding, and Survival: 9780061714405: Mustaine, Dave, Layden, Joe: Books Review: Honest, Candid and Straightforward - No doubt that Dave Mustaine is one of the most famous (and infamous) men in metal and in the music industry. He's got some amazing stories to tell. Of course you'd expect that, given he invented a whole genre of music. In his book he certainly delivers great stories and history. What's really refreshing is that this book provides a great deal of candid introspection along with those stories. He even goes so far as to point out his *own* mistakes that precipitated his own exit from a band he helped create - Metallica. Those of you who are hoping for ammunition to defend Metallica in this book will be sorely disappointed. If anything, people will probably have a renewed level of contempt for Lars Ulrich after reading this it (and in my opinion, rightfully so). Dave provides amazing detail of his upbringing, his life as a child, his discovering music.. and discovering various forms of self-medication to cope with his upbringing and childhood. These all paint a picture that - while at times bleak - also explains the drive behind his creative process and the source of inspiration for his lyrics. Now at this point you could say that the book sounds like another "don't let this happen to you" story. Well, maybe in some ways - and I'm sure Dave would be glad if it kept at least ONE person from going down the path he did. I think the difference is that, at the core of all of the insanity around him, there was still a basic sense of decency that was instilled in him. So as he grew personally and spiritually, and learned to be more introspective, you see the person who continues to deliver in the music business time and time again. Dave talks also very candidly about his conversion to Christianity - very much a 'full circle' story given his beginning as Lutheran-baptized Jehovah's Witness (ugh.. talk about craziness). He acknowledges that this, along with his wife, Pam, and his family, gave him the strength to find in himself the will to fight and get over addiction once and for all. Without her I seriously do not think he would have survived as long as he has. Talk about a woman with amazing strength. A great read that I couldn't put down once I started. And Dave, don't worry about the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. Seriously.. you WANT to be in a place that they let Lars Ulrich into??! Review: Skin Crawl - I loved this book and couldn't put it down. You see, I grew up a Megadeth fan only to lose track of them along the way. Their first 5 records were albums that shaped my high school and college years, but I fell off the bus sometime around the "Crush 'em" era. Those first 5 records defined a genre! And, as a fan, nobody likes to see interchangeable parts within their favorite "band." You draw close to the guys that make up the band, not just the guy up front. I dug into "So Far, So Good..." thinking maybe Megadeth finally solidified the lineup. Then was duped again thinking, ok, finally, the "Rust In Peace" lineup IS Megadeth. I was trying to hang in there and cling to this band. But, for all intents and purposes, it was some 8 or 10 band members later that I realized, this isn't a band! Megadeth is Mustaine, and should have just been called Mustaine from "Killing is my Business.." on. What ticks me off further is that Mustaine alludes to all the pent up anger and animosity towards Metallica's business decision to dismiss him from the band, yet he acknowledges what makes bands stay together: camaraderie and PARTNERSHIP! He cites the longevity of U2; I'll add Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters to the list of bands that form a partnership, share publishing royalties (even disproportionately), and become a band. How could Dave Ellefson dedicate 25 years of his life to a band and not become a partner? I've seen lawyers give 1/5 of the sweat equity at national firms and earn partner status. For as candid of a journey as this book is, I got exponentially more ticked with Mustaine's bullheaded-ness.. Regardless, the book was great. It was well written, a fascinating read, and for some reason, after seeing Megadeth (ahem, Mustaine) over the last 5 years, I've grown very fond of them again. I just saw the "Big 4" in Indio, and Dave just seems to be grateful, content, and smug in a "this-band-kicks-a..' way. "Endgame" is a great record and I'm proud to be a fan again. The book details in depth Dave's upbringing and drug problems, to the point where you just can't fathom him riding the same rollercoaster over and over. His deep rooted Metallica-angst is thorough, the inner-band squabbling is revealing, and the personal life of Dave's high and low points with his family is candid to be sure. Finally, Dave's ultimate (seemingly) happiness is attributed to finding god and resolving conflicts with former band members, friends, and his wife. So as tragic as this could have turned out, I found myself even more thrilled to be a Mustaine fan.. and to know that he's healthy and alive. I'm proud of the guy, and frankly, when I dug up the "No Life Til Leather" EP on You Tube, it is very obvious that Dave helped shape the genesis of Metallica, and a genre as well. As Metallica gets sloppier (Lars is unbearable these days), Megadeth gets tighter. Now, if he could welcome Junior as a parter, give the current guys a vested interest, then "Mustaine" becomes "Megadeth".. and we embrace Megadeth with Peace Sells-like fervor for years to come.
| Best Sellers Rank | #644,578 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #29 in Heavy Metal Music (Books) #30 in Heavy Metal Musician Biographies #550 in Rock Band Biographies |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (2,039) |
| Dimensions | 6 x 1.02 x 9 inches |
| Edition | Reprint |
| ISBN-10 | 0061714402 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0061714405 |
| Item Weight | 1.25 pounds |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 400 pages |
| Publication date | August 9, 2011 |
| Publisher | Dey Street Books |
Z**Z
Honest, Candid and Straightforward
No doubt that Dave Mustaine is one of the most famous (and infamous) men in metal and in the music industry. He's got some amazing stories to tell. Of course you'd expect that, given he invented a whole genre of music. In his book he certainly delivers great stories and history. What's really refreshing is that this book provides a great deal of candid introspection along with those stories. He even goes so far as to point out his *own* mistakes that precipitated his own exit from a band he helped create - Metallica. Those of you who are hoping for ammunition to defend Metallica in this book will be sorely disappointed. If anything, people will probably have a renewed level of contempt for Lars Ulrich after reading this it (and in my opinion, rightfully so). Dave provides amazing detail of his upbringing, his life as a child, his discovering music.. and discovering various forms of self-medication to cope with his upbringing and childhood. These all paint a picture that - while at times bleak - also explains the drive behind his creative process and the source of inspiration for his lyrics. Now at this point you could say that the book sounds like another "don't let this happen to you" story. Well, maybe in some ways - and I'm sure Dave would be glad if it kept at least ONE person from going down the path he did. I think the difference is that, at the core of all of the insanity around him, there was still a basic sense of decency that was instilled in him. So as he grew personally and spiritually, and learned to be more introspective, you see the person who continues to deliver in the music business time and time again. Dave talks also very candidly about his conversion to Christianity - very much a 'full circle' story given his beginning as Lutheran-baptized Jehovah's Witness (ugh.. talk about craziness). He acknowledges that this, along with his wife, Pam, and his family, gave him the strength to find in himself the will to fight and get over addiction once and for all. Without her I seriously do not think he would have survived as long as he has. Talk about a woman with amazing strength. A great read that I couldn't put down once I started. And Dave, don't worry about the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. Seriously.. you WANT to be in a place that they let Lars Ulrich into??!
J**S
Skin Crawl
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. You see, I grew up a Megadeth fan only to lose track of them along the way. Their first 5 records were albums that shaped my high school and college years, but I fell off the bus sometime around the "Crush 'em" era. Those first 5 records defined a genre! And, as a fan, nobody likes to see interchangeable parts within their favorite "band." You draw close to the guys that make up the band, not just the guy up front. I dug into "So Far, So Good..." thinking maybe Megadeth finally solidified the lineup. Then was duped again thinking, ok, finally, the "Rust In Peace" lineup IS Megadeth. I was trying to hang in there and cling to this band. But, for all intents and purposes, it was some 8 or 10 band members later that I realized, this isn't a band! Megadeth is Mustaine, and should have just been called Mustaine from "Killing is my Business.." on. What ticks me off further is that Mustaine alludes to all the pent up anger and animosity towards Metallica's business decision to dismiss him from the band, yet he acknowledges what makes bands stay together: camaraderie and PARTNERSHIP! He cites the longevity of U2; I'll add Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters to the list of bands that form a partnership, share publishing royalties (even disproportionately), and become a band. How could Dave Ellefson dedicate 25 years of his life to a band and not become a partner? I've seen lawyers give 1/5 of the sweat equity at national firms and earn partner status. For as candid of a journey as this book is, I got exponentially more ticked with Mustaine's bullheaded-ness.. Regardless, the book was great. It was well written, a fascinating read, and for some reason, after seeing Megadeth (ahem, Mustaine) over the last 5 years, I've grown very fond of them again. I just saw the "Big 4" in Indio, and Dave just seems to be grateful, content, and smug in a "this-band-kicks-a..' way. "Endgame" is a great record and I'm proud to be a fan again. The book details in depth Dave's upbringing and drug problems, to the point where you just can't fathom him riding the same rollercoaster over and over. His deep rooted Metallica-angst is thorough, the inner-band squabbling is revealing, and the personal life of Dave's high and low points with his family is candid to be sure. Finally, Dave's ultimate (seemingly) happiness is attributed to finding god and resolving conflicts with former band members, friends, and his wife. So as tragic as this could have turned out, I found myself even more thrilled to be a Mustaine fan.. and to know that he's healthy and alive. I'm proud of the guy, and frankly, when I dug up the "No Life Til Leather" EP on You Tube, it is very obvious that Dave helped shape the genesis of Metallica, and a genre as well. As Metallica gets sloppier (Lars is unbearable these days), Megadeth gets tighter. Now, if he could welcome Junior as a parter, give the current guys a vested interest, then "Mustaine" becomes "Megadeth".. and we embrace Megadeth with Peace Sells-like fervor for years to come.
K**A
The best book I've ever read what a life Mustaine has had so far!
A**S
I chose this rating, mainly because Mustaine opens up about a lot of stuff regarding his personal life, Faith and family. Speaks about his failures,line-up changes and the hardships. Its a very good read if you are a Megadeth fan, and are fond of Mustaines work. A self-made millionaire from being a homeless kid. That is truly inspiring. All the Mustaine haters should at least try and read this book.
R**S
La edición es muy cómoda. Si eres fan de Dave Mustaine y Megadeth no te lo pienses, su vida es digna de crear un libro como éste. Lógicamente, está escrito en inglés.
D**R
Very interesting read
S**R
In het hoofd van dave mustaine
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