At last... The first comprehensive, English-language guide to the revered New Wave of Heavy Metal phenomenon, revealing the true extent and significance of a musical force which shook a small nation two decades ago, paving the way for a global heavy metal revolution in later years. Discover how, where, and why it all started, and why so few of those aspiring hopefuls became household names while countless small-town wannabes simply disappeared into oblivion. Marvel at over 500 eventful stories which unfold in lurid detail. The individual entries range from the genre-busting successes (Iron Maiden and Def Leppard) to such esoteric acts as Stormqueen and Masterstroke. In each case, informative discographies provide an invaluable, easy-to-use guide for collectors. Fully illustrated throughout, with unpublished photographs, sleeve reproductions and concert material of the period, and featuring contributions from many of the key musician themselves. This is a fascinating and absorbing read for enlightened aficionados and curious newcomers alike.

It has been reviled, dismissed, attacked, and occasionally been the subject of Congressional hearings, but still, the genre of music known as heavy metal maintains not only its market share in the recording and downloading industry, but also as a cultural force that has united millions of young and old fans across the globe. Characterized by blaring distorted guitars, drum solos, and dramatic vibrato, the heavy metal movement headbanged its way to the popular culture landscape with bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath the 1970s. Motley Crue and Metallica made metal a music phenomenon in the 1980s. Heavy metal continues to evolve today with bands like Mastodon and Lamb of God. Providing an extensive overview of the music, fashion, films, and philosophies behind the movement, this inclusive encyclopedia chronicles the history and development of heavy metal, including sub-movements such as death metal, speed metal, grindcore, and hair metal. Essential and highly entertaining reading for high school and undergraduate courses in popular music studies, communications, media studies, and cultural studies, the Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal Music and Culture offers a guide to the ultimate underground music, exploring its rich cultural diversity, resilience, and adaptability. Entries for musicians include a discography for those wanting to start or develop their music collections.

Popoff has undertaken the task of documenting virtually every record large and small from heavy metal's most fabled period (beginning essentially in `79 with a hard stop at 1983) providing catalogue information, mini reviews as only he can do, plus thumbnails of those wonderful 7" picture sleeves and LP covers.

In the late 1970s, aggressive, young bands are forming across Britain. Independent labels are springing up to release their music. But this isn't the story of punk. Forget punk. Punk was a flash in the pan compared to this. This is the story of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, a musical movement that changed the world. From this movement - given the unwieldy acronym NWOBHM - sprang streams that would flow through metal's subsequent development. Without NWOBHM there is no thrash metal, no death metal, no black metal. Without the rise of Iron Maiden, NWOBHM's standard bearers, leading the charge to South America and to South Asia, metal's global spread is slower. Without the NWOBHM bands - who included Def Leppard, Motorhead, Judas Priest, Diamond Head and many others - the international uniform of heavy metal - the 'battle jacket' of a denim jacket with sleeves ripped off, and covered with patches (usually sewn on by the wearer's mum), worn over a leather biker jacket - does not exist: 'Denim and leather brought us all together,' as Saxon put it. No book has ever gathered together all the principals of British heavy rock's most fertile period: Jimmy Page, Rick Allen, Michael Schenker, Robert John 'Mutt' Lange, Ritchie Blackmore, Rick Savage, Phil Collen, David Coverdale, Cronos, Biff Byford, Joe Elliott, Rob Halford, Ian Gillan, Phil Mogg, Robert Plant, Tony Wilson, Lars Ulrich, Pete Waterman to name a few. In Denim and Leather, these stars tell their own stories - their brilliant, funny tales of hubris and disaster, of ambition and success - and chart how, over a handful of years from the late 1970s to the early 1980s, a group of unlikely looking blokes from the provinces wearing spandex trousers changed heavy music forever. This is the definitive story about the greatest days of British heavy rock.

"An oral history and timeline of the popular 1980s heavy metal subgenre, including its prehistory and decline, profusely illustrated with relevant photographs and memorabilia"--

RUSTED METAL is a definitive guide to Heavy Metal and Hard Rock music in the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Vancouver BC) from 1970 to 1995 by local authors and music fans James R. Beach, Brian L. Naron, James D. Sutton and James Tolin. Featuring a comprehensive guide to the bands, clubs, music and more (including interviews with members of: Metal Church, Heart, Rail, TKO, Culprit, Sanctuary, Black N' Blue, Wild Dogs, Pearl Jam, Q5, Heir Apparent, Shadow, Overlord, Panic, Malice, Glacier, Coven, Cruella, Forced Entry, Whizkey Stik, High Voltage, Widow, Wehrmacht, Gargoyle, Lipstick and many others - around 100 brand new interviews in all!). Features over 500 band bios, discography, concert listings, tons of photos, flyers, covers, merchandise, etc. as well.