In a time where the live music industry seems to be a distant memory, we are all daydreaming about the day that we will finally experience a concert again. Vivid imagery is playing in our minds as we relive some of our best memories and think of our favorite musicians. But what if you had the chance to go back in time? A time where the hair was big, the clothes were tight, the women were loose and the music was all that mattered. World-renowned photographer Mark “Weissguy” Weiss has your ticket with his new book published by Insight Editions and released on June 2, 2020. The Decade That Rocked gives you an all-access pass to the era that revolutionized rock n’ roll, with a legendary lineup featuring the likes of Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses, Kiss, Mötley Crüe, Ozzy Osbourne, and Van Halen.
The photographer that brought you some of your favorite album covers, magazine covers, and music videos has now brought you a book that transcends time. Weiss’s photo work alone provides what can be described as a visual narrative of the ’80s, but is accompanied by a unique personal narrative written by journalist and musician Richard Bienstock, with contributions by Daniel Siwek. Much like the stage performances that Weiss covered, this book has a presentation that sets it apart from the “coffee table books” that it is often compared to. It contains 376 pages of high-quality print work and extraordinary attention to detail. There are even hidden treasures such as gatefold spreads and exclusive interviews with the musicians featured in the book – such as Dee Snider (Twisted Sister), Gene Simmons (KISS), Nikki Sixx (Mötley Crüe), Sebastian Bach (Skid Row), and many more.
The book kicks off with a foreword that leaves you begging for more from “The Metal God” Rob Halford (vocalist, Judas Priest) himself. “You must have the eye and the instinct to capture what will become a timeless picture,” says Halford as he introduces you to the talent that you are about to bear witness to. But the book doesn’t jump right into sold-out arenas and lucrative photo deals. It begins with a teenage boy whose love for music unexpectedly inspires a career path that gives him the opportunities of a lifetime and takes him all around the world with the iconic musicians that the masses have adored for decades.
Warrant with Bobbie Brown
From the moment that you start flipping through the pages you are given the opportunity to take a brief trip down memory lane, or stop and really dive into the aesthetically pleasing moments that were captured as the years passed. Each chapter represents each year of the decade – equipped with mixed media collages that stop the show with a sense of sentiment. With each year there is a collection of Weiss’s press passes, tickets, magazine covers, and photos, which really add a more personal touch to the narrative. You quickly discover that this is an essential book for any music collector because it participates in the visual documentation of historic events throughout music history including Hear’n Aid, Live Aid, the Moscow Music Peace Festival, US Festival, the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) hearings in Washington, DC, and much more. You even discover that Weiss was an instrumental part of writing that history when he introduces musicians to the bands that made them famous.
David Lee Roth
The Decade That Rocked breaches a level of intimacy that so many music photographers are lacking today. Each and every photo exemplifies the trust and the synergy between photographer and subject. You can feel the essence of the music in the live shots, just as vibrantly as you can feel the spirit and the essence of the musicians behind the scenes. From the candid shots captured on the road to the styled sets of magazine covers and press photos – it is clear that Weiss had a lack of fear and a relentless drive to create art that would matter for years to come. It is as though you are sitting with the author as he takes you on a tour through one of the hottest decades of the century. From the transition of artists, genres, and sounds, to the scandalous stories – you won’t be disappointed in the journey. The afterward by music historian and radio personality Eddie Trunk affirms the fact that Weiss truly was and remains a permanent fixture in rock n’ roll.
You can hear what rock legends are saying about Mark Weiss HERE
The Decade That Rocked merch shop provides you with an assortment of book bundles to choose from. Scaling from a signed and personalized book with Mark Weiss photo postcards to a complete book bundle with signed/limited edition prints and centerfolds of your favorite rockstars, CDs, shirts, and more.
Visit the merch shop HERE
Review is awesome!!! Love the book!!!