Runnin' with the Devil: A Backstage Pass to the Wild Times, Loud Rock, and the Down and Dirty Truth Behind the Making of Van Halen Kindle Edition

Ive read " no one gets out alive- jim Morrison, andy summers - the police, and Kieth Richards long diatribe.This book stands out as the most sad book of all.well written and I thought very balanced in its telling of the rise and fall of van halen. eddie -the savant guitar wiz, david - the bombastic often most abrasive frontman/diva, alex - the jealous drummer, and Michael - the happy to be there, sideman/ best back up vocalist a band could ever disire. The constant bickering, party, and drug fueled rock and roll that lead to the rise and eventual fall. the untold millions or dollars wasted or left on the table. David vostong the band millions because he was drunk and high and in a foul mood one afternoon. Giving it to friend to read and then on to others. Good reading without being over dramatic because Van halen couldnt be any more dramatic!!

I’ve read numerous books that detail the typical debauchery and fame associated with rock and roll music. Whether they’re written by current/former members of a band or managers, the books usually follow the same set of rules: 1) the band is not what it once was 2) there are always tensions/troubles amongst the members and 3) drugs, alcohol and sex contribute largely to both 1) and 2). While every band is generally illustrated as being more decadent that others, the stories are all basically the same … the only difference being how believable the stories are and how well those stories are told. Van Halen’s story is neither shocking nor unique, but Noel Monk’s RUNNIN’ WITH THE DEVIL serves an interesting and believable snapshot of Van Halen’s early days that is worth reading.What I like best about RUNNIN’ WITH THE DEVIL is that is captures the explosive and raw original lineup of Van Halen (brothers Alex and Eddie Van Halen, David Lee Roth and Michael Anthony) … not the milquetoast-era Van Halen with Sammy Hagar (sorry, Van Hagar is not the band I grew up listening to). Noel Monk, who became the band’s manager after serving as its tour manager, offers readers a fly-on-the wall perspective of those critical, decadent years (1978-1985) that made Van Halen a modern pillar of the rock and roll Parthenon.Honestly, nothing that Noel Monk writes about Van Halen is really THAT outrageous or unbelievable. Right off the bat, he confirms what even casual Van Halen fans assumed about the band: the lead singer is an insecure prima-donna, the guitar wizard is in his own world, the drummer plays yes-man to his uber-talented brother and the quiet bass player stays in the shadows like a stow-a-way on a cruise ship. This eclectic group of individuals contributed to a chemical equation that was brilliant, yet fragile and combustible. Monk elaborates on what we already know … this incarnation of the band wasn’t meant to last. I found his storytelling both intriguing, entertaining and I every time I put the book down, I looked forward to picking it back up again to continue the journey. As stated previously, there really isn’t anything too shocking … I haven’t read a biopic of a famous rock band yet that wasn’t peppered with drugs and sex; Van Halen certainly had its fair share of both. I did find the rather “noobish” nature of the band members somewhat funny to read about. Edward Van Halen is portrayed as a cherubic kid all the way through book. Even though his musical virtuosity puts him in the same lofty status as Jimi Hendrix, the book conveys him as somewhat socially awkward and quite naive, even when courting his future wife, Valeri Bertinelli. The best parts of the book, though, are those with David Lee Roth. The “stud on stage” is, surprise, characterized as all bark and no bite … Monk accounts for numerous occasions where Roth’s mouth puts himself in embarrassing situations. Even though Monk calls Roth out for being less manly than his stage persona and a singer with limited ability, the author frequently affirms the spandex-clad Ken Doll as possessing the highest wattage in a 4-pack of dim bulbs. Business-savvy and artfully self-promoting, Monk asserts that no other singer was more suited to write and vocalize the lyrics that accompanied Eddie Van Halen’s trademark music style ... without the singer and the guitarist, Van Halen would not exist.Aside from accounting the personal side of band members, Monk provides us with the hectic and thankless job of managing a headlining rock band. We get a healthy dose of managerial issues that rendered Monk as more of a firefighter … there were always fires needing to be extinguished. Whether it be tricking a major record label into ignoring a contract deadline to re-negotiate a better deal for the band, fighting counterfeit merchandise peddlers (literally and figuratively) or serving as the glue and tape that holds the band together … we get a clear idea of the pressure Monk experienced with Van Halen. What is shocking is how much the band needed him, yet for his entire tenure, Monk never received anything but a month-to-month contract.The only issue I had with the book is guessing the rationale for writing the book. While not an overt hit-job on the band that unceremoniously dumped him, Monk presents himself as ultimately being victimized. There is a slight tone of saintliness throughout and Monk often uses “we” when referring to the band’s success on many levels; we never get any indication that he did anything wrong, so it’s easy to detect a slight whiff of sour grapes. This book was written shortly after the legal deadline allowing him write about the band had passed; one can assume different degrees of payback were motives in writing the book. Regardless, I still felt it was written in an honest and sincere manner. If anything, the book is openly empathetic to Van Halen’s bass player, Michael Anthony, who is duped and dumped-on by the other band members to this very day … probably the saddest and most pathetic aspect of Van Halen.This is one of the better rock biographies I’ve read in a long time (and I’ve read quite a few). Most of these books try to portray bands as Vikings who rape and pillage everywhere they roam. Monk reveals a lot of personal and even embarrassing Van Halen moments, but these stories come across as much more believable, not as cheap attempts to shock readers. RUNNIN’ WITH THE DEVIL is gritty and entertaining; an enjoyable read whether you’re a Van Halen fan or not.

This was a great read because it was written from a very objective perspective...that of a non-band member who was in the inner circle and was witness to the highs and lows of the artist he worked for as a manager. Typically, books like this are written as autobiographies, in the first person, as such they tend to pain the author, and others in a particular light, good or bad, and ultimately get slanted towards the perspective of the author, thereby losing objectivity Not in this case, Noel Monk explains how his relationship with the band was based on business first, and how each band member had their strengths and weaknesses, good and bad personality traits. In many ways it is a story of how a guy tried to do the job he was hired for while having to deal with the band members, their friends and families, the music business, promoters etc...while trying to keep the ship righted...and how sometimes these influences threatened to unravel the fabric. Without any spoilers, let me say, there (probably) comes a time in every famous band's life where those with ulterior motives convince the artists that only THEY can "take care" of them unlike any other party, and that their motivations are purely altruistic (yeah Right!!!). And this concept does come into play here and there throughout this Van Halen saga... As far as the mechanics of the book, I found it very easy to read, well written and the author(s) do a great job of setting up the next aspect or chapter of the story...by dangling tidbits to the readers...They might say something like (paraphrasing) "Things were going well on the tour, until tragedy struck a month in..." (End of Chapter)...Naturally you can't stop reading there and HAVE to go on to the next chapter!! What I liked about the subject matter was that it was a look at the band from their start to their rise to the top of the charts..and the Herculean task that Monk had in preventing disaster from happening when egos, money, substances, and greed enter the equation. The band members are presented in a very pro and con way...for example, Eddie is described as a mad scientist, cutting edge guitar virtuoso, who had child like insecurities....in other words, he was human... I found myself engaged in the content, hungry for more, and at times fascinated by the human elements of the band members. A Good Read and I recommend it highly!

I’m a fan of DLR era Van Halen, grew up listening to them. This is a fascinating look behind the curtain, told by perhaps the prime witness to both the greatness and self-destructiveness of one of the greatest rock bands. I have no doubt that it’s a pretty accurate account, at least from one point of view. I’m also sure that there are other perspectives on the same events. Nevertheless, Monk tells the story vividly and candidly. I tore through this book in just a few days and wished there was even more to read. As a musician who has played in a number of bands myself, it was both therapeutic and disheartening to read accounts similar to my own experiences of great potential challenged by ego, artistic difference, and the wearing nature of time. If you’re a fan of this band, or just of rock music, it’s a must read.

Highly entertaining read. Any fan of early Van Halen will want to read this book. Long live the mighty Van Halen!!!

This is an easy read, that I have pored through in no time. Super interesting.

As c.reynolds etc and others have said, its cool how "Noel E Monk doesn’t have an axe to grind, as for the most part he doesn’t sound too bitter when delving into his past managerial years". It's just as it is, and is well written. Chapeau to Noel. and let's not forget the 3 culpable band members were just young and wide eyed, and corrupted with fame and money. So not really Soo bad tbh. I'm sure there's others in such bands who have behaved MUCH much worse with much less money and fame!

Non sorprende che questo chiaccherone sia stato licenziato dopo "1984". Una narrazione intrisa di invidia, mitomania e, presumibilmente, qualche menzogna.Messo sulla libreria accanto a Van Halen Rising non sfigura, ricordatevi però di limitarvi a sfogliare le foto qua e là.L'unica cosa utile del libro è l'immagine con il logo "JH" usato per un concerto di Jimi Hendrix che poi qualche grafico ha riciclato per l'iconico logo "VH".

Envoie rapide en France, vendeur tiens informé de l’acheminement du produit.Tres bon livre (que j’avais déjà lu).

Podría llamarse algo así como: Podemos ser genios o virtuosos de la música pero apestar como personas!Vale la pena leerlo por cualquier fan de Van Halen pero hay que quitarse un poco el estigma del super virtuosismo musical ya que esto refleja la vida tal y como es!