Runnin with the Devil, Noel Monk
Runnin with the Devil, Noel Monk
31 Rating(s)
List: $24.99 | Sale: $17.50
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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

Author: Noel Monk, Joe Layden

Narrator: Fred Berman

Unabridged: 11 hr 1 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HarperAudio

Published: 06/13/2017


Synopsis

The manager who shepherded Van Halen from obscurity to rock stardom goes behind the scenes to tell the complete, unadulterated story of David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, and the legendary band that changed rock music.Van Halen’s rise in the 1980s was one of the most thrilling the music world had ever seen—their mythos an epic party, a sweaty, sexy, never-ending rock extravaganza. During this unparalleled run of success, debauchery, and drama, no one was closer to the band than Noel Monk. A man who’d worked with some of rock’s biggest and most notorious names, Monk spent seven years with Van Halen, serving first as their tour manger then as their personal manager until 1985, when both he and David Lee Roth exited as controversy, backstabbing, and disappointment consumed the band.Throughout Van Halen’s meteoric rise and abrupt halt, this confidant, fixer, friend, and promoter saw it all and lived to tell. Now, for the first time, he shares the most outrageous escapades—from their coming of age to their most shocking behavior on the road; from Eddie’s courtship and high profile wedding to Valerie Bertinelli to the incredible drug use which would ultimately lead to everyone’s demise. Sharing never-before-told stories, Monk paints a compelling portrait of Eddie Van Halen, bringing into focus the unique combination of talent, vision, hardship, and naiveté that shaped one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time—and made him and his brother vulnerable to the trappings and failings of fame. Runnin’ with the Devil is manna from rock heaven no Van Halen fan can miss.

About Noel Monk

Noel Monk helped stage-manage Woodstock, served as Bill Graham’s right-hand man at the legendary Fillmore East, and worked with rock musicians including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, the Rolling Stones, and the Sex Pistols. He is also the author of 12 Days on the Road: The Sex Pistols and America, and he lives in Colorado.

About Joe Layden

An award-winning journalist and bestselling author, Joe Layden has written more than thirty books, including The Last Great Fight, which was named one of the best sports books of 2007 by Sports Illustrated and the American Library Association. He is also the co-author of the New York Times bestsellers There and Back Again and The Rock Says. . . . He lives in upstate New York.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Fred on November 20, 2017

This is the second rock biography I've read about VH recently, the other being Van Halen Rising: How a Southern California Backyard Party Band Saved Heavy Metal. This may confuse some because I am not a big VH fan. Despite having one of the best guitarists, I find their lyrics mostly unsatisfying an......more

Goodreads review by Bon Tom on July 30, 2019

Incredible. Didn't think it was possible, but the testimonial of general assholery of this bend, except Michael, managed to make me disgusted even with what they did good: their music itself. Until I went and relistened the stuff and refreshed memory. The fuckers made some really, really, fantastic......more

Goodreads review by Casey on July 05, 2017

40% of this is about t-shirt sales. The other 60% is Monk explaining why he is/was smarter than everybody in VH. Cool!......more

Goodreads review by Dr. T Loves Books on December 23, 2017

I have been a Van Halen fan since I was 10 years old, and their music has formed the backdrop of many of my life's experiences. So when I saw that their former manager had a tell-all out, I was curious to see what I could learn about the band. Noel Monk's story of the backstage stories of Van Halen......more

Goodreads review by Cynthia on July 10, 2017

I'd give this 2.5 for the gossip factor. I'm not that interested in David Lee Roth but liked reading about Valerie and Eddie. This is more a book for a guy. The backstage sexual antics were crude and the endless drugging and drinking was monotonous and kinda sad. The guy who wrote this had an ax to......more