All Pens Blazing
A Rock & Heavy Metal Writer’s Handbook
Volume II
By Neil Daniels. Foreword By Mick Wall.
Publisher: Authors Online. Publication Date: 5th July 2010.
You can buy this in eBook format directly from the publisher HERE:
Ever wondered what it takes to be a rock journalist? In this extensive 350 page collection, I have interviewed a staggering 69 of the world’s most successful rock and metal scribes. With a foreword by the legendary rock writer Mick Wall, All Pens Blazing is a worthy historical document for the serious enthusiast and can be used as a handy reference tome for the aspiring rock and metal writer. Volume I – which collected 65 interviews – was published in 2009. Both collections – featuring a total of 134 interviews – make essential reading for the rock and heavy metal fan.
Check out www.authorsonline.co.uk
You can also buy it from www.amazon.co.uk
“In this book, Neil Daniels turns the tables and asks us some searching questions for once. Not because we are failed rock stars, but because we are successful rock journalists. So is the pen actually mightier than the guitar? Possibly not. But without someone there to write it all down and try and make sense of it, how would the rest of us ever know what the hell has actually been going on all these years?”
- Mick Wall from his foreword
Featuring Original & Exclusive Interviews With:
Phil Alexander
Ken Anthony
Phil Ashcroft
Scott Alisoglu
Steve Beebee
Keith Bergman
Nathan T. Birk
Shari Black Velvet
Chad Bowar
Jake Brown
Alan Burridge
Dave Cockett
Jeff Collins
Jon Collins
Mark Day
Rich Deakin
Bernard Doe
Harry Doherty
Robyn Doreian
Arnaud Durieux
Mark Eglinton
Rob Evans
Hugh Gilmour |
Rob Godwin
Steve Hammonds
Kelv Hellrazer
Nickie Hobbs
Jon Hotten
Martin Hudson
Chris Ingham
Billy James
Stephen Joule
Alison Joy
David Konow
Mitch Lafon
Chris Lambert
Pippa Lang
William Luff
Malc Macmillan
Brian Manly
Gerri Miller
Michael Moynihan
Dean Pedley
David Perri
Neil Perry
Paul Rees |
Bryan Reesman
Jason Ritchie
Chris Rogers
Scott Rowley
Darren Sadler
Amy Sciarretto
Dave Shack
Harry Shapiro
Dale Sherman
Aaron Small
Sid Smith
Ryan Sparks
Janne Stark
Kevin Stewart-Panko
Phil Sutcliffe
Dave Thompson
Paul Travers
Jaan Uhelszki
Ray Van Horn, JR.
Doug Van Pelt
Mick Wall
Ian Winwood
Joshua Wood |
What The Critics Said:
Go To: Online; Magazines; Other
Online Reviews
“With APB, the artists themselves are completely cut out of the picture. Both volumes concentrate on the most important ingredient of all, the writer... Every year there is a new crop of aspirants however, and with the advent of the blogosphere the opportunities to wax rhapsodic about one's favorite band have increased exponentially. With both volumes of All Pens Blazing, there is at least a road-map to show how it has been done in the past.”
Greg Barbrick – BlogCritics (http://blogcritics.org)
“Neil has a deep passion for printed media and a lot of respect for the authors who helped to bring them to their glory once upon a time. ... Would I recommend this book? I would in a heartbeat to somebody over 40 who would undoubtedly feel a personal connection to it. Hell, I wish I could make people my age take three or four hours of their life to read it and see where the roots of rock journalism are, but I know better. With that said, I’m happy that I read it and will read more of Neil’s stuff in the future.”
John Gehrig – Braingell.com (www.braingell.com)
“The author was serious about this first volume and went onto create a second. They are tremendously entertaining and reveal much about the names you've seen in every magazine from Creem and Guitar Player to Rolling Stone and Classic Rock.”
Steven Rosen – Curled Up With A Good Book (www.curledup.com)
“…this rollercoaster ride through some of rock's back pages will bring a glow to the cheek, and perhaps even moistness to the mouth, of any self-respecting rock fan who has ever bought a music paper or mag since the 1970's.”
David Randall – Get Ready To Rock (www.getreadytorock.com)
“...a damn decent book that is mandatory for anyone who wants to write about rock.”
Joshua Wood – Metal Rules (www.metal-rules.com)
“…Daniels comes across as a man with clear passion and interest into the historical and cultural importance of his interviewee's words. Even if heavy metal isn't your thing, this book is well worth the read. The simple format to the book means that you are able to pick at bits as you go along.”
James Sykes – Subba-Cultcha (www.subba-cultcha.com)
“The ‘APB’ books are collections of interviews spanning journalists from the late ’60s to those who started their careers in the late ’90s. Altogether there are 136 journalist interviews - nine of whom are women. Nine. The subjects span the biggest of the big in metal pubs - editors of Creem and Kerrang - to writers of smaller cult fanzines. It was really interesting to pull out the common threads...I guess that after reading this, the number one thing I took away besides reignited jealousy for the golden age of rock journalism was that in 10 years, perhaps what I’m doing now will actually have some significance.”
Jamie Harvey – Hard Rock Chick (www.hardrockchick.com)
“All Pens Blazing presents a view of music writing from the inside and a glimpse of the music industry from the prospective of wordsmiths rather than guitar warriors… All Pens Blazing is less a guidebook and much more a map to heavy metal writing. Anyone interested in a back-stage view of the rock music industry will get a kick out of these two volumes.”
Natalie Zed – Hellbound (www.hellbound.ca)
“‘All Pens Blazing’ is a must read to find out the trials and tribulations these writers had to go through. Good, bad or indifferent, it’s a real behind the scenes collection of interviews that go all the way back to the late 70’s to present day. I strongly suggest getting your own copies of both volumes of ‘All Pens Blazing’. I was so intrigued that I read it twice... Great read, Neil Daniels is a dynamic writer and writes about what we all love, MUSIC!!”
Brooke Horsley – Rock Eyez Webzine (www.rockeyez.com)
Magazine Reviews
“These two volumes of interviews celebrate the art of rock journalism.”
Emma Johnston - Classic Rock
"Again, Neil asks the right questions and keeps the history right at the forefront. Again, that’s what this book is all about. These writers are alternately fired up and vocationally-filled or bitter pitfall-tellers. Both are lovely...Read this because you enjoyed the first book. Read this because you want Mr Daniels to do more of this."
Steve Swift - Powerplay
“All Pens Blazing is a staff writer’s seat in the editorial offices of a WH Smith shelf-full of UK rock magazines ...Rock star ego stories, useful advice and the definitely-don’ts of the alternative publishing world, this compilation of interviews spanning the careers of the most experienced rock writers is a good start for any wannabe music journalist.”
Giles Bidder - Rock Sound
“After the very entertaining ‘All Pens Blazing Volume One’, the prolific Neil Daniels offers up ‘Volume 2’ that features interviews with more than 60 rock and metal scribes, from the seasoned veterans of the heyday of Kerrang! to those who frequently contribute to fanzines, webzines and the like… Daniels has done a fine job in pulling everything together in an easily digestible format and hopefully he will be able to find enough willing participants to consider a third volume at some point in the future.”
Dean Pedley – Fireworks
Other Reviews
“The sequel includes many of my workmates past and present, including Phil Alexander, Robyn Doreian, Paul ‘Chesney’ Rees, Scott Rowley, Steve ‘Krusher’ Joule, Jon Hotten, Chris Ingham, Darren Sadler and Mick Wall, also Harry Doherty, Metal Hammer’s first editor and the man who – for better or worse – was responsible for ‘discovering’ me in the employ of a pop magazine at IPC Magazines during the mid-80s. “We did get drunk quite a lot,” Doherty tells Daniels of those apocalyptic early days working for the Hammer, a declaration of almost unparalleled understatement. I will never, ever forget Harry interrupting one of Hammer’s legendary alcohol-fuelled editorial meetings to take a call from Sandra Casali, a lovely PR for EMI Records. “Yeshhh, Shhaaaandra, we’d love to do an interview with Marrrrillll…. Marrrr…. Maaahhh”, he said, unable to get his tongue around the word he sought, finally opting for: “Fish’s band” instead. If Volume II is half as fascinating as its predecessor it’ll be well worth reading.”
Dave Ling – www.daveling.co.uk
“Bloody great book. The Mark Day stuff made me laugh like mad. Went on a couple of trips with him, especially a very eventful one with him and Jerry Ewing to Sweden. The stuff he says about Metal Hammer is so true! Top Stuff.”
Dave Reynolds – Former Kerrang!/Classic Rock scribe.
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