ALL EXCE$$, autobiography of American Concert Promoter Danny Zelisko

Unsurprisingly, as this is about the American music industry and is not focussed exclusively on the hard rock/metal scene, this may be a book that U.K. rock and metal fans might want to dip in and
out of (chapters are conveniently labelled if that is what you want to do). Personally I love the US and Danny’s business was focussed on my favourite part the South West and there are enough stories and pictures of rock and metal artists to totally justify interest from TotalRock. Danny Zelisko is one of the people behind Lollapalooza and Alice Cooper’s Christmas Pudding charity shows, if you
don’t know the name, and has been in the business for decades.

Do not be put off by the first chapter about baseball, it merely sets the scene as to how Danny honed his skills as a wheeler dealer and learned how to deal adroitly with famous people. The book very quickly turns to the music business. The book tends to focus on the artists rather than the business side of things, it’s not really a ‘how to’ of concert promoting, indeed I could have tolerated a bit more of an insight into how the concert promotion business works, although the book does get over that the winging it approach of the 70s has been replaced by the more corporate world inhabited by the likes of Live Nation/Clear Channel. But let’s face it anyway, you are probably going
to read this for the gossip about artists like Axl Rose of Guns and Roses and the time he would not go on stage before Zelisko arranged for a breast surgeon (the only kind available at short notice) to remove a cyst from his forehead before going on stage, Slash and how he charged through a glass shower door and ran naked into the parking lot thinking a maid with a mop was a marauding gunman and the time the original members of Queen had a food fight with some very expensive hors d’oeuvres. There’s also interesting insights on many others such as James Brown, Prince, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Paul McCartney and Whitney Houston.

There are a lot of pictures in the book, so it will only take a couple of hours to read. The pictures have a scrapbook feel and are packed with backstage photos of famous faces including Motley Crue, Pamela Anderson, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, KISS, Pink Floyd, Judas Priest, The Scorpions, Deep Purple, Robert Plant, Iron Maiden, Dio, Megadeth, Judas Priest, Ozzy and who doesn’t want to see a picture of Jon Bon Jovi doing the dishes or take a peak inside Willie Nelson’s pad!! There are also images of many household names like Dolly Parton, Barbra Streisand, JohnnyDepp and Ringo Starr. The comment that Orianthi and Richie Sambora have never looked back maybe more true than ever now they have split up! (There’s also an old shot of Lita Ford with Toni Iommi.)

Definitely interesting enough for a read. The value for me was more voyeuristic than a practical side to the business, but hey a concert promoter is gonna know what sells, right! A glimpse into a pre-corporate world mostly, but Zelisko still has his own business and makes it clear he’s rearing to go when restrictions on live gigs lift. No doubt if it weren’t for Covid 19 he would not have found time to write this book. I am glad he did.

Dawn Osborne