Black Dye White Noise
Black Dye White Noise
“NO CAUSE IS LOST SO LONG AS THERE IS ONE MAN
DUMB ENOUGH TO KEEP FIGHTING FOR IT”
In 2003, Sion Smith launched an independent rock music magazine called Burn with a view to creating a periodical along the lines of how Creem and Rolling Stone used to be back in ‘the day’. In 2005, this indie release mutated into the seminal Zero magazine, but within a year, it was all over.
In those three short years however, he had cause to hang out with a few interesting people – namely Paul Stanley from Kiss, Alice Cooper, Dee Snider from Twisted Sister, Zakk Wylde, Rob Zombie, Slash from Guns n Roses/Velvet Revolver… in fact, the list is pretty extensive.
Black Dye, White Noise is the story of these meetings but the interviews are not simply promotions for these artists’ latest albums – they are insightful pieces that, amongst many other things, look at the state of the music industry past and present, what it’s like to be a father, global politics, reality TV shows and how to make your voice heard in an increasingly noisy world.
The complete content listing for Black Dye, White noise is as follows:
Rob Zombie • Alice Cooper • Dee Snider/Twisted Sister • Sylvain Sylvain/New York Dolls • Paul Stanley/Kiss • Claudio Sanchez/Coheed & Cambria • Geoff Tate/Queensryche • Zakk Wylde/Black Label Society/Ozzy Osbourne • Chris Carabba/Dashboard Confessional • Slash/Guns n Roses/Velvet Revolver • Ville Valo/H.I.M. • Steve Wilson/Porcupine Tree • Robbie Takac/Goo Goo Dolls • J.D.Fortune/INXS • Ed Kowalczyk/LIVE • Kory Clarke/Warrior Soul
There are also features/interviews with: Author Neil Gaiman • Artist Dave McKean • Author Grant Morrison • Rock Photographer Fin Costello.
WHAT THE PEOPLE SAY:
How rock ‘n roll should be written about…
“For fans of rock, comics and good old fashioned music journalism (think Sounds, Creem, Rolling Stone etc). The interviews contained within are brought together by chapters setting the scene, time and place and what they meant to the author. Although not all the names within are known to the mainstream, every page has something to say about what makes rock ‘n roll culture go far beyond the music and matter so much to so many.”
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Pop culture brilliance!
“Have to admit that this book is amazing as the interviews contained within seem to cover most of my heroes and the authors’ love and affection for them includes a brief background on the circumstances surrounding them – whether it is Dee Snider from Twisted Sister, Paul Stanley from Kiss, photographer Fin Costello, comic book/majick master Grant Morrison, Slash and loads more….Funny, sad and amazingly personal, these compiled stories are the real thing!”
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"When I first read this book it was through a haze of tiredness and a little alcohol. I knew it was a good read but therewas lot to take in and I knew I owed to myself to re-visit it with a clear head. Once the author has set the scene with the backstory which precedes each chapter, you're well and truly hooked. Smith has a great way of relaying his words to us, the readers, as though he were telling a story over a pint, his knowledge is abundant, he's a fan, he asks all the right questions and clearly has the respect of his subjects.
"Black Dye White Noise is how rock n roll insights should be written. If you've ever been to a gig or a rock festival, bought a rock magazine, played in a band or played your vinyl loud, you will enjoy this book. If you're a photographer like me, buy this book if only for the chapter with Photographer, Fin Costello. Insightful, brutally honest and a bloody good read."