Reviews

Magazine Reviews

"The book is very insightful... [It] is a great read especially if you are interested in writing."
Shari Black Velvet - Black Velvet

"These two volumes of interviews celebrate the art of rock journalism."
Emma Johnston - Classic Rock

"...this is an incredibly interesting book that you will pick up and re-read over again."
Nickie Hobbs - Devolution

"Neil Daniels' latest book is a very simple idea but a very entertaining one - to interview a lot of the writers who moulded our listening habits and publish those interviews in this book...the content is great and it's ideal for just dipping in if you have a few minutes to spare as you can read it in any order you wish - and probably will!"
Phil Ashcroft - Fireworks

"Ever wondered how Metal Hammer's and Classic Rock's contributors go their jobs? Most of them reveal the truth behind the art of the music hack in this collection of over 60 interviews with the world's best-known rock writers."
Joel McIver - Metal Hammer

"...just about everyone who has written about heavy metal at some stage seems to be included. For anyone in the business, it turns out to be a surprisingly enjoyable read."
Jerry Bloom - More Black Than Purple

"All the major rock mags are covered here, with no scribe outstaying their welcome. Read this because you remember these great writers from happier days, read this because you want an insight into what drives them..."
Steve Swift - Powerplay

"Now this was a good idea...Don't even think about becoming a music journalist until you've read this."
Ryson Dahl - Record Collector

"...a fascinating compilation of interviews with a variety of rock journalists..."
Dave Lewis - Tight But Loose

Online Reviews

"A combination of music history, war stories, the metal scene and practical advice, All Pens Blazing is a great compendium about heavy metal writers and writing. Whether you're a current or aspiring metal writer, a music historian, or just a fan of metal, there's something here for you."
Chad Bower - About.Com: Heavy Metal (http://heavymetal.about.com)

"...the aggregate of this book is an at minimum interesting and at max fascinating read for any rock fan, ‘cos you get the whole deal, the history of Sounds, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, BW&BK, all the mags, plus the mechanics of book writing, and more mainstream, who's a good interview and bad plus proof, crazy road stories... friggin' well all of this would be interesting to any rocker. Period."
Martin Popoff - Bravewords.com (www.bravewords.com)

"... 'All Pens Blazing' supplies a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes during the heyday of certain metal mags as well as more recent developments, and is well worth the price of entry. Daniels' decision to favour the question-and-answer style reaps dividends, because he never intrudes - he lets the interviewee chat away, and spill their guts in whatever fashion they please."
Robert Gray - Colossal Pop (http://www.colpop.net)

"This latest work is a novel approach to heavy metal and helps dissect the genre from a journalistic point of view and will no doubt raise the pangs of nostalgia amongst readers...Neil Daniels, with his evident enthusiasm and industry in compilation has done us good service. And, like the best rock writing, this book does make for strangely compulsive reading."
David Randall - Get Ready To Rock www.getreadytorock.com

"Every interview is published in the same way: a short introduction by Neil Daniels, followed by a certain number of Q & A. I enjoyed this book very much...There good news is that there will be a part 2."
Chris Lambert - Rock Report (www.rockreport.be)

"There is plenty here to delve into and this is a book that will be read in one sitting and revisited many times. Whilst some interviewees are more guarded the majority willingly recall their on the road stories when travelling with the major bands of the 80's and beyond. Daniels has done a fine job in pulling everything together in an easily digestible format and this is one of the most original rock and metal books I have read this year."
Dean Pedley - Sea Of Tranquility (www.seaoftranquility.org)

Other Reviews

"Brought back a lot of memories of my own time working on one of the less-celebrated eras of Metal Hammer, and music-industry stuff I remember getting a little taste of, if not quite being at the epicenter of... Not to mention the reminder of how much I used to pour over every issue of Kerrang as a reader in those pre-internet days, soaking up as much information as a single photograph could convey. It's a little scary to realize how long ago that is now, but I hope you do find an audience of like-minded 40-somethings for your book. Nice work."
Mark Day - ex-Metal Hammer scribe

"It has good honest stuff from Steffan Chirazi, Pete Makowski and Dante Bonutto, whose interview reminded me of being young and working on Kerrang!. I recommend it."
Ross Halfin - www.rosshalfin.com

"It's a fascinating glimpse into the psyche of the writers who have chronicled the genre for nigh on forty years- from biographers, long standing freelancers, fanzine writers etc. The whole book reads like a history of rock publishing with countless behind the scenes anecdotes of life in Sounds, Kerrang, Raw, Classic Rock etc."
Dave Lewis - www.tightbutloose.co.uk

"Top of the list is, Neil Daniels' book, All Pens Blazing: A Heavy Metal Writer's Handbook, which collates interviews with an impressive list of more than 60 fellow music writers, most of whom are friends and/or colleagues past ‘n' present."
Dave Ling - www.daveling.co.uk

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