Rating:  Summary: David Lee Roth's Crazy from the Heat is a Must Read Review: Being a fan of Diamond Dave, I eagerly awaited the arrival of "Crazy from the Heat" from Amazon. The wait was very much worth it. In this whirlwind biography, Dave proves why he is considered the greatest showman in rock and roll. His stories of the road and his dedication to his craft are inspirational. How many other singers would take the time to scrub the floor of the stage before a concert tour? I would recommend "Crazy from the Heat" to anyone who is a rock music fan and especially those of us who admire Mr. Roth because it shows the human side of him that many of us have not seen. There is depth of character revealed in his interactions with ordinary people and in his travels as a "Jungle Stud." I think that it is a reflection of David's maturity that he has not taken the opportunity in his autobiography to make derogatory comments about Van Halen or any other of his business associates. If you want to read about the David Lee Roth band or the mudslinging with Van Halen, I can provide you with copies of articles on those subjects. But if you're wanting to learn more about the greatest front man in rock music, then "Crazy from the Heat" is a must-read.
Rating:  Summary: About what you'd expect, I guess... Review: I suppose that the only reason that anyone would read an autobiography by David Lee Roth would be to either finally get the scoop on his bitter fighting with his ex-bandmates in Van Halen or to pick up the juicy bits of dressing room sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll from his heyday.Not only does Diamond Dave shed almost no light on the Van Halen conflict, he only mentions Michael Anthony once or twice in the entire book. The Van Halen brothers rate a few more pages, but only as the reunion "scam" unfolds in the late 90's. I understand that Roth doesn't want to sling any more mud, but that's what makes a rock bio a rock bio. Without it, it's pretty much a lot of chapters about his cars and his house and which comic books he likes. As far as dressing room stories go, there's a few. No names. And there's more debauchery about Dave in Motley Crue's The Dirt than in his own book, so I'd assume he's leaving a lot of the worse stuff out. To hear him tell it he had a few drinks, tried a drug or two, had a ball, rode his bicycle a lot, did some rock-climbing, and never really had a bad/sad moment or serious relationship in 30 years. Sure. David Lee's no writer (surprise), and his fragmented sentences and use of words like "ginormous" make many chapters completely unintelligible. He claims that this was weeded down from 1100 pages by his editor...I hope the editor got more money than Dave did. Dave's had quite a life, but a ghost writer is sometimes a good thing. This book manages to make it all sound very bland and a little bit pathetic.
Rating:  Summary: You have got to read this book!! Review: Once I started reading it, I could not stop. I wanted to buy a copy for everyone in the whole world. All the secrets you need to know are in here!
Rating:  Summary: King Dave Speaks His Widoms & Wit Review: Ok, so what do we expect from DLR in a tome on his life and history with Van Halen. Well, for starters one can expect his view on the whole thing in general. Given the developments we all witnessed on that MTV appearance (travesty) years ago and the subsequent lack of an original VH reunion tour and the eventual dropping of VH from the record label - one can only determine that Dave speaks the truth. The book is a quick and entertaining read for fans of Dave and VH or just plain music entertainment.
Rating:  Summary: A great Rock-N-Roll Story! Review: I read the book and enjoyed it immensely. You must respect David Lee Roth in that he could have really dished some dirt on his former band members but refrained from doing so. Since the break-up of the original Van Halen, I have read so many negative comments from the Van Halen camp about Roth that it is sickening. I think Diamond Dave showed us who has some class and who does not. Regardless of what the critics, or anyone else for that matter, have to say about the book, if you are a classic Van Halen fan, it was an enjoyable read.
Rating:  Summary: A Highly Entertaining Book Review: Anyone who takes easy potshots at Dave and tries to convince us that VH with Sammy was better than VH with Dave should read this book. Anyone who believes that Dave has a bigger ego than the VH brothers should read this book. Dave could have ripped into them the way they've ripped into him repeatedly over the years. Instead, Dave talks about his life and shows his pride in his accomplishments. He was a HUGE part of Van Halen, and he doesn't get nearly enough credit for his role in that band. And as great a singer as Sammy is (I've even traveled to Cabo San Lucas to see him play at his Cabo Wabo Cantina), I lost respect for him after rejoining the band for a payday and to make his argument to be included with VH in the RnR Hall of Fame after swearing he'd never play with them again. Dave has always been upfront about wanting to tour with VH even though he doesn't care for the Ego Brothers. It's that kind of honesty that you'll find in this book.
Rating:  Summary: Best read while tanning on a beach somewhere. Review: What can I say? Within ten pages of reading this book I cursed myself for wasting my life. DLR has sailed the Amazon, climbed the Himalayas, slept with hordes of women, rode his bike on every continent, mastered several forms of martial arts and rocked tens of thousands of people at a time...he's lived more lives than most of us can dream. What is also great is that he reveals himself to be a highly intelligent individual with a positive zest for life that is ultimately more uplifting than ANY self-help book on the market. Whenever I'm down, I pull this book out and start to randomly read from any point and reconfirm my love of life. Even when the guy's facts are wrong, his amusing ramblings never once become boring. You can't fault a guy for having a personal philosophy and sticking to it. His self-confidence almost crosses into arrogance, but it's evident that the guy is willing to play the fool...and only because it's more fun! He was once asked in an interview why such an obviously intelligent guy has to sink to the lowest common denominator and he answered "Hey, I can go on and pontificate about Voltaire, but why bore anyone? They can go and do that on their own. I'm here to entertain. Life's a party that we've all been invited to and I'm your host." At least he doesn't suffer from delusions of grandeur. The best sections of the book, however, are when Roth talks about what drives him...his liberal Jewish upbringing, his early epiphany after having to wear braces on his legs in early childhood that he was an outsider, his need to explore and read everything he can get his hands on, the ups and downs with the boys in Van Halen. Supposedly this book was whittled down from a 1200 page manuscript...I would die to get my hands on that! An all-out, vigourously entertaining and uproaringly funny read! Keep this in your bathroom for your houseguests. They'll sit in there for an hour. Guaranteed.
Rating:  Summary: Truth according to Dave Review: As a fan of rock and roll stars' bios I found this one surprisingly bright and enlightening. I didn't expect that from Dave. I loathed him before reading this, now I have a certain degree of guarded respect for the dude. At least he knows what and who he is and makes no excuses for it. If you don't know Dave has an enormous ego by now then you shouldn't be going near this. So many of these "tell all" books are so badly written or one-sided that when one comes along like this one that makes you laugh or think a little it's refreshing. Yeah, he rambles off on tangents every once in a while but this ain't Oscar Wilde we're talking about here, either. Give him a break. Not as good as David Crosby's (a must read for this genre) but much more entertaining than say, Grace Slick's (skip it if you can).
Rating:  Summary: Just Dave Review: Sitting in the kitchen, listening to Dave, in the old pre VH days, he sounds just the same. If anyone wants to know how it feels to know a star, find a friend who can rap like this, and has a lot to actually say, and you will know. I appreciated the reviews and the fact that Dave showed that he actually does have class and did not enter the fray of gossip and back biting. I liked all the guys, we had a lot of fun, whether stapling fliers to telephone poles, or pushing through the crowds. When I had my stroke, and was told I would die, Dave sent me an inspiration, a long limo, and an invite to the US Festival-backstage. I was too ill to go, but the limo was mine for the day, and it was one of (as Dr. Phil says) my "pivotal" days. Not only one of the hottest names in Rock at the time, but also a Cosmo Bachelor of the Month. What could I possibly feel sorry for myself about. Thank you Dave for helping me remember to laugh, and to get the biggest limo. Thanks for the book, I finally got to hear about the Amazon trip.:)
Rating:  Summary: An Amazing Life! Review: For anyone who thought Mr.Roth just another rock star, THINK AGAIN! What discipline, drive, and talent! The lessons learned in the farthest corners of the world, and the strength of self. This book is a keeper. One I will read over and over in the years to come.You cant keep the man down!
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