Without a doubt, the 1980s was the most delightfully dangerous era in music history, thanks to the rise of hair metal. Now, that legendary and infamous era in rock music is getting the documentary treatment with Nöthin’ But a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of ’80s Hair MetalBased on the book of the same name by Tom Beaujour and Richard Bienstock. The three-part series features dozens of stories about sex, drugs, fist fights, and everything else that made the Sunset Strip the ultimate destination for rock and roll enthusiasts back in the day.
Director Jeff Tremaine is no stranger to the freewheeling, “anything goes” nature of rock and roll culture, having cut his teeth as co-creator of JackassThe legendary MTV series with Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, and other daredevils with possibly outrageous insurance premiums. More recently, he directed the feature film adaptation of The dirtBased on the autobiography of the most legendary hair metal band of them all, Mötley Crüe.
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In anticipation of the September 17 premiere of Nöthin’ But a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of ’80s Hair MetalScreen Rant interviewed director Jeff Tremaine about his work on the series. He talks about the interviews he conducted both with legends on stage and with the hard-working, behind-the-scenes people who did their best to keep the train from flying off the rails, so to speak. He also discusses the magic of the 1980s music scene and why social media and the internet have hindered the chance of a resurgence. Finally, he dishes on whether we’ve seen the last of them or not Jackass.
Jeff Tremaine breaks down the renegade energy of hair metal
“The early bands, for sure, were just winging it, trying to figure out what they were playing.”
Screen Rant: A few years ago, I visited my brother in Ukraine. We hung out with a couple of his friends, and they were like, “We have America here, let’s see something American!” We watched [a Jackass movie]And they’re like, “We love jackass.” So if you didn’t know, Jackass is America’s cultural export to Ukraine.
Jeff Tremaine: We did a press tour for Jackass Forever, and I was in Berlin, and they’re getting a lot of refugees coming over from Ukraine. And I got to meet a couple who just loved Jackass and they were really cool. So it was nice to meet them.
Anyway, let’s talk about hair metal, rock and roll. You know, it’s not like, you know, like how prog became like heavy metal and thrash metal to the extent with the crazy complex riffs. And I’m like, I don’t want to have an abacus to play rock and roll, you know? And then hair metal is like, you know, from the glam power pop, even bubble…
Jeff Tremaine: It’s funny, because it doesn’t really all deserve to be put in one box, right? I cover Mötley Crüe all the way to Trickster and Guns N’ Roses. Do they all fit in the same box? I don’t know. Maybe. This is all good rock and roll and a lot of it was born right here, off the Sunset Strip. That was what we were kind of covering. But it was all put in a box called hair metal.
This is a really approachable series. I know people who actively dislike this era of music. But there is so much as good stuff. Even if you still don’t want to listen to Scream at the Devil, you’ll have a good time with the stories, the vignettes, the big little, like, “on the road” stories told by the people who were there.
Jeff Tremaine: Well, it was one of the loudest, craziest times and scenes in music. And it lasted 10 years. But there was a scandal. Looking back on it, it looks outrageous. Everything about it! But it is an era that probably will not happen again.
What’s really interesting to me about that era, it feels like maybe the last era, even though it was so visual and so of its time or like, but it still feels like, in the beginning, it’s young people playing what they want To play and it kind of lines up with what’s hip, what’s cool. And I know pop stars today who play music that isn’t the kind of music they played right before they were signed. But because they got signed, they have to play this kind of music.
Jeff Tremaine: I mean, I’m sure there are some that we sort of cover. There’s some of this, where the bands are sort of starting to feel manufactured, right? It is not of the soul. It’s from, “Oh, this is going to make me famous, you know, that’s my goal.” But the early bands, for sure, were just winging it, trying to figure out what they were playing. Like, Mötley Crüe is just playing what they want to play and figuring out their stage show. The same with Rat at the time, the same with Wasp. You know, I love the old days of this scene where the stage shows were outrageous and their behavior was outrageous off stage. I’m drawn to that kind of stuff.
Director Jeff Tremaine praises the various guests of his Hair Metal documentary
“When I read the book, some of the best stories are from the A&R guys like Tom Zutout or Alan Niven.”
I forget who it is, but you ask them about the things they saw. They’re like, “Oh, yeah, I’ve seen some things.” And you’re like, “You want to tell us about it?” Maybe I need this as an interviewer myself, but how do you fine-tune their answers?
Jeff Tremaine: It’s definitely a lot more about making a connection with them and earning their trust. I had to show them that I was coming at this from a place of love and respect. I really respect these guys and their craft. But I really want to hear the crazy stories, because I’m drawn to that too! So it’s winning them over and just having a connection with them. And then it slowly unfolds, like, sometimes. But Tom Werman was never going to tell me the (laughs) atrocity that happened. He would confirm that crazy stuff definitely happened in the recording studio, but he wasn’t going to say. But other people, some others don’t give a damn, they will tell you everything!
Yes. You have some great, great guests to appear. Was there anyone that you didn’t return the call or that was like, “I don’t know about that?”
Jeff Tremaine: Yeah, a little bit for sure. But we got most of what we wanted. It is because it is not all about only the great artists. For me, when I read the book, some of the best stories are from the A&R guys like Tom Zutaut or Alan Niven, the manager of Guns & Roses and Great White, or, you know, this guy, Tom Werman , the record producer. He is awesome! They’re all part of it, you know, and. And they saw all the madness.
Is this something you’ve always wanted to do, or did it kind of come out after the dirt? Are you like, I want to do the whole scene?
Jeff Tremaine: I wouldn’t want to do more with hair metal. It was my old TV agent, he basically left and became a producer at a production company and they optioned the book, nothing but a good time, and he came to me like, “Hey, would you partner in and help us make this?” And I’m like, “Actually, that sounds fun.” I love documentaries. I’ve made a few documentaries, but this is my first music doc. So I was excited to be a part of it.
It’s so much fun. You have a lot of great music there. I feel like I have a real blind spot for winger. Maybe it’s because of Bevis and Boothhead, I don’t know.. But I feel like I have to go back and give them a second chance now.
Jeff Tremaine: Yeah, that’s what I did. I’ve learned to love a lot of bands that were never on my radar, like even Trickster. This is the young guy from New Jersey who formed this little band when he was 12. So innocent and so funny. He is so enthusiastic. And like, I really loved interviewing Mike Trump from White Lion. I wasn’t a fan of White Lion, but now I play White Lion because I felt like I became friends with them. Ht was so interesting and just such a good story that I became a fan of their music by meeting them.
The love shines through, that love of rock and roll. And like, you know, it’s like when I see… it’s a completely different documentary, also on Paramount Plus. I saw the Elvis 1968 documentary they had there. And I was just like he is like a priest. And I don’t know if God is true. But I know that rock and roll is real. And all the guys you talk to, how they love it. Like, like, I don’t know if you see that with today’s pop stars. I know that rock and roll has its ups and downs in terms of mainstream popularity. But I think that we listen to this stuff from 40 years ago because they loved it so much and that endures.
Jeff Tremaine: Yeah, but I think like there’s a young… I mean, I’m sure there’s a young underground scene, right? But I don’t see it that much. To see live music, for me, and I grew up in the 80s, that was the most important thing for me. Like, the most. I loved skateboarding, I loved BMX, and I loved seeing bands. It was so important to see them live and be a part of it. And I think it’s just not as alive as it used to be, unless I’m just an old guy who’s out of touch, and it’s happening without me even knowing about it. But there is no “scene” like that, like, like the scene and the punk rock scene. I know there’s some cool underground hip hop stuff, but I don’t see a big scene where all the kids just have to be in this thing that’s as big as it was.
I’m lucky that I live in New York and I get to go see rock bands, but I think you’re right. It doesn’t feel like a scene so much as individual bands that you have to follow because it’s online, you know, and SoundCloud and all that and people sharing their music that way. So you don’t have to go and see it. Do you think a scene like that can happen again?
Jeff Tremaine: I’m sure it can. It just needs the right influence and the right home, you know. But I don’t know, maybe social media has made it so you can get it out there so much easier. It used to be, you’d have to just paint and be on the road playing all the tiny clubs to make it. But I don’t know. I think I’ll just end up sounding like an old man! (laughs)
Jeff Tremaine addresses the potential future of Jackass
“I’ll never say it’s the last … but it could be the last.”
Well, last question, very quick. You know, Jackass Forever feels to an extent like it closes the book on that saga. Do you want to make more Jackass movies or Jackass Presents movies, or is the book closed?
Jeff Tremaine: The book is never closed. We made each and every one of the Jackass movies with me thinking this was the last one, so we put it all out there. I will never say [never]Because we keep finishing them! I don’t know. I’m never going to say it’s the last… but it could be the last.
Until you literally kill Steve-O.
Jeff Tremaine: There are no plans at the moment to make one. But if next year came around and everyone just…if lightning in a bottle was catchable, we might do it. Who knows?
About Nöthin’ But a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of ’80s Hair Metal
Based on the acclaimed book Nöthin But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the ’80s Hard Rock Explosion by respected rock journalists Tom Beaujour and Richard Bienstock, the series takes a fresh and shockingly candid look at one of music’s most iconic acts. Eras. Each episode showcases the madness and dazzling ambition that has enthralled generations of music lovers and continues to influence the culture to this day.
Source: Screen Rant Plus