Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of '80s Hair Metal

If you lived during the time and are a music person you will probably not learn anything new from this series. Nearly everything covered is well known and common knowledge. It's by no means a bad show it just covers the most popular bands and major events of their careers that most people who follow music know about already. They could've spent a lot more time on the Sunset Strip scene and how it developed into after Van Halen's breakout and how that turned into the Hair / Glam Metal explosion of the mid 80s.

On the other hand If you don't know much about the Glam / Hair Metal scene then it's definitely worth watching but I doubt big fans of this genre will learn anything new.

In the '80's we had Heavy Metal {Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne}, Glam Metal {Motley Crue, Poison, Ratt}, Speed Metal {Metallica, Megadeth, Motorhead}, and Death Metal {Slayer, Death Angel, SamHain}. Three examples of each. That's IT! THERE WAS NO HAIR METAL! This was a term that did not exist in the '80's, 90's or even 2000, it was coined by someone that wasn't born yet!! It was called GLAM METAL!!! This documentary is the same - done by people who were not born at the time and do not know what they are talking about. Go find interviews from the bands themselves that were filmed from 1980 - 1989. That is the only way you are ever going to get an accurate telling of the '80's Metal Bands, because even The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years from 1988 doesn't do that time frame and the bands justice. Today's interviews from band members that don't exactly remember due to excesses is NOT the same as what they said AT THE TIME. BTW, the Seattle scene bands were not known to the world in 1989,even G -n - R didn't break world until 1990. The '90's are nott the '80's!

Defenitely the best decade of music history in my 53 yrs. That in and of itself made it a fun watch. Seemed disjointed and all over the place at times. Some bands got more focus than others and that felt misplaced. Motley, Ratt, Dokken, W. A. S. P, Ozzy, were my favorites growing up. Riki Rachtman telling his story, he seemed alot cooler than I remembered.

Could've done without all the Jack Russell stuff. Vince vs Axl is a great flashback. Would've been really cool if the Hear N Aid project had been mentioned. Again a fun watch and at some point I'm sure itll be worth arewatch but I've seen better docs about the era.

"Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored Story of '80s Hair Metal" is a documentary that is currently posted on Paramount +. I enjoyed watching its three episodes but throughout I also noticed that much of the history of hair bands music was missing. I think my daughter summed it up best when she said "I think they only included bands who had members who would talk to the filmmakers"...and I think that's right on target. Many great and important bands are barely mentioned at all (Def Leppard) or are never mentioned at all (Cinderella, Bon Jovi, Metallica and too many others to count).

So despite being woefully incomplete, is it worth seeing? Yes. First, what they do tell you is often interesting or funny. Second, I really liked hearing Alan Niven's interviews. His bitterness and cynicism were a welcome change from most of the other interviews. Third, I actually liked the cute cartoons they made for the film. So, worth seeing...but not great. I lived the era and was so disappointed the film didn't give a fuller picture of the era.

I went into this blindly thinking that it would be good memories and learning a bit more about the music I grew up with. What I didn't plan on was the emotional roller coaster I would go on reliving the loss of some of the people (some of which I have known) famous or not from then.

The memories are good and sad. Laughing at some things, to sitting here in tears remembering those that there lost during that time that I was friends with, friendships lost, and the friendships that are still going strong.

If you grew up and listened to 80's rock, this will be a walk down memory lane and may bring up your own ghosts from then. It could be the trip you need.