Runnin' with the Devil

A Backstage Pass to the Wild Times, Loud Rock, and the Down and Dirty Truth Behind the Making of Van Halen

By: Noel Monk, Joe Layden

Narrated by: Fred Berman

The manager who shepherded Van Halen from obscurity to rock stardom goes behind the scenes to tell the complete, unadulterated story of David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, and the legendary band that changed rock music.

Van Halen's rise in the 1980s was one of the most thrilling the music world had ever seen - their mythos an epic party, a sweaty, sexy, never-ending rock extravaganza. During this unparalleled run of success, debauchery, and drama, no one was closer to the band than Noel Monk. A man who'd worked with some of rock's biggest and most notorious names, Monk spent seven years with Van Halen, serving first as their tour manger, then as their personal manager until 1985, when both he and David Lee Roth exited as controversy, backstabbing, and disappointment consumed the band.

Throughout Van Halen's meteoric rise and abrupt halt, this confidant, fixer, friend, and promoter saw it all and lived to tell. Now, for the first time, he shares the most outrageous escapades - from their coming of age to their most shocking behavior on the road; from Eddie's courtship and high-profile wedding to Valerie Bertinelli to the incredible drug use that would ultimately lead to everyone's demise. Sharing never-before-told stories, Monk paints a compelling portrait of Eddie Van Halen, bringing into focus the unique combination of talent, vision, hardship, and naiveté that shaped one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time - and made him and his brother vulnerable to the trappings and failings of fame.

Runnin' with the Devil is manna from rock heaven no Van Halen fan can miss.

©2017 Noel Monk (P)2017 HarperCollins Publishers

This book puts all the pieces together.

Van Halen was THE band in my formative years as a teenager. Back when vinyl and cassettes were fighting for supremacy. Eddie inspired me to pick up my first guitar, and my love affair with the instrument has never faded. When Van Halen broke up, I was stunned and saddened. Why? How? You cannot have Van Halen without David Lee Roth! All these year later, I finally got what I think is as close to an answer that would ever come. The story is fascinating, if not sometimes predictable, and, ultimately, heartbreaking in the end. Van Halen had it all in the palms of their hands...and lost it all in a haze of drugs, boozed, and ego. Like I said...predictable. The same ingredients that wrecked so many other great bands. Noel Monks telling of the story put together a timeline of events that brought the history of this band's rise to greatness and trainwreck fracturing, in a way that added clarity and context - as much as possible, anyway. He presents it in a way that celebrates the band while at the same time detailing the dirty, volatile side of big-time rock and roll life. This does not feel like a hit piece, you can tell he really loved this band and despite how terrible things got towards the end, The narration was excellent. Fred Berman is one of the best storytellers in the audiobook business, and he did not fail on this one. If you are interested in the story behind the original Van Halen, get this. You will not be disappointed.

great

Everything that you would want in a story is here well written well sequenced and over all All a Perfect read. Very well done you will not be disappointed.

Good read

A bit annoying that the author uses "we" when talking about the band but he's got some great stories. Worth a read for Van Halen fans.

I loved it!

This book picks up right after 'Van Halen Rising' by Greg Renoff. Hearing about how each album was made, makes total sense in retrospect(you'll know what I mean). Hearing about the dynamics between all the band members and how the music business industry works was an eye opener. CAUTION: Don't expect to finish this book and to look at these rock heroes the same way you used to.

Great Stuff

Very interesting story about the years of Van Halen with DLR. sounds like a pretty wild ride...I can only imagine all the stuff that didn't make the book.

I felt I was part of the tour

This is a good book and a good audible book. The narration was fantastic. Voice for Eddie and for David felt spot on.

very well done!

I became sad knowing the book would eventually have to end. Unbelievably entertaining and insightful!

fun listen

it took a minute to get into the cadence of the storyteller and storyline, but all in all eight great read.

Amazing look at the rise and fall of Van Halen

Noel Monk’s story and behind-the-scenes experiences as the tour manager and later band manager of Van Halen definitely deserves to be heard. The disloyalty, disrespect and ingratitude towards Michael Anthony and, later, Monk, that evolves as the band fractures is heartbreaking to hear, but also important for fans to know.

Cemented in stone?

How does “His position as a producer was cemented in stone” get past an editor?