Decline of Western Civilization 2: The Metal Years (1988)

By Adam Thomas

Friday December 1, 2006

Directed by Penelope Spheeris
From air guitar to Hair Guitar, this documentary–by the future Wayne’s World director–is from a time when metal was big business and hair was just big. The sleazy guys from Poison, Gene Simmons tongue and all, Paul Stanley in a bed full of lacy ladies talking about money, Chris Holmes from WASP chugging a 40-pounder of vodka while floating in a pool talking to his mother, Ozzy, Alice–they’re all there. And only some of them realise just how ridiculous, and sometimes heartbreaking it all is. It was a time when boobs, blow, and buffoons ruled the arenas, working over time to put cock into rock every day, and party every night.