For those growing up in the 80s, you may have not have(?) noticed the name in the byline for many pictures in your favorite rock n roll magazine on shelves. From his beginnings in Matawan, New Jersey, at thirteen years old using a 35 mm camera, under age Mark “Weissguy” Weiss was sneaking into concerts to take pictures during the 70s, busted for selling pics outside of a Kiss concert in 1977, leading to one of his shots of Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) in Circus magazine, and a staff position. Forward by Ron Halford (Judas Priest), Def Lappard’s Phil Collen sums up nicely what’s in store for readers “ It’s great to get insight into the era of 80s rock n roll via a treasure trove of photographs skillfully captured in front of Mark Weiss’ camera lens. The Decade That Rocked is the perfect time capsule for Mark’s work finally being released upon the masses”.

The book is not entirely dedicated to Mark’s pictures of rock royalty, there is a chapter on his early years in the 70s and how his craft developed. By his senior year in high school he was shooting Zepplin at Madison Square Garden in NYC., and Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, and Journey at Giants Stadium in 1978. Early shots of David Lee Roth, Metallica backstage, Maiden and Leppard in 1981, the photo shoot for Twisted Sister’s “Stay Hungry” album cover, to Ozzy in drag and Tommy Lee (Motley Crue) screwing around on their 1983 tour - God, that must have been a sight to see, the stories, LOL. As you peruse year by year, some pictures are accompanied by words from the artist themselves, for instance Rob Halford speaks highly of Mark’s work and ability to capture a moment, not just a staged pose. Other pages include commentary from Mark and his stories at the time of taking those pictures.
When you get to the 80s, especially bands like Crue, Ratt, Dokken, Poison, etc, etc, that’s when things really get interesting. I mean the clothes, the glam, the glitz, the denim and leather. Even the infamous photos of Ozzy in hair rollers ironing a baby (LOL), and in a bunny suit, is Mark’s work. Kerry King from Slayer had hair once, and talk about hair, wait until you see that early shot of Skid Row. The uncensored original album cover for Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet cover, yup, it’s here too. And yes, there are girls, half dressed, not dressed, with the band, crawling on (and under) the band, LOL, the sex, the booze, the rock n roll, it’s all here in many pictures if you just take a good look. Sometimes it’s not that obvious. From the US festival, to the Moscow Music Peace festival in 1989, it is the decade that rocked, hard and heavy.