Lollapalooza: The Uncensored Story of Alternative Rock's Wildest Festival

From the NYT bestselling authors of Nothin' But A Good Time, the no-holds-barred oral history of '90s alt-rock festival, Lollapalooza—told by the musicians and industry insiders who lived it.

Spawned in 1991 as a farewell tour for Jane's Addiction, Lollapalooza was a nomadic spectacle, stopping in more than twenty cities across North America. A sweeping success, it offered a diverse ensemble of bands, breaking the barriers of genre and uniting alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock, hip hop, and even electronic dance music under one grand event.

Unorthodox not just in music, Lollapalooza also spotlighted visual arts, nonprofit organizations, and political outfits, offering a tantalizing cocktail of culture, art, and activism that reached epic proportions. Echoes of its impact reverberate strongly today – cemented by annual sell-outs, an estimation of 400,000 attendees each July, and a spot among the world's largest and longest-running music festivals. It showcases the transcending power of music through the decades.

Bestselling authors Tom Beaujour and Richard Bienstock draw from over two hundred author interviews with members of Jane’s Addiction, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Nine Inch Nails, Sonic Youth, Ice-T, Rage Against the Machine, Patti Smith, Metallica and many more to tell the no-holds-barred history of this iconic music festival.

About the Author

TOM BEAUJOUR is a journalist as well as a co-founder and former editor-in-chief of Revolver, America’s premier hard rock and heavy metal monthly.

RICHARD BIENSTOCK is a journalist whose writing has appeared in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Spin, and other publications. He is a former senior editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine.