Iron Maiden Eddie

Eddie Trunk writes the book on hard rock and heavy metal

You know you’re solid metal when Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford calls your world a crazy one.

"People sometimes tell me," says Eddie Trunk , 46, "that I don’t talk or act or look like a metal fan. Well, what does a metal fan look like? I’ve found people from all walks of life who love metal.

"I’ve tried to knock down some of the stereotypes. I never dressed up or had the paraphernalia. That’s not what it’s about for me. I just love the records and the shows."

Few non-musicians have done as much for metal as Trunk.

The lifelong Morris County resident has waved the flag for his favorite form of music from across the sales counter at a record store, on the air on WDHA, WNEW, XM Satellite Radio, and on his current "Friday Night Rocks" show on Q104.3, behind the scenes at the groundbreaking Megaforce record label, and as a host and consultant for VH1 and VH1 Classic. During that time, he’s met, introduced, interviewed and sometimes befriended the biggest players in metal — including the four members of Kiss, who are now and forever his rock ’n’ roll heroes.

Trunk had, however, never committed his love for the style to the page. That’s changed. "Eddie Trunk’s Essential Hard Rock and Heavy Metal," a 200-page celebration of the 35 bands that shook the deejay’s world, was released through art-book publisher Abrams Image two months ago. The undisputed Gods of Metal are covered: Iron Maiden, Metallica, AC/DC, and Black Sabbath are all here. But Trunk also finds room for chapters on lesser-known bands like Britain’s seminal UFO, or those whose relationship to the development of hard rock isn’t always acknowledged, like Rush and Thin Lizzy.

"One of the things I’ve done on my shows is tell stories and do interviews," says Trunk, "so my first thought was to write an autobiography that would take readers backstage and behind the scenes. Then I realized that you probably can’t do a book like that without being brutally honest and angering people, and there’s still a lot in this business that I want to do. So it became more about the bands than it is about me. But there’s still plenty of me in there."

It’s possible to see the book as an overview of the form, adorned with enthusiastic prose, discographies and "best of" playlists chosen by the author, and scores of full-color action photographs by skilled New Jersey rock photographer Ron Akiyama. It’s also a chronicle of Trunk’s encounter with a style of music that would change his life, and the lives of thousands of others. Through its stories, the book traces the powerful imprint that heavy metal has had on the Garden State. Trunk sings the praises of Guns N’ Roses’ hard rock crunch; he also describes the excitement of seeing Iron Maiden at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, and the thrill of hearing Dio’s voice after winning an album on the boardwalk. Trunk tells of catching Pantera at the Fastlane, and getting introduced to Van Halen by the "cool" teacher at Madison High School. He confesses to the ambivalence he first felt as a young deejay at WDHA confronted with Metallica’s thunderous assault. Throughout, Trunk comes across as a rock ’n’ roll purist, but an open-minded one — protective of tradition, but always willing to give a new gang of headbangers a chance.

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