Mark’s first book, The Decade That Rocked was published by Insight Editions and distributed by Simon & Schuster in June 2020; five years from its inception. Weiss was excited to hit the road and begin an extensive world book tour to promote the long-awaited book. All had changed when Covid arrived; Weiss needed to change his course of action; he spent his time at his computer promoting his book through online interviews and social media. Mark did manage to have his long-planned book release event at The Monmouth Museum where his photographs were exhibited. (Watch the event here). John Bathke from Channel 12 News in NJ was there to interview Mark at the Museum. (Watch interview here). Mark recently was interviewed by Gibson TV at the Rainbow Bar and Grill talking about his illustrious career (watch here)
Foreword by Rob Halford of Judas Priest and Afterword by Eddie Trunk with countless sentiments from the rock stars showcased in the book. Published in French, Portuguese and recently this year in Italian and continues to be on the top of the Amazon Heavy Metal best-selling books chart in the US; with over 1200 five star reviews. Since the release of his book Mark has been inducted into the Album Cover Hall of Fame as well as the Metal Hall Of Fame, with the induction being made by Twisted Sister’s front man Dee Snider. Featured reviews include Rolling Stone, Spin, The Washington Post and The Daily Beat overseas…
The Decade That Rocked showcases onstage and backstage moments along with never-before-seen images from the period’s most historic concerts, tours and multiplatinum album covers. The book is all captured through the lens of Mark “WEISSGUY” Weiss; from the unique vantage point of a photographer who lived and breathed the 80’s in all its grit and glory. The Decade That Rocked brings to life the no-holds-barred sounds and sights that changed the world of hard rock and metal forever.
The 1980’s were an era of musical excess, filled with spandex, makeup, big hair and guitar- driven rock & roll. Photographer Mark “WEISSGUY” Weiss lived at the heart of it all, documenting the biggest bands of the time – legends ranging from Van Halen, Ozzy Osbourne, Aerosmith and Motley Crue to Metallica, Guns N’ Roses Bon Jovi and Kiss, as well as countless others whose sound and image defined the era.
Growing up in Matawan, New Jersey, Mark made a deal with a neighbor at thirteen years old to mow his lawn for the summer in exchange for a 35-mm camera. He filled his teenage nights sneaking into concerts to shoot the biggest acts of the 70’s. After being arrested for selling photographs outside a KISS concert in 1977, he walked in to the offices of Circus magazine with his portfolio and landed his first published photo a centerfold of Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and soon became the staff photographer; Weiss still in his teens. In the years to come Mark would be a fan favorite and a star in his own right, with a Creem magazine readers poll ranking him as one of rock’s top photographers of the era. Throughout the 80’s his photos were seen by millions, appearing in countless magazines around the word and on the covers of the most iconic albums of the decade. He traveled on tour buses alongside legends in the making as they climbed their way to sold-out arenas and stadiums, living and breathing the rock & roll lifestyle with unparalleled access he captured it all with his camera.
Dig into Mark’s archives and take a tour through never-before-seen photos of a teenage Jon Bon Jovi during a performance with his band The Rest at Freehold Raceway in New Jersey and behind the scenes from the album Slippery When Wet and the decade-ending historic performance at the Moscow Peace Festival. Revisit the 1983 US Festival’s historic Heavy Metal Day. Go Backstage with Black Sabbath at Live Aid and with Van Halen during their biggest tours. Travel to Washington, D.C. as Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider sits before Congress to combat censorship at the infamous PMRC hearings and Guns N’ Roses on the road along with their appearance at CBGB in NYC.for interviews contact Mark Weiss at mark@markweiss.com
