RECORD STORE TALES #1191: Top Five Cool Things You May Not Know About Alan Niven

A couple weeks ago, I was asked by John Snow of 2Loud2OldMusic to co-host a big big interview he was offered.

“How would you like to interview Alan Niven with me?” he asked.  John hadn’t done a solo interview before, and wouldn’t have minded a backup.

“Alan Niven?  The Alan Niven?  Yes!”  How could I say no?  The guy who managed Guns N’ Roses during their peak?  The guy who co-wrote some amazing Great White songs, drawing out their best qualities?  The guy who has a new book coming out called Sound N’ Fury?  Of course!

While nervous, reading Alan’s book left us with loads and loads of questions to ask him.  Without spoiling the interview, which will debut next week on The Collection on YouTube, here are the Top Five Cool Things You May Not Know About Alan Niven that I discovered in this interview process.

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5. He had the “stones” to demand $1,000,000 from Mick Jagger, for Guns to open for the Rolling Stones on four dates at the Hollywood Bowl.  Guns were originally offered half that.

4. He had to physically pull up Jack Russell’s pants, more than once, to keep him from being arrested.

3. He is well read and well spoken.  He opens Sound N’ Fury with a quote from Macbeth.

2. There is an absolutely brilliant story about a music video director that later became a mega-smash-hit movie director, and the way Niven unfolded the story and dropped the name was pure epic storytelling.  Read the book to get the name.

1. “Nobody died on my watch.”  Indeed, of all the self-destructive personalities in the bands he managed, nobody died under his guidance.  That is indeed an accomplishment, and to me, the most powerful quote in the book.

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Pick up Sound N’ Fury by Alan Niven, wherever fine books are sold.