Eduardo Rivadavia (aka Ed Rivadavia) was born in São Paulo, Brazil, and by his late teens had already toured the world (and elsewhere), learning four languages on three continents. Having also accepted the holy gospel of rock & roll as his lord and savior, Eduardo became infatuated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and all things heavy, crude, and obnoxious while living in Milan, Italy, during the mid-1980s. At this time, he also made his journalistic debut as sole writer, editor, publisher, and, some would claim, reader of his high school's heavy metal fanzine, earning the scorn of jocks and nerds alike, but uniting the small hardcore music-loving contingent into a frenzied mob that spent countless hours exchanging tapes, talking shop, and getting beat up at concerts. Upon returning home to Brazil, Eduardo resumed a semi-normal existence, sporadically contributing music articles to local papers and magazines while earning his business degree. Finally, after years of obsessive musical fandom and at peace with his distinct lack of musical talent, Eduardo decided the time had come to infiltrate the music industry by the fire escape. He quit his boring corporate job, relocated to America, earned his master's degree while suffering the iniquities of interning for free (anything for rock & roll!), and eventually began working for various record labels, accumulating mountains of records and (seemingly) useless rock trivia in the process. This eventually led him back to writing, and he has regularly contributed articles to multiple websites since 1999, working with many different rock genres but specializing, as always, in his personal hobby: hard rock and heavy metal. To quote from the insightful 'This Is Spinal Tap': "People should be jealous of me...I'm jealous of me...." Eduardo currently resides in Austin, TX, with his wife, two daughters, and far more records, CDs and MP3s than he'll ever have time to listen to.
Eduardo Rivadavia
How Motley Crue Kickstarted Hair Metal on ‘Too Fast for Love’
They had to will themselves toward success, because the alternative was self-destruction.
When Iron Maiden Got Futuristic With ‘Somewhere in Time’
For much of the '80s, they were an unstoppable metal juggernaut. Then this album arrived.
Bands That Led Zeppelin Should Consider Suing
Spirit's unsuccessful attempt to sue for plagiarism followed other charges of appropriation by Led Zeppelin, but what about when it's the other way around?
The Story of the Ramones’ First Show
Their debut was so immediate that it was hard to believe this band had already been around for about two years.
How ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ Turned Comedy Up to 11
The film began as an earnest attempt to chronicle the legendary band’s triumphant comeback tour of America.
When Blue Oyster Cult Returned With ‘Tyranny and Mutation’
Few bands in rock 'n' roll history have so willingly wrapped themselves in mystery and misdirection.
When Motorhead Returned After a Four-Year Break With ‘1916’
This was unheard of for a band known for hammering out new material on an annual basis.
How Van Halen Broke Apart After Conquering the World With ‘1984′
When Van Halen’s ‘1984,’ arrived on Jan. 9, 1984, it felt like a much-needed respite in a year that had already started under the heavy vibes of George Orwell’s dystopian novel of the same name.
37 Years Ago: Judas Priest Release Their Fifth Album … With Two Different Names
In 1978, Judas Priest released their fifth album as 'Hell Bent for Leather' or 'Killing Machine,' depending on where you lived.
45 Years Ago: Black Sabbath Fades Out With ‘Never Say Die!’
Despite its defiant title, the album hammered a final nail in the original group's coffin.