I used the Christmas holidays to continue catching up on my TBR pile. Today, I’m reviewing the rock ‘n’ roll memoir Unrated by actress and former Playboy playmate Carrie Stevens.
Title: Unrated
Series: N/A
Author: Carrie Stevens
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Autobiography, Rock ‘n’ Roll
Length: 340 pages
Release Date: August 10, 2020
Blurb: They were just a couple of tweets, but they propelled actress and Playboy playmate Carrie Stevens into the headlines, as stories swirled about sexual harassment in the movie industry and the alleged affairs of some of the most powerful men in America. Besieged by the media, Carrie was shocked and astounded at the frenzy those tweets aroused. It convinced her that she needed to write her memoir. She thought, “If they think these stories are sensational, just wait until they hear about my life’s crazy adventures!” The result is Revelations of a Rock ‘n’ Roll Centerfold, the memoir of an unimaginable evolution from small-town girl, to an extraordinary life in the fast lane. A life in which she had intimate encounters with marquee celebrities from all walks of life – rock stars, Oscar-winning actors, royalty, a future president, sports legends, a sultan and billionaires. It’s a life she shared with the privileged and the powerful that took her from Kiss’ tour bus to the Playboy Mansion, hopping on private jets at a moment’s notice and cruising the Mediterranean on mega yachts, and even spending six months as a “guest” in the exotic harem of the prince of Brunei.
Carrie candidly admits that because she couldn’t escape being treated like a sex object, she chose to become one. With humor and wisdom, she takes you on an unapologetic, whirlwind adventure of debauchery, dysfunction, and heartache. Carrie reflects on the tornado of emotional torture she’s endured and the choices she has made, including life as a single mother. Her story is more than that of survival. It’s about soulmates.
In her quest for what matters most in life, (and almost 30 years after his passing) Carrie can’t let go of her love for her late boyfriend Eric Carr, drummer for the rock band Kiss. Yet, through the years, she has found a way to embrace the loss and use it as her guiding light. Eric will always be the heart and soul of her story.
I love reading books about rock ‘n’ roll and the music industry. Some of my faves are by groupies and WAGS (wives and girlfriends). When I learned that Carrie Stevens had a memoir, I wanted to read it since she was the girlfriend of the late Kiss drummer Eric Carr.
First off, Carrie had it hard growing up. Her mother wasn’t the nicest person to her, even going so far as to say she didn’t like Carrie, so yeah, there were problems from the get-go. What her parents held back, Carrie sought from other people: love and attention.
Her rock star training started early. One thing that helped Carrie was music—especially hard rock, so she became an avid concertgoer, determined to meet David Lee Roth of Van Halen.
I must say I enjoyed Carrie’s book. She had many adventures that many of us can only dream about. But she was also caught up in a lifestyle that she craved at the time—attention. She was on a journey of finding herself, although she didn’t know it then, and finding what she needed.
My fave part of the book is her time with Eric Carr. I enjoyed reading about their relationship and their sad parting when Eric passed away. Her grief comes through on the page loud and clear. I really felt for her. Of course, she plunged deep into an anything-goes lifestyle after he passed. Her love for him jumps off the pages.
There is also her take on the Playboy Mansion and Hugh Hefner. I always enjoy reading about another’s perspective to someone else.
If you enjoy rock ‘n’ roll and want to peek into the world of celebrity, it’s a read I recommend. Carrie comes across as a kind and caring person who was put down by too many people while growing up, starting with her mother, which led her to leave behind her small town and try and make something of herself. But she learns maybe that’s not what she’s meant to do. Perhaps she’s meant to do something else.
Maggie Blackbird 