Finished the book a day or two ago. I found it pretty interesting to hear these stories; a decided contrast to the VU and Beatles docs in that tbqh most of these guys don't seem very smart. There's sort of an interesting contrast between the attitudes of some of the early guys like Quiet Riot and George Lynch and Ratt, who seemed somewhat serious about the music they wanted to make, even when it was unfashionable, and a bunch of the guys who came later on like Poison and Faster Pussycat and Warrant who were almost jaw-dropping in their lack of any artistic vision and were upfront about being in it for the fame and chicks. A number of people, esp some of the johnny-come-latelies, certainly not all, didn't really seem that broken up about the swift decline of the music in the 90s - like they rode a wave for what it was worth and moved on. Winger a noted exception - they really seem bitter about the way they were personally targeted by Metallica and Beavis & Butthead, though even they cop to basically cashing in on a trend, although in their case they were prog rock and session guys who were slumming it. The chapter on ballads was kind of funny - so many of them seem to have seen these as a necessary evil they did grudgingly, since they were usually the genre's biggest hits.
I tried actually listening to Winger's first album, since I've always liked the singles, and a lot of the rest really didn't seem that great. I turned it off when I got to the "Purple Haze" cover. Listened to some of Kip's orchestral composition (Conversations with Nijinsky and Ghosts), though, and they're actually decent. I was a bit surprised by the first Motley Crue album - some solid stuff there.
Some of the connections to goth rock and NY punk/postpunk stuff were interesting too.
― treat the gelignite tenderly for me (Sund4r), Monday, 10 January 2022 02:48 (two years ago) link
Winger were kind of analogous to the hair metal scene as The Police were to punk.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Monday, 10 January 2022 02:52 (two years ago) link
Motley’s first album is still their best imoThe original Leathür records version doesnt have the sped-up vocals & bells/whistles & is imo preferable to the wide-release version
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 10 January 2022 03:04 (two years ago) link
xpost Winger also blessed w insufferable lead singer lmao
I know what you mean, except the Police were really talented and original, even at the start, whereas the Winger guys dumbed themselves down.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 10 January 2022 03:08 (two years ago) link
After a point, Winger's "Hungry (for your love)" starts to blend into White Lion's "Hungry (for your love)", you know?
Hair metal probably personally significant in that it was probably the first musical genre I both fell in love with and outgrew once I recognized the formulae and imitations.
― treat the gelignite tenderly for me (Sund4r), Monday, 10 January 2022 03:27 (two years ago) link
Actually, listening now, Winger's "Hungry" sounds a bit like it prefigures some of the emo mall-rock stuff that came later.
― treat the gelignite tenderly for me (Sund4r), Monday, 10 January 2022 03:43 (two years ago) link
Maybe relevant: https://www.stereogum.com/2172050/the-number-ones-mr-bigs-to-be-with-you/columns/the-number-ones/
― treat the gelignite tenderly for me (Sund4r), Monday, 10 January 2022 03:55 (two years ago) link
When the W-initialed bands took over that was both the high water mark of hair metal and the point at which the genre became absurd
― Josefa, Monday, 10 January 2022 04:22 (two years ago) link
I turned it off when I got to the "Purple Haze" cover.
My high school band played "Purple Haze"...in the Winger arrangement, because our lead guitarist thought Winger's solo was better.
― Halfway there but for you, Tuesday, 11 January 2022 02:57 (two years ago) link
lmao
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 11 January 2022 02:58 (two years ago) link
o_O
― treat the gelignite tenderly for me (Sund4r), Tuesday, 11 January 2022 03:22 (two years ago) link
I just played the Noel Redding bassline anyway.
― Halfway there but for you, Tuesday, 11 January 2022 03:33 (two years ago) link
“hendrix aint shit, winger is where it’s at man”
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 11 January 2022 03:47 (two years ago) link
that's hilarious. that's like doing the Whitesnake version of "Day Tripper"
― they were written with a ouija board and a rhyming dictionary (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 11 January 2022 03:50 (two years ago) link
i thought the crüe helter skelter was the funkiest song i ever heard when i was a kid
― kurt schwitterz, Tuesday, 11 January 2022 03:52 (two years ago) link
my high school choir teacher (amazing teacher, still keep in touch w/ her) had this weird habit of making us do the non-iconic versions of songs, usually cos she often would play the recording for us before we learned it and sometimes the only tape she had was a cover version.
Freshman boys were doing "Duke of Earl" and instead of Gene Chandler, she had the New Edition version on tape, so she made our accompanist (a very pretentious, nerdy, straight-laced classically trained dude who scoffed at such music) learn all the cheesy synth parts and play it on the KORG>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kcu0eHDDyis
xpost I like that cover!
― they were written with a ouija board and a rhyming dictionary (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 11 January 2022 03:54 (two years ago) link
Revolver mag did a list of the 10 Heaviest Glam Tracks:http://www.revolvermag.com/music/10-heaviest-hair-metal-songs-all-time
Sorry but I think a bunch of things I linked to above are way heavier than this list.
― Loud guitars shit all over "Bette Davis Eyes" (NYCNative), Tuesday, 24 May 2022 21:50 (one year ago) link
i am amused that Poison made the listi mean it’s a cool track but “heavy”? lolsurprised Twisted Sister aren’t on this list also “feh” at Ratt but that’s just bc of my personal hatred of them
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 24 May 2022 22:19 (one year ago) link
Not much love for Tesla itt.
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Tuesday, 24 May 2022 22:23 (one year ago) link
BANG BANG
― Gymnopédie Pablo (Neanderthal), Tuesday, 24 May 2022 22:41 (one year ago) link
BLOW YOU AWAY
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Tuesday, 24 May 2022 22:45 (one year ago) link
I've never stopped listening to Mechanical Resonance for the last 36 years. The albums that followed have some highlights, but damn that debut is nearly perfect.
― Ⓓⓡ. (Johnny Fever), Wednesday, 25 May 2022 03:36 (one year ago) link
yeah it rules
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 25 May 2022 04:05 (one year ago) link
nobody's mentioned king kobra since keith back in 2002, i've been into them ever since finding out that lead vocalist marcie free is a trans woman. absolute mad respect for marcie!
here's the amazing video video for iron eagle (never say die):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-DIhXTGifU
― Kate (rushomancy), Saturday, 28 May 2022 17:15 (one year ago) link
Someone needs to put together a Nuggets style comp for post-94 hair metal music
― rare lipstick or mohawks that somehow make them more valuable (President Keyes), Saturday, 28 May 2022 18:55 (one year ago) link
and instead of Nuggets you could call it Bollocks
― Toshirō Nofune (The Seventh ILXorai), Saturday, 28 May 2022 19:22 (one year ago) link
xxp: rushomancy, I mentioned them last year, but I spelled their name wrong!
S&D: Glam Metal/Hair Metal
― peace, man, Saturday, 28 May 2022 22:09 (one year ago) link
whoops, so you did! so much for ctrl-f :)
― Kate (rushomancy), Monday, 30 May 2022 00:37 (one year ago) link
Fucking hair metal. My local “classic rock” radio station used to like 15-20 years ago be all strictly late 60s early 70s classic rock like Zep, Yes, CCR, and Hendrix, and well now I guess they gotta change with their older audience and now they play fuckin’ “Dr. Feelgood” and “Nothing but a Good Time” and “Break the Law” and “Girls Girls Girls” every goddamn day. Motley Crue is considered classic rock now!
― Mr. Snrub, Monday, 30 May 2022 00:57 (one year ago) link
idk sounds ok to me
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 30 May 2022 02:50 (one year ago) link
I’ve been really into Motley Crue’s “don’t walk away mad” lately
― brimstead, Monday, 30 May 2022 04:38 (one year ago) link
that song rules, one of my favorite crue songs. v fun to karaoke.
― terminators of endearment (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 30 May 2022 04:59 (one year ago) link
Don't Go Away Mad, but yeah, that's a catchy tune.
― peace, man, Monday, 30 May 2022 20:35 (one year ago) link
lyric stolen from Blondie, but whatev
― Josefa, Monday, 30 May 2022 20:47 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dx-PrDQej8
I love the melody on the pre-chorus, I still demand hair metal justice for Vain!
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 27 September 2022 13:48 (one year ago) link
lol the drummer and guitarist is the only one who looks like they could still step into a music video from that era
lol people slow dancing at 1:55
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpeePEUz0bw
― stank viola (Neanderthal), Saturday, 1 October 2022 01:00 (one year ago) link
Britney Fox lead singer = melted Steven Tyler
― werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 17 February 2024 00:05 (two months ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbEIi46NAno
― werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 17 February 2024 00:06 (two months ago) link
That was a weird time. No one could tell where Dizzy Dean ended and Tom Keifer began.
Annoying voice, great freaking song.
― A. Begrand, Saturday, 17 February 2024 05:08 (two months ago) link
how dare uhe sounds like a dollar store Tom Keifer
― werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 17 February 2024 05:10 (two months ago) link
(how dare u = as in how dare u say no one could tell the difference)
― werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 17 February 2024 05:16 (two months ago) link
i have been watching a lot of Vevo’s “Hair and Heavy” and nothing makes me reach for the remote faster than Dangerous Toys. Truly dire Axl-mimicryFirehouse are super boring and i think their Dad must own Vevo bc they have more videos on here than any band except maybe Kiss lol So far not even one Kix video. I am furious.
― werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 28 March 2024 06:06 (three weeks ago) link
Kix is for the people
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 28 March 2024 07:00 (three weeks ago) link
Dangerous Toys was baffling given Jason McMaster's pedigree. I can't think of too many better examples of a guy jumping on a trend, forfeiting all of their cred in the process, a thing we used to call a "sellout" move. At least when Celtic Frost went glam, the results were listenable in a surreal outsider art kinda way
― Paul Ponzi, Thursday, 28 March 2024 10:56 (three weeks ago) link
I will not listen to this slander of the authors of Demon Bell (The Ballad of Horace Pinker)*!
Television was my mom and dadThe six o'clock news told me how to be badAnd when you're really bad the ratings go upThat's why this damn country's getting really corrupt, yeaaaah!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1bsYkAS02Q
*ballad not included
― meatster of puppets (peace, man), Thursday, 28 March 2024 11:22 (three weeks ago) link
Breaking glam news: turns out the amazing "Two Heads Are Better Than One" song from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure is by a prototype version of Nelson! Now that I never knew.
― squirm baby squirm (Matt #2), Thursday, 28 March 2024 11:39 (three weeks ago) link
yes! and cowritten w Dweezil Zappa!per wikipedia, “Since the band was in the process of being signed up to Geffen, (John) Kalodner recommended them not to use their names for the song, so they were billed as Power Tool instead”
― werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 28 March 2024 18:16 (three weeks ago) link
xxpost lmao i forgot about that songDEMON BELLDEE MON BEEEEEELLL
― werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 28 March 2024 18:18 (three weeks ago) link