I still go by the "Triple Genre" classification and it has worked wonderfully for a half century: 1. Kiss 2. Other great artists I love 3. Artists I do not care for.
It seems weird to judge any artist from the 80s based on looking silly. And I don't really even think any of these bands looked silly to begin with. I feel like the ingredients at first were to take KISS, Van Halen, Starz, Moxy and Aerosmith, make it louder and raunchier and turn up the knob on the makeup/outfits and stuff. Also, as with many other artists mentioned in this thread, you may not be into how they exercise their chops, but two people that spring to mind when I think about people with serious talent who play in this style: -Vinnie Vincent -Michael Angelo Batio To say nothing of bands like Badlands, Electric Angels, Blue Murder and on and on--however you want to categorize or define them. I feel pretty certain that most people who want to assume "hair metal" is something specific are just looking to either one or two Poison videos and then maybe satiricized versions of people have done along the way.
Hey, I think that's the first mention of Blue Murder here. That was good and only vaguely hair metal. I like those three in their previous ventures. I never heard of Michael Angelo Batio. He doesn't seem associated with hair metal. Badlands too I don't think of as hair metal and never developed a fondness for.
He played guitar for Nitro, who were pretty much the textbook band for what people would use to satirize the era later on.
As for Badlands, Blue Murder and Electric Angels, I guess that all goes back to the long discussion I didn't read all of about what qualifies, and someone said if they were in Metal Edge during a certain time--I feel like these bands would count there. Badlands and Blue Murder get played on Sirius' Hair Nation. Who knows. I like all three bands, plus Poison, Crue, Bon Jovi, Ratt, Pretty Boy Floyd, and on and on.
I assume Badlands was on Headbanger's Ball and it must have been in regular MTV rotation. That still doesn't make something hair metal. It's not far from the sub-genre, though. People can agree on "sometimes close" for almost all the cases in this thread that aren't obvious hair-metal types like Poison.
This thread has had me spinning or just all around contemplating all of the many good bands/albums that came around at the tail end of this genre, 90 to 92, and some from earlier years too (and however you want to definite the genre--but I'm just thinking about 80s/early 90s bands that play rock n' roll--not concerned if they are Poison-level hairspray or whatever). Heaven's Edge, Southgang, Roxy Blue, Sister Whiskey, the mighty Contraband (also Shark Island), Smashed Gladys, Rock City Angels, Hericane Alice, Spread Eagle, Tangier, Wildside, McQueen Street, 21 Guns... So much good stuff came out after the general public stopped caring at all. No one there was really gonna reach Poison/GNR levels of fame, but there was so much good rock n' roll for anyone that wanted it.
Good point! Between W.E.T. and Sunstorm, frontiers has already released two of my favorite albums of 2021.
Regardless of one’s opinion, hair metal was a genre. Though not my musical cup of tea, the songs had hooks and melodies. And, those guys could play and sing. There’s quite a bit of validity in there.
Yes, ha, when I first started typing out the list I was gonna stick to 90 and up, or at least 89, but bands kept coming to mind so I added in the words afterward of 90-92, or earlier. I think most of them had their major label debut by at least 88. I knew Shark Island and Smashed Gladys were earlier. I will admit until just now, though, I never knew Tangier had an album prior to Four Winds....so I will need to see if that is on YouTube to check out.
Random memory about the Bulletboys first album. I liked the songs that would play on MTV when it first came out, but never bought the album. Later, in like 1998 or so, I had a random, sudden jones to hear those songs again and check out the rest of the album. I have no idea if it was in print at that moment or not, but none of the local records shops had it. I had at the time a few Columbia House catalogs on hand from 89/90, so I found that album in there and used the catalog number on a 1998 CH order form. I had no idea if I'd get the CD in or not, as it wasn't something in the current CH catalogs. A few weeks later, the CD showed up. I then got curious what other old stock was sitting in CH's warehouse. If I had been smart, I woulda tried ordering other albums from the 89/90 catalogs that were otherwise out of print, just in case. Love that first album. Haven't listened to a ton else.
bulletboys are great and the first album lineup are working on new material now. first time since 1993 for new material from that lineup i think
Today there was a "new" Smashed Gladys track on my Spotify release radar called "Bump in the Night". I went to Google to see if there was something about a new album or a collection of unreleased tracks/demos or something from labels that do that. I didn't discover much, other than that Sally Cato died last year. I did not know that, so that's sad. Anyone know anything about where that track is from. As with their other material, it definitely rocks.
Just picked up this gem yesterday: Dirty Looks--Cool from the Wire (US promo) with original hype sticker on front and original innersleeve! Superb condition and I have never really listened to any of their stuff other than the single, "It's not the Way You Rock" from the 80's movie, "Johnny be Good" I have to say, I'm mildly impressed with the sound. I'd categorize it as a cross between Dokken & Cinderella--more bluesy than Dokken and harder edged than say a Poison with rougher/rawer sounding vocals. Sounds good...loud!
I recommend the Hollywood Rocks box set. Lots of little known bands and more inclined toward the harder edged stuff. Much to discover here:
Anyone remember Toxic Twist? I saw them when I had a few days in Los Angeles, maybe fifteen, twenty years ago. I bought their single She's a Star and thought the were good enough to bring hair metal back to the mainstream. So much for my A&R career!