20 Hair Metal & Hard Rock Albums That FLOPPED... And Why: Part II

[@HairBandBasement]

Thank you for having me on, Guru. I had a blast doing this show! When talking about John Sykes, I forgot he was originally in The Winery Dogs. He is methodical when making music and the band wanted to get the album out faster and they parted ways, with Kotzen replacing him.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

It was awesome having you on, Brotha! I remember hearing that about Sykes and The Winery Dogs--wish he could've stayed with it.

[@patrickreeves4650]

sykes is far more interesting a player than kotzen.

[@bluelivesmatter719]

Huge Sykes fan and I remember when he & Portnoy announced on That Metal Show that they were starting a project together and I was thrilled. That said, cannot imagine Winery Dogs without Richie Kotzen

[@samkeepintherockalive]

I have no problem having Kotzen on The Winery Dogs.

[@robertholston4708]

III Sides To Every Story is a masterpiece. Not just a great hard rock album but truly one of greatest albums of all time.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

I need to give that album another shot--I hear a lot of people say exactly the same thing. Hey, thanks for watching and commenting, I really appreciate it.

[@robertholston4708]

@@HairMetalGuru419 that's the thing, I'm a bit younger and didn't grow up with this music. I was born in 1990. All I knew about Extreme growing up was they had a ballad and Gary became frontman for Van Halen but it flopped. I bought Pornographitti at a flea market a few years back and thought it was a great album full of fun riffs. I saw III Sides on sale on eBay for $2 and bought it because the seller had a bunch of other CDs I was interested in. Eventually something clicked with that album and it is one of my favourites ever now. Conceptually it is just brilliant to me. It provides 3 clear directions, not just musically. Each side has different lyrically themes and scopes. Yours is the hard rock songs which have themes about politics and war/peace and deals with things on a broad scale. Mine is the ballads and pop songs. The themes become more personal and intimate. The final side The Truth is where the album goes from great to otherworldly. The Truth is 20 minute conceptual piece with a full orchestra broken into 3 parts. The lyrics are based on the Bible in particular the book of Ecclesiastes. It's like if dark side of the moon was written by a believer. This album has caused me to look back at all these bands I missed out on. The Truth is out there. It may even be hidden in a music box. You just need to listen for it.

[@chriswheatley3146]

I 100% agree. Warheads was a good song, but I got the album due to liking Pornografitti. I couldn't believe what I heard when I listened to it for the first time. I used to play that CD so much that I thought it would get wore out. That and Dream Theater's Images and Words were my main jams at the time.

[@ciaranmeeks9431]

I feel like, had they been given the right kind of push on radio, that Extreme could have become a Queen for the 90's and beyond. Just on the strength of 'More Than Words' they were one of the biggest acts going between '90/'92, and they're such a versatile and creative group of players that I can't think of anything they couldn't do if they wanted to. It'll always be a mystery to me why their label/management couldn't seem to see that potential and didn't try harder to make it a reality.

[@stuartewoldt1513]

​@@robertholston4708Beautifully put. Couldn't have said it better if I tried

[@vicprovost2561]

Blue Murder may not have been a big seller but that album and band were fire, I saw them live, they tore up the stage! Great album, worth a listen.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Never saw them live... I wish. Totally underrated album. Hey, thanks for watching and commenting, I really appreciate it.

[@lowdz68]

@@HairMetalGuru419 Lyrics held it back for me - they were shocking in places - Sex Child I''m looking at you. Great album though.

[@HoodooWrong]

Yea Blue Murder was a bit darker than a lot of the other stuff, those sings were pretty unique for that time period... Out of Love a more passionate version of whitesnakes is this love

[@Rattailedjimmy]

Thank you for the show guys!!! Loved it!!! Shared it with my metal head buddy’s!!!

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Hey, thank you so much, seriously, I really appreciate it.

[@JimmyJWatson]

I see underrated and polarising hair metal albums in the thumbnail - I click! Great video and discussion

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Hey, man, thank you so much, I seriously appreciate the support.

[@Chesterseventythree]

Shocked that Badlands wasn't successful, back in the day Jake was in my top 5 guitar players, and I couldn't wait for it to come out, I guess that the average rock fan wasn't that into Lee's playing, and most of the people that got the record were probably musicians, and guitar nerds, in fact I heard it was coming out by reading about it Guitar magazines at the time. For me it's the perfect balance of great playing in the context of great songs, and it sounds killer too

[@Scottocaster6668]

Jake Still is in my top 3 list. That album was a breath of fresh air back then. Still own it along with Voodoo Highway.

[@phillipsears6200]

The aids thing hurt too

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Yeah, I'm sure that album was huge with musicians, but casual fans avoided it... and they fuckin' missed out.

[@bluelivesmatter719]

@@Scottocaster6668 Yep, almost a throwback to the 70s without deliberately trying. Loved both of those records.

[@blaisebarshaw2534]

I don’t remember any promo for it, it was one of those “you gotta know about it” albums that happened pre internet.

[@padme1969]

I just looked up the Britny Fox debut LP on Wikipedia. The band's self-titled debut album, released in 1988, was one of the most successful debuts of the 1988-1989 season, achieving RIAA gold status (500,000 + copies).

[@JCStorm76]

Spot on. Nobody else has bothered to acknowledge your comment so I will. It’s now sold 650,000 copies. Second has sold 350,000. Third one 100,000. So they sold over 1 million albums

[@dimebagdave77]

Not many places that discuss this Era with so much knowledge. It was a weird time.. it literally felt like overnight somebody changed the rules.i was in the same boat with you guys. I was glad to check out grunge, punk, but I still wondered what Motley and Ratt were going to do next.there was plenty of room in my CD case for both 🤘

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Hey, man, I'm right there with you... such a crazy time in the history of music. Seriously appreciate you always supporting the channel, brother.

[@krashkoursemetalshow]

When I talked to Michael Kelly smith , they said they hated the name “boys in heat” but execs called the shot . The debut did go gold but boys in heat was about the go gold but with the fallout during the tour had no chance . BiH and bite down hard are great albums but for different reasons 🤘

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Hey, just subscribed to your channel-I'll go check out your stuff shortly. Thanks for sharing this stuff.

[@krashkoursemetalshow]

@@HairMetalGuru419 thanks ,same here brotha 🤘

[@Pride-xi1iq]

El album de britny fox iba ser platino pero Columbia , la discografica lo corto y mando a Britny hacer otro disco

[@newavatar2947]

Michael Kelly and Dean got into a fight. Dean wanted to have complete control of the band and Michael finally had enough and called him out on it. Dean wrote most of the songs though so I was quite surprised when I bought Bite Down Hard on cassette in November 1991. Its one of their very best

[@zakkjagneaux2600]

Generation Swine flopped because it was horrible , I have tried to revisit it over the years, still bad . I dug Freakshow , still listen to Hang On St Christopher cover . Badlands Voodoo Highway , I listen to constantly..

[@lovegun2112]

Voodoo Highway is a great album.

[@patrickreeves4650]

a point i like to make about generation swine that most people don't think about is that a lot of the failure of swine in my book, is that tommy and nikki gave a lot of press prior to the release of that album that was cringe, and inflammatory contradictions of themselves. nikki talked a lot of crap about old motley albums, and their history, while also saying that songs like rocketship, and afraid were among his finest songs. my point is that his interviews were a turn off to many fans, before the album even came out. i bought the album at midnight of release day, with about 50 other fans at a tower records. at midnight on the button, they started playing the album while selling it. from the opening of find myself, until about the third song, most people were looking at each other as if we all got duped.

[@saltpeter7429]

Every few years I play Generation Swine to see if perhaps something in my perspective might have changed and I might find that I can appreciate some of it. Nope. I absolutely hate it. No redeeming features. Van Halen 3 on the other hand... that one blossomed in my ears. Good release. Eddie's " artistic expression" album, most people didnt want that from VH, but damn it I can get into it!

[@patrickreeves4650]

@@saltpeter7429 3 has a lot to offer VH fans if they can get over that it isn't dave or sammy. fire in the hole, without you, dirty water dog, and one i want are all pretty solid songs.

[@saltpeter7429]

@@patrickreeves4650 yeah, I love it. I was saying it took a few spins to figure that out. GENRRATION SWINE will never be something I want to hear

[@docvader82]

There's only one way to go after Back in Black. I loved FTATR. But I find Guns for Hire the only memorable song from Flick. I really like Fly, but not many seem to.

[@BurnLikeAFlame]

Extreme's first 2 albums were brilliant because of the combination of both musical talent, and some tongue-in-cheek or humorous lyrics. They'd developed their reputation based on those two things. III Sides lost the plot, or rather, it lost the humor. And they haven't regained it on any album since. I can't listen to anything beyond the first 2 albums because of that. They sound like any generic band after those.

[@patrickreeves4650]

waiting for the punchline had some killer stuff on it.

[@rotadyma]

With Britny Fox, the big hit was Long Way to Love, which made it to #33. Girlschool didn't even chart. It was played a lot on MTV but didn't actually chart. If you think VH didn't click with Gary in the band, you should have seen them live. Gary killed it live.

[@aaronmnsky]

Remember the band Vain’s -No Respect album? So good 🤜🏽🎸🤛🏽

[@HairMetalGuru419]

I've covered them in another video! --Guru

[@HairBandBasement]

No Respect is an awesome album!! One of the best from the genre.

[@patrickreeves4650]

one of the finest, and most unique albums the genre produced.

[@ThundersMcCoy]

17:02 - The reason why they don't acknowledge that era is because it's been disparaged for decades by the term "Hair band" which is something that wasn't used until years later as an attempt to smear the music...and not for nothin' but you're not helping by continuing to use the term. :P It's like if someone called you an insult & you started referring to yourself as that insult.

[@stuartewoldt1513]

You know what i like about you guys,? Is that you know and have loved music as much as i have and im sure i might know 1 or 2 things that you (might) not know as you have for me. But great conversation and vibe yall got ..

[@trendpimp1]

Great video, great discussions. I'll be sure to check out Hair Metal Basement, sounds like it's right up my alley. If I may be so bold, I'd like to throw in a couple suggestions for the inevitable 3rd installment of this video series--- Enuff Znuff- Strength. EZ's debut was pretty successful with "New Thing" and "Fly High Michelle" making some waves but the follow up pretty much came and went without much fanfare. It's a very solid album but that rarely seems to matter when it comes to sales. Side note, last weekend I saw former Enuff Znuff singer Donnie Vie opening for Zebra. He was in great form. Steve Stevens' Atomic Playboys----Steve Stevens was one of the most well known guitarists in the 80's with 3 huge albums with Billy Idol, a Grammy for the Top Gun Anthem, "Dirty Diana" with Michael Jackson, and much more. Atomic Playboys kinda killed that hot streak, despite being an excellent album. Interestingly, 5 years after the album came out, the second song off the album, "Power of Suggestion"', was used for the opening credits of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Didn't help the album sales, though. I know it's not technically hair metal, but who had bigger hair than Steve Stevens? And since you were talking about Hanoi Rocks and Michael Monroe: in between Atomic Playboys and his stint with Vince Neil, Steve had a side project with Michael Monroe called Jerusalem Slim. Their album never got past the demo stage but most of the songs ended up being used on "Exposed". Think about that, songs at least partially written by the singer of Hanoi Rocks ended up on the solo album of the guy who killed the drummer of Hanoi Rocks!

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Hey, thanks for the great suggestions and input! The Enuff Z'nuff album, yeah, that's a great idea. I just listened to the Steve Stevens album, funny, I fuckin' hated the "Power of Suggestion" haha. I have the Jersualem Slim album on CD--I know Michael Monroe didn't want that to come out, but I didn't know that some of the songs for that project ended up with Vince Neil--that's crazy. Hey, thanks for watching and commenting, I really appreciate it.

[@patrickreeves4650]

the story of how vince's first album "exposed" was made is fascinating. he had almost zero to do with it. the band wasn't even a "band" until 6 days before the mtv awards performance for "your invited but your friend can't come" . there is a fantastic interview with robbie crane on youtube where he tells the story of basically being in a video and not even knowing the song, and then days later being told he was the 2nd guitarist, when he didn't even play guitar all that well. the songs written by ghost writers and the tour being a mess of performances that were less than cohesive. vik fox being fired mid tour, and stevens leaving as well. its a mess.

[@gregsimmons694]

Love the tesla album! Some of these albums are decent! I bought 9 of these cds! God bless all the ratt n rollers! Jesus saves sinners!

[@BurnLikeAFlame]

I was never that into Europe in the 80s for some reason. But their albums from Secret Society (2006) on have been among my favorites. "Last Look at Eden" is their most experimental, even some 70s vibes, and definitely my favorite. The only Europe album where I don't skip a single track. It includes probably their heaviest rockin' track they've ever done as well, "The Beast". ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooGVlJ-ooNuhb7M ) Live these days they're also amazing. Most recently saw them co-headlining a show with Whitesnake (on Snake's final tour).

[@ciaranmeeks9431]

Europe are fantastic and criminally underrated and underappreciated. The solo on the title track for 'Superstitious' is one of the most epic ever put to tape.

[@rob1tnt]

A few suggestions for a part 3! Melidian - Lost In The Wild Harem Scarem - S/T Marchello - Destiny Smashed Gladys - Social Intercourse White Wolf - Endangered Species

[@HairBandBasement]

Marchello! Nice. Their debut is a good album. I went to high school with Gene the guitarist/vocalist.

[@BurnLikeAFlame]

I loathe the version of "Tear It Down" that is on Adrenalize. I had the original version of that song on the B-side of the "Women" single years before that, and it was a ball-busting headbanger. The Adrenalize re-recording is watered down to fit the album, and it's just such a disappointment in comparison. The original Tear It Down can easily be found these days as one of the bonus tracks on Hysteria re-releases and the Box set that includes Hysteria.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Gonna search that out. Hey, thanks a lot for watching and sharing your thoughts.

[@patrickreeves4650]

a lot of the poppier def leppard songs have much heavier origins that you can find on youtube.

[@docvader82]

I LOVE Promised Land. The tour was great too. But, I totally see how an old school QR fan would hate it. I didn't love them before that. I like Mindcrime and empire. But PL is my favorite QR.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Hey, thanks a lot for watching, I really do appreciate it.

[@onekoolmedic]

Yes queensryche fell off the face of the earth. Empire was such a great album it ruined the band. I can’t name one album or song after empire.

[@patrickreeves4650]

for 1994-1995, bridge still got played on mtv and radio. it was by no means in heavy rotation, but it was normal to see queensryche on mtv at this point, and i think they had some night time talk show performances either on leno or letterman. that album is pretty divisive to the fan base though.

[@Mizzomaz]

Danger Danger were great. Saw them support KISS on the 'Revenge' tour. Only went to see them play. KISS were secondary. 😬 'Find your way back home' was the best ballad on 'Screw It!' Andy Timmons was an amazing guitarist. Too good for the band, really.

[@BurnLikeAFlame]

Since 2001, I've seen Hanoi Rocks (Revisited lineup) live for every of the 3 albums they did, and seen Michael live touring for every album he's done since that point. The benefits of living in Sweden. Michael these days is a powerhouse on stage despite his age. If you miss seeing him live, you're missing what may be one of the best live shows you'll see by an 80s artist in the modern day.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Never seen either--I wish.

[@ThundersMcCoy]

Did you see the original Hanoi Reunion for Michael's 60th? I saw them twice in '84 and they haven't lost a step. The whole set is on KZbin, check it out if you haven't see it.

[@scotty666tt]

Agree with the Ryche album,wasn't bad but it's not previous Queensryche, Afterwards was really bad

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Hey, thanks for watching and commenting, I really appreciate it.

[@carriesitar9155]

Love Europe Motley Crue Poison and all Eighties music always and forever Love the Hair Metal Guru episodes on hair bands from eighties it Rocked

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Hey, thanks a ton for watching and supporting the channel! Seriously, I really appreciate it.

[@Rook7474]

If you do a Part III, I'd recommend Winger's "Pull".

[@HairMetalGuru419]

LOVE that album. I would imagine it will show up somewhere down the line. Hey, thanks for watching and commenting, I really appreciate it.

[@patrickreeves4650]

down incognito did very well at radio, but got zero mtv play.

[@chriswheatley3146]

Definite good choice. I loved the debut, hated In the Heart of the Young and stopped listening to them for a long time. I came back to them about 10 years go; loving Pull. Their newest, Seven, is really strong as well.

[@joeb2588]

"Pull" is amazing. What an album!

[@maxrav1831]

Flick of the switch and Fly on the wall are two of my favourite AC/DC albums. Many people have a problem with the thinner production of those albums after the huge fat production the Mutt albums. I personally love the change of direction on the production and there are some brilliant rock n roll on those albums. Landslide is a fantastic rock track

[@CaliCore23]

These Days is better than Keep The Faith. All the songs are mature, instrumentally superior, lyrics are great.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

I hear a lot of people talk about loving that album. I need to revisit.

[@planetofthelivingsandman3862]

La guns Hollywood vampires album for me is their masterpiece. Love that record. Not crazy about really anything else they’ve done.

[@MrFluffernutterz]

The first two CD's I ever bought were Badlands debut and Michael Monroe's Not Fakin' It. I still listen to Badlands regularly to this day and is one of my favorites (I'm a big Jake E. Lee fan). I don't really listen to Michael Monroe anymore though, lol.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

I'm with you, I don't think the Monroe album has aged particularly well. I'm more apt to listen to old Hanoi Rocks that Not Fakin' it. Hey, thanks for watching and commenting, I really appreciate it.

[@ThundersMcCoy]

Out of everybody mentioned on this podcast Michael Monroe is the only one who is still putting out great music and is still great live.

[@chadsensei-ue6jn]

@@ThundersMcCoy He had Slash in on the last album.

[@blaisebarshaw2534]

Listen to 2011 Michael Monroe Sensory Overdrive, you’ll be back on the wagon.

[@ThundersMcCoy]

@@blaisebarshaw2534 and if Sensory Overdrive doesn't do it Blackout States definitely will. In fact there isn't a bad song from Horns & Haloes to Blackout States.

[@SpiritualHolyWars]

A lot of these bands did not have as good of record company backing, management, promotions etc. as other bands did. A producer could make or break a band.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Good point, absolutely. Hey, thanks for watching and commenting, I really appreciate it.

[@mikeb.7183]

Exactly, If the label didn't get behind you, If you had a bad reputation of being difficult on the road or your manager wasn't on the same page as the label for your career, you never got a shot, and you probably still owe people money.

[@BurnLikeAFlame]

1997-98 were the years of 80s bands doing the absolute shittiest albums. 3 albums I refuse to listen to again came out during that time, the mentioned Generation Swine, and the equally vomit-inducing Shadowlife by Dokken. Don blamed that shitshow on George Lynch, who was out of the band after that. And considering what Dokken has done since without him, he may be right. And of course, Van Halen III in '98.

[@stephensanchez9590]

Shadowlife did suck,but everything dokken has done since has been great, erase the slate great album as well as hell to pay ,broken bones, heaven comes down, and the best of the bunch and if you haven't heard this one LIGHTNING STRIKES AGAIN, THIS ALBUM IS MY SECOND or THIRD FAVORITE DOKKEN ALBUM ITS EVERY BIT AS GREAT AS ANYTHING FROM THE 80S

[@stephensanchez9590]

And that shitshow was every bit George lynch and Jeff pilson ,Don had the producer for Metallica ready to do their next album but George and Jeff wanted the guy that produced candlebox and insisted so them two wrote that album and the producer said he hated dons voice and told him to sing lower as you notice the dokken name is wrote differently than all the other albums that's because Don refused to put his trademark on shadowlife he hated that album

[@JimmyJWatson]

Fire in the Hole was the only good song on VH III but I do agree the album did suck as a whole 'cause EVH was losing the plot

[@patrickreeves4650]

vh3 had a ton of exposure to the mainstream. without you was in regular mtv rotation in 1998, fire in the hole was in lethal weapon 3, and vh did a lot of tv. the fan backlash was pretty intense. i will say, that the shows they played with gary were fantastic. he did a lot of the roth and hagar material justice.

[@patrickreeves4650]

@@stephensanchez9590 shadowlife might be the worst album that any 80's metal band ever did in the 90's.

[@BurnLikeAFlame]

Saw L.A. Guns twice back in the day... Opening for AC/DC (Blow Up tour) for their debut album, then later for Cocked and Loaded tour... sandwiched in a triple bill with headliner Billy Squier and King's X opening before them. Not sure their touring really helped them at that point. I love Billy Squier (being one of the five people who bought and loved his Tell the Truth album around 1993 that the label did absolutely nothing to promote), but by the time of that show he was nowhere near the powerhouse he was in the early 80s. And a different audience... I don't think L.A. Guns was finding new fans touring with him (or King's X for that matter). Was definitely the oddest tour lineup I saw, ever. I liked all three, I just thought they didn't work together.

[@patrickreeves4650]

l.a. guns wasn't being offered very good tours in 1993. in addition, the band was having huge issues within itself. that tour with squier was taken last minute, as a way to make money and stop the label that was suing them for not putting out another record. this was the reason the cuts album was released.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Yeah, holy shit, that's an interesting lineup... and not a good one for L.A. Guns. Would've loved to see them on the AC/DC tour.

[@patrickreeves4650]

faster pussycat's whipped is a great record that couldn't have come out at a worst time. the comment the reviewer made about a level of maturity they had achieved while still retaining their sleaze, is something many other artists of their genre failed to do. most of the artists were so tired of being told they couldn't write serious material, and tried to write commentary they had no business singing about. but pussycat went and wrote a great record, despite drug problems taking their drummer away, and having issues from their label. there is a great article in metal edge from them joining the kiss revenge tour, and talking about testing new material by playing 30 minutes for kiss, and then playing a full show hours later in the same town in clubs. they were a band that loved playing, and really wanted to make it work. the worst part was the band getting dumped by elektra while playing arena's opening for kiss, and trying to find a new label at the same time.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Hey, thanks for sharing that info. Great stuff. And thanks a lot for watching, I really do appreciate it.

[@docvader82]

I get your point about less sales. But Skid Row could not have been surprised. The debut was very slick pop, radio, MTV hard rock. Slave to the Grind was a more intense album, touring with Pantera definitely influenced them and STTG was borderline metal. They did it on purpose and HAD TO know it wasn't gonna sell the same.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

I hear what you're saying, but they also had 3 ballads on that album that got released as singles--don't you think they thought those songs were gonna make that album blow up? None of them began hits. But, I definitely see your point.

[@iancocks9408]

@@HairMetalGuru419quicksand Jesus was a Japan only single so usa would have been the two ballads/ slower songs. The same as on skid row debut.

[@jdmcd3873]

The Badlands album was terrific but unfortunately with it being a little more bluesy, I think it sort of hurt it from being a huge album. It did okay, but was just different enough that the masses didn't take to it. It is a shame because it is amazing record.

[@patrickreeves4650]

the second album got even more blusey.

[@jdmcd3873]

@@patrickreeves4650 Definitely true. I didn't like that one quite as much but still very good.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Completely agree.

[@Matt-fs1yy]

It's "okay." There are some good cuts on the album, but a lot of them are too long and there isn't an obvious hit.

[@uuu098]

Queensryche was one of my favorite bands at one point but The Promised Land was a big disappointment (not just in sales). It had some interesting aspects to it but on the whole it just fell flat. I don't think it was the "grunge killing hair metal" argument, since Queensryche were not really hair metal. The album just wasn't that special or memorable. Looking back, it seemed like Queensryche were destined for greatness but they just fizzled out and turned into a debacle with their falling out with Geoff Tate.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Very good points.

[@docvader82]

Bust a Nut is fantastic, I think it's the last one that's on par with the first 3. It came out when the death of that style was coming.

[@patrickreeves4650]

bust a nut got a ton of radio play in portland oregon when i was a junior in high school. saw them at a small club on that tour, and it was packed. tesla had a good following still, but the label is to blame for that album not going platinum. nobody knew that the album was out. i remember most people at the show i was at, had no clue they even put out an album at that point.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Completely agree. Hey, thanks a lot for watching, I really do appreciate it.

[@saltpeter7429]

Real good album. I agree about the record company not promoting it.

[@MetalAsylumNJ]

Twisted Sister Come Out & Play was dead on arrival unfortunately because the two singles were the worst choices and songs on the album

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Yeah, man, they really fucked up with the single choices.

[@iancocks9408]

Bizarre, those two songs are also crap, could have not even recorded them and written better songs.

[@lowdz68]

Screw It is one of the best hair metal albums period. The rap song is clearly meant to be a joke!

[@docvader82]

Ratt wrote much better songs on their follow albums than Twisted and Quiet Riot. Leader of the Pack was a BAD call. QR leading the second album with another cover, from the same band? I think it made people feel like they couldn't write their own shit. The song Metal Health is an all time classic for me. But how many more do they have that they wrote? Not much at all.

[@aaronshoaf4644]

This is another great episode! The only albums I’ve listened to all the way through are Out Of This World, Adrenalize, Psycho Circus, and Van Halen 3. With that being said, Out Of This World and Adrenalize are 2 albums in my top 10 albums of all time. Out Of This World was much better than The Final Countdown, but Adrenalize wasn’t better than Hysteria. Psycho Circus is overrated, but don’t dislike it. Van Halen 3 belongs in the garbage, it blows. Not one song off that album can I say it’s remotely decent.

[@Wolfdog65]

Badlands was a musicians band . Too heavy for the pop metal fans

[@HairMetalGuru419]

That's a pretty accurate assessment.

[@HairBandBasement]

Good point. I worship this album.

[@patrickreeves4650]

very well put. guitar players loved that record. pop rock fans hated it.

[@ldogin]

Love anyone that plays the deep tracks. Nation is way too repetitive and “hits”. Good stuff boys.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Go visit the Hair Band Basement on X!

[@stuartewoldt1513]

Dude, i had that Badlands album in 1990. Every track is great. The Riffs, the vocals man you can tell he put alot of effort into those vox

[@MetalAsylumNJ]

First four Bon Jovi albums definitely metal, not "heavy" metal, but definitely hard rock metal, riffs and solos. Keep the Faith was an obvious change in the guitars and style

[@patrickreeves4650]

i think for 1992-1993, keep the faith was successful. the tour was huge, and the singles were mostly all over mtv. keep the faith was up against the onslaught of pearl jam, nirvana, soul asylum, spin doctors, and a massive return for duran duran. while every other band from the genre (save for firehouse) was being shunned by mtv, keep the faith, bed of roses, and in these arms were in rotation. also, keep this in mind to before calling keep the faith a bust...bon jovi's previous two records were from 1986-1991. in 5 years time, their core (teenage girls and guys) all went from middle school to high school, and then college. most people's taste change pretty dramatically in those periods of their life, so for jovi to still go mulit platinum in the states, is pretty successful.

[@michaelthompson3286]

Screw It! is a really fun, well-written album with some fantastic playing by Andy Timmons. Great sounding production too 🤘🏼

[@gellargod]

I loved New Tattoo by Motley Crue. Tour was awesome as well Megadeth opened. Danger Danger was great. Was definitely slipping her the big one in the 90s. Now that i am almost 60 I still think about them.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

I really need to revisit the New Tattoo album--it's been a while. Hey, thanks for watching and commenting, I really appreciate it.

[@patrickreeves4650]

that tour was doomed. if you remember, it originally started with motley, megadeth, and anthrax. anthrax was booted because the tour was playing to half full ampitheater's. anthrax trashed motley in the media for booting them. megadeth also trashed motley that their side of the tour was playing to half of the paid attendance because most left after megadeth.

[@gellargod]

@@patrickreeves4650 still was a kick ass tour

[@wickedlester5320]

Just for the record. I love Fly on the Wall to this day. Appears to be controversial but it doesn’t change my mind, I love it.

[@bonesjackson81]

Mindstorm debut. Killer hard rock hair metal album. Maybe it was because they were Canadian but that album did nothing. Shame as it's absolutely awesome.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

I'm gonna try to check this out.

[@bonesjackson81]

@HairMetalGuru419 Do. I put it at 99% chance you'll really dig it. Their st debut is easily in my top 10 hair metal albums.

[@jimmyagates]

The singer of Europe wrote the keyboard opening on The Final Countdown.....

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Thanks for fillin' me in!

[@MetalAsylumNJ]

Europe- Out of This World is such an excellent melodic hard rock AOR metal album. Superstitious is brilliance on all levels, especially the solo! So is Just the Beginning great heavy riff and solo

[@patrickreeves4650]

fantastic album...just a little too keyboard heavy.

[@MetalAsylumNJ]

@@patrickreeves4650 true

[@sdprazak]

Hollywood Vampires was the ONLY LA Guns CD I had! Great album!

[@jimmiebeesapimp]

The guitar solo at the end of Def Leppards Women is Epic dude if you skip that you aint metal!

[@HairBandBasement]

True. It is tasty. It’s getting there has the problem.

[@jimmiebeesapimp]

No problem for me maybe for A George Michael fan like yourself

[@NYUK-x-4]

Well in that case from a record execs POV Poison's Flesh & Blood was a flop, it "only" sold 3 million to Open Up and say ahh's 5 million

[@HairMetalGuru419]

I understand your point, but, yes, I would bet that some people in the record company were disappointed with sales going down 2 million from one album to another. Now, I do not think it was a flop--it had some major hits, and Poison went from 5-3. However, I completely stand by Adrenalize and Keep the Faith being flops--going from 12 to 3 million--anyone think the band or the record company was satisfied with that? Or Bon Jovi going from 7 to 2? I don't think so. Hey, thanks for watching and commenting, I really appreciate it.

[@NYUK-x-4]

@@HairMetalGuru419 Yea I gotcha, I just never thought about it from a record exucs pov. But...we know how money hungry and greedy they are. Jani showed us that with Warrants DRFSR album cover.

[@patrickreeves4650]

people also forget that the label pressed almost 30 thousand copies to give away to soldiers serving during the gulf war. that 30 thousand, when it hit the sales numbers, pushed the album sales into platinum upon arrival. clever move to push it up the charts, and it was done around the time something to believe in was released.

[@iancocks9408]

I don’t recall hearing anything on tv or radio other than unskinny bop. Was not long until flesh and blood was in the bargain bin. Open up was never in bargain bins and had more than one hit.

[@mcd8732]

I love Danger Danger Screw it! Also love the flick maximum overdrive.. haha III sides to every story is soooo under rated...great vid guys

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Hey, thanks a ton for watching and supporting the channel! I need to revisit the III Sides album---I hear so many people talk it up. Not sure I'll be revisiting the Maximum Overdrive movie though... haha. Hey, thanks for watching and commenting, I really appreciate it.

[@HairBandBasement]

Both are great albums!

[@andrewbowers4555]

LA Guns debut album wa/is absolute fire...Cocked and Loaded was great!..Hollywood Vampires, on initial listen was trash...Approaching 52 years of age now, so maybe I need to give it another try...

[@HairMetalGuru419]

I need to revisit as well...

[@Hangryoldman]

Hollywood vampires is a great album , it's simply just a different style. It still has some kick ass chest beating jams.

[@Jayhawk9]

I saw Bon Jovi live on the slippery when wet and then on the New Jersey tour and it was exciting but when I saw them on the keep the faith tour they had it together. They sounded amazing

[@paulflack74]

Joe Elliott did say that Adrenalize came out 2 years too late but obviously the band was having trouble with Steve Clarke hence it coming out much later

[@docvader82]

I think Bulletboys are Cape Verdean descent, not PR. I could be wrong, but I thought that was the case. My lifelong best pal (and his family, who were just about my second set of parents) is CV, and I could swear we've talked about BB being CV. If that was any factor in their (lack of) success..... then people just suck. Is the music good, nothing else should matter.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Honestly, I was a huge BB fan back in the day, and I never heard anyone talk about Marq's race. That's just me, though.

[@ciaranmeeks9431]

Funny thing is, I remember at the time where two of the acts in question were concerned (Bulletboys and Badlands) for months they had their videos in what seemed like almost constant rotation on the Power 30 (Canada's Headbangers Ball). I always got the impression they must have had a pretty big and growing following. Goes to show what an illusion that was! LOL!

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Completely. I've had people comment on how huge Slave to the Grind must've been because they saw their videos on MTV, which they did, but their singles did nothing at radio. Hey, thanks for watching and commenting, I really appreciate it.

[@patrickreeves4650]

that bulleboys album, based on mtv play, should have sold millions. but the reality is, that even on the poison flesh and blood tour, and tv appearances, the album did nothing. i don't think the genre was really looking for a van halen clone at the time, as much as they wanted poison, warrant, and guns n roses clones.

[@TheChadTI]

The only albums on the thumbnail im not into is Danger Danger and Bon Jovi. I had every other one shown. 🤙

[@ThundersMcCoy]

I'm with you on Bon Jovi but how did you not like Screw It? Go listen to Crazy Nites and tell me that song just doesn't make you happy.

[@gerydblackmore5484]

How did Def leppards album flop. Went to number 1

[@vicprovost2561]

Idiot opinion that they flopped in any way, shape or form.

[@BurnLikeAFlame]

He literally tells you this. Flopping is relative. They went from a 12 million selling album down to 3 million. Still better than most releases at the time, but a loss of 9 million sales is worse than any other drop at the time as well.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

@@vicprovost2561 If you actually watched the video we explained this in great detail.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

We explained this in great detail if you watch the video.

[@patrickreeves4650]

@@vicprovost2561 adrenalize was successful from the standpoint that it still got play and rotation on mtv, when most from the genre didn't. It sold relatively well for 1992-1993, but worldwide, it sold massive. if you want to make a "flop" argument, you could make a minor argument that it was disappointing for the US market.

[@docvader82]

Gen swine was sooo bad. And after such a gem with the Corabi album.

[@patrickreeves4650]

generation swine is one of the most obvious cases of a band having no solid song ideas, and forcing a record. the argument that those songs were meant for john isn't accurate. 4 of the songs were corabi songs, but then half of that record was made up in the studio. there is a great group of videos on youtube of motley recording the 1994 record. there is even a clip in there of mick playing the riff to the song "generation swine" in 1993. so there are bits and pieces from older records, and then songs like rocketship, glitter, and others that were written in the studio. horrible record. if they had tried to just write what people knew them for, i think it would have been far better received, however still not commercially successful.

[@docvader82]

Am I ever gonna change is a Great tune from Extreme 3, one of my favorite songs from them. But it's NOT a single.!

[@HairMetalGuru419]

I gotta check it out.

[@seanlandonclarke]

Speaking of Quiet Riot's "Condition Critical" and how bad it flopped... there was a well-known music critic that wrote, I think, for Rolling Stone (I can't remember his name). He was known for long detailed reviews of albums. Taking inspiration from Spinal Tap, he only wrote a two-word review of that album: Condition terminal.

[@joeb2588]

Ugh. I wonder if he gave the album a chance. It was pretty good. I know QR III takes a lot of crap but I think it's great, minus 1 song..

[@Glamking89]

Bullet Boys did get back togethet for a short time. They performed at the M3 festival

[@newavatar2947]

I bought 3 Sides and to be honest it put me to sleep. I wanted another Porno graffiti because that was such a fun album. I got the feeling 3 Sides was Extreme trying to pull a Queen. The whole album is sort of a downer lyrically but the musicianship is stellar

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Great point. And thanks a lot for watching, I really do appreciate it.

[@mikaelbodin9178]

I think Europe came back even stronger in the 2000s. Maybe Extreme and Skid Row are still doing it well also.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

I need to check out Europe's later albums--I hear a lot of good things about them. New Skid Row and Extreme are great!

[@mikaelbodin9178]

@@HairMetalGuru419 Yeah, Europe has turned into more of a classic rock band these days.

[@glennsblog6686]

I like these reviews, a lot of good and some not so good albums in the 90s .

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Hey, thanks for the kind words. And thanks a lot for watching, I really do appreciate it.

[@parishofrock2963]

Bon Jovi Keep The Faith may have flopped in the US, but it was a big album across selling over £10m around the world. So I’m sure the record company was happy.

[@mtaffer]

I think this shows that cranking out hit albums is not as easy at it seems. Being a fan of this kind of music in the 80's, I was just aware of the sophomore slump and just found that if I band had a huge record, they were under so much pressure to meet or exceed it, that they tried too hard and it just blew up in their face. Also, I think there was oversaturation of the market and a lot of it just became generic and helped move the grunge era in. Disappointing albums were leading to lower sales overall. But regular rock music also got caught up in that and was replaced by hip-hop and rap...so a lot was going on. I do find it funny though, that when grunge was becoming huge in the US, the complete opposite (Power metal) was growing huge in Europe. That's where I gravitated to, as the generic alternative market just continues to get more and more shallow and no bands last or can even be distinguished. I'm surprised more 80's metal fans are not into bands like Sabaton or Battle Beast...it's just 80's metal worship. And if you are a fan of The Final Countdown, listen to a song called Land of Light by Freedom Call and tell me what you think...

[@andrewbowers4555]

Adrenalinez was not even close in quality to anything Def Leppard had put out previously....Not even close...

[@patrickreeves4650]

adrenalize was the poppiest thing def leppard did to that point. x is like adrenalize light.

[@jimmiebeesapimp]

No shit the main member died duh

[@RolandDeschain1]

The most consistently great 'hair band', even up to now, has been W.A.S.P. From the 90s through the 00s they're records have been stellar. Okay, 'Helldorado' is kind of mid. But I get the feeling it was supposed to.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

I've actually been on kind of a WASP kick lately--completely agree that they're so underrated.

[@docvader82]

I never got into Hollywood Vampires. I should revisit it. Cuz I LOVE Cocked & Loaded.

[@patrickreeves4650]

Hollywood Vampires is a good album, but I agree, there is something vastly different about it. Cocked and Loaded is full of sleaze and grit, but Hollywood Vampires goes on a journey. It took some balls for them to do that, and I applaud them for it, but it just doesn't click in places.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

I'm right with you.

[@MetalAsylumNJ]

Promised Land is enjoyable but its no Empire, its the next album Hear in the Now Frontier which is a flop, a sign of the times.

[@WineSippingCowboy]

Def Leppard. Adrenalize. Reasons it did not sell close to Pyromania or Hysteria. 1 death of Steve Clark 2 record companies wanted Seattle 90s rock more than 80s rock 3 Mutt Lange wanted a Guns and Roses type album instead of continuing the Hysteria type of album.

[@mikeb.7183]

Listen to Greg Chaison's Full Bloom interview and you will hear exactly why Badlands was never more than a blip on the radar. Bad management was the root of all of their short comings

[@raytruhn602]

The third Danger Danger album Cockroach just might be there best album, if yall have not heard it you must check it out!!!!!!

[@oldschoolgnrfan6035]

I saw KISS on that "Farewell" tour in 2000, in Mansfield, Massachusetts. The venue was known as the Tweeter Center back then (It's now the Xfinity Center). Tweeter was a chain of stores that sold musical instruments. I happened to hear on the radio that you could pick up free tickets for the KISS show in Mansfield, so I went to my closest Tweeter store. I ask the clerk about the free KISS tickets, and he pulls out a stack of tickets at least three inches thick and asks me how many I wanted! I think I ended up taking eight, giving a few to co-workers. I was just shocked at how many free tickets were being given out, and this was just one store! There was a good crowd at the show, but who knows how many people were there due to the free tickets. KISS was absolutely terrible that night. Ace was drunk, or high, or both. Ted Nugent opened, and he was outstanding, so at least I got one good performance that night. As for 'Psycho Circus', I think it's one of KISS' best, despite Ace and Peter appearing on only a handful of songs. The title track sounds very Def Leppard-esque. I also liked the closer, "Journey Of 1,000 Years", a lot. Probably didn't sell well because radio stations were being paid to play grunge crap.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Wow, that's a great story, thanks for sharing. Hey, thanks a lot for watching, I really do appreciate it.

[@ThundersMcCoy]

Two Steps From The Move is an amazing record. I got it the day it came out (I was already a Hanoi Fan) and still play it once a week. I believe 100% that if Vince doesn't murder Razzle than not only is Motley's career different but so is Hanoi's and I'll even go as far as to say that we don't even see a Guns N Roses...at least not how we know them. BTW out of those 3 bands I mentioned only ONE is still putting out great music and is amazing live...Michael Monroe. and when Hanoi did an original lineup reunion for Michael's 60th they were EXACTLY like they were back in the day.

[@Matt-fs1yy]

For all the cult- following love for Badlands and Blue Murder, neither of those bands had the all-important "it" factor that was critical for the time. And truthfully, neither album has a catchy song or hook for radio, which explains the poor sales.

[@docvader82]

Nuno is soooo underrated

[@HairMetalGuru419]

completely

[@Yeet112]

I would say 3 sides was pretty big at the time if you were into extreme. It was their NEXT album that flopped so bad.

[@bluelivesmatter719]

Great show, boys. Some takeaways... Badlands-I remember being excited about this before the release. Then it came out and exceeded my expectations. Loved it and thought this band was going to be huge. And should've been. Bust a Nut- very solid record but I probably rank it last from their first four albums. Screw It- LOVED this record and it should've been as big as Cherry Pie. Hell, DD should have been as big as Poison. Europe- a rarity that arguably put out their best music in the last 10 years. Walk the Earth and War of Kings are SOLID Generation Swine- agree that was a steaming pile of dog shit Promised Land- I actually still love this record. Hear in the Now Frontier was the one that was a dud to me Boys in Heat- disappointing from the debut but did produce Stevie which is my favorite BF song ever Blue Murder- as good if not better than Whitesnake's self titled record. Fight me Van Halen III- This record was terrible but did see them on this tour and will say they sounded amazing. Cherrone bridged the Roth and Hagar material flawlessly

[@lowdz68]

Promised Land was difficult for me. They were my favourite band but I really struggled with most of it. Now, I love it - except for Disconnected - that is a steaming pile.

[@ldogin]

Blow up your video was 88 not 89.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Thanks for the info!

[@MetalAsylumNJ]

Hair Nation Deep cuts at least plays many non hits and bands not on the flagship channel

[@lowdz68]

The Europe album was poor. Prisoners In Paradise was a great return to form though. Maybe an idea for another discussion great albums that followed the albums that flopped! Wake Me When It's Over only had one decent song on it - House of Pain.

[@patrickreeves4650]

prisoners was supposed to be produced by bob rock, but he bailed to produce the black album by metallica. prisoners has so many massively good songs...a year earlier, probably would have been a huge hit. if you look up "the lebaron boys" on youtube, you can hear the original versions of what prisoners songs were supposed to be before the label rejected them.

[@mikeb.7183]

Motley always was ripping their image off from others. Too Fast for Love they stole the look from London/ Wasp, Shout was Judas Priest, Theater of Pain, they went for the Hanoi Rock look, for Girls it was the Sunset Strip look that the Guns bands (LA and Roses) were making famous. Dr Feelgood they went for the Seattle meets Bon Jovi thing

[@samkeepintherockalive]

Q5 was a real cool band. Actually they released an album not too long a go. So, maybe they are still together.

[@thomasthompson2084]

Roxy blue want some should have been huge along with asphalt ballet debut albums that got no promotion at all

[@Glamking89]

Nobody ever bring up Roxx Gang , King Kobra or Rough Cutt's Wants you debut albums

[@rickstrawsburg6842]

Maid in Wonderland off of Faster Pussycats Whipped is an awesome song.

[@wickedlester5320]

Thunder - Backstreet Symphony

[@kennethcelorio4937]

Out of this world by Europe did not flop. 3x platinum album US Billboard charts.

[@HairMetalGuru419]

Everything that I've read says that Out of This World went platinum, and The Final Countdown went triple platinum.

[@patrickreeves4650]

@@HairMetalGuru419 you are correct here guru. that album out of this world sold 1 million, mostly based on the success of the final countdown.

[@pauldavis2619]

I love danger danger but the rap song put a rock song or a Glam metal song of the album but still a great album

[@elijahmorris9864]

By including non Hair Metal you broke the rules and everyone knows that Rock N Roll is all about rules. 😅