Grunge Didn't Kill the Sunset Strip - The Untold Story of What Really Happened!

You can now support this channel by shopping at Sweetwater sweetwater.sjv...
You can help this channel by using my Amazon link. amzn.to/4az0up5
Think grunge music killed the Sunset Strip rock scene? Think again. In this video, I take you on a journey down memory lane, right to the heart of West Hollywood, where I share my firsthand experiences of what really happened. While the music industry and radio were pushing the new grunge wave, there was a bigger story unfolding on the Sunset Strip-a story of city politics, law enforcement, and the unseen forces that played a role in the decline of the legendary hard rock scene. Join me as we revisit the iconic clubs and streets that once buzzed with the sounds of bands like Van Halen, Quiet Riot, Ratt, W.A.S.P., Guns N' Roses, Poison, and Warrant. This isn't just about nostalgia; it's about uncovering the truth behind the end of an era. Don't miss out on this insider's perspective on the rise and fall of one of rock's most vibrant hotspots!

[@TammyCreswell-l7h]

The 80s sunset strip scene, the music, the clothes, the hair, the parties the attitude was the best time of my youth. It will never ever be duplicated ❤

[@badbrad]

Man it was epic!

[@thracian2072]

Long live the 80s, the last decent decade of Western Civilization.

[@michaelr.4878]

Considering what is going on in LA these days...it is crazy that the city had such a problem with bands passing out and posting flyers. I guess they would rather clean up a metric ton of human feces off of their sidewalks every week than clean up some flyers. The city has become a camp site and dumping ground for the mentally ill.

[@badbrad]

It is crazy when you think about it.

[@ernieflanaganstingraybassm1463]

it is now SKID ROW

[@badbrad]

@@ernieflanaganstingraybassm1463 yep

[@ernieflanaganstingraybassm1463]

@@badbrad well sir i have alot of family in Boca but i cant breath in the summers there my brother Brad !!

[@badbrad]

@@ernieflanaganstingraybassm1463 yes very hot!

[@markphaneuf31]

I was there from roughly 1986 to 1990. I actually played in a band, called the Backstreet Boys, before the Backstreet Boys I could tell the scene was changing and decided to go back to school for production and engineering, low and behold, I ended up doing front of house for the Backstreet Boys, ha ha.

[@badbrad]

OMG that is wild....

[@DavidHBurkart]

Great story!

[@asianhooker100]

You were FOH for BSBs? You might know my cousin Doug Kimball. He was FOH for a shit load of different bands. I think BSBs as well briefly

[@ruready2rock856]

Yeah, thanks for posting this video. Grunge did not kill the sunset strip! And I would love to see a video on FM station. That was my favorite club and I think it was one of the best clubs ever in that era, in so many ways..

[@badbrad]

I need to do that!

[@zerastarchild2849]

So in other words, the public didn't choose Grunge. The record industry did, telling us all "this is what the people want.". And now this same industry seems to be a shadow of its former self. Maybe because it didn't represent the people it claimed to be making music for. You can't tell people what they want.

[@badbrad]

They are the taste makers the gatekeepers

[@keithpowell5336]

I grew up in the 80's and was a rocker all the way through. When I heard Pearl Jam, I knew music was changing. The labels cheesed out 80's rock with power ballads. That testosterone had to go somewhere and grunge was it. The labels ruined it just like they do everything else.

[@badbrad]

You ain't lying....

[@99percentirish64]

💯

[@michaelwills1926]

It was a social engineering program, flip of the switch. Out goes the fun and in comes the self loathing.

[@99percentirish64]

@@michaelwills1926 Agreed.

[@Jeremya74]

​@@badbradwhat year did they shut the flyers down?

[@stink204]

Brad, your recollection of the Sunset Strip is spot on. I was there at that time towards the tail end of that Era from 1987 through 1991. It was incredible! I also remember when it died. City Hall passed the no parking on the strip and banned all fliers. Do you remember when KNAC radio died? The song was Fade To Black by Metalica and before the end of that great song, the Mariachi music started playing. Game over. That was the final nail in the coffin. As a seasoned, road dog guitarist myself at 56 It is great to hear your stories personified. I really do relate to you, brother. Keep up the great work my friend! Salute!!!

[@badbrad]

Thank you for chiming in and backing up my testimony. Sometimes it all seems like a dream now. Thank you so much and Salute!

[@99percentirish64]

Thank you. Yea, when I was 18 in 1984, I wanted to go out to Hollywood. I didn't take that path. For me, looking back, it was the right thing.

[@LisaRichards_123]

We all wish it came back. A lot of people grew up, got married, had kids, had to get straight jobs and had to get up for work in the morning. Increasing rent and inflation made people have to get better paying gigs. The bands that made it went on tour. There were a lot of reasons why that generation of rockers disappeared from the Strip.

[@badbrad]

True!

[@E.C.2]

Younger white men my age in the 90's sold their Soul for hip hop,so to speak. I didn't fit in with my age group,they all hated rock n roll.

[@badbrad]

@@E.C.2 I could appreciate it for what it was....I can find something to like in everything....

[@E.C.2]

​@@badbradI was raised by older people 7-12 yrs older than me. Rock n Roll was in my DNA,hip hop fans destroyed it for me. You grew up in a different era but appreciate & understand everyone is different.

[@badbrad]

@@E.C.2 I get it. Everyone's perspective is different...we all have our own lense.

[@elantric]

1980, my room mate was in the band Gorilla, they performed at The Troubadour, and were handed 500 tickets to sell , they contacted the ticket printer directly, and ordered 1000 additional tickets. Placed these free tickets on windshields at every college in LA/ Orange county. They made the papers as selling out The Troubadour with a mile long line

[@badbrad]

That's pretty smart.

[@californiasurfpunkmetal6207]

Grudge didn’t kill the Sunset Strip the Hollywood Sherrifs dept and the City Council did. With all the parking permits and regulations it became so difficult to park, many people stopped going up there. One night I came out of the Roxy and my car had been towed. It was an honest mistake. Instead of a ticket they towed me and I had to take the bus to Redondo Beach at 2am with two girls. It was dangerous. Downtown was infested with gangs and crime. I stopped going up there after that.

[@badbrad]

Man I forgot how tough it was to find a parking spot. Your right.

[@TheFeelButton]

Scenes are always built on shifting sands. Cheers Brad!

[@badbrad]

Man you know it.

[@creamygoodness3018]

I started hanging out on Sunset in 1980, I was 16. Sometimes we wold go to the end of the Strip, cruise down Doheny and hit up the Troubadour. I was never good at promoting with the flyers and all that… no one in my bands were. But we were good bands, good songs, good players, so we used to get on bills with bands who could promote. We were savvy enough to always get at least the 2nd time slot, and we built what we were doing like that. We played all the clubs: Gazarri's, Roxy, Troubadour, Club Lingerie, Coconut Teaser, Whiskey-a-Gogo (the night it reopened, played 'quarters' with Roth upstairs), Raji's, King King, Madame Wong's West, Powertools/The Scream in DTLA, The Country Club (Reseda), FM Station (No Ho)… and a lot of parties. Good times!

[@badbrad]

That's awesome...good to meet you!

[@creamygoodness3018]

@@badbrad … you too!

[@miket.220]

The people partying to metal bands on the strip in the 1980s were in their 20s. By 1990, the people were pushing or hitting 30, getting married, starting families. The kids that broke grunge were hitting their 20s in 1990, Gen X. Not really a mystery.

[@badbrad]

True but that doesn't describe what happened on a street level.

[@E.C.2]

@@miket.220 MTV and record labels flat out STOPPED pushing metal bands. 1992 was an election year and social engineering helped destroy the Sunset Strip scene. It's more obvious 30 plus yrs later looking back.

[@thedoc9062]

Gen x was born between the years of 1965 to 1980. Not the 90s😂😂

[@miket.220]

@@thedoc9062 Gen X is really about 1965 to about 1976. Gen Y is about 1977-1985

[@thedoc9062]

@@miket.220 Y or millennials were born between 1982 and 1994. Not in the 70s

[@JoeNormal]

Brad, I was in the purple haired Glam Punk Pop band The Zeros. We ruled the Strip from 1990-1992 got signed to Enigma/Restless and even painted the Whisky and Coconut Teaser buildings purple. We were leaving for our first tour in '92 as Teen Spirit and Evenflow were taking over the airwaves. It was disheartening to say the least. I watched our label follow the trend to seek out their own Nirvanawannabe. We started losing our label's support by year's end, and internal differences broke the band apart after 10 long years struggling for success together. Sadly we were only a haircut and 12 months away from beating Green Day to the punch. (I found out years later that Billie Joe had seen us and was a fan of our band, too).

[@badbrad]

Man great to have you here. I followed you guys and saw the whiskey painted purple in your honor. You guys were absolute legends and really there was no reason for the labels to do what they did. You guys would have been perfect for that era but it was like L.A. was just pulled from the list of possibilities for bands at that time. You guys should have been huge.

[@JoeNormal]

@@badbrad I appreciate that, thank you so much Brad. We were like Queen, The Beatles, KISS, and Sesame Street all rolled up into one LOL I love your channel and hearing your stories. I totally relate and get a good laugh or a good uplift from watching. All the best to you and your family.

[@badbrad]

@@JoeNormal Thanks so much Joe, best to you as well.!

[@JoeNormal]

@@badbrad ✌️💜✌️

[@californiasurfpunkmetal6207]

The Zeros were a great live band! Saw you a bunch..

[@sergiom8405]

Thanks for sharing these stories Brad! It's truly sad that these iconic places are basking in their former glory.

[@badbrad]

Like a museum remnant of times past....

[@timscherrer9924]

You are the earliest rising rock performer on earth

[@badbrad]

I'm grinding hard on the back nine of life.

[@ernieflanaganstingraybassm1463]

yes he is and that shows that my friend is far from lazy right #badbrad

[@badbrad]

@@ernieflanaganstingraybassm1463 Rise and Grind.

[@mjwbulich]

I grew up in LA and was just entering high school and starting to go to shows in '86. All this hair metal crap was profoundly uncool. Wearing a GnR or Motley Crue shirt to school was a good way to get beat up. All the heshers were listening to thrash, hardcore/crossover, death metal, grindcore. Butt rock was done long before grunge showed up.

[@badbrad]

Yeah I get that, Thrash came in and did a number as well on the mainstream...but thrash notably Metallica ultimately became mainstream like they all do...

[@ddmd80]

The 80s what a time! I saw Whitesnake & Motley Crue in Tacoma,WA 1987, truly miss all those awesome bands Ratt, Cinderella, Winger, Dokken, Tesla, Faster Pussycat, LA Guns too many… You knew times were changing when bands like Blue Murder got zero traction during the onset of Grunge. LA FM video would be cool.

[@badbrad]

Blue Murder should have been huge!

[@ddmd80]

@@badbrad’Riot’ what a tune!

[@imarriedabrkfsttaco3737]

Caught the "Valley of the Kings" video once on MTV and was blown away! Bought the cassette and wore it out. Blue Murder's debut album is as good or better than anything John Sykes did with Whitesnake IMO.

[@badbrad]

@@imarriedabrkfsttaco3737 They were a great band.

[@billdean8714]

Amen!! Blue Murder!

[@ChristopherPaulGuitarist]

I was totally there from the mid 80s and still own a house in the valley where I am right now. bought a ranch outside Nashville about eight years ago and bought a house in Florida three years ago. The strip was amazing. I played lead guitar in a band that I brought out from the East Coast called "Brunette". After the labels passed the singer & his brother eventually became "Hardline" with neil schon from journey on guitar. I continued to live work and play in LA and played in several bands and got signed in a couple but never got the album on the shelf. Everything you’re saying is how it happened. It was an amazing time and I’m glad I was there to witness it. Keep up the good work Bad Brad.

[@ChristopherPaulGuitarist]

Mighty Joe Young from the strip became STP.

[@ChristopherPaulGuitarist]

STP = Stone Temple Pilots!

[@badbrad]

Wow

[@skullheadwater9839]

It's hard to explain to young people today.How cool it was before cell phones

[@badbrad]

They can't understand the concept of a landline and answering machines...

[@dmolls]

I had a band, D’Molls, that was very much a part 😮of the 80s Sunset Strip scene. Everything he so eloquently says is 100% true! My drummer, Billy (Dior) McCarthy wrote a book, “Beat Me Till I’m Famous,” which nicely complements this video.

[@badbrad]

Thanks for passing this on to Billy. D'Molls were a big part of that scene. Great to have you here.

[@chrisalexander1661]

I think part of the downfall could be attributed to over-saturation of bands that were too similar to other bands. It just got old to people.

[@badbrad]

yeah that's something I failed to mention....

[@hannahreese1629]

​@@badbradIt seems like about every 10 years everything shifts and man, time really flies by

[@badbrad]

@@hannahreese1629 It does indeed.

[@rhomotor]

All good music dies at some point. Whether it was punk, disco, 80s Rock, or Grunge. They have their time and then go away, but the real fans of the music stick around and keep it going.

[@badbrad]

Excellent observation

[@stephenfiore9960]

…I’d say every 10 years for a while. 50’s, 60’s,70’s etc all different

[@badbrad]

@@stephenfiore9960 That makes sense...

[@slowfinger2]

Something I noticed about Glamor, when working as a studio photographer. Hair, clothes, and makeup, can turn a mutt into a poodle. Most models are actually very average looking when they come in for a photo-shoot. Now that they're older, some of those glam band dudes are some kind of ugly, especially since cutting off long hair adds 20 years to their age. A tough life slog can really wear you down before your time. Appreciate the Sunset strip story.

[@badbrad]

Thank you. I can imagine without that makeup those models being plain Jane, Same could be said for the Glam Dudes, You could tell most of them were weird or just plain ugly looking and without all the hair and makeup they looked terrible. life kicks your butt...we all age but some better than others.

[@E.C.2]

Hip hop,feminism,and imploding demographic rates are what made rock n roll go the way of horses and buggies. MTV pushed feminism & hip hop relentlessly post 1992.

[@badbrad]

Interesting Theory...

[@willdenham]

You would make a perfect narrator for a documentary on this place and time.

[@badbrad]

I would love to do that

[@troyevitt2437]

SCOTUS ruled in Pruneyard Shopping Center v. Robins that leafleting is protected under the 1st Amendment. The leafleting in the Pruneyard case was of a political/social nature, but the ruling applies broadly to ALL leafleting. On the West Coast, the promotion issue may have hurt bands a day's road-trip away from Seattle and Portland, but nationally it was MTV's promotion of SUB:Pop bands that caused Cheese "Metal" to fall by the wayside.

[@badbrad]

Yes I hear ya there.

[@richevans609]

The Grunge Scene - AKA The Granddaddy of the Woke Movement.

[@badbrad]

lol

[@ronfast2]

@@badbrad lol.... but very true

[@riffism]

I hated playing the strip. I was in an Orange County based band…but it was kinda necessary even from 89-95 when I was doing it. The whole place is a ghost town now.

[@badbrad]

It sure is.

[@nowayjackson]

After rolling through the 80s, in my teens and early 20s, as a complete melodic hard rock/hair metal devotee, I ended up, last minute, at one of the first Lollapalooza shows. Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Ministry, Chili Peppers. I absolutely loved it. That was the first time I really felt that shift in the music industry. Except for a couple of radio singles, I really didn’t know any of the bands that day. I realized I had been in a cocoon of sorts, only listening to, basically, one genre of music like a religion. Whatever happened, Grunge, Country, Hip Hop, it needed to happen. I still listened to and went to the hair band shows. Def Leppard’s “Slang” is one of their best efforts. That came directly out of an influence from new bands and sounds.

[@badbrad]

Great post.

[@tryghanson3260]

Thanks for the stories Brad. I visited the Sunset Strip towards the tail end, it was a trip! But I remember seeing Poison on MTV and to me it was a band of 4 David Lee Roth-types. It became a caricature and I kinda knew the hair metal scene had peaked. But I still prefer the fun, celebration of life type music over brooding in a grunge dungeon.

[@badbrad]

Four DLR's that's kinda true....

[@MonaJ888]

When everything & everyone starts to sound the same & look the same, it’s time for a change. That kills a genre of music every time.

[@badbrad]

I hear ya there but I was on the strip and there were bands fusing all kinds of different styles on that scene. It wasn't all the same hair metal crap but that is what the labels signed.

[@burkeshire601]

I worked as a stage manager and was on set for Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit video shoot in 91. At that point nobody really knew who they were. I'd never heard of them when my boss said "A band from Seattle called Nirvana is coming in for a one day shoot this Saturday, want to work it?" I said sure and I did. Of course once it debuted on MTV it was game over and marked a tectonic shift in the music industry. I wasn't all that impressed being a hard rock guy, but millions of others were lol! I think the 80's SS scene just kind of burned itself out coinciding with the rise of Nirvana and grunge, and the rest is history as they say. But it was definitely a unique period in Hollywood during that time that won't ever be repeated.

[@badbrad]

Wow man you were there to witness it....

[@burkeshire601]

@@badbrad Yeah but you don't really realize its history till after the fact. At the time I thought "who wants to listen to this crap?" Boy was I wrong!

[@badbrad]

@@burkeshire601 The things is, I later borrowed my dad's copy of that record and really enjoyed listening to it...loved the drumming and the songs were good...

[@Markotto09]

The 80’s was a magical time in Southern Cali. Thank you Corporate America for another victim of your greed and incompetence.

[@badbrad]

Most of the strip will be gone to make way for condos

[@Rel6956]

Again, you nailed it Brad. I still go back to LA regularly, flying my home/studio here in AZ,... having family in Glendale CA. Anyway, I don't even know where bands play anymore out there. It seems rock itself is dead all around. I'm with you... I wish it would have never ended. Nothing else since has replaced that incredible era. I miss it all the time. P.S. Eddie and Allen changed my life. You know who I mean. ha Best, Robby

[@badbrad]

EVH and Holdsworth...two legends. Seems it's all a distant memory....

[@Rel6956]

@@badbrad Sadly...it's heartbreaking to me.

[@badbrad]

@@Rel6956 man I agree...

[@D-Fens_1632]

The bands got overexposed, believed their own hype, got drug problems, began infighting after their first album, ran out of songwriting talent after their first album, put out shitty records, then disbanded. Just some of the ways those bands faded away. As for the decline of LA, thet would take too long.

[@badbrad]

Sure alot of truth here.

[@BobbyGeneric145]

The corporate merging to a single playlist director RUINED radio and rock in general. Essentially the telecom act of 92 or whatever killed rock radio. Like the Ramones song "do you remember lyin in bed with the covers pulled up over your head? Do you remember rock n roll radio?" I have some great memories of listening to Z104.5 The Edge in Tulsa as a kid.

[@badbrad]

Wow!

[@BobbyGeneric145]

@@badbrad i heard you say "Playlist director" and it triggered me. In 97 tony from z104 played "My Own Summer" by the deftones 4 times in a row on the day it debuted! He just wanted to keep hearing it and knew we did too!

[@MJ98774]

Might be off topic, but as a rocker who got into jazz fusion in the 80s, Southern California had a LOT of great fusion bands at the time that you could see for cheap and locally. Tribal Tech, Chick Corea Electric Band, Mahavishnu Orchestra (3rd band line up), Allan Holdsworth, as well as solo projects like John Pattitucci, Frank Gambale....that was the BEST time to see those groups in their prime. As far as Sunset? We played the Roxy, I was in a rock band with slap bass (Chili Peppers knockoff) and IMO by the time grunge came out I noticed that generation didn't really seem to go to concerts. People who liked 80s rock and older were the ones who patronized shows...grunge? Not so much. I just think the demand for live music died in general. After seeing all the above plus Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock while it could be argued MTV killed popular music fusion bands really pushed back with quality shows.

[@badbrad]

Excellent post. I think we lived in the golden age of music. Then look at classic YES nothing to rival that now.

[@RemoWilliams-jg4yb]

Great video again as usual. During my stint listening to that genre, I NEVER could get into the bigger more successful acts. Something wasn't right and later on you found out why. I tended to like the B,C and D listers who really could play and bring it. They were hungry, but a lot of those acts where just a dog and pony show. Did that age well? Grunge didn't kill it, but it didn't help it either. A manager in the industry said you have four years to make your mark. From the time that teenager hits their freshman year, to the time they graduate highschool, that is your window. Then, another genre comes in and it is the new rage. The hairbands ego's, the fact that a lot of it was NOT music, just manufactured candy, over production and the fact that they got away from what it was really about killed it as well. People wanted true to form, real music and the grunge era gave them that. It stripped it down to the bare bones basics. I was not sold on that genre either, but there were some great bands with great songs in that era. When we were hanging out, I hit my jazz, funk, fusion stage. I wanted to see players BRINGING it on stage. I loved the funk metal genre and really hoped it would be the next big thing, but sadly that was not to be. 24/7 spyz, fishbone, living colour ect were all great bands.

[@badbrad]

Fishbone should have been huge....It all comes and goes so quick...just like life.

[@michaelr.4878]

​@badbrad You are right..Fishbone are still great and should have been huge. I disagree with the original poster about Living Color though. To me, Vernon Reid is one of the most overrated guitar players. At least as a rock player, that is. He is responsible for some of the worst leads and solos ever recorded.

[@badbrad]

@@michaelr.4878 Vernon's riff though were def. solid. I recently saw Living Color open for Extreme and was quite impressed with the group as a whole...

[@RemoWilliams-jg4yb]

@@badbrad Very true!

[@thenew400.]

King's X were amazing. Should've been the next thing. They still sound incredible. Never heard a tighter live band.

[@sampiHBK00]

Thank you for these stories! For those of us that are too young to have experienced the sunset strip in the 80’s, channels like yours give us insight into the time & scene!

[@badbrad]

Thank you for tuning in!

[@99percentirish64]

Hey Brad! New subscriber here, actually in Jacksonville, FL! 😊. I believe I found your channel, via Rick Beato's channel. Anyway, you're a great guitarist. I'm 58 as well, and moved to Florida from Wisconsin 24 years ago. I used to sing in a lot of bands in Madison, WI and a couple here in Jacksonville. Classic hard rock/metal. Thank you for all of these stories. They are fantastic.

[@badbrad]

Thanks for the sub! Sounds like we got a lot in common. Glad to have you here…

[@99percentirish64]

@badbrad You're welcome! Yep, we do. I can play guitar 🎸 a little bit, but was mostly a singer. I haven't sang since 2005, after the band I was in broke up. I'm glad I'm here, too.

[@susanscharch5562]

Hi! I live in Jacksonville Bchs. Where's the local Rock/ METAL scene? 🤘🎸 all my old stomping grounds have faded away..

[@99percentirish64]

@susanscharch5562 Hey there! Cool! I'm not sure. Monkeys in Orange Park? Otherwise, that was sad, when they closed the Freebird Cafe.

[@Sneakycat1971]

There were too many bands being promoted based on their image and not the music. The record companies did this and then moved on from them when the Seattle scene jumped off.

[@badbrad]

Indeed.

[@jacklbrt]

And the music industry is doing exactly the same thing today because that's what they do

[@Sneakycat1971]

@@jacklbrt but that's poo poo

[@rareheir]

Our daughter moved from the bay area to L.A. in the 80's because of the music scene. While visiting I got to meet a lot of her friends that were musicians. At one point in her life Gilby Clarke was her brother in law. Lemmy hitting on my daughter at a MTV pool party. We had our L.A. shot until Bill Graham took our guitarist Hal Wagenet and put him in It's A Beautiful Day. Life goes on. Thank you for your videos. Rock On !

[@badbrad]

Wow that is amazing!! Cheers

[@ronnieparker4311]

For myself in seeing interviews how the 80’s rockers were saying as the early 90’s came on and Seattle was being pushed by the record company’s and plus the alienation of m t v ! That where I think it comes from! I also will say there were awesome new bands that were coming out ! Badlands ,saraya , lynch mob , slaughter , cry of love , brother cane and more! I feel like bands were getting away from the spandex era and hair spray ! I felt music would have gone with these bands in the early 90’s in a 60’s kinda vibe ! I thought that was goin be the new style n scene ! ⚡️space ace Ron⚡️

[@davehughesfarm7983]

Black Crowes, Craker, Cake, Meat Puppets

[@badbrad]

Those bands should have been huge.

[@upyours574]

I was there, living off of the Strip from late 86 to mid 92 on Gardner Street, around the corner from the Guitar Center. I was 26 at the time and doing all that you talked about here, passing out flyers and doing everything we thought we needed to do to "make it". Problem was, we refused to do the make up, spandex, and hairspray thing and by not doing that, we couldn't get any record company to give us the time of day. They were only interested in bands that looked like Poison, Motley Crue and the rest. It had nothing to do with music and all about looks. Overall, it was a great experience. I got to play all of the famous clubs you mentioned, but the best part of it all for me was getting to meet and sometimes hang out with my musical heroes. Lemmy, Ian Paice, Glenn Hughes, Aerosmith, Johnny Depp, (just kidding). I never did "make it." (I probably would've died from a drug overdose), but i gave it a shot. Cool video, rock on!

[@badbrad]

Man we lived it. I wasn't into all that glam nonsense either. I've often thought the same thing, if I had made it then, might not be around now. Thanks for tuning in!

[@upyours574]

@@badbrad 👍

[@dathorndike4908]

LA Guns always gets overlooked..

[@badbrad]

Solid band saw them live back in the day.

[@alexvigil29]

What a cool video Brad , great insight , some old pricks in Hollywood banning flyers really kinda ruined the sunset strip club scene , man that was such a cool scene in the 80s and early 90s , this video was really awesome and cool to hear how you adapted and built up your bands following , kind of word of mouth and being personable to the people you met handing out the flyers

[@badbrad]

Thank you!🙏 it was a very cool Time.

[@DAGDRUM53]

We all know that old saying: Be nice to the people you meet on your way up, you'll see them again on your way down.

[@badbrad]

Oh ya!

[@frostedhead]

I remember going to the strip Halloween of '92 it was empty? I axe'd my buddy "where am err-one?" he replied "one weekend nobody isn't here anymore"? We was dressed as Gene and Ace and ended up going to Figs crib up in them thar hills.

[@badbrad]

Been there...

[@unknownkingdom]

Would you consider doing a video on the overlap between the LA rock scene and the adult industry? Heard a few things about it but it doesnt get talked about much. I know a LOT of adult film performers, both male and female, would hang out at many of the same clubs as the rock scene.

[@badbrad]

Good idea!!!

[@Roger8176]

That would be a great topic!

[@MartialArtsTheater3000]

Just found your channel and have been loving it. Great insight here about the flyers, and got me thinking: do you remember that documentary about the Sunset Strip, and in it someone said " What killed the Sunset Strip? Parking. What brought it back? Uber" I didn't fully understand the backstory on their comment. I get how taking an Uber solves any problem of finding a spot down there, but did something change back in the day where it became extra hard to park down there for a night out?

[@badbrad]

It was always hard to find a spot. Usually had to walk after finding one a pretty good ways.

[@ArmandoVegaTV]

Sounds like we were both active on the strip around the same time. I practically lived at the FM Station. That place ruled. I think you're pretty accurate on what changed the "hang" part of the scene. That ordinance had a lot to do with it. Grunge was exciting and new, so was rap and pop country took the attention of a lot of the girls that were into pop metal. My wife included. 80's inspired rock music was getting stale at the top, a lot of them were breaking up or losing their singers. Labels, media and venues didn't want to have anything to do with anything that remotely reminded them of "80's Rock" of any kind. I'm still here and have been since the 90's and did see other big scenes spawn huge bands from LA and Orange County, but the epicenter wasn't the Sunset Strip it was scattered. I still gig very frequently here, but most of the activity is cover and tribute music. I'm ok with that at my age... nobody buys music anymore. haha!

[@badbrad]

Great post and highly accurate. Thanks for dropping by.

[@ArmandoVegaTV]

@@badbrad All good. I really enjoy the channel. Keep up the great work.

[@badbrad]

@@ArmandoVegaTV Thank you! Will do.

[@shannonjones3714]

I can listen to these stories all day! I’m from Portland Oregon and had a chance to visit there in the early 90’s when there was still a hint of that world. They made it illegal to hang flyers here too. Really made it difficult to promote. Thanks for making these videos! I thoroughly enjoy them!

[@badbrad]

Wow did not know that. Thanks for tuning in!!!

[@ColfaxJones]

As far as I can tell there's no rock scene with new young original bands happening ANYWHERE these days. There's plenty of legacy acts but the kids seem to have dropped the ball on moving rock and roll forward. Like you mentioned it's laptops and content creation, they'd rather be a youtube star than a rock star. Or maybe I finally became that old curmudgeon, but I just don't see it, I even tried to search out some young local bands to offer to be their manager, none to be found. Now, get off my lawn!!! PS congrats on nearly reaching 5k subscribers, you've been busy. I hoped on board just under 2k I think. Cheers from the FL panhandle.

[@badbrad]

Man you're right....tough to find young bands for sure. Thank you for the well wishes. Yes been very hard at work. More to come.

[@ColfaxJones]

@@badbrad Looking forward to it, you're a great story teller on topic that's of great interest to me. You should think about writing a book as well, it's quite easy to self publish these days if I'm not mistaken.

[@waynemitchell9]

Hey Brad, very insightful channel. Did you ever meet the Nelson twins? They've also got some very cool stories about the old sunset boulevard. Keep up the good work!

[@badbrad]

I have not. I had an ex who worked on the set of the their first video shoot.

[@finlaycowan3681]

Great to hear your reminiscences... I'd love to hear more. Thanks

[@badbrad]

More to come!

[@TwistedRiffster]

9:06 best echo and answer sound bite ever!

[@badbrad]

thank you.

[@gener2842]

Do an FM Station post!!! I can't count how many times I played there.

[@badbrad]

I need to!!!

[@gener2842]

@@badbrad My favorite memories of playing there were playing on nights with Mighty Joe Young (STP) and Red Square Black who had John Lowery (John 5). I'm certain we crossed paths. I played in Frozen Ghost, Shyboy, Lastad and a couple dozen other bands.

[@badbrad]

@@gener2842 Very Cool and glad to have you here.....Thank you!

[@briankendallRyanandBrian]

up in canada our acdc tribute back in late 80s, early 90's was full time doing the "A" circut, then the bottom fell out. the beavis and buthead appearance mocking winger rock seemed like D day, we all ended up giving up full time almost overnight it felt. then grunge, no vocal harmonies, no guitar solos, we all quit and went to playing weddings on weekends lol...

[@badbrad]

Man that sounds familiar.....similar path here.

[@TheDogbreath1]

I used to send tapes to collage radio stations and tickets too. It helped a lot. I remember one was in riverside and they would see us play at the troubadour.

[@badbrad]

That is smart!

[@TheDogbreath1]

@@badbrad Thank you. I was at the Whiskey a go-go last month watching the Dead Daisies play . so its nice to know the clubs are still there. At least you can make music with a small budget and post it on social media. You couldn't do that 35 years ago lol

[@erikkibler3466]

Thanks for sharing man.really cool to hear about.when I was old enough to start listening to music Nirvana was blowing up,so I just missed it all.ive been a guitar player since back then and i appreciate all those bands.its sad how music is now.people often don’t know what they got til it’s gone..🤘🎶

[@badbrad]

Rock on!

[@greenlenny3926]

Your best vid so far Cheers G Lenny from Denver

[@badbrad]

Thank you so much!!! That is much appreciated.

[@Sneakycat1971]

It's all about money and property value. That's why crimes go unreported so the crime stats don't hurt the property value. People that were looking to sell real estate on the sunset strip back then thought the night club scene had too many hoodlums which was a red flag for buyers.

[@badbrad]

Solid point!

[@angelotro]

I think Guns n Roses & Metallica showed people you could wear cool street clothes, write great songs, sell records and pull groupies without wearing pink spandex. Spandex and capezio dance shoes are tough to explain at 2am in a 7-11. Unless you're trying to make some side $$.

[@badbrad]

lol

[@schreds]

was there all through the late 70s and 80s watched the scene change a few times . was a iconic period of music in Hollywood during those 20 yrs. was fun watching bands come of age from struggling to get a gig at FM Station let alone the Roxy ( pay to play was a hard gig man ) to selling out stadiums , once the industry got set in its formula driven bullshit all the real talent got silenced either u sound like everyone else or your out .. got to play some cool stages and meet some great cats wouldn't change a thing

[@badbrad]

Yes in spite of it all wouldn’t change a thing

[@brucefielding9045]

Great stories from the greatest decade. Thank you.

[@badbrad]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@frostedhead]

There's a COPS episode where they highlight the exploits of the sunset strip in 1989.

[@badbrad]

Wish I could see that

[@j.andrews8960]

what killed the scene ? LA , Rock in general ? Edward Van Halen. The last guitarist to move the needle. It took about 11 years to squeeze the last riffs from the master. Outside of G&R , music slowly died. What a run it was

[@badbrad]

There were some other guys that brought some stuff to the table guitar wise but it got a bit ridiculous.

[@adamfindlay7091]

Things get old. It happens. Even Mozart had various lows and highs. But creativity is the ultimate reward.

[@badbrad]

True!

[@diaryofanaxeman539]

The city of Hollywood passed ordinances, where you couldn't post up your fliers, people couldn't hang out in front of the clubs or the streets . The Record industry invested in the Grunge scene, Sunset Strip bands started "Lawering Up" before signing any deal ..... so they pulled the plug on the Sunset Strip scene. That pretty boy thing went too far, especially with bands like the Baby Dolls .... literally Boy George's that couldn't play. Luckily, I had Gina Zamperelli in my corner walking me thru the stupidity of those days.

[@badbrad]

I remember Gina….

[@diaryofanaxeman539]

@@badbrad She died a few years back, Cancer .

[@diaryofanaxeman539]

@badbrad Did you remember Michael Fell ?

[@badbrad]

Yes Michael Fell I think booked some of our shows....

[@escargotomy]

I think my recollection of it as someone who was a teen/early 20's in the mid-late 80's, was that the music just got repetitive and boring. MTV also made the bands honestly look like clowns so there was this circusy association with the LA bands that again just got boring. You also have to factor in that people's tastes mature as they get older and by the time you're in your late 20's you don't necessarily like the same stuff you did when you were 15. I distinctly remember a point in the early 90's where I was diving back into things like Pink Floyd along with newer stuff like Soundgarden and Alice In Chains and RHCP. The only metal I would have been spinning at that point anymore was maybe OZZY's first 2 albums with Randy, maybe Scorpions -Blackout, Maiden -Number of the Beast, and Priest - Screaming for Vengeance, but it was purely nostalgic by then.

[@badbrad]

Yes indeed tastes change and it was a circus.

[@D-Fens_1632]

Repetitive and boring is an understatement. Most won't admit it but even in their peak most band's albums only had around 2 good songs, the rest all sounded like the same half hearted filler.

[@escargotomy]

@@D-Fens_1632 YES! That was the worst because you were spending almost $20 on a CD that you thought was going to have so many great songs and there would be basically the hit from the radio and 10 songs that had no replay value. You felt totally ripped off.

[@Alanb_69]

They say grunge killed the hair metal scene, but the 80s hair metal scene popularity lasted much longer than grunge. With the exception of Alice in Chains and some Soundgarden songs, I never really liked grunge music. It was too depressing and the grunge girls looked like they did not bathe regularly. The hair metal girls took the time to look good at least.

[@badbrad]

Yeah grunge was something....

[@joelhague5515]

Title absolutely true. Eagerly looking forward to this.

[@badbrad]

It’s a good one. Now I think I could do an addendum because I thought of a few more factors but this is a boots on the ground perspective

[@joelhague5515]

@@badbrad Checking it out now!

[@Captain_Zero_]

I didn’t like grunge when it first came out. Although, “hair metal” had jumped the shark at that point in my opinion. Everything had lost its edge and was becoming more produced. Motley Crue had horns in some of their songs! Gone were the shout at the devil days. Gone were the wanted man by Ratt. Only to be replaced with Blues sounding numbers like Way Cool Jr. It just felt like it had run it’s course. Like grunge was getting back to what made hair metal cool. The hard edge.

[@badbrad]

Valid point. It had jumped the shark.

[@COLLYD420]

Emo Alec Baldwin!

[@badbrad]

Nu Metal Mr. French

[@donaldrowe8460]

Grunge changed everything not only (LA) hair-bands! I remember hearing nowhere in the bin for you if you weren't grunge. Sad day for anyone not "flannel". In hindsight, it was bound to happen!

[@badbrad]

change is inevitable

[@ScottStentenFilms]

awesome insight YA!

[@badbrad]

Thank you

[@beauzer36]

LA rock after 85 or 86 had just become terrible with a couple notable exceptions(GnR). There was an attitude it deserved to keep going. Theres half a decade of bad redundant rehashed LA glam music before the Seattle bands became big which some were extremely reluctant to sign to bigger labels and some were very much glammy makeup bands just a few years prior. None of the bigger Seattle bands sound the same and they didn't create or push the silly grunge label. I think it was layne from Alice n Chains who was asked what their music is like and he said its like the grunge in your bathtub drain. I dont know, these bands were just heavy rock(except Pearl Jam) which was forgotten along the way somehow. I mean who sounds more like like Black Sabbath, early Soundgarden or Brittany Fox? Maybe they spent more time inside practicing than judging bikini contests at Gazzaris. The LA glory days were dead i mean think of 1991 era motley crue or wasp, it didnt take much to forget about these once amazing acts unfortunately. Way too many people seem insenced by the notion of "grunge" killing some killer LA scene unfairly due to record company wims but its not an honest assessment of what happened.

[@badbrad]

But your filter is through the lens of what was released by labels...there were lots of other bands doing different stuff in L.A. around 91. But nobody got to hear it because L.A,. got the kiss of death. Arguably the Gazzarris bikini contest was more fun than any grunge show.....

[@pal4597]

Not trying to be funny, but when I saw a Pretty Boy Floyd video, I knew the "Hair Band" genre was over.

[@badbrad]

I hear ya. I wasn't a fan of that type of L.A. band...

[@DJSpidey]

Also, alcohol prices are contributing to lower consumption: when a single beer costs as much (or more) as a six pack does at a convenience store, then why would I want to drink much inside of the club? Examples: current day single tallboys are $10 versus $8 for an entire six pack of the same beer at convenience stores (or cheaper elsewhere). Bottles of water are $4 versus $4 for an entire case of the same bottles at the grocery store.

[@badbrad]

Yeah man…this!!

[@TwistedRiffster]

We had chicks who would sneak airplane bottle whiskey into the clubs so the beer would last longer and cost far less....and for those who were not light weights, going in a bit buzzed was another smart economic policy.

[@SeanMyers-w9q]

okay man I was there 1 getting reemed by the County of Los Angeles for parking on Doheny 2. The Whole Strip being 95 Percent Glam Rock .3, Best Bands were actually Tyger,Paradise,Rags,And Danger but these Guys were passed up by shit like G&R . 4 The Grunge Scene and Rising gas Prices And I played F.M.station and Mancini's lol and paying to play Shotgun Messiah came so close to saving it

[@badbrad]

You know what’s up. Ultimately grunge went away as well nothing is forever .

[@IvanLendl87]

You must be a Hair Metal enthusiast. Yeah Grunge definitely killed off Hair Metal. The bands (Motley, Poison, Warrant, Winger admitted it at the time). I saw it happen. There’s no question that Hair Metal was still The Thing in Summer 1991. But by November ’91 it was all over for all those bands. All over.

[@badbrad]

I was in a band on the strip. We had hair but our music was different. None of that mattered once the labels started pushing grunge.

[@murphmurph2124]

The good old days😊😢

[@badbrad]

Yes indeed.

[@JohnQPublic345]

I remembered arguing with people over what w.a.s.p. stood for.

[@badbrad]

lol

[@ezzzzrrrs7646]

Great vid dude whoever u are....ill chk ur page out see if u hav some old vids of ur bands peace

[@badbrad]

Yeah check out Shock at Goodies...

[@bocephus517]

Josh Todd was in Slam Hound. They have some cool stuff on YT

[@badbrad]

I'll have to check them out...

[@JessseStJohn]

city council huh? wow, thanks for sharing the history of sunset strip music

[@badbrad]

Thank you for tuning in.

[@ThumperRick]

Do you remember the band redline? They played at all the usual places back then

[@badbrad]

Sounds familiar.

[@aisle_of_view]

Grunge didn't kill Sunset Strip but it did spell the end of the big hair band record sales and video replays on MTV.

[@badbrad]

True!

[@Buckseed]

Brad, did u meet Butch Walker when he played with SouthGang? Him, Jayce, and Slug eventually had Marvelous 3. ❤

[@badbrad]

I did not and I heard from my band guys about south gang and how they got signed but it’s like they got signed and never heard another thing about em.

[@bradhenderson149]

Underwear for the Streets,I think I called it.Lmao

[@badbrad]

lol

[@kkelleybass]

What I Never understood is why chicks were into guys who dressed and looked like chicks with the makeup and spandex (Hairbands)

[@badbrad]

Non threatening and they were peacocking being the more flamboyant and colorful mate to the relatively more homely girls.

[@jamesfellows7514]

White Heat was never signed 😢😢but battle of the bands won every time

[@badbrad]

Plenty of talent left on the bench.

[@leppak42088]

I think also ...with grunge u saw a new generation with a whole new aesthetic. The fair bands were tired and had run their course. All the big bands came off huge tours totally worn out all the while this fresh new music was popping . Imho.

[@badbrad]

That could be a factor.

[@leppak42088]

@@badbrad btw thank u for sharing your story. it was very entertaining. i knew dazzle from stars from mars and he told me how they were the next big band expected to be signed but all of sudden the offers stopped and no one was interested. it must have been a strange time around 91-94 . did the clubs still book the "hair" bands like london ? did everyone try to adapt? what was that period like?

[@badbrad]

@@leppak42088 I can't speak for London...but I was still getting booked with Boy Elroy...we were not the typical Hair Band and by that time we had increasingly moved the band into a Funk/Rock genre...especially 92-93. We still had the hair and for a while we had a Young singer with alot of promise which gave us a boost...We were getting calls to play the whiskey alot. We didn't have to presale tickets, they just knew we brought a crowd and were good. but sometimes I think around 93 the singer left to join his brothers band...and we became a 3-piece by default and I started writing music to suit that lineup and it was grunge adjacent...

[@musicalchairs777]

In the fall of '91, it was like someone flipped a switch. The '80's were officially over. No more bright lights, big city, bold colors or good times. Now it was greasy haired, flannel wearing, self annointed "mifits" who "didn't feel like they fit in", out moaning in a wheat field somewhere, only to go home and suck at guitar on purpose, or gansta-rap which was somehow even LESS fun. Like the industry was selling misery, where as ten years before, we had Diamond Dave and King Edward singing "JUMP!"

[@badbrad]

It was a little less obvious on the strip but that is exactly what happened.

[@musicalchairs777]

@@badbrad Oh I know, I was out there from January 90 to December 99. Played the strip as a drummer/back up singer the first half of the 90's with Blood Flower Stew, then played guitar and sang lead the second half with Bonnis Herd. Got to the point around '93-'94 where we were headlining the Whiskey and the Roxy weekends and got some labels coming out and got some offers, but as I'm sure you know, a lot has to go right from that point forward for it to mean anything and things worked out in the long run. Regardless, your band sounds familiar and I was out there pounding the pavement from the Whiskey to Gazzarri's around the same time and it was exactly like that. Great times, great stories and I'm glad I found your channel. By the way, there are some vids on You Tube of the Strip from '91.Check it out, it's wild deja vu and you'll probably see someone you know. Cheers!

[@golgothaassassin5035]

I think that mtv and the labels kicked off the downfall of rock, A.I.C. and the grudge bands toured with heavy rock bands in the beginning its was ok to like the Crue and Chains. G and R stripped it down and grunge was just the second wave. The grudge bands just took it back to the Sabbath and Zeppelin days alittle grudge was still hard heavy rock. Marketing put up the walls. In 88 I listened to everything from DRI to venom to Ratt to Sabbath to Metallica to Motorhead to Cinderella everything was open until grudge and then it became us or them and everything divided. The 80's and early 90's were the best time of my life, I can remember after A.I.C Nirvana, C.O.C, White Zombie, Pantera came out being so excited and thinking where is heavy hard rock going. And then it just all died.

[@badbrad]

Pantera tried to save heavy music and they carried the torch for a while.

[@unclerog]

Howdy from Billings Montana... Hey Brad I watch your videos quite often I should probably comment more but anyway I'm just going to say if you're having a bad hair day hell dude just go out and buy a wig!!!!LmFao

[@badbrad]

Now that's an idea!!!

[@unclerog]

@@badbrad hilarious!!!

[@TheMusicmak3r]

Cool

[@badbrad]

🙏

[@keithfink2364]

Starcrawler is a young Sunset Strip band. They played the Roxy and made quite a noise before Covid. Have a listen and tell me what you think. I'm 65 now went through the 60's 70's 80's 90's 00's

[@badbrad]

I was checking them out and enjoyed what I saw...they are raw. They did a song called I love L.A. and I did a response song with my band Stone Padre called "I hate L.A.". I like what they do, it's a little unpolished in a good way.

[@keithfink2364]

@@badbrad Check out "Bet My Brains"

[@badbrad]

@@keithfink2364 is that band or song?>

[@keithfink2364]

@@badbrad It's a Starcrawler song. All my friends think I'm crazy for liking this band but Mike Campbell and Elton John like this band. Not what sure they are doing now

[@badbrad]

@@keithfink2364 Ah ok...they def. have a vibe....wonder what they are up to.

[@timreed-dq3nx]

As much as grunge sux, don't blame those bands. It was Axl. Duschebag F-ed it up for everyone.

[@badbrad]

Him being late didn't help.