Thorns And Roses: What Comes Around Goes Around For 80's Hair Bands

The downfall of 80's "hair-metal" is often blamed on the emergence of "grunge" but maybe there's more to story. Sure, the Seattle sounds Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Nirvana were in stark contrast to the dolled-up, pretty boys of the Sunset Strip who just wanted to get laid. Or, maybe it was time for their audience to grow-up and move on anyways.
One other major factor to consider is the "generational shift" that occurs when teenagers or young adults simply grow out of the music trends and habits they once held so closely. As Phil Collins once stated in an early 80's interview when asked why his band Genesis were no longer a straight-up progressive rock outfit, he responded by asking, "Do you wear the same clothes as you used to? Read the same books? Why the hell should I have to make the same music?". Funny how we never want to see our favorite rock stars change yet we do all the time.
What's interesting is how this "coming of age" for the 80's "hair metal" scene was actually a blessing in disguise. Sure, even though many of the most successful bands of the time, like Motley Crue and Poison, were largely disregarded in the 90's, time would prove how another generational shift would bring them right back again, arguably bigger than ever before.
Two years ago, I made a video on this topic called "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow" where I shared my thoughts on growing up as a music-loving teenager during this time period in the 80's. To my surprise, lately, the video has been among my Top 10 most viewed videos over the past couple of months. When I see something like this, it indicates there's an "appetite for discussion" on the topic so maybe there's something more to yap on about in a related video.
Oh yeah, be sure to check out the companion playlist to this video which features lots of music, documentaries and more that tie-in with topics discussed in this video. I mean, look, I just had to make it easy for you to locate that Ronnie James Keel country smash from '95. :)
Companion Playlist: • Playlist: Glam To Glum...
Thanks,
Ant
Rushtrader.com

[@sweethomebamagirl295]

I wasnt a teenager until 1993 but i love 80s music. It just touches your soul.

[@RushTrader]

Very true! I think it's the same with movies as well. Those teenage comedies like Breakfast Club, etc. all had a heart that later decades didn't because they began resorting to how much they can offend or gross us out. Thanks for the comment!

[@corndog1868]

Search here for (Alone At Last) & (Live Without Your Love) by RockCandy, it's off a rare demo recording featuring Buffalo Music Hall of Fame singer song writer Joie Anes! Also search here for (Rockcandy Live In Toronto 1988). Enjoy the music!!!!

[@peetti3608]

I get it, these guys are not the.next Beethoven.. But dude..don't bag on them so hard.. For many of us, they were still our escape as teens...

[@AlmostReady504]

Wow imagine how you feel like you were born in the 60s about music touching your soul

[@user-ty2xv6xw8j]

​@@AlmostReady504Born in the 60's...growing up in the 70's- wouldn't change it for ANYTHING. Graduated in 82' - young adult in the 80's...fun facts- drinking age in my state- Colorado was 18. We had 32% beer bars! Good times...love the 80's . Got to get into the real bars in 85. The beginning of the metal scene for me....happy memories! Best time to be young.

[@frankspikes7858]

I remember growing up in the 80. I'm glad the maker of this video stated the differences between glam rock and heavy metal/thrash metal. Key things are: subject matter, overall sound, song structure, and image.

[@Blizofoz45]

Image has nothing to do with music. A bald guitarist can actually play the same notes as someone with long hair. The only time image matters is if you're trying to sell music commercially to young people.

[@lisadonaldson9207]

Good stuff. Great to help people get clarity on the differences between Rock, Metal and Hair bands.

[@johncoffey4532]

Great video! Brought back alot of memories and bands I had forgotten about.

[@9bizzle]

I'm a little late to it, but love your channel!! I feel like I know my shit when it comes 80s and pre 80s rock and metal, and I can tell you do too. Rock on brother!!

[@threepistols7]

I was a teenager during the 90s. I watched a ton of VH1 and MTV, so I grew up listening and liking a lot of different stuff. I think I was a sophomore in college when the Napster thing became huge. What an awesome dorm room you had!

[@zandig666]

Bud I just subscribed, love your vids man !! I've got nothing but good things to say

[@garrettkleitz1035]

Loved this video! Im currently 23, born in 1998 and your video really showed the growth and seperation of all the styles of 80s rock! I'm in a rock band called Twisted Dragon and would love for you to listen and see what you think. I love hard rock, heavy metal, and Hair metal! I'd love for rock to get back to those sounds and feels! Thanks to my dad for raising me around this music! Rock on! 🤘

[@RushTrader]

Hello Garrett! Thanks for the comment! Sure, include a link to your band's music here in the comments if you want. KZbin will filter it out since it's a link but I'll see it on the backend. Glad you enjoyed my video and props to your dad for keeping rock alive, love to hear that!

[@garrettkleitz1035]

@@RushTrader kzbin.info/aero/PLAf4b4PDYf50JfMOmO1ARSiF9QdSadBQv

[@RushTrader]

Garrett, thanks for sharing! You guys rock and sound really good. I listened back to some of the earlier stuff and can definitely hear how your band has progressed in terms of production, melodies, vocals, all areas really. I really do wish the best for you guys and let's keep rock alive!

[@tonypguitar]

Great video my brother... Still have my cd boxes as well !!

[@JW75383]

Great video and I agree 100% with all of your analysis. I was a kid in the 80’s in love with VH, Motley Crüe, RATT, Dokken, etc . and age 16 in 1991 when grunge hit and killed it all . As an angst ridden teenager it was perfect timing for me. I remember it almost being like an overnight switch and was very cool to have lived through that time.

[@RushTrader]

Thanks for the comment J! Yes, it was a moment in time to remember, wasn't it?

[@joehobbs3277]

For sure man but honestly grunge didn’t kill hair metal like a lot of people think it overshadowed it for sure but also there were other factors before grunge really took off that led to a decline in hairs popularity but also what led to grunges decline to and the main factor being overexposure so just like all the 80s bands we know and love both genres main bands if you like were played to absaloutle death on raidio and mtv. The second major factor in my opinion and again the same for grunge was the formula so if you look at it the formulas were massive hair tons of make up huge shows etc grunge f label shirts ripped jeans etc the list goes on but yeah with every great genre it’s always gong to be overshadowed by something else. 😀

[@zandig666]

Dude dude you kill at vLogs !! Hoping for another one soon maybe even a rock and metal podcast ??!??!

[@mikekjos7175]

80s Metal will never die!!!🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@RobertVincentMusic]

It died over 30 years ago. Thank god!

[@Renkk17]

I'd like to hear more about the real Classic Rock stuff that happened in the 70's !

[@LemmyLawless]

I've been a rocker/metalhead all my life and I always could find a moment to listen to hard rock, thrash, blues, glam metal, nwobhm, blues... I got a moment for every subgenre...

[@zandig666]

Fantastic vid bud !! I did a bunch of Google searches on what happened to 85-90 metal I bailed on priest in 86 and should've jumped on the King diamond wagon they stayed heavy !!

[@rocktheroll9674]

Great insight into that whole era. Van Halen and Motley were definitely the innovators and the template for that whole hair era. Bon Jovi kept the AOR side of things alive. The 80’s was a decade that gave us some of the greatest rock albums ever. Many of those records in my eyes are masterpieces. This is coming from someone who went from Listening to Ac/Dc to Duran Duran to Iron Maiden to Dio to Twisted Sister to Devo to Metallica to Cinderella to Simply Red to Slayer and Venom etc. Image wise I flew the flag for hair metal. But had a great love for good music. I think the difference is that growing up through through the 80’s things evolved so quickly and without the things like the internet to tell us our news, we had to go and find bands. Australia didn’t have that early MTV era, we did it the hard way, we read magazines, took a gamble from mail order import stores. It’s a funny thing, having sold 95% of my vinyl collection in the early 90’s as CD took over I am now back into buying vinyl again and rebuilding the collection has become a fun journey back through time. That period of 83-94 is so much fun to rediscover. Sure there were the staples of the era, but there were also some terrible bands that I somehow put on a pedestal back in the day. Then there were the cookie cutter bands, the record company meal tickets. The bands where every ballad sounded the same and every anthem sounded generic bands like Firehouse, Keel, Black n Blue, Trixter, Britney Fox, Saraya, Danger Danger, Winger etc were an easy sell to the MTV era . However there were bands who went on to make some of their best records just outside of the peak of hair metal. Sure images had to change. Would have Pantera or Alice in Chains been relevant if they kept their glam images regardless of the music, hell no. My favourite albums from that 92-94 era are. Winger - Pull Warrant - Dog Eat Dog Extreme - III sides to every Story Queensryche - Empire Motley Crüe - Motley 94 Poison - Native Tongue Skid Row - Slave to the Grind Ozzy - No More Tears Firehouse and Danger Danger just slipped further down the totem and were eventually washed away. Yes some great players who have gone on to be some of the finest studio musician and behind the scenes contributors. But even the masters of the pop/rock/power pop movement like Cheap Trick seemed to be some irrelevant during this time. But a prime example of a band that I had written off is Slaughter. I liked Up All Night when it first came out back in 1990. But I have just rediscovered the album due to its vinyl re release and I would have to say that is the worst track on the record. I can’t stand it, talk about filler that became a hit. The rest of the record is great and you can really hear where their influences came from. It’s still a great pop/rock record and when you think about it just about all of the main players in hair metal, pop/rock was a much more fitting description. Poison, Warrant, Skid Row, Slaughter, House of Lords, Dokken, Ratt, Motley (85 - 92), Cinderella etc For me Master of Puppets was the last great Metallica record. Justice had some great times but the production turned me off and the Black album although it was a great record seemed to be a gut reaction to the biggest game changer of the late 80’s GnR. In many ways Appetite is heavier than The Black Album, it is certainly a hungrier record and will go down as possibly the best debut by a Rock band ever. Having said that a lot of the bands that did their own thing post the hair metal explosion have gone on to make some great records, Trixter, Ratt, Butch Walker etc. Then you have bands like Queensryche who struggled with image etc their whole career have a really solid back catalogue. Image fades, but great songs are time stamps in our lives and will live in forever. Those of us who were fortunate to have lived and breathed the 80’s/early 90’s as musical sponges, it was an incredible time to be alive. Cherish the memory of it and yes it has a huge place in music history whichever way you want to see it. My son who is 16 loves stuff from every genre and he has certainly picked the cream of the crop from that era as staples in his playlists today. Through me he has also gained an appreciation of vinyl and that it made us pay attention to song and the craft of an album as a whole. MTV, CD and ultimately downloading/streaming music changed the face of music forever. Great music is great music. Hair metal was a prettier version of new wave, let’s face it !!!

[@RushTrader]

Andrew, thanks so much for taking the time to comment. I see you mentioned "Native Tongue" by Poison, which was probably their best album musically but not commercially.

[@goblinsillusion]

Hello my friend, I've seen both videos and they are great. I love your honesty. I also find this topic so interesting since I've loved 80s metal all my life. There is something nobody talks about and it is what I like calling the DARK GLAM scene, meaning underground glam metal bands from like 1982 to 1985, very influenced by NWOBHM but more american, meaning more Alice Cooper influenced. I will share a couple of links so you can check 'em out, but I mean when this movement first started it really got balls: Motley's and WASPs first albums, Lizzy Borden 's debut album, Halloween from Detroit, etc

[@goblinsillusion]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/imaWiWuwa9uCmq8

[@goblinsillusion]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4LLZq2koMuFpMU

[@goblinsillusion]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3q0cn1jYsajgM0

[@58jkm29]

Good analysis. I was 16/17 when the Seattle sound broke through. I really think you objectively approached the issue. I'm biased towards the 90s sound. Your approach to this debate really makes me see it from your perspective.

[@dawnietheheartie3276]

I was born in the mid-70s, so I was still pretty young when this scene really started gaining speed through the likes of Van Halen and Motley Crue, but thanks to MTV, this is a good portion of what I grew up with. My tastes in music are pretty broad, so I liked pretty much everything in the 80s from the heavier stuff like Metallica to the over the top stuff with the makeup and hair like Poison, and the "somewhere inbetweens", as I think of them, like Guns N Roses. I think every band brought something of their own to the scene, even if they were the result of record labels getting greedy and over saturating the market. I personally never blamed one pinpoint thing for the demise of glam/hair band era other than the natural running of its course. It's what's been happening for decades, going from big band to crooners to rockabilly to traditional type rock bands like the Beatles, psychedelic rock... it just progresses and grows on itself. I believe grunge was just the next step from the 80s-90s hair bands, that had become too cookie cutter (as much as I still loved the music...yes even bands like Trixter and Firehouse), because it brought a lot of the grit, emotion, and soul back into music, and not just by way of sappy ballads. And I love me a good ballad, but variety was needed. I've never stopped enjoying the music from the 80s and 90s, as I'm sure a lot of people haven't, no matter what age I reach, just change is needed every once in a while or else music never grows, and it will become stagnant. Absolutely loved your commentary on this topic, and agreed with pretty much all of it.

[@RushTrader]

Hello and thanks so much for taking the time to comment on my video! Yes, as you mentioned, change is needed every once in a while and, quite frankly, is inevitable with each new generations' passions, spirt, creativity, influences, etc.

[@romeokoroma3341]

⁠please do how Bob Marley influenced and inspired rock artists.

[@brightbite]

Where do you see music going? I mean, no more concerts, everyone's face covered in public, acoustic jams on social media and other outlets, free music streaming, the record companies apparently on their last legs....?

[@RushTrader]

@brightbite A very good question I've wondered too. Right now, everything just looks so lame and uncertain. Or certainly lame, depending how you look at it, I mean, I can't believe drive-in concerts are actually happening. I think it's still too early to tell where music is going... next year will be key. It's gotten to the point where many concertgoers would rather not even go to a show than have to deal with any convoluted new arrangements, etc. There's only so much that social media can offer, you know? It's sad what's happening to so many aspects of the scene.

[@RobertVincentMusic]

I realize I'm a few years late.. but concerts are back in a big way. However, some of them are absurdly expensive. I tend to prefer concerts in smaller venues, these days. Although not cheap.. they are usually far more reasonably priced. The truth is.. streaming has made it difficult for some artists to make any money with recorded music. Concerts and merchandise have become a bigger source of income for artists these days. Many of them use indie labels.. or create their own labels to release their music. It's far most cost-effective for them.

[@kimberelydavis379]

I dunno, I still have a great love for Hard Rock/Heavy Metal. I loved getting together with my friends drink some beers and watch Headbanger’s Ball. Dragging Main, talking to guys in bitchen Camaros with denim jackets. Those were some good times! I think it was overkill. So many hair bands, everyone wanting a Sunset Strip life, it was just too much of the same. But, damn! There was some good effing music!! I can honestly tell you, though.....I still feel the same excitement going to a concert now, that I felt when I was young. Those cheesy songs are still awesome memories that I wouldn’t trade. 🤘🏼❤️😃

[@RushTrader]

Thanks for the comment Kimberely! Yes, Headbanger's Ball was must-see TV!

[@goodmorningsundaymorning4533]

Couldn't agree more 💯🤘

[@ErikWeinstein]

Hair metal was about sex drugs rock and roll and partying and enjoying your life and celebrating. Grunge was sex drugs rock and roll and talking about how deep you are and how life sucked. Both lived similar lifestyles it's just the hair metal bands were unapologetic about it and the grunge people pretended to be deep. The grunge people slept around and drink as much and drugged as much and parties as much as the hair metal bands they just pretended to be something different. But in reality they were both doing the same things.​@@RushTrader

[@morbuenogroup3092]

Excellent, excellent commentary...full of humor and wit. You earned my subscription!

[@RushTrader]

Thanks so much, welcome!

[@77Fortran]

Great to hear a thoughtful retrospective on this - much better than the tv documentaries with the inevitable talking head saying 'And then Nirvana came and it changed everything...', whilst Smells Like Teen Spirit starts playing in the background! I was really surprised at that quote by James Hetfield, I had imagined that he was more of less the leader of Metallica.

[@RushTrader]

Thanks so much for the comment, glad you enjoyed!

[@kellybarthel8060]

Nirvana didn't change shit. God I am tired of it. If it was not for pearl jam, sound garden, AIC, and alot of other bands no one would have said any of it about nirvana, the heavy metal bands ran out of material and MTV ran everything into the ground. Now for Winger their album pull that came out in 92 was incredible. And yes kip winger is into ballet, cause his girlfriend back in 80s was a ballerina and he hung out around them prior to getting set up as bassist for Alic copper. So ya he dated a chick that almost any dude in the world dreams about dating, and also Rachel hunter before she married rod Stewart. After that decided he was never going to date so.eone in the limelight again.

[@me2nmineme243]

PJ - Black... It's The song from a band that was central to grunge in appearance, sound, anger & meloncholy. They run (create, drive, the professionalism in such a humble cast, the writing ability, extremely talented musicians individually, Lyrically profound, they are Very good at what they do. And how they do it.🎼🎼🎼🎼

[@jeffreyschaefer3979]

Really good video. Thank you.

[@nothx962]

This guy KNOWS HIS STUFF. Glad I found you, new sub!

[@RushTrader]

Thanks for the sub and welcome!

[@kellyelrington5663]

I have met and spent time with the Poison boys and they're really nice, down to earth guys. Van Halen are my faves of all time but I do love the "glam bands" too.

[@99percentirish64]

Great presentation sir. Thanks much, from Florida.

[@TheDeedeeFiles]

Awesome video my friend.

[@christopher-xi2ey]

You and I were in our early 20s experiencing a paradigm shift

[@jeffreyschaefer3979]

I have to ask. In your opinion was Blue Oyster Cult metal or heavy rock? The weirdness of their lyrics throws me. I can't decide...

[@brightbite]

You mean you don't get things like: "She's as beautiful as a foot!" ha ha Needs more cowbell!!

[@RushTrader]

@Jeffrey Schaefer I would consider BOC to be hard rock. While they did influence metal bands that came later, like Metallica, I wouldn't consider them metal at all.

[@jeffreyschaefer3979]

@@RushTrader Yeah, I agree. I love those guys though. Hey, by the way they are releasing a new new album in October, featuring the current lineup of Buck Dharma, Eric Bloom, Richie Castellano, Jules Radino, and Danny Miranda. I'm looking forward to your review of it.

[@RushTrader]

@Jeffrey Schaefer yes, I've been hearing about a new BOC album, should be out in October, looking forward to it!

[@whitelion1111]

Different type of rock for different minds, maturities, everyone is different, different tastes for different groups

[@bumi2514]

im about to watch this video and im so excited.

[@alexyari6036]

Grunge bands music had an appeal, even to me, but they also had a lot of help from both the implosion of the flagship glam metal bands and from the program directors of the tastemaking music outlets like MTV. This is what many band members have mentioned since, and even Butch Vig has said there was still a lot of people who wanted to listen to those bands. There was no spotify or youtube to make music discovery easier, so a lot of us couldn't find new music by these bands.

[@julie-c-3873]

This was a great analysis! Touching on a few topics you brought up here: Nitro (loved that the commenter also mentioned Pretty Boy Floyd) as the epitome of hair metal? I have to agree there. I never heard of Nitro so I looked them up and watched the video "Long Way Home," and the singing style reminded me of Tora Tora but I was suprised to see a clip of Janie Lane in the video--but yea, the look! When you mentioned Firehouse and how their ballads/pop songs were nothing original, I think that right there is what nailed the coffin shut for hair bands. I started looking up the release dates of many of their first albums and compared them to the dates that hair "metal" exploded on the radio and it was between 1989-1990 that bands like Bang Tango, Enuf z' Nuff, Danger Danger, Skid Row, Firehouse, Steelheart, Slaughter, Nelson, Trixter, Bonham, Love/Hate, and Every Mother's Nightmare (EMN) were jumping onto the scene with radio play. Of those bands only a few took off enough to still have airplay today. And to echo your point about originality, bands like EMN started out well with songs like "Walls Come Down" (1990) but by their second album they lost all originality. EMN's song "Already Gone" (1993) is a parody of Skid Row's "18 and Life" even though Nirvana and Alice in Chains were already taking over. And I have to agree that record label greed steered the songs into the ground. Also, I really liked the distinguising of hard rock/hair bands from metal being about the lyrics (but also with darker, heavier riffs). The story you shared about explaining the lyrics of Metallica's "Blackened" song nailed that point well! Also, how Metallica developed as artists and grew is an important point that leads into the generational shift that likely contributed to grunge's popularity. What happened to hair metal and grunge? They certainly were two genres going in opposite directions! But they made an impression that lasts with us today, I think. I still play L.A. Guns and Faster Pussycat sometimes and STP and ALice in Chains. Nostalgia. Thanks for using my comment--and all the others :) and for another great vid!

[@RushTrader]

Hey Julie, thanks for taking the time to comment! I hadn't heard of EMN before and, yeah, doing that parody of "18 and Life" in 1993 was not a good idea...sounded pretty bland. It's almost like if you wanted to survive that entire scene you either had to evolve musically or become something else entirely, like Bon Jovi managed to do. I mean, when you think about it, BJ were right in the thick of the 80's hair band scene but were able to totally avoid the stigma after heading into more pop territory, building on their audience, and never looking back. It was either that or become big in Japan, like Mr. Big did when they couldn't sell albums over here anymore! Funny how some bands ended up "escaping" their musical swamps.

[@julie-c-3873]

@@RushTrader So true! Thanks for bringing up Bon Jovi. You're right, they managed to make it through and are a respected band today. Well-deserved, as well.

[@julie-c-3873]

@@RushTrader I'm pretty sure it was Metal Edge Magazine that had a coupon for a free EMN debut tape you could send in the mail for. I think that's how I learned of them back in the day. Either there or there was a radio show that aired out of Calf. on Saturday nights that introduced a lot of bands I didn't know of (like Drivin' n Cryin_). Cool though.

[@RushTrader]

@@julie-c-3873 Ah yes, more memories. The newsstand and the radio... or where I was often glued back in the day to listen and learn. Sometimes those magazines would actually include these flimsy 45s that you could pull out and play on your turntable.

[@davidkirk7162]

Do you think Warrant will be remembered? And do you think skid row was a “hair band”

[@RushTrader]

Warrant will be remembered but perhaps not in the way they'd prefer. I think they're glued to the hair metal scene and nothing more. I don't think Skid Row were a "hair band" as they had much more to offer musically than the formulas of the day.

[@MySkinnydip]

Anna Nicole Smith’s daughter Dani just turned 16 and her dad surprised her with Kiss tickets! My Uncle loved Kiss and we would watch Paul Lynde Halloween special and Kiss meets the Phantom of the Park every year. My favorite Kiss album is Rock and Rollover. But I seriously wouldn’t be interested if my uncle hadn’t turned me on to it!

[@jackalzonearts]

I'm a 21 year old who's really just trying to broaden my musical horizons and also doing research on these times and understand both the philosophy behind the songs, learn about the image, and figure out the impact it left behind. Seeing what bands had to say about the changes going on alongside showing a bit of regret conforming to the trends really puts some things into perspective for someone like me who wasn't even born for the antithesis movement that changed the musical soundscape that CONTRIBUTED to the decline of hair metal (from what I observed is that hair metal really was just oversaturated and tired, grunge was seen as the main thing that killed it despite the oversaturation being the case). I'm finding out stuff I'd have never would have listened if neither my father made me listen to stuff on the radio while in the car with him or my morbid curiosity. My gateway into this rabbithole was watching a video on the background of Cinderella. Fell in love with their sound and I wanted to know more about this specific era of music. Really cool video by the way, very informative! It's gonna help me with writing my original story for sure!

[@Poppaea-Sabina]

Twisted Sister were fire in concert. They were so much heavier live.

[@WhatsCookingTime]

I would never trade our experience for anything I was a teenager in the 80s in my twenties in the 90s just like the gentleman who is the poster here. I go back and I listen to the stuff all the time it's just works nothing else just sounds right I mean there's some good songs that have happened since let's say I don't know 2000 2002 but nothing really

[@JohnSmith-ef2sx]

Who cares about the image... I like a lot of those hair metal songs. I pay attention to the music seems like the haters are more obsessed with the image than anything.

[@user-ty2xv6xw8j]

Exactly 💯

[@michaelwills1926]

Hearing ya, but Image and culture creation is why pop music exists.

[@deanmarchak2232]

Just a foot note to your comment about Motley Crue starting the ballad trend. What about 1976 Kiss and the song "Beth" that might be the original hair rock ballad. Maybe not exactly hair band, but they were there for the " Hair" run!

[@RushTrader]

Dean, thanks for the comment. The reason why I don't mention Beth is because it's not a power ballad. It's a ballad but has no power. I think bands like Journey kicked that off and then it moved into the hard rock bands of the 80s.

[@deanmarchak2232]

Fair enough, But a lot of the 80's Hair Band ballads can be tossed out the window then I guess.

[@RobertVincentMusic]

This might not be on topic.. but I grew up in the 70s.. and KISS started out as a rebellious rock band.. the kind of band that scared the parents.. which teenagers love. However, they ran out of ideas very quickly. They were not great musicians, songwriters or singers. They started following trends. Got softer and became more pop, with songs like Beth.. even went into disco.. which really hurt their image. Eventually dabbling in grunge. I liked them for about two years back when I was 12 or 13.. but we all got bored of them pretty quickly.

[@carson3684]

Great video. As for me, in the 80's I was in high school and I loved the hair metal scene. By the end of the 80's it just seems to have lost the magic. I grew tired of it by 1990 and so when grunge came in, I was all in. Then I went to the alternative scene in the 90's with groups like the Cranberries, Smashing Pumpkins etc. (dark days indeed, LOL). Once I came out of that crap, I started to get into progressive rock. I never really knew that I liked that style in the 80's but I did really like Rush at the height of the keyboard era so I think that kind of started it for me. So, I cannot even listen to metal anymore and not much in the way of hard rock, and I'm very much into the progressive rock bands of old, like Rush, Marillion, Genesis, Yes, etc., and some of the new stuff, like Spock's Beard, Transatlantic, Lonely Robot, Frost*, etc.

[@shannonyoung5382]

Ha! I remember my Mom, during the Satanic Panic of the 80’s, telling me that Iron Maiden was a Satanic band. Much like you, enlightening your buddy about Metallica & Justice For All... I went through all the IM albums with her & showing my Mom that they were all about historical events, different wars, etc. explaining that the things that took place during these different historical events weren’t “pretty,” weren’t “nice.” After that, she was less critical of at least IM. Anyway, Great content. Keep them coming.🤘

[@RushTrader]

Hey Shannon, thanks for the comment! Yes, I remember the great "Satanic Panic" and also backward masking remember that? Half my album collection supposedly had backward messaging whether it was Zeppelin, Queen, Styx, etc., it was ridiculous.

[@boicrazee]

What would you call Skid Row? Hair metal, hard rock, or heavy metal? I love these guys and just curious where you think they fall into.

[@RushTrader]

I would say Skid Row are a hard rock band. Their debut album appeared in the waning days of hair metal and their first videos fit in with that whole image in that they had the signature ballad (I Remember You). However, their second album was much heavier and less commercial which was primed for the forthcoming Seattle grunge sound. I never lumped them in the Wingers, Firehouses, etc. as I think Skid Row were more true to themselves instead of doing what they thought they should be doing at that time, if that makes sense.

[@boicrazee]

@@RushTrader yes that makes sense. I didn't really consider them a hair band even tho Sebastian had probly the coolest hair out of every rock star, I think they were just playing their own style. I found out later that it was Sebastian that wanted a heavier sound for the 2nd record hence Slave. But it turned off alot of the young swooning fans that just liked the slow ballads. I like the first 2 records but they lost me at Subhuman Race and anything after that. The new singer Erik is a great singer but I have to wonder how long he's gonna stay in the band singing the big hits of another guy? He may use Skid Row as a jumping off point. I know he was in HEAT but now he is getting some real recognition. So it'll be interesting to see how this plays out.

[@user-ty2xv6xw8j]

I love Skid Row!! Sebastian is King. Erik is great, but yeah- 5 singers ? Maybe the guys in Skid Row are the problem? They are about 60 years old, Erik is in his early 30's ...I do like the new songs, but he can't perform like Bach in his prime.

[@royroberts8004]

In the longer run , Stewart's Winger shirt has actually help them stay relevant, otherwise they would have just faded away. Any publicity is good publicity.

[@RushTrader]

Great insight Roy, thanks for the comment!

[@weilandiv8310]

Mr RT, Sir... please come back to us, the World needs you now more than ever🤘.... I'll hang up and listen.

[@talon7132]

I grew up when each of these bands were surfing that wave of insanely successful rock turned pop .

[@rob1tnt]

Music will always evolve, between the 50's and today music constantly alternates between eras of fun more light hearted stuff to thought provoking and more meaningful and then back again. The 80's was the high water mark for a fun music era.

[@RobertVincentMusic]

Yes, each era tends to be a reaction to the era that proceeded it. Each generation adopts their own identity with the music they listen to. Punk in the 70s was a reaction to bands like Zeppelin and Pink Floyd.. as well as disco. Hair metal took elements of 70s rock, including the excesses.. and distanced themselves from Punk. Grunge was a reaction and rebellion against 80s hair metal.. which had become bloated, boring and completely out of touch.

[@somethingsomething9008]

I love that pause after "he went on to clean billboards"

[@Vyan00]

Nobody at the time called them "Hair Bands" because a lot of them had the same hair as the 70's bands. Secondly, all the stereotype that these bands were "All party, all the time" is frankly not true. Yes, Poison did "Nothing but a good time", but that's actually rebellious middle-class punk song. They also did "Something to Believe In" and "Every Rose has a thorn." The true problem is was that these bands were hard rock primarily for women, and the bands that guys liked - AC/DC, Scorpions, Priest - were jealous. During 1991 most of them faced setbacks, Poison fired CC Devile, Steve Clark Died, Ratt fired Robbin Crosby,, Vince quit Motley Crue, Winger fired Paul Taylor - most of those band didn't put out an album in 1991-92 so that left room for Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Nirvana on headbangers ball. MTV even did a special called the "Metal Meltdown" that year. Also Aids became a big thing as it affected Magic Jordan, so people were a lot less into the "go out rock an hook up" culture they had been before.

[@Jamestele1]

Also, you are totally correct about the Grunge/ Alternative music growing out of 80s College Rock/Post-Punk like REM, Lords of the New Church, etc., then merged with heavier Metal guitar tones, played on older guitars like Telecasters, Fender Mustang, etc. No more pink shirts and bright purple leather, etc. I personally grew tired of Glam and started looking at the New York Dolls, who really started the "Glam Rock" look in 1971-72. NY Dolls were closer to proto-punk, so that opened my tastes up. In closing sir, I also offer of Guns N' Roses as the pre-Nirvana death knell of pretty Glam. They were unclean, had unshaven faces, track marks, several of the members came more from Punk music. I recall being in a band in 87, and suddenly everyone was growing their hair bangs out, and trying to look like Axel Rose and Sebastian Bach. After GnR wrecked Glam, it was weakened for the Grunge movement, which was a legitimate movement, much like the 1960s music explosion, with Nirvana being the early nineties Beatles - sorry if that makes anyone mad. Just remember, Kurt Cobain was a great lyricist and artist - he was not about Eddie Van Halen guitar, but rather a vibe/mood. I must be close to your age - Peace be with you bro

[@jasongoad1084]

Winger is a great band. Still to this day and they have become more progressive hard rock now. Rod Morgenstein played jazz fusion before Winger in the Dixie Dregs. Reb went on to play with Dokken and has now been in Whitesnake more than any other guitarist. Kip was nominated for a Grammy in 2017 as a composer. Pull is a brilliant album as well as the other newer ones. The record label pushed the image. But they were real musicians.

[@RushTrader]

Thanks for the comment Jason, I didn't realize Rod was in Dixie Dregs, an incredible band. Thanks also for reminding me that I need to give DD another listen! Winger does have alot of talent in the band but perhaps they allowed themselves to drift a bit more in the "trendy" direction than needed.

[@user-ty2xv6xw8j]

I love Winger- Kip is a hometown rocker!! He's got legit talent.

[@bricesansixx786]

Uhhh that clip you used for Live Wire that came out in 1981 if you wanna do your research be correct about specifics!! 🙄🙄 Too Fast For Love was released in 1981 and by 1982 Mötley Crüe were touring over seas and getting ready to hit the studio for their follow up album released in 1983 titled Shout At The Devil!! 🤟🏽🤟🏽

[@qball1of1]

Hair metal and 80's rock in general is about good times..90's music on is depressing and full of anger. Since the world is sucking pretty consistently right now, just maybe people want to forget about all this crap for a couple hours...and a Crue concert will be a tad bit more uplifting than say, Staind.

[@RushTrader]

I know what you mean... I'd rather see Motley Crue than Staind any day, not that I want to see either but just sayin' under the circumstances. But you're right, want to feel good? Put on "Nothing But A Good Time" by Poison. Want to blow yer brains clean out? I'm sure Nirvana or Pearl Jam have something for you there!

[@donavonhoward114]

At least most of the Glam Metal bands are still alive to tell the tale of their glory days. People always talk about how Glam Metal fell apart due to excess, and had it coming, yet they never talk about how Grunge hit the proverbial wall going 150mph down the freeway. How many Grunge artists were strung out, and had mental issues? Grunge was only a big deal for what felt like the blink of an eye at the time. That whole scene was basically a bunch of dudes that couldn't get the attention of hot women, and thought life sucked, and society was a joke. I hate that so many bands get lumped in with that Grunge movement such as Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, etc. In my opinion those are not Grunge bands whatsoever. Just because they were a part of the Seattle scene does not make them Grunge. Those bands were 90's hard rock bands who were influenced by 60's and 70's rock n roll. Grunge bands are more punk influenced, and they usually can barely play their instruments, but they get away with it because they write introspective lyrics, usually with a lot of sarcasm. If Motley Crue is for people that want to have a good time, Nirvana is for people on anti-depression meds, lol. I do like a lot of Grunge music, but I don't like it anywhere near as much as 80's Glam Metal. Glam Metal had great musicians, excellent song writing, great singers, great performances, hot chicks in the audience, and those bands were arena rock at it's finest. Grunge is more fit for clubs, and smaller venue's, and you would be hard pressed to find a lot of good looking women at those shows.

[@qball1of1]

@@donavonhoward114 especially AnC..to me they were an extension of metal, with a 90's update of course, but the metal influence is obvious.

[@burtkocain6846]

Makes sense. Disco was massive in the late 70s during the era of stagflation and gas shortages. There was a recession between 91-94 but it wasn't nearly that bad. Maybe in good as well as awful times people want escapist music, while in kind of shitty but not that bad times people want something more cathartic.

[@romeokoroma3341]

⁠ ⁠please do how Bob Marley influenced and inspired rock artists.

[@diannacashion2047]

Type O Negative was crazy dark metal....They do a great cover on Neil Young’s Cinnamon Girl...RIP Peter Steele....

[@user-ty2xv6xw8j]

RIP Green 💚 man

[@Ultra-Collector]

You don’t know who Micheal Angelo Batio is from Nitro? Speed Kills? Him and his guitars are iconic!

[@stanhowe6410]

Yes! MAB is King. Great guitarist & cool dude. Nitro was(still is) one of my faves. Chris Holmes & wasp are great aswell. Cheers!

[@moctezu82]

Today (2023) I'm just seeing teens wearing nirvana, metallica and Deftones t shirts, it seems that hair metal never really returned...

[@erichani1]

Hay I grew up back in the 80s

[@toddswasey1671]

You're right about Van Halen Motley Crue and Ratt starting a lot of this heavy metal and Quiet Riot that type of metal but where did they get it from Slade kiss Aerosmith Sabbath and Zeppelin can you do a show where you link those to era together

[@philipibaugh2925]

I was 13 in 93 and Beavis and buthead definitely had a influence on teenagers I was into music than but I was around hardcore punk so I'd have not been into Winger anyway the cartoon just made me aware of them is all. Now I like a bunch of different types of metal as well as all the underground punk stuff from my youth.

[@mitchmclean3898]

Alone Again by Dokken pre-dates Motley Crue's "Home Sweet Home" by 1 year and is WAAAAAYYY better. Facts!

[@RushTrader]

Yes, but it had zero impact on the mainstream. Home Sweet Home changed the game because it proved a band like Motley Crue could get away with a ballad that has power behind it and then it became the norm.

[@Potatodrumcrow]

I love hair (rock) metal :)

[@janerikmellesdal3868]

I loved hairmetal, but it got out hand when not so talented groups wanted to ride the wave. Btw winger is still amazi ng. Reb beach is one of metals all time great guitarplayers also

[@janerikmellesdal3868]

@Doctor Detroit im talking about the wannabees and there were hundreds. Im sure you know, im not talking about any of those you mention

[@junglejim13660]

Thanks Anthony for using my comment in your video. It's always been the greed of the record companies to go after the next big trend in music. Instead of sticking with the truly talented musicians, they over-saturated the airwaves with 2nd and 3rd rate bands. MTV was a blessing and and a curse. Unplugged was a great concept, but again, they ran that idea into the ground as well. Was Poison ever on Unplugged? Lol I actually went to the theater to see the Decline of Western Civilization-the Metal Years. I knew then, the Chris Holmes segment was staged for maximum effect. Speaking of 80s cheese, have you ever watched Kiss EXposed on DVD? Talk about hair spray and spandex not to mention the Paul Stanley workout! LOL It was MTV's Unplugged that brought the original Kiss back together for their mid 90s reunion. I do think Napster also played a big part imploding the once lucrative music business industry. Thanks again for your insightful and witty take on 80's hair metal! 😎👍

[@RushTrader]

Thanks for the comment Jimmy Mac! Yes, I do remember seeing that Kiss EXposted back in the day and it was like watching a satire on hair band excesses. And that's right, when the Kiss turned hair band, turned grunge band didn't work out they hit the reunion circuit which is where they've remained.

[@junglejim13660]

@@RushTrader When Gene Simmons saw the reaction in the audience when Peter and Ace joined them for MTVs Unplugged, all he could see was dollar signs. Kching! I think it's time for you to do another Vinnie Vincent or Kiss update. I saw Vinnie plans on doing another event in early 2021, I'm surprised people even follow him anymore. As always, Thanks for your take on music entertainment and all of it's genres. 👍

[@RushTrader]

Actually, I understand Vinnie's next show is set for this October and will be filmed... so we'll see. Thanks for the feedback on another Kiss or VV video... I'll keep an eye on those two camps and we'll see what happens.

[@junglejim13660]

@@RushTrader Happy Belated birthday. I think I'm close to a decade ahead of you. I think the only video we will see of Vinnie is him posing in different pant suits...Lol

[@RushTrader]

Thanks so much Jimmy! As for VV, don't forget all the colored booties too, maybe we'll get few walks down the runway.

[@codyives5409]

There were other “alternative” groups that played a role in the decline of hair metal. Like, Faith No More, RHCP, REM, NIN, Dinosaur Jr. and a little later, pop-punk bands like Green Day, The Offspring, Rancid. Maybe rap music played a role as well. Ironically, SiriusXM has the grunge/alternative rock station beside the ‘80s hair metal station.

[@codyives5409]

@Metalfan Rockfan That’s true. There was a lot of stuff happening musically in that time period.

[@kennyparsons5723]

Mötley Crüe KISS And many more survived I say what happened to the Seattle scene that disappeared Hahaha Alice Cooper is still around just made a record

[@murphyjack90]

Plenty of Hair Bands survived, but not all of them thrived. Some managed to adapt their sound (ie Judas Priest, Skid Row). Others tried to adapt but their new sound wasn't received well at all (Crue). To my knowledge, only Bon Jovi managed to hit that sweet spot of keeping their unique style while adjusting it for changing tastes.

[@superstraight8402]

So I guess this means that TOTALLY RAW bacon ozzy took off the stove and put into his plate was fake/ not meant to eat either? I always assumed by how the camera cut that the oj scene was fake. But I was always curious about the fake bacon but since it wasn’t even his kitchen, I’m assuming nobody was ever intended to eat it.

[@RushTrader]

I doublechecked on this and saw this interview with the woman who made the film. She said, "The orange juice part was faked, but he actually did cook breakfast." I just can't believe anyone would eat that undercooked slop! Thanks for watching and for the comment!

[@randycunningham7318]

ZZ Top released the power ballad Rough Boy in 1985.

[@TheChadTI]

1992 me at the venue; Hey why are Tony and Mike wearing work boots? And why do you have a flannel shirt around your waist?

[@matthelm344]

Trixter,Firehouse,Vixen,Steelhart.Should I continue?

[@zxmoore1]

I’ll tell you what happened to hair bands. Someone like me who was 7 in 1991 heard Nirvana for the first time and everything completely changed. Hair bands were what my brother listened to (he was ten years older) and I wanted to find music that sat itself apart from the 80s style. That being said, it was a new decade and a lot of time was spent on the “new generation” or what it really was gen X. So what was old, wasn’t cool anymore. Hair bands to me represented a lifestyle I didn’t live and knew I couldn’t live that way unless I was famous. Alternative music was more real and though not every grunge is depressing, there was a feel to it that gave me a sense of rebellion. To ask the question, what killed hair bands, is like asking what killed any popular music….time.

[@RushTrader]

Very nice perspective Zac, I appreciate the angle you give on this. Time does change everything as much as we'd like to hold on. Now, when I look back at the 70s or 80s it feels like another lifetime ago that couldn't exist now. However, that is how we got here.

[@rdanielr93]

Thank God for grunge❤

[@ThePlaySpace-CurtainCall]

Considering many of the other lies that Lita Ford has told over the years, I'm not sure I buy that Chris Homes scene was staged. Especially considering that he tells a completely different story and admits to being hammered. Regardless, good video. Well done.

[@Jason-nn9pl]

You said TS isn't a metal band because they had an album called you can't stop rock & roll I'but Sabbath had a song called rock'n roll doctor & yet they are the godfather's of metal?

[@Kriegter]

Cliff Burton I believe said something along the lines of believing the band would move more into alternative rock territory

[@image30p]

Oh man that's too funny! I'm a huge Black Sabbath fan. I have almost every album they recorded. But I could never remember to check what Ozzy was singing on War Pigs. I always thought he said "hostages." Well actually first I thought he said "sausages." 😂😂😂

[@RushTrader]

🤣I thought it was sausages too for the longest time! Then, when I saw it was "pawns in chess" I was like woah, this is deep stuff...

[@bb-gc2tx]

in the long run the glam metal bands out lasted the grunge bands alot of these bands are still touring and are more fondly remembered. people in their 40s will go to glam metal shows in summer have good time there not going go grunge show and be like i hate my parents lol

[@RushTrader]

Makes sense to me! That's right, the grunge shows could double as therapy sessions.

[@tysonwastaken]

theyll be remembered just as well in 5 years

[@RobertVincentMusic]

They're touring as nostalgic acts. Not only is Pearl Jam still touring and playing to sold out arenas.. but they are still releasing new material. Their latest album is brilliant. Not only is it a critical success, but it's at, or near, the top of charts worldwide. 80s metal is one-dimensional music and boring. Grunge always had more depth to it. Pearl Jam is still releasing quality, meaningful music.. and their audience has grown up with them.. as well as attracting younger fans. I was in my 30s, with two kids, when grunge hit.. and I instantly connected with it. Not because of the "I hate my parents" thing you mentioned.. but because they were singing about real life issues. It had real heart and soul to it.. that was missing in 80s metal. I'm in my 60s now.. went to a recent Pearl Jam concert and loved it. Maybe it's me.. but songs about sex, drugs, and rock & roll.. lost its appeal with me a long time ago.

[@bb-gc2tx]

@@RobertVincentMusic please all you need to do these days is sell 10 thousand copies the first week to be near top of the charts then 3 weeks later album has tumbled down the charts and forgotten about

[@RobertVincentMusic]

​@bb-gc2tx ​ That's interesting..because Pearl Jam hit #1 on five different Billboard charts at the same time. When is the last a hair metal band has done that? Hair metal sucks. Thank god it died. Nobody gives a shit about 80s metal anymore.

[@dino.manzella]

Michael Batio would probably have "one (guitar) neck shooting out of his ass"? Those multi-necked guitars are not just for show. Batio plays them - sometimes two at the same time and does some really well thought out harmonies. I believe you're not looking at his innovation of it all.

[@sonusworld5357]

People say that Nirvana killed the Glam scene but many including Dee Snider of Twisted Sister said that the First nail in the Coffin for the Hair Metal scene was when GNR put out Appetite, that was the Game Changer 🤘🤘

[@RushTrader]

I think I see what Dee is saying but when Appetite came out in 1987, hair metal was thriving and there was no end in sight. However, GNR established the look and raw power that would rule the 90s while the hair bands got the rug pulled out from under them. So maybe Dee could sense the "real factor" with GNR and knew they had legs but it took a few more years before all the wheels fell of the genre.

[@michaelwills1926]

Grunge was a social engineering phase. Remember how suddenly grunge was in, hair was out. Like throwing a switch. I was there and I remember it well

[@mikeysingleton6389]

Twisted Sister Stay Hungry IS A HEAVY METAL RECORD!

[@CRITTERBUSTERS]

I think Glam/Hair Metal was great in its first two waves 1980-1986 but by 1988-1991 it got overexposed and tired everyone out. There were some bands I personally think got mis-categorised as hair/glam metal. They were just very good hard rock bands who also happened to have a few metal songs in there too. Dokken, Scorpions, Icon, Queensryche, Tesla and Cinderella come to mind.

[@FireflowerDancer]

Growing up, I knew very little about hair bands but had trouble accepting that they had any real appeal. I grew up around old hollywood culture and in my highly impressionable, uneducated mind, I just naturally felt that hair bands lacked real glamour or sophistication. My young mind didn't really have a way to understand the culture, and how marketing and pop trends were influencing what was produced musically. My dad loved Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd- the classics of the sixties. Mom liked mostly religious pop music and A capella. I was born in 1987. It was a strange time. Everyone wore blue jeans up to the belly button and glasses that had thick lenses with goofy plastic frames. Everyone was afraid of Charles Manson, the radical democrats. . . and their kids getting an STD. This documentary helped put it all in perspective . . . Just wanted to say thank you for discussing this rock and roll stuff on KZbin, what really happened, and sharing your opinions about it without just dismissing everything.

[@RushTrader]

Thanks so much for your comment, I truly appreciate your unique perspective. You remind me how not everyone watching my videos is from the same generation and it's interesting to hear their perspective because they, like yourself, had a completely different relationship to that era. I guess what I'm saying is, I'm glad to hear my video helped you make better sense of that time and thanks for watching!

[@pkdrummer2042]

At the end of the day great songs is what matters

[@riproar11]

It needs to be mentioned that Warrant's 1990 hit "Cherry Pie" did its destructive share of driving the final nails in the Hair Metal coffin. My college dormmates and I just laughed at how ridiculous Hair Metal had become. Jani Lane said that he killed Hair Metal but Dee Snider expands upon that, that the "W" bands killed "Hair and Heavy Metal". The "W" bands - White Lion, Whitesnake, Warrant, Winger - destroyed it with their love ballads and playing Mtv unplugged sessions.

[@ScubaDiverPicker]

Hair Metal = my favorite era of music.

[@pyrosteria9864]

i was born in 1998 and i am now seeing the decline of Emo Rap in 2020... a similar decline to Hair Metal in 1990. if the 30 year rule is right then 2021-2025 is gonna be a revolutionary time for music.

[@pkdrummer2042]

Early to mid 90's we were listening to Funk Rock, Grunge, Death Metal, Industrial Rock, Goth Metal

[@casinosnoopy9900]

Oh yea, Counterparts is a favorite of mine.

[@rob1tnt]

As far as the image, I love it. Of course everyone was copying each but so did the psychedelic scene, punk scene etc.... I totally understand the perspective that its about the music but I also appreciate the stage show, the idea of standing out from the crowd and as far as im concerned fuck being normal. I went head first into over the top glam from about 17 to 30. I loved every moment of freaking out "normal" people. You cant rebel against being normal wearing a suit so go the opposite, go glam 🤘

[@meatwad1]

I know this is an old clip, but you shouldn't have said Jim Gillette turned the kids against Lita. That's an allegation she's made against him but whenever the two of them have gone to court, the judges ruled in Gillette's favor. I suggest you listen to the Classic Metal Show's clip titled Is Lita Ford A Bad Mother?

[@shaneimler9328]

Funny, 80's metal is still revered today, especially the ballads. Still played on the radio, still sung at karaoke, still talked about. 90's? Not so much. Most people can name a favorite 80 band. Other than Nirvana or Alice in Chains, who else you got from the 90s.

[@lachijames6213]

Just like trap beats and 808 basslines on Bluetooth speakers today, every generation of teenagers get their own sound, style, haircuts and fads. Every era of teenagers grow up and move on. Glam metal was exactly that. A more appropriate term could be 'Viacom Rock'.

[@casinosnoopy9900]

The decline of Winger was Winger.

[@kimberelydavis379]

Hahaha....now that’s funny! 🤣❤️

[@KatyReminiec9399]

There also were bands which were mistakeningly lumped in with hair metal ....such as Cinderella, Britny Fox , Dokken,Leatherwolf etc never were hair bands One is about a WWI vet who lost his innocence, voice & was bed ridden due to the loss of his limbs

[@erichani1]

I thought it was Hanoi rocks that started the hair metal glam thing

[@indydude3367]

Lita Ford is right. I've always wondered about that pool scene. Vodka has a different....consistency or texture whatever. I'm not doubting Holmes was a profound alcoholic but the comedic aspect is too good.

[@Jamestele1]

I would have preferred to call most of those bands Party Rock or Hard Rock, but Heavy Metal is Iron Maiden, Sabbath, Judas Priest, etc. BTW, I do not consider Hard Rock an insult. But Firehouse is Loverboy with hair perms and makeup to me.

[@Poppaea-Sabina]

I knew Steve Pearcy would have said that. They had one good song Lay It Down.

[@angimarks8296]

I think in the late eighties and early 90's, people were over the excessive rock star "Sex, Drugs, and Rock" lifestyle. As a Senior in High School in 92', my generation wanted change, something real. I was skipping school and got to see the World wide premiere of "Smells like Teen Spirit". That was it! How could we ever go back to the hair bands!?!? This was how I felt! Someone got me! I hated the hair bands at that time. I look back on it now with a smile in comparison to what's on the radio now. Gen X really had it going on. We experienced our music, our parents and grandparents music, so thus, we are musical guru's.

[@RushTrader]

I know how you feel. I didn't feel like the hair bands had any real integrity and were more about maintaining their MTV image, having that killer "power ballad", etc. Meanwhile, the bands with integrity did well in the 90's when Grunge came in (Metallica, GN'R). But you're right about the music today... the Grammys happened last night. While I didn't watch it, I did see a list of nominees for the Metal and Rock categories and they were a joke. And yes, when I think about how we grew up with vinyl, cassettes and then CDs, our generation was more invested in the music they purchased... we followed the lyrics, read magazines to keep up, listened religiously to the radio waiting to hear that new song... nowadays, it feels like music is more throwaway where you can download music you didn't even buy and it can be erased in an instant, in other words, expendable. Anyways, Angi thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment!