I feel like I am in the minority as someone who actually likes both Hair Metal and Grunge. I was 18 years old when Nirvana broke through, but at the time I thought nothing of listening to music from both genres, with albums such as Slave to the Grid by Skid Row, Extreme II and III, and Adrenalize by Def Leppard at the same time I was listening to Nirvana and Pearl Jam.
I was into both as well because hair metal was the first ever rock music I got into and grunge was happening when I was the right age where it would have appealed to me as a angsty teen.
Me too. I was listening to Nirvana and metal at the same time. It was never a issue. All this "Grunge killed Metal" didn't come until after. That's how I remember it.
Well I kinda dislike both (with exceptions ike Extreme, Def Leppard on the hair/glam side & a couple of Grunge acts) so I can see someone liking both as well
I understand you perfectly. I listened to the hair metal bands until 93-94 parallel to grunge bands especially Mudhoney. It seems to me all this differences in labeling music were done/supported by the music industry. Soundgarden and Alice In Chains are pretty metal and have not very much in common with Pearl Jam, but a lot with Black Sabbath.
i was about 16 when Grunge exploded but i still loved my 80s bands like Jovi, GNR, Skid Row and Crue etc...and still do. I love both but i listen to more 80s now than grunge. also grunge didnt kill hair metal - hair metal killed itself with so many wannabe bands they didnt have the songs like the bigger bands did. hair metal just went stale so grunge seemed like a breath of fresh air but a lot of those 80s bands are still going as they are still loved.
Cinderella started going in that real bluesy direction with their second album Long Cold Winter and by the time they got to Heartbreak Station they really had that rootsy sound, almost like the Black Crowes like sound. Great pick Pete.
I think from the direction this episode went though it was more about bands who were already established and at least on the fringe of Hairmetal but 'grew' with subsequent releases? Maybe? But regardless yes Spread Eagle are a great call. While already somewhat removed from the term with their debut Spread Eagle certainly were killer and personally think along with the likes of Saigon Kick, Spread Eagle could've and should've thrived during the 90's, their sophomore Open To The Public is an absolute classic as well \m/
They were kind of a transition type of band, along with Living Colour, Jane's Addiction and King's X, among others. Didn't fit into either hair or grunge.
Ohhhh my days! Martin and Pete just gushed about #Love/Hate - they are IMMENSE! As the guys say, if you haven't checked out Wasted in America or their debut - do it NOW. I saw them live in the UK 🇬🇧 back in the day on the Wasted tour and they were SO GOOD! I recently got Blackout in the Red Room on vinyl too. I still play the living s*** outta their records today!
“Strength” is an absolutely FANTASTIC album. Had Enuff Z nuff pigeonholed myself as a glam band, but give Strength a listen and you’ll be blown away. As good as anything from the 90’s
I thought Strength was OK but to me they've got at least 9 other albums that're even stronger (get it?)...Brainwashed Generation, Clown's Lounge, Animals With Human Intelligence, Diamond Boy, Finer Than Sin etc
Tweaked, the follow-up to Animals With Human Intelligence is also great, too. Man, Enuff Z'Nuff has lots of great records. Even the ones like 1985 and Peach Fuzz.
There was a band from Canada called Haren Scarem. The debut was very radio friendly glam metal but by the second album Mood Swings. They had a much harder edge.
Ratt is an American glam metal band formed in San Diego, California, in the 1970s, that had significant commercial success in the 1980s, with their albums having been certified as gold, platinum, and multi-platinum by the RIAA. The group is best known for their hit singles "Round and Round" and "Lay It Down", both of which charted in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Other songs such as "Wanted Man", "You're in Love", "Dance", and "Way Cool Jr." also charted on the Hot 100. The band's classic lineup consisted of Stephen Pearcy on lead vocals, Robbin Crosby on lead and rhythm guitar, Warren DeMartini on lead and rhythm guitar, Juan Croucier on bass guitar, and Bobby Blotzer on drums. Along with one of their peers Mötley Crüe, Ratt has been recognized as instrumental in the formation of the early 1980s Los Angeles metal scene. The band has continued to tour and record following extended hiatuses and with various lineup changes, releasing their final studio album, Infestation, in 2010.
Pete and Martin, I have to applaud you for your picks. Some great albums in there. I would have also mentioned Dangerous Toys-Pissed, Poison-Native Tongue, Firehouse 3, and Bulletboys-Freakshow.
I think Tora Tora deserves a mention. They came in late. One of the many bands that I call a "1989 band" since there were so many bands that came out in 1989. They are kind of in that Tesla vein where they re not just no frills heavy blues rock. Their debut Surprise Attack is really good, but I think I like the follow up Wild America a bit more. Sleaze Beez is another very obscure one. Horrible name, but they have a very eclectic sound.
Enuff z nuff was fucking fantastic. Maybe the most underrated band of the time period. Also a great 1991 debut album is from White Trash. The hit song was Apple pie. This was a great album.
I think Dokken's Erase the Slate and Slaughters Fear No Evil are criminally underrated and most people miss out on. Love Extreme, but love Nuno's solo and various projects (Mourning Widows, Population 1, and Dramagods) even better!
Never really got into Black Crows. But not to long ago i went and listened to their collection. I am so mad that i didn't give them a chance. Love the whole discography
In music terms I'm one who's lead by his ears not his eyes! The musicality and musicianship of many of the 'hair metal' bands is hard to deny (though of course there are exceptions like in any genre). In my view the 'metal' tag is also often misleading (e.g. Enuff Z'nuff - power pop/melodic rock, Cinderella - bluesy hard rock, Winger - melodic rock with semi-prog leanings etc. etc.). and Love/Hate - what a live act! To hit rock clubs in the UK between 1989-91 was an absolute blast, with such a variety of music.....who cares what the 'tag' is, if it sounds good to you, it is good, end of!
It's a real crying shame that 'Still Climbing' was Cinderella's last studio album ever because that was a great album! Cinderella was such a cool band with Tom Keifer's Brian Johnson-like vocals mixed with a hard rock/bluesy sound.
Surprised no one ever mentions the 1st Shotgun Messiah album, Harry Cody's guitar playing is just as good as any I've heard in the glam scene, they also made a great industrial metal album as well, might be a topic for a future video bands which have made 2 great albums of a different genre. 👍
Love SM! Zinny made a live album under the name Shotgun a few years back that is worth checking out. Stix on drums, Chris Laney on bass, and Rob Marchello on guitars. Live On Decadancia Drive...
@@gordy3714 You can find that album released under their previous name Kingpin internationally as well. The live album I noted is all tracks from the 1st album, sine that was the only one to feature Zinny. I wish Harry Cody had released more music, love his playing.
Totally agree with Pete about #extreme - Three Sides to Every Story is my favourite and a fabulous artistic statement at a time when hardly ANYONE else dared to release a record with such a prog / pomp leaning. Its their masterpiece and such ashame they didn't stick it out after Wating for the punchline. (Which I like too!). They have a new record coming in 2023!
Steve Gorman’s memoir about the Black Crowes really is outstanding. I bought the audiobook, which Gorman read, and that really added a lot to his tale of life with the incredibly dysfunctional Robinsons.
It’s Gorman…but I agree about the book. It was a great read and a very insightful look into an unfortunate dysfunctional band. I saw the Crowes multiple times back in their heyday and they were always great live. Who knew the nonsense that was going on behind the scenes…too bad.
While Extreme might not be a super favorite band or anything, I do have the ultimate respect for them! And enjoy their music from time to time. Nuno is a frikken beast!
I agree, Nuno's a blast to listen to when he cuts loose. If you haven't check him out on Derek Sherinian's "Fire Horse", or on Dramagods/Love, or on Dweezil Zappa's "Shoogagoogagunga". He's also got 3 very good solo records, and has done stints with bands Population 1 & Satellite Party
I'd probably have listed a whole different set of albums. As a matter of fact, I was briefly listening to Warrant's "Dog Eat Dog" today, and there are some genuine power pop moments on that. I'd put that and "Ultraphobic" on any list, as well as Saigon Kick's "Water," Bang Tango's "Dancing on Coals," and even bands whose first albums were late to the game, like Vain's "No Respect."
Everyone always forgets that Firehouse had a top 40 hit with I Live My Life For You in 1995 which was absolutely unheard of from a band from that era. Granted they went the adult contemporary route like Bon Jovi did and managed to still survive that era. Pretty impressive IMO.
Lmao, the album only got as high as #66, which isn't shit. It didn't even get a certification. Record companies paying off radio stations to play something isn't very impressive at all. The next album didn't even chart.
@@Rjensen2 I wasn’t talking about the album though, I was talking about the single. I think the album still went gold which isn’t to shabby for a band and style of music that was supposedly dead.
That was a great show guys, happy to see Martin mentionning Saigon Kick, i love their first 3 records alot even though on the 3rd one (Water), Matt Kramer is not there anymore and it's Jason Bieler who gets on the lead vocals. Another band that i like very much i would add guys is Bang Tango their first 2 records are solid.
@@rosariocannistraro3561 I have to check because i never got into them, i know their name of course and i know Tim Skold who's working with Marilyn Manson but also worked for Motionless In White, KMFDM etc.
@19:06 I just listened to the 2nd Badlands album yesterday. Jake E Lee is still sooooo underrated. If you love 'Voodoo Highway', definitely check out *Red Dragon Cartel's 2nd album: 'PATINA'* It's a more consistent album than their debut, and it has that Jake-playing-the-blues-like-a-metal-god sound.
Jackal to me were the southern version of Sunset Strip sleaze. Right there with Dangerous Toys, Rhino Bucket, Junkyard and Asphalt Ballet just to name a few.
I suppose in defense of Enuff Z'Nuff, I've read from interviews that they considered themselves a power pop group. They saw themselves as a power-pop group that plays with heavy guitars. A lot of their songs remind me more of 90s pop and alternative bands (dare I say some of the vocals remind me more of Blur than Poison?). Sure they had the image for a while, but I don't think they ever really fit in with the hair bands.
I trully can't think of another album as fkn sublime and excellent as III Sides to Every Story is in the 90s... not even that Images and Words by D.T, or whatever... even the next album, Waiting for the Punchline... so yeah... a heavily condensed piece of art this album by Extreme is. Nuno, just at his absolute best, and that means as good as any human being could ever get to be. Everybody should buy this album. Also Mr. Bigs Bump Ahead, and Winger's Pull... really hard to find higher musical quallity in rock... Cheers
How about Bon Jovi? I know I know it's blasphemy but I really dig their "These Days" record and it's definitely their best album, followed by "Keep the Faith", both released in the mid-nineties.
@@Chaz4543 Yeah but I think that the Springsteen thing came much later though, after These Days Bon Jovi adopted every style under the sun (Boy band pop, country, U2..etc.), culminating in This House is Not for Sale and 2020 which were totally Springsteen records.
These Days is a great album. I haven't followed that band in a while but I doubt if they ever play anything from that record live. It's kind of been forgotten.
New Extreme album in 2023. Debut Black Crowes 5x platinum, follow up 2x platinum. It did better critically maybe but not commercially. Those first 2 Badlands albums are masterpieces.
'Still Climbing' is a good album but I actually think 'Heartbreak Station' is the album Cinderella wanted to make. I know Tom Keifer has stated that's his favorite Cinderella album.
Motley's 94 record was the biggest swing from the Hair genre yet great. Another would be Bang Tango's first two releases. The Lynch Mob records also departed from the Hair thing. I also would say that Mother Love Bone would fit into this genre more than the Grunge genre and it re-enforces my belief that if Andy Wood hadn't dies Mother Love Bone might not of made such a big splash.
Until recently I would've sworn on a bible to never like any Poison album until someone on another thread mentioned Native Tongue & when I checked it out I liked it. Because of Richie Kotzen of course, I really love his playing & vocals. Too bad that's all he ever did with them...
Id also add Steelhearts tangled in reigns. Mr big stories we could tell. I'd also add night ranger. Dont let up. Vixens rev it up. Tesla bust a nut is a gem.
To comment on Tesla, I’ve talked many times on this channel about my love for their live Five Man Acoustic Jam album, and I’ll do it again. One of my favorite lives of all time and probably my favorite acoustic
Martin is certainly entitled to his personal opinion, but I was around at the time, and I don’t remember ANYONE saying Love/Hate were better than G’n’R, let alone 10x better. In my personal opinion, they were very derivative of G’n’R, not bad at all, but riding their coattails.
These are all really great pics. The only band I would have included would have been Saigon Kick. There second record The Lizard would have been bigger if Nevermind hadn't come out. Honorable mentions would be War Babies, Faster Pussycat, Bang Tango.
Agree 💯 about Jackyl and the Cut the Crap album. One of my favorite albums of the 90's, every song is really catchy. Another channel recently trashed them mercilessly, I haven't watched any of his vids since.
Great episode. Martin mentioned the band Slaughter, who continued to release albums all through the 90s. I always marked their third album, Fear No Evil, in 1995 as the true end to the era known as hair metal. Heck even grunge was pretty much dead by then. Fear No Evil is a great slaughter album by the way. Might even be my favorite.
Speaking of Eric Martin: Back before he was in Mr. Big, Eric was in a Bay Area band called 415 (later known as the Eric Martin Band). For years, 415 were kind of the universal opening act for every major band that came through the Bay; I saw them open shows for Journey, Foreigner, and at least a couple of others in the early '80s. You could always tell he was headed for (no pun intended) bigger things.
One that deserves a mention is Star Star's The Love Drag Years (1992). They were more an updated T.Rex/Hanoi Rocks version of hair metal/punk and the album is brilliant. No one else sounded like them, especially in 1992.
Great episode. I actually like Tesla's Shock. I think that the only thing about that album that sounds like Def Leppard is the backing vocals(Phil Collen does do BVs), but it's still Tesla. It's like when Roy Thomas Baker produced the middle two Starcastle albums. He brought the Queen backing vocals, but the music was still Yes-influenced. California Summer Song sounds like The Eagles to me. My favorite song off of Extreme's III Sides To Every Story is Seven Sundays, because it sounds like a Queen song. Fallen is the only Stryper cd that I own. I did get it because of After Forever. Besides Black Sabbath, Kerry Livgren from Kansas also wrote Christian lyrics. It's funny that you guys mentioned Europe. Supposedly, their next album will go back to the Final Countdown sound. I do love their current sound. I always thought that Europe's '80s commercial sound was like a cross between Asia and Rainbow. I hope that Europe does add some Prog influence on their next one
Stryper was my first big rock show, and they were really great. I also want to shout out Saigon Kick who had lots of quality and fans but never broke as big as they should've.
I would recommend Love On Ice, they only lasted one album and are kinda funk metal too. Warrior Soul was great too, but never really hair metal (more like the NYC hard edged version of Jane's Addiction, at least for the first 3 albums).
That's a damn good album (especially Warsong) that is very underrated! Vito was an amazing player! Too bad this was (more or less) the end for them... Keep Rockin' !!
I liked some, but not all, of the 90's output of certain glam metal bands. Take Warrant for example. I loved Dog Eat Dog, as it seemed like a natural progression from Cherry Pie and went in a darker and heavier direction, but then they started chasing the alt rock scene with albums like Belly To Belly, and I tuned out. Same with Motley Crue -- loved the self-titled album with John Corabi on vocals, but then Vince Neil came back and they put out that musical abortion called Generation Swine.
I love Love/Hate! I loved them then, I love them now. I've picked up a few bands from this video that I haven't listened to In years that I want to check out again. One band that I think fits into this is British band The Dogs D'Amour. I don't think they're known in the US but they had a minor hit here in the UK. They were more Stones and Small Faces influenced bluesy rock but because if their look got lumped in with the glam metal scene. They did have a bit of that on their first (that you could easily buy anyway) album In the Dynamite Jet Saloon but they were so much more than that.
Slave To The Grind and Subhuman Race are excellent albums from Skid Row which highlight the theme of this show. I'll take those 2 albums over their debut any day of the week.
I think it hurt their image to some degree, actually, because they ended up in this weird grey area of not really being hair metal anymore but also not really being grunge or thrash either. How do you market that? Also, Bach is a good vocalist for a hair band but when he heavied up his vocals it felt a bit forced.
I see your point and maybe so. However, for me personally, when I hear Bach sing on such “grungy” songs like “Beat Yourself Blind”, “Eileen”, “Firesign”, and “Remains To Be Seen” to name a few of my faves on Subhuman Race, I think he nails the intended vibe. Great range he shows, particularly at the end of “Eileen” when I’m in awe of the notes he hits there to close things out.
Warrant- Dog Eat Dog, Winger - Pull and Slaughter- Fear No Evil three of the best. Stryper- Against the Law, Skid Row - Subhuman Race, Trixter- Hear, Britny Fox- Bite Down Hard, Extreme- Three Sides, White Lion- Mane Attraction, Motley Crue self titled, even the bluesy Poison - Native Tongue. Dokken - Dysfunctional is enjoyable but it's more a Don solo album
No, no, no, no, no… Dysfunctional came before Shadowlife and was not a grungy album, in my opinion. Shadowlife was the grungy type record l didn’t like; I’m a big fan of Dysfunctional, but l think I’m in the minority. Dysfunctional was released in Japan at the tail end of 1994, and then about six months later, in 1995, in America. Shadowlife came out in 1997. I remember this since l worked at a record store at the time and had special ordered the Japanese import of the new Dokken CD for a few cats. In fact, the Japanese version was self-titled and had one or two less tracks than what would become Dysfunctional here in America. The songs were also in a different order. Other than that slight oversight, another exquisite show, gentlemen. Merry Christmas and Happy Festivus, y’all! Cheers from Queens Noo Yawk, ova heyah! 🤘😎🤘 PS: Winger’s Push CD was actually entitled Pull and is much better than their first two albums. You’re correct about that fact, Mr. Pardo… totally agree with you there. And, “Lunchbucket Metal” = Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
Agree Davey - Dysfunctional is an outstanding album and Pete should give it another listen or listen to the '94 Japan one which is an even heavier mix. I love that one. Shadowlife was the grunge album and it flat out sucked. Don even hates it! They only played 1 song from it "Puppet on a String" when they opened on the Alice Cooper tour in '97.
First five that came to mind 1. Cinderella - Still Climbing (1994) 2. Faster Pussycat - Whipped! (1992) 3. Badlands - Voodoo Highway (1991) 4. Britny Fox - Bite Down Hard (1991) 5. Skid Row - Slave to the Grind (1991)
I’ve never gotten into Extreme. Gonna try to again through this Three sides… album. But I was REALLY into that Jackyl album when I was in high school (born in 01’)
'Hair Metal' or whatever you wanna call it generally isn't my thing (at least not those 'classic' HM bands like Crue, Poison, Ratt, Skid Row, Twisted Sister, Cinderella etc), for me it's in the same category as Kiss. But I do think some bands labeled this way by many were good bands. I always liked Def Leppard, Extreme, some Giant (Last Of The Runaways), Mr Big (one of my faves of this bunch), Rough Cutt, Strangeways, Harem Scarem. Enuff Z'Nuff is an excellent band, lotsa great albums. I think what many of them have in common is a better sense of 'songwriting craft' as Pete noted, almost more AOR than anything else (at least for the bands I like). Very melodic with good instrumentation, not too heavy (so the 'metal' tag is already somewhat of a stretch), good vocals & lotsa guitar hooks. For me one thing that this sub-genre embodies, due to the 'metal' tag, is that the blues roots of the music can't be too obvious/out front. That's the definition of 'metal' that I usually favor: rock becomes metal when the blues roots of the music are no longer obvious (along with a couple of other characteristics). This disqualifies some more bluesy bands from this category - at least for me... Is Whitesnake in this category? They certainly had the hair but I wouldn't put them in this category - especially when you call it glam metal - to me they weren't particularly 'glammy' (and again the blues roots are there much of the time). Black Crowes to me has nothing to do with hair/glam metal, they're not 'metal' at all - that one I have to say is an out of left field pick for me
Skid Row releasing SLAVE TO THE GRIND has got to be possible the best example of hair metal growing up
100% agree with that. The difference between the first and second Skid Row albums were like night and day. Love Slave to the Grind!
100% 👍🏻
Totally agree. The debut don't really do much for me anymore, but I still love Slave. It aged so much better imo.
I much prefer subhuman race. I don’t know why as most songs are under 4 minutes but slave just feels bloated to me.
@@simonlewis7253 Subhuman Race was also very good ,so is there latest album
Thank you Pete for presenting Tesla here. One of my favorite bands around 1990.
I feel like I am in the minority as someone who actually likes both Hair Metal and Grunge. I was 18 years old when Nirvana broke through, but at the time I thought nothing of listening to music from both genres, with albums such as Slave to the Grid by Skid Row, Extreme II and III, and Adrenalize by Def Leppard at the same time I was listening to Nirvana and Pearl Jam.
I was into both as well because hair metal was the first ever rock music I got into and grunge was happening when I was the right age where it would have appealed to me as a angsty teen.
Me too. I was listening to Nirvana and metal at the same time. It was never a issue. All this "Grunge killed Metal" didn't come until after. That's how I remember it.
Well I kinda dislike both (with exceptions ike Extreme, Def Leppard on the hair/glam side & a couple of Grunge acts) so I can see someone liking both as well
I understand you perfectly. I listened to the hair metal bands until 93-94 parallel to grunge bands especially Mudhoney.
It seems to me all this differences in labeling music were done/supported by the music industry. Soundgarden and Alice In Chains are pretty metal and have not very much in common with Pearl Jam, but a lot with Black Sabbath.
i was about 16 when Grunge exploded but i still loved my 80s bands like Jovi, GNR, Skid Row and Crue etc...and still do. I love both but i listen to more 80s now than grunge. also grunge didnt kill hair metal - hair metal killed itself with so many wannabe bands they didnt have the songs like the bigger bands did. hair metal just went stale so grunge seemed like a breath of fresh air but a lot of those 80s bands are still going as they are still loved.
Cinderella started going in that real bluesy direction with their second album Long Cold Winter and by the time they got to Heartbreak Station they really had that rootsy sound, almost like the Black Crowes like sound. Great pick Pete.
A great band that didn’t get mentioned for this show is Spread Eagle. Heavy as all hell. Also Firehouse. Fantastic and melodic
I think from the direction this episode went though it was more about bands who were already established and at least on the fringe of Hairmetal but 'grew' with subsequent releases? Maybe? But regardless yes Spread Eagle are a great call. While already somewhat removed from the term with their debut Spread Eagle certainly were killer and personally think along with the likes of Saigon Kick, Spread Eagle could've and should've thrived during the 90's, their sophomore Open To The Public is an absolute classic as well \m/
I never considered Black Crows a hair band, I just thought they were a great straight up rock band, love them🤘🤘🤘
They were kind of a transition type of band, along with Living Colour, Jane's Addiction and King's X, among others. Didn't fit into either hair or grunge.
Ohhhh my days! Martin and Pete just gushed about #Love/Hate - they are IMMENSE! As the guys say, if you haven't checked out Wasted in America or their debut - do it NOW. I saw them live in the UK 🇬🇧 back in the day on the Wasted tour and they were SO GOOD! I recently got Blackout in the Red Room on vinyl too. I still play the living s*** outta their records today!
I’m going to give it a listen. Coming from Martin, it’s high praise indeed.
“Strength” is an absolutely FANTASTIC album. Had Enuff Z nuff pigeonholed myself as a glam band, but give Strength a listen and you’ll be blown away. As good as anything from the 90’s
I thought Strength was OK but to me they've got at least 9 other albums that're even stronger (get it?)...Brainwashed Generation, Clown's Lounge, Animals With Human Intelligence, Diamond Boy, Finer Than Sin etc
Literally just heard it for the first time 2 weeks ago, but it has been on constant rotation. I’ll look at the others too.
Strength is KILLER
Tweaked, the follow-up to Animals With Human Intelligence is also great, too. Man, Enuff Z'Nuff has lots of great records. Even the ones like 1985 and Peach Fuzz.
Warrant really ditched the hair metal tag with the brilliant Dog Eat Dog. Jani Lane is sadly missed.
Fully agree. He was a great song writer. That album is one of my favorites in the genre.
There was a band from Canada called Haren Scarem. The debut was very radio friendly glam metal but by the second album Mood Swings. They had a much harder edge.
Great band, I've got 13 of their albums
Wanted to mention Bang Tango, which I think would fit in with this episode. Great band, great musicianship, small discography.
My favorite 2 "grown up" hair metal albums were Warrant's Dog Eat Dog and Poison's Native Tounge.
Ratt is an American glam metal band formed in San Diego, California, in the 1970s, that had significant commercial success in the 1980s, with their albums having been certified as gold, platinum, and multi-platinum by the RIAA. The group is best known for their hit singles "Round and Round" and "Lay It Down", both of which charted in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Other songs such as "Wanted Man", "You're in Love", "Dance", and "Way Cool Jr." also charted on the Hot 100.
The band's classic lineup consisted of Stephen Pearcy on lead vocals, Robbin Crosby on lead and rhythm guitar, Warren DeMartini on lead and rhythm guitar, Juan Croucier on bass guitar, and Bobby Blotzer on drums.
Along with one of their peers Mötley Crüe, Ratt has been recognized as instrumental in the formation of the early 1980s Los Angeles metal scene. The band has continued to tour and record following extended hiatuses and with various lineup changes, releasing their final studio album, Infestation, in 2010.
'Shake Your Money Maker', hair metal? Martin, come on.
Great call Martin for Enuff Znuff. Love that band. Too bad they didnt make it bigger. I like the Cheap Trick comparison also .
Yeah at least 9 really good albums
Donnies Beautiful Things is also an AWESOME release
Pete and Martin, I have to applaud you for your picks. Some great albums in there. I would have also mentioned Dangerous Toys-Pissed, Poison-Native Tongue, Firehouse 3, and Bulletboys-Freakshow.
I think Tora Tora deserves a mention. They came in late. One of the many bands that I call a "1989 band" since there were so many bands that came out in 1989. They are kind of in that Tesla vein where they re not just no frills heavy blues rock. Their debut Surprise Attack is really good, but I think I like the follow up Wild America a bit more. Sleaze Beez is another very obscure one. Horrible name, but they have a very eclectic sound.
This was a great topic. One of the best you guys ever did.
Enuff z nuff was fucking fantastic. Maybe the most underrated band of the time period. Also a great 1991 debut album is from White Trash. The hit song was Apple pie. This was a great album.
I think Dokken's Erase the Slate and Slaughters Fear No Evil are criminally underrated and most people miss out on. Love Extreme, but love Nuno's solo and various projects (Mourning Widows, Population 1, and Dramagods) even better!
Erase the slate i agree is just a bad ass record Reb Beach is a beast on there
Never really got into Black Crows. But not to long ago i went and listened to their collection. I am so mad that i didn't give them a chance. Love the whole discography
In music terms I'm one who's lead by his ears not his eyes! The musicality and musicianship of many of the 'hair metal' bands is hard to deny (though of course there are exceptions like in any genre). In my view the 'metal' tag is also often misleading (e.g. Enuff Z'nuff - power pop/melodic rock, Cinderella - bluesy hard rock, Winger - melodic rock with semi-prog leanings etc. etc.). and Love/Hate - what a live act! To hit rock clubs in the UK between 1989-91 was an absolute blast, with such a variety of music.....who cares what the 'tag' is, if it sounds good to you, it is good, end of!
It's a real crying shame that 'Still Climbing' was Cinderella's last studio album ever because that was a great album! Cinderella was such a cool band with Tom Keifer's Brian Johnson-like vocals mixed with a hard rock/bluesy sound.
I friggin love Europe’s more recent albums. War of Kings is killer with the throwback Hammond Organ all over it.
Surprised no one ever mentions the 1st Shotgun Messiah album, Harry Cody's guitar playing is just as good as any I've heard in the glam scene, they also made a great industrial metal album as well, might be a topic for a future video bands which have made 2 great albums of a different genre. 👍
Love SM! Zinny made a live album under the name Shotgun a few years back that is worth checking out. Stix on drums, Chris Laney on bass, and Rob Marchello on guitars. Live On Decadancia Drive...
@@kitoyobeni1 There is just something about that 1st album which just oozes quality for that genre.
@@gordy3714 You can find that album released under their previous name Kingpin internationally as well. The live album I noted is all tracks from the 1st album, sine that was the only one to feature Zinny. I wish Harry Cody had released more music, love his playing.
I still have the stencil that came with their first CD.
I love these late era glam releases that are super heavy compared to these bands' earlier output.
Totally agree with Pete about #extreme - Three Sides to Every Story is my favourite and a fabulous artistic statement at a time when hardly ANYONE else dared to release a record with such a prog / pomp leaning. Its their masterpiece and such ashame they didn't stick it out after Wating for the punchline. (Which I like too!). They have a new record coming in 2023!
Steve Gorman’s memoir about the Black Crowes really is outstanding. I bought the audiobook, which Gorman read, and that really added a lot to his tale of life with the incredibly dysfunctional Robinsons.
I just can't categorize them as anything in the 'metal' genre
It’s Gorman…but I agree about the book. It was a great read and a very insightful look into an unfortunate dysfunctional band. I saw the Crowes multiple times back in their heyday and they were always great live. Who knew the nonsense that was going on behind the scenes…too bad.
@@mikep9377 The story about Rich Robinson blowing off Jimmy Page offering to write some songs together…You could hear and see Gorman’s head exploding.
Why did the Thin Lizzy guitar player Write a memoir about Black Crowes ?????
@@mikep9377 How did the problems between Gorham and Robertson of Thin Lizzy have anything to do with the Black Crowes band????????
Big omission to this great discussion is Great White who pretty successfully outlived their glam metal roots.
Both Badlands albums are fantastic.
While Extreme might not be a super favorite band or anything, I do have the ultimate respect for them! And enjoy their music from time to time. Nuno is a frikken beast!
I agree, Nuno's a blast to listen to when he cuts loose. If you haven't check him out on Derek Sherinian's "Fire Horse", or on Dramagods/Love, or on Dweezil Zappa's "Shoogagoogagunga". He's also got 3 very good solo records, and has done stints with bands Population 1 & Satellite Party
Awesome episode, cannot wait for next week’s continuation!
I'd probably have listed a whole different set of albums. As a matter of fact, I was briefly listening to Warrant's "Dog Eat Dog" today, and there are some genuine power pop moments on that. I'd put that and "Ultraphobic" on any list, as well as Saigon Kick's "Water," Bang Tango's "Dancing on Coals," and even bands whose first albums were late to the game, like Vain's "No Respect."
Pete: our favourite hair metal albums after Nirvana.
Also Pete on every album: this ISN'T hair metal
Everyone always forgets that Firehouse had a top 40 hit with I Live My Life For You in 1995 which was absolutely unheard of from a band from that era. Granted they went the adult contemporary route like Bon Jovi did and managed to still survive that era. Pretty impressive IMO.
Lmao, the album only got as high as #66, which isn't shit. It didn't even get a certification.
Record companies paying off radio stations to play something isn't very impressive at all.
The next album didn't even chart.
@@Rjensen2 I wasn’t talking about the album though, I was talking about the single. I think the album still went gold which isn’t to shabby for a band and style of music that was supposedly dead.
That was a great show guys, happy to see Martin mentionning Saigon Kick, i love their first 3 records alot even though on the 3rd one (Water), Matt Kramer is not there anymore and it's Jason Bieler who gets on the lead vocals. Another band that i like very much i would add guys is Bang Tango their first 2 records are solid.
Shotgun Messiah is another great one that's very similar to Saigon Kick .
@@rosariocannistraro3561 I have to check because i never got into them, i know their name of course and i know Tim Skold who's working with Marilyn Manson but also worked for Motionless In White, KMFDM etc.
I tend to pick up at least one band per episode. Jackal this week. Never heard much by them. Time to investigate. Cheers pete and martin.
I didn't hear anyone mention Motley Crue's 1994 album with John Corabi, which is quite good.
Nice job guys. Thank you 👍💯
Great episode! Next week should be even more so!
Im a fan of both. Theres bands i like in both styles and vice versa. I really dont care about anyone else’s opinion.
Love you guys as always
Tora Tora-“Wild America”
Great album, just a few years too late.
A close 2nd would be: Cry Of Love-“Brother”
I would add the second Blue Murder album, Nothin' but Trouble. Great album from that era!
Great album, the s/t & the live Tokyo are great too!
Great show guys! I have to mention Circus Of Power, Junkyard and Little Caesar, 3 criminally underrated bands.
😄👍
Circus of Power and Junkyard, for me, definitely underrated.
Junkyards first album was great
"Thrash albums after 1990" is another interesting theme. Lots of hidden gems there, both in Us and Europe.
Love you guys , thanks for great content 👍
@19:06 I just listened to the 2nd Badlands album yesterday. Jake E Lee is still sooooo underrated. If you love 'Voodoo Highway', definitely check out *Red Dragon Cartel's 2nd album: 'PATINA'* It's a more consistent album than their debut, and it has that Jake-playing-the-blues-like-a-metal-god sound.
I love the Jackyl pick by Martin. Fits this perfectly
Just saw Jackyl live right before thanksgiving. Killer band and HEAVY
Jackal to me were the southern version of Sunset Strip sleaze. Right there with Dangerous Toys, Rhino Bucket, Junkyard and Asphalt Ballet just to name a few.
I suppose in defense of Enuff Z'Nuff, I've read from interviews that they considered themselves a power pop group. They saw themselves as a power-pop group that plays with heavy guitars. A lot of their songs remind me more of 90s pop and alternative bands (dare I say some of the vocals remind me more of Blur than Poison?). Sure they had the image for a while, but I don't think they ever really fit in with the hair bands.
I trully can't think of another album as fkn sublime and excellent as III Sides to Every Story is in the 90s... not even that Images and Words by D.T, or whatever... even the next album, Waiting for the Punchline... so yeah... a heavily condensed piece of art this album by Extreme is. Nuno, just at his absolute best, and that means as good as any human being could ever get to be. Everybody should buy this album. Also Mr. Bigs Bump Ahead, and Winger's Pull... really hard to find higher musical quallity in rock... Cheers
How about Bon Jovi? I know I know it's blasphemy but I really dig their "These Days" record and it's definitely their best album, followed by "Keep the Faith", both released in the mid-nineties.
Nobody mention best band ( by songs and sale ) . Why ? Don't know ...
@@aleksandarfrick2656 exactly... And it's a screaming example of what this episode is all about
Bon Jovi wanted to be more like Springsteen than grunge though.
@@Chaz4543 Yeah but I think that the Springsteen thing came much later though, after These Days Bon Jovi adopted every style under the sun (Boy band pop, country, U2..etc.), culminating in This House is Not for Sale and 2020 which were totally Springsteen records.
These Days is a great album. I haven't followed that band in a while but I doubt if they ever play anything from that record live. It's kind of been forgotten.
Great episode. Looking forward to next weeks.
Shall be revisiting most of these albums after this show. Some of my favorite albums ever. Cheers🍻
New Extreme album in 2023. Debut Black Crowes 5x platinum, follow up 2x platinum. It did better critically maybe but not commercially. Those first 2 Badlands albums are masterpieces.
I absolutely agree!!! They totally changed from the debut, incredible album🤘🤘🤘 right on brother!
Strength Enuff z Nuff fantastic album
The kik tracii album is fantastic one of my All time favs
'Still Climbing' is a good album but I actually think 'Heartbreak Station' is the album Cinderella wanted to make. I know Tom Keifer has stated that's his favorite Cinderella album.
I put "Still Climbing" second to "Night Songs".
Motley's 94 record was the biggest swing from the Hair genre yet great. Another would be Bang Tango's first two releases. The Lynch Mob records also departed from the Hair thing.
I also would say that Mother Love Bone would fit into this genre more than the Grunge genre and it re-enforces my belief that if Andy Wood hadn't dies Mother Love Bone might not of made such a big splash.
LOVE Enuff Znuff! Great Songwriting
The first time I noticed they "grew up" is when Poison released the single "Stand" in 1993 off of their Native Tongue album. It was a decent song.
Its subjective of course but I dont think Poison pulled off the "we're more serious" vibe very well at all. Native Tongue is a failure imo.
Until recently I would've sworn on a bible to never like any Poison album until someone on another thread mentioned Native Tongue & when I checked it out I liked it. Because of Richie Kotzen of course, I really love his playing & vocals. Too bad that's all he ever did with them...
@@wolf1977 poison were very good on their first 3 albums. They shouldn't change.
@Chaz4543 thank goodness they didn't as they are one of the only bands still hanging in there
Native Tounge is their best album by a mile, Kotzen was a breath of fresh air. I do like their other records too, but Native Tounge is next level.
This period of time was when the hair bands put out some of their best material.
I love the bands biggest hits. This is where we are different.
I’d go
Skid row - subhuman race
Motley Crue- self titled
Poison- native tongue
Warrant- dog eat dog
Wasp- crimson idol
Yngwie- fire and ice
Still Climbing is a very good cd, it surprised me. Badlands 3 cds are all very good.
Vain 1st album was amazing i think.
Great show
Id also add Steelhearts tangled in reigns. Mr big stories we could tell.
I'd also add night ranger. Dont let up.
Vixens rev it up.
Tesla bust a nut is a gem.
T-Ride...one album...very ahead of its time...came out in 1992
To comment on Tesla, I’ve talked many times on this channel about my love for their live Five Man Acoustic Jam album, and I’ll do it again. One of my favorite lives of all time and probably my favorite acoustic
Martin is certainly entitled to his personal opinion, but I was around at the time, and I don’t remember ANYONE saying Love/Hate were better than G’n’R, let alone 10x better. In my personal opinion, they were very derivative of G’n’R, not bad at all, but riding their coattails.
You are right; no one ever said it. But it was still true.
These are all really great pics. The only band I would have included would have been Saigon Kick. There second record The Lizard would have been bigger if Nevermind hadn't come out. Honorable mentions would be War Babies, Faster Pussycat, Bang Tango.
Great topic!!!
Agree 💯 about Jackyl and the Cut the Crap album. One of my favorite albums of the 90's, every song is really catchy. Another channel recently trashed them mercilessly, I haven't watched any of his vids since.
Love that Extreme album.
I still think Tom Keifer's latest album Rise is one of the best albums released in the last 20+ years. Cheers.
Great episode. Martin mentioned the band Slaughter, who continued to release albums all through the 90s. I always marked their third album, Fear No Evil, in 1995 as the true end to the era known as hair metal. Heck even grunge was pretty much dead by then. Fear No Evil is a great slaughter album by the way. Might even be my favorite.
Speaking of Eric Martin: Back before he was in Mr. Big, Eric was in a Bay Area band called 415 (later known as the Eric Martin Band). For years, 415 were kind of the universal opening act for every major band that came through the Bay; I saw them open shows for Journey, Foreigner, and at least a couple of others in the early '80s. You could always tell he was headed for (no pun intended) bigger things.
One that deserves a mention is Star Star's The Love Drag Years (1992). They were more an updated T.Rex/Hanoi Rocks version of hair metal/punk and the album is brilliant. No one else sounded like them, especially in 1992.
I seen winger at the Palladium. Really heavy. I was so surprised that album is awesome Pete.
Great episode. I actually like Tesla's Shock. I think that the only thing about that album that sounds like Def Leppard is the backing vocals(Phil Collen does do BVs), but it's still Tesla. It's like when Roy Thomas Baker produced the middle two Starcastle albums. He brought the Queen backing vocals, but the music was still Yes-influenced. California Summer Song sounds like The Eagles to me. My favorite song off of Extreme's III Sides To Every Story is Seven Sundays, because it sounds like a Queen song. Fallen is the only Stryper cd that I own. I did get it because of After Forever. Besides Black Sabbath, Kerry Livgren from Kansas also wrote Christian lyrics. It's funny that you guys mentioned Europe. Supposedly, their next album will go back to the Final Countdown sound. I do love their current sound. I always thought that Europe's '80s commercial sound was like a cross between Asia and Rainbow. I hope that Europe does add some Prog influence on their next one
Stryper was my first big rock show, and they were really great. I also want to shout out Saigon Kick who had lots of quality and fans but never broke as big as they should've.
W.A.S.P. really stepped up in the 1990s too
Tyketto - Don’t Come Easy is the best album ever. Came out well past the height of glam. Was in a league of its own for sure
I would recommend Love On Ice, they only lasted one album and are kinda funk metal too. Warrior Soul was great too, but never really hair metal (more like the NYC hard edged version of Jane's Addiction, at least for the first 3 albums).
White Lion's Mane Attraction is a good example. My favorite album from them (although it has a couple of songs I don't like).
That's a damn good album (especially Warsong) that is very underrated! Vito was an amazing player! Too bad this was (more or less) the end for them... Keep Rockin' !!
I liked some, but not all, of the 90's output of certain glam metal bands. Take Warrant for example. I loved Dog Eat Dog, as it seemed like a natural progression from Cherry Pie and went in a darker and heavier direction, but then they started chasing the alt rock scene with albums like Belly To Belly, and I tuned out. Same with Motley Crue -- loved the self-titled album with John Corabi on vocals, but then Vince Neil came back and they put out that musical abortion called Generation Swine.
I think I own everything you two mentioned today .Great show
Definitely some good lunch bucket metal out there
I love Love/Hate! I loved them then, I love them now. I've picked up a few bands from this video that I haven't listened to In years that I want to check out again.
One band that I think fits into this is British band The Dogs D'Amour. I don't think they're known in the US but they had a minor hit here in the UK. They were more Stones and Small Faces influenced bluesy rock but because if their look got lumped in with the glam metal scene. They did have a bit of that on their first (that you could easily buy anyway) album In the Dynamite Jet Saloon but they were so much more than that.
Slave To The Grind and Subhuman Race are excellent albums from Skid Row which highlight the theme of this show. I'll take those 2 albums over their debut any day of the week.
I think it hurt their image to some degree, actually, because they ended up in this weird grey area of not really being hair metal anymore but also not really being grunge or thrash either. How do you market that? Also, Bach is a good vocalist for a hair band but when he heavied up his vocals it felt a bit forced.
I never listen to their 1st album but still do listen to the 2nd and 3rd.
I see your point and maybe so. However, for me personally, when I hear Bach sing on such “grungy” songs like “Beat Yourself Blind”, “Eileen”, “Firesign”, and “Remains To Be Seen” to name a few of my faves on Subhuman Race, I think he nails the intended vibe. Great range he shows, particularly at the end of “Eileen” when I’m in awe of the notes he hits there to close things out.
Eileen is one of my favorite Skid Row songs bro
Warrant- Dog Eat Dog, Winger - Pull and Slaughter- Fear No Evil three of the best. Stryper- Against the Law, Skid Row - Subhuman Race, Trixter- Hear, Britny Fox- Bite Down Hard, Extreme- Three Sides, White Lion- Mane Attraction, Motley Crue self titled, even the bluesy Poison - Native Tongue. Dokken - Dysfunctional is enjoyable but it's more a Don solo album
No, no, no, no, no… Dysfunctional came before Shadowlife and was not a grungy album, in my opinion. Shadowlife was the grungy type record l didn’t like; I’m a big fan of Dysfunctional, but l think I’m in the minority.
Dysfunctional was released in Japan at the tail end of 1994, and then about six months later, in 1995, in America.
Shadowlife came out in 1997.
I remember this since l worked at a record store at the time and had special ordered the Japanese import of the new Dokken CD for a few cats. In fact, the Japanese version was self-titled and had one or two less tracks than what would become Dysfunctional here in America. The songs were also in a different order.
Other than that slight oversight, another exquisite show, gentlemen.
Merry Christmas and Happy Festivus, y’all!
Cheers from Queens Noo Yawk, ova heyah!
🤘😎🤘
PS: Winger’s Push CD was actually entitled Pull and is much better than their first two albums. You’re correct about that fact, Mr. Pardo… totally agree with you there.
And, “Lunchbucket Metal” = Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
You have the Dokken chron correct. Dysfunctional is an underrated Dokken album for me.
Agree Davey - Dysfunctional is an outstanding album and Pete should give it another listen or listen to the '94 Japan one which is an even heavier mix. I love that one. Shadowlife was the grunge album and it flat out sucked. Don even hates it! They only played 1 song from it "Puppet on a String" when they opened on the Alice Cooper tour in '97.
First five that came to mind
1. Cinderella - Still Climbing (1994)
2. Faster Pussycat - Whipped! (1992)
3. Badlands - Voodoo Highway (1991)
4. Britny Fox - Bite Down Hard (1991)
5. Skid Row - Slave to the Grind (1991)
You are so right. Here in Finland is the same thing; meteorologists don't know anything...
Great show as always! Would love to hear your guys’ opinion on Jane’s Addiction as well as thoughts on the “Alternative Metal” tag
we always called it cockrock! lol
I'd also add Warrants Dog Eat Dog but I LOVE Ultraphobic
I’ve never gotten into Extreme. Gonna try to again through this Three sides… album. But I was REALLY into that Jackyl album when I was in high school (born in 01’)
'Hair Metal' or whatever you wanna call it generally isn't my thing (at least not those 'classic' HM bands like Crue, Poison, Ratt, Skid Row, Twisted Sister, Cinderella etc), for me it's in the same category as Kiss. But I do think some bands labeled this way by many were good bands. I always liked Def Leppard, Extreme, some Giant (Last Of The Runaways), Mr Big (one of my faves of this bunch), Rough Cutt, Strangeways, Harem Scarem. Enuff Z'Nuff is an excellent band, lotsa great albums. I think what many of them have in common is a better sense of 'songwriting craft' as Pete noted, almost more AOR than anything else (at least for the bands I like). Very melodic with good instrumentation, not too heavy (so the 'metal' tag is already somewhat of a stretch), good vocals & lotsa guitar hooks. For me one thing that this sub-genre embodies, due to the 'metal' tag, is that the blues roots of the music can't be too obvious/out front. That's the definition of 'metal' that I usually favor: rock becomes metal when the blues roots of the music are no longer obvious (along with a couple of other characteristics). This disqualifies some more bluesy bands from this category - at least for me...
Is Whitesnake in this category? They certainly had the hair but I wouldn't put them in this category - especially when you call it glam metal - to me they weren't particularly 'glammy' (and again the blues roots are there much of the time). Black Crowes to me has nothing to do with hair/glam metal, they're not 'metal' at all - that one I have to say is an out of left field pick for me
I mean I see people call Savatage and Queensryche hair metal too , So the term was pretty useless .
@@rosariocannistraro3561 I don't know Savatage but to me Queensryche is not 'hair metal'