# Hair spray and spandex did mix for a time...



## TracerBullet42 (Nov 1, 2005)

I'm needing to settle a dispute...which eighties screaming rock band reigned supreme?

Warrant or Skid Row?


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## reveal (Nov 1, 2005)

TracerBullet42 said:
			
		

> I'm needing to settle a dispute...which eighties screaming rock band reigned supreme?
> 
> Warrant or Skid Row?




Warrant. Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich and Cherry Pie are both classics.

I will, however, say that Sebastian Bach is the better singer. The guy played Dr. Jekyll on Broadway.


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## Crothian (Nov 1, 2005)

Heaven isn't to far away.....


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## reveal (Nov 1, 2005)

Crothian said:
			
		

> Heaven isn't to far away.....




We're closer to it every day.


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## Warrior Poet (Nov 1, 2005)

Well, if you can call what either of these two bands did, "rocking," then it's Warrant.   

But to answer your *question:*



			
				TracerBullet42 said:
			
		

> which eighties screaming rock band reigned supreme?



The answer is Iron Maiden (still going strong, I might add).

Up the Irons!

Warrior Poet


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## spatha (Nov 1, 2005)

Of these two I have to go with Skid Row.


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## Dungannon (Nov 1, 2005)

I went with Skid Row, because they put on a hell of a live show.


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## freebfrost (Nov 1, 2005)

Iron Maiden.

_Up the Irons!_


(Edit) Just saw the post from Warrior Poet.  Glad to see another *true* metalhead here!


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## Lord Mhoram (Nov 1, 2005)

I was never a huge fan of either - for hair band I have to go with Motly Crue,  Twisted Sister, Poison or Ratt.

And yeah - Maiden Rocks.


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## Wombat (Nov 1, 2005)

Hmmm, I guess I was listening to the wrong music ... I was into Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, Bauhaus, Siouxsie & the Banshees, U2, Juluka, Trio, Dead Can Dance...  Nope, neither of these


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## IronWolf (Nov 1, 2005)

Not even a difficult choice between those two.. Skid Row!!!


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## devilbat (Nov 1, 2005)

spatha said:
			
		

> Of these two I have to go with Skid Row.




Agreed.


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## Mystery Man (Nov 1, 2005)

IronWolf said:
			
		

> Not even a difficult choice between those two.. Skid Row!!!




Even though Warrant is clearly better.


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## John Q. Mayhem (Nov 2, 2005)

Don't know either.

Iron Maiden is _great_. I love their subject matter-the Battle of Britain, the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Young Goodman Brown, the Charge of the Light Brigade, Daedelus and Icarus. I call 'em a thinking man's metal.

A funny thing happened a while back. I was playing Red Faction, and defending Maiden against some anti-metal Philistines with another fan. I mentioned some of this, called 'em a thinking man's metal, and the other fan just...said, "OK, whatever" or something. He had no idea what I waws talking about


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 2, 2005)

Got to go with the majority here, Maiden all the way! No pansy-ass power-ballad poser metal for me. 

Although I must say, when I did see Skid Row, they weren't bad. And they at least had the decency to bring Pantara along to open for them.


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## Desdichado (Nov 2, 2005)

Lord Mhoram said:
			
		

> I was never a huge fan of either - for hair band I have to go with Motley Crue, Twisted Sister, Poison or Ratt.



Indeed.  Well, Twisted Sister was a one-hit wonder (and their one hit was a remake of a Queen song at that) and Poison were a bunch of guys that tried to be as pretty as possible, But I'll definately go with Mötley Crüe and Ratt, and maybe throw in Quiet Riot for laughs.


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## stevelabny (Nov 2, 2005)

Waitaminute.

Metallica and Bon Jovi were the two bands to survive. So that probably means they should get some sort of nod. (And are indeed two of my faves)  Of course, these two had some concept of music, which a lot of the other copycat bands didnt have.

But every child of the 80s knows that the BEST hair band was Guns N' F'n Roses

If GNR stayed together, rock would never have lost its way, and MTV wouldnt suck quite so much. Axl was Madonna and Michael Jackson and every 2-year career Rap star rolled into one. 

But for these two? Warrant wins. Cherry Pie is a classic album.


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## fett527 (Nov 2, 2005)

Voted for Warrant with only 2 options.

I never liked them, they were muscially abhorrent, but Poison was the top of all hair bands in the day.


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## diaglo (Nov 2, 2005)

i don't remember. i was pretty drunk at the time. and i burned all the pics.

diaglo "who banged his head and shook loose all his marbles then" Ooi


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## Warrior Poet (Nov 2, 2005)

To my mind, there's a couple of different questions going on with the thread.

The poll asks, _of the two bands, Warrant and Skid Row_, which is better.  So, I voted in the context of the two bands as options in the poll.  However, the question TracerBullet42 also poses in his first post says, specifically, "which eighties screaming rock band reigned supreme?"

To which I must say, of the options presented in the poll, *neither*.  Why?  Neither of those two bands reigned supreme at anything (as far as I'm concerned; not saying they didn't have some talent or ability, but reign supreme? Nah), and neither was a "screaming rock band."

Hair band?  Yep, both qualify.  In which case, I *still* suggest neither reigned supreme, and I'd have to go with Motley Crüe for the '80s on the hair band front.  Success, sold out shows, big fan showing, big hair, lots of makeup, all that the Crüe had.

BUT, in the category of "screaming rock band" and "reigning supreme," it's Maiden all the way.  They don't call Bruce Dickinson "the air raid siren" for nothing, and as for reigning supreme, Maiden rocks longer, louder, and harder (and frequently more intelligently) than just about anybody else.



			
				stevelabny said:
			
		

> But every child of the 80s knows that the BEST hair band was Guns N' F'n Roses



Again, distinction of hair band.  Actually, I don't really think of G'n'R as a hair band, I think of them more along the lines of "screaming rock band."  I think you can make a good case for G'n'R, but Maiden still wins, in my opinion, for a couple of reasons.  1) Longevity.  2) G'n'R were at least as famous for their ballads ("Patience", "November Rain", "Sweet Child o' Mine" et al.) as they were for their blistering rockers (and their rockers did, indeed, rock).  3) And again, context specific, in the '80s, it's Maiden.  G'n'R really started to come into their own, and get the big recognition at the end of the '80s/beginning of the early '90s (yes, I know they were around for a while - _Appetite for Destruction_ was a 1987 release; it picked up steam fast).



			
				stevelabny said:
			
		

> Metallica and Bon Jovi were the two bands to survive. So that probably means they should get some sort of nod. (And are indeed two of my faves)  Of course, these two had some concept of music, which a lot of the other copycat bands didnt have.



I've clearly established myself as a semantics monkey on this, so I'll just keep that train rollin'.   

Excellent point on Metallica, stevelabny.  Maiden also survived.  Maybe not as much in the U.S. (where they've always had a harder time breaking big anyway; Europe and the rest of the world loves 'em, but the U.S. mainstream media never shows the love, even if they have many devoted U.S. fans), but they're still cranking out good albums (like any artist, they've had a few that weren't so great).  So if survival is an indicator of reigning supreme, I still say Maiden.  Dickinson's voice *still* screams - he doesn't appear to have lost any power over the years, and the band's playing continues to unfold in diverse, interesting, complex ways (as a bass player, everytime I listen to a new Maiden offering, I marvel at Steve Harris' compositions and lines.  How does he do that?)

Also, Bon Jovi:  screaming rock band?  Hmmm . . . maybe.  Hair band?  Maybe.  Pop metal rocker with part time acting career?  That feels more like it to me.

'Tallica.  I love 'em, too, and have ever since my introduction to them (I heard _Master of Puppets_ first), and they are truly a giant in the music world (as they should be), but I don't think of them as "screaming rock band."  I certainly don't think of them as a hair band.  I do think they're thrash/speed metal/true heavy metal, a category or series of categories in which Warrant and Skid Row do not fall, I think.  Metallica has also had tremendous longevity, as you note, and so maybe they would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Maiden in the '80s.  _Master of Puppets_ is still one of the all-time single greatest metal contributions ever, as far as I'm concerned, and over the years they have continued to do interesting things with music, and having seen them live three times, I can definitely say they really rock.  So, good call on Metallica.

And now that I've thought and talked about this *way* too much, it's time to get some coffee!   

Warrior Poet


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 2, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> Indeed.  Well, Twisted Sister was a one-hit wonder (and their one hit was a remake of a Queen song at that)




One hit wonder? Two hits, if I remember correctly-I Wanna Rock and We're Not Gonna Take it, both of which were written by Dee Snider. I can't even find a Queen cover listed among everything they recorded. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?...1&uid=MIW030511020910&sql=11:k85gtq9ztu42~T31


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## Katcracker (Nov 2, 2005)

*hair spray and spandex never mixed well.... they just did it anyways*

Of these two I would put Warrant at the top.... but in the list of "which eighties screaming rock band reigned supreme"?  I don't think either would be high on my list though, but for research I will have to dig through memories and watch some "I love the 80's."


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## Bront (Nov 2, 2005)

stevelabny said:
			
		

> If GNR stayed together, rock would never have lost its way, and MTV wouldnt suck quite so much. Axl was Madonna and Michael Jackson and every 2-year career Rap star rolled into one.



If Axl had stayed out of prison, they might have.

Isn't Slash with another band now?

Having listened to most of my screaming rock later in life, I can only vote for Warrent given that I can't put any songs I recognized to Skid Row.

I know Scorpions had a few hits, but they did some ballads too.

In the 80s I was a big fan of Asia, but they aren't exactly anything close to what you're talking about here.

There was a radio station that did a 2 hour show on Thursday nights I think called Precious Metal, which was all 80's metal/hair rock.  It was a lot of fun to listen to.

Dee Snyder gets props for appearing before congress to defend freedom of music, and later in the semi-comidy movie "Parental Advisory" on those said trials on VH1 20 years later (And strangely, he looks the same, hair and all.


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## Desdichado (Nov 2, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> One hit wonder? Two hits, if I remember correctly-I Wanna Rock and We're Not Gonna Take it, both of which were written by Dee Snider. I can't even find a Queen cover listed among everything they recorded. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?...1&uid=MIW030511020910&sql=11:k85gtq9ztu42~T31



Hmmm... I guess I'm wrong, then.  I thought whichever song they did for _Iron Eagle_ was a Queen cover, but maybe that's just my memory failing to pierce the mists of time.


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## reveal (Nov 2, 2005)

Bront said:
			
		

> If Axl had stayed out of prison, they might have.
> 
> Isn't Slash with another band now?




Slash, Duff (bassist), and Matt (drummer) formed Velvet Revolver with another guitarist and Scott Weiland (STP).


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## Warrior Poet (Nov 2, 2005)

Bront said:
			
		

> Isn't Slash with another band now?



Velvet Revolver, with G'n'R alums Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum. _Edit:  whoops, reveal already said that._



			
				Bront said:
			
		

> Dee Snyder gets props for appearing before congress to defend freedom of music, and later in the semi-comidy movie "Parental Advisory" on those said trials on VH1 20 years later (And strangely, he looks the same, hair and all.



My impression about Dee Snyder is that he has a pretty good sense of humor about himself and his career.  I heard a brief interview on the radio one time, and he was talking very good-naturedly about a review of "We're Not Gonna Take It" that had printed shortly after that single's release.  Snyder was laughing about the review, which gave the song no stars (or thumbs, or whatever the rating was), and he said (I'm paraphrasing), "The review gave it no stars, and it was only three words long.  It said, 'What, from whom?'"   

I love that song.  It's goofy, but totally catchy, right from the drum intro.  Scored a great deal a few months back in a record store when I found a Quiet Riot album in the bargain clearance section: $5!  That's like old school album prices that I remember!   

Warrior Poet


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 2, 2005)

Bront said:
			
		

> If Axl had stayed out of prison, they might have.




When was Axl in prison? In seclusion, maybe, but I never remember hearing anything about him going to prison. He was arrested a few times for inciting a riot, assault, drunken disorderly conduct, etc. but that was when the band was still together and touring in the early 90s. The band split due to his ego. 

Maybe you are confusing him with Scott Weiland who spent some time in prison for drug posession, and is now in Velvet Revolver with Slash & Duff?


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## Warrior Poet (Nov 2, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> Hmmm... I guess I'm wrong, then.  I thought whichever song they did for _Iron Eagle_ was a Queen cover, but maybe that's just my memory failing to pierce the mists of time.



Just checked allmusic.com.  You're kinda right.  Twisted Sister wasn't on the soundtrack, but there was a Queen song on there:  "One Vision"

Warrior Poet

_Edit:  Actually, check out that soundtrack listing.  Queen, Dio, King Kobra, George Clinton, Katrina and the Waves!?!?!_ What a mix!


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## Desdichado (Nov 2, 2005)

Actually, I was never a fan of G'n'R.  In fact, I consider the death of hair bands to possibly be their fault.  They never seemed to grasp the whole pretentious campiness of it all, and tried too hard to be "serious."

No thanks.  I'd rather have Van Halen and Def Leppard, frankly.  And how is it that Van Halen hasn't even been mentioned as the top big-hair metal band of the 80s?  Do they not get enough cred because they were popular or something?


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## reveal (Nov 2, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> And how is it that Van Halen hasn't even been mentioned as the top big-hair metal band of the 80s?  Do they not get enough cred because they were popular or something?




Because they were really, really good. When most people say "hair band" they refer to bands that didn't make it past 92 when Nirvana hit it big.


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## spatha (Nov 2, 2005)

reveal said:
			
		

> Slash, Duff (bassist), and Matt (drummer) formed Velvet Revolver with another guitarist and Scott Weiland (STP).



Damned good band by the way. 

But I'm going to have to add AC/DC to the discussion. As screaming rock and not hair metal. 
My favorite bands are
1. Motley Crue
2. Guns and Roses
3. AC/DC


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## Warrior Poet (Nov 2, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> And how is it that Van Halen hasn't even been mentioned as the top big-hair metal band of the 80s?  Do they not get enough cred because they were popular or something?



I'm just not sure I'd call them hair metal in the same vein as Poison, Ratt, Cinderella, Motley Crüe, and some of those others.  I think of them as more hard rock.  Def Leppard, they're tougher for me to classify.  The early stuff (the best stuff) was definitely hard rock or heavy metal, but after _Hysteria_, they became something . . . else?

Warrior Poet


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## Desdichado (Nov 2, 2005)

Warrior Poet said:
			
		

> Just checked allmusic.com.  You're kinda right.  Twisted Sister wasn't on the soundtrack, but there was a Queen song on there:  "One Vision"
> 
> Warrior Poet



THat can't be right; I remember clearly that Twisted Sister had remade that (and I guess, if so, that'd make them a three-hit wonder.)  How could my memory of that be so wrong?  I even remember seeing the MTv video of the Twisted Sister remake, but I can't find any evidence of it now.

Too weird.


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 2, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> No thanks.  I'd rather have Van Halen and Def Leppard, frankly.  And how is it that Van Halen hasn't even been mentioned as the top big-hair metal band of the 80s?  Do they not get enough cred because they were popular or something?




If you want to talk about the biggest Hair Metal band of the 80s, Def Leppard blows everyone else away in terms of success. One hit after another for years. And still playing sold out shows and putting out albums. I should know, my wife is a huge DL fan, and I've seen them with her 5 or 6 times over the past couple years. Now that's not to say that I think they are the best musically, as I was never a big fan of theirs when they were huge. I've grown to like their stuff now (can't help to, it's on in the car and home all the time), but there are others I liked much better then.


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## TracerBullet42 (Nov 2, 2005)

I love the turn this thread has taken...  

Truth be told, I just wanted to make a poll, not having ever made one before, and a buddy of mine and I were arguing over which of those two bands was greater...Skid Row or Warrant.

I felt that Warrant was a better band over all, but Skid Row had a couple of outstanding songs...and Sebastian Bach can flat-out sing.  So I chose Skid Row.  My buddy stood by Warrant's side.  Figured it was time to call upon the genius of EnWorld.

We talked about doing a big bracket of eighties bands and having a "battle of the bands" tournament, but both agreed Metallica would walk away with it, so it wouldn't be much fun.

But where would bands like Extreme, Tesla, and Queensryche fall?

And why did we spend so much time talking about it?

That's pretty much where it ended.

But I love where this is going...wonderful (and some not-so-wonderful) trips down memeory lane...

Ooh, remember Stryper?  I could go on and on...


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## Warrior Poet (Nov 2, 2005)

reveal said:
			
		

> Because they were really, really good. When most people say "hair band" they refer to bands that didn't make it past 92 when Nirvana hit it big.



Yes.  Between Eddie's phenomenal talent, and the band's ability to reach a broad audience across pop, hard rock, metal, party band genres, and so forth, I think they're harder to classify into any single category.

Warrior Poet


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## reveal (Nov 2, 2005)

Extreme is one of my favorite bands. I got into them because of More Than Words but I have all their albums and they are fantastic. Their last album, Waiting for the Punchline, has some great songs and Nuno Bettencort is an awesome guitarist. Too bad Gary Cheron left and got hosed by Eddie Van Halen.


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 2, 2005)

Warrior Poet said:
			
		

> Def Leppard, they're tougher for me to classify.  The early stuff (the best stuff) was definitely hard rock or heavy metal, but after _Hysteria_, they became something . . . else?




Slang is an unusual album, but after that, they went back to doing more of what they did on Pyromania and Hysteria, but without producer Mutt Lange. Good pop metal, but the big radio and audience wasn't there for it. But as I posted above, they can still sell out 12000 seat shows around the country.


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## Warrior Poet (Nov 2, 2005)

TracerBullet42 said:
			
		

> But where would bands like Extreme



Pop metal?  Pop hard rock?



			
				TracerBullet42 said:
			
		

> Tesla



Hard rock, intelligently done, and somewhat unappreciated.



			
				TracerBullet42 said:
			
		

> Queensryche



Progressive metal or progressive hard rock.



			
				TracerBullet42 said:
			
		

> And why did we spend so much time talking about it?



'Cause it's fun!   



			
				TracerBullet42 said:
			
		

> Ooh, remember Stryper?



I'd rather not.  

Warrior Poet


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## DungeonmasterCal (Nov 2, 2005)

I hated Warrant with the heat of a thousand suns.  Their songs just...irritated me.  Skid Row, on the other hand, had a heavier sound and a more in your face delivery than Warrant could ever manage, IMHO.  And Sebastian Bach is the superior vocalist in this contest, hands down.  

*takes breath to calm down*  I miss the 80s.


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## Warrior Poet (Nov 2, 2005)

reveal said:
			
		

> Nuno Bettencort is an awesome guitarist.



Very true.



			
				Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> they can still sell out 12000 seat shows around the country.



I bet they're a helluva live show.

Warrior Poet


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 2, 2005)

reveal said:
			
		

> Extreme is one of my favorite bands. I got into them because of More Than Words but I have all their albums and they are fantastic. Their last album, Waiting for the Punchline, has some great songs and Nuno Bettencort is an awesome guitarist. Too bad Gary Cheron left and got hosed by Eddie Van Halen.




Ugh. I couldn't stand Extreme. I saw them once, and thought they were awful live. What did you find great about Nuno's guitar playing? Sure, he could play, but he wasn't doing anything that other guitarists weren't doing better. All I could see (and this is from the perspective of the girls I was dating at the time) was that girls wanted to sleep with him because he had great hair.  :\


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 2, 2005)

Warrior Poet said:
			
		

> I bet they're a helluva live show.




Yep, if they weren't, I wouldn't let Laura drag me to see them multiple times.   

I don't know where you are, but they are currently touring and there are tickets available for most of the shows: http://defleppard.com/tour/index.html


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## DungeonmasterCal (Nov 2, 2005)

Warrior Poet said:
			
		

> But to answer your *question:*
> 
> 
> The answer is Iron Maiden (still going strong, I might add).
> ...





Maiden is my all time fave band.  I've been lucky enough to see them live 4 times, and they never disappointed.  

For the record...if anyone is keeping one... I hate the term "hair band".  Every era of rock'n'roll has its "look".  Bands today are just as image conscious as every band that came before.  The image just changes, that's all.  Today it's piercings and tattoos with very fashionably gelled and teased shorter hair.  Ugh.


**DMCal, who misses his shoulder length locks**


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## Warrior Poet (Nov 2, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> THat can't be right; I remember clearly that Twisted Sister had remade that (and I guess, if so, that'd make them a three-hit wonder.)  How could my memory of that be so wrong?  I even remember seeing the MTv video of the Twisted Sister remake, but I can't find any evidence of it now.
> 
> Too weird.



Maybe they did remake it, but it was on a different album, or different soundtrack?

Warrior Poet


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## reveal (Nov 2, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> Ugh. I couldn't stand Extreme. I saw them once, and thought they were awful live. What did you find great about Nuno's guitar playing? Sure, he could play, but he wasn't doing anything that other guitarists weren't doing better. All I could see (and this is from the perspective of the girls I was dating at the time) was that girls wanted to sleep with him because he had great hair.  :\




Going to one show does not give you a perspective on how good he is. Try listening to some of the albums (Midnight Express from Waiting for the Punchline is a great example).


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## Desdichado (Nov 2, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> But as I posted above, they can still sell out 12000 seat shows around the country.



Heck, I'd go see them.  I got lucky and scored some tickets (for free; a supplier took me) a few years ago to the joint tour of David Lee Roth and Sammy Haggar.  That was one of the best concerts I've seen, still.  I'd totally see Def Leppard if they rolled into town.  I'll check your list, CL, and see if Detroit's on it.  I'd be surprised if it's not; we're that kinda town.

EDIT:  D'oh!  They were just hear the 23rd of Oct, and I cluelessly missed it completely!


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## Seule (Nov 2, 2005)

TracerBullet42 said:
			
		

> But where would bands like Extreme, Tesla, and Queensryche fall?




Queensryche had only one good album.  It's an extremely good album, but still, only one does not qualify them to be in the same category as some of the other bands mentioned.

  --Seule


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## Warrior Poet (Nov 2, 2005)

DungeonmasterCal said:
			
		

> Maiden is my all time fave band.



Up the Irons!   



			
				DungeonmasterCal said:
			
		

> I've been lucky enough to see them live 4 times, and they never disappointed.



Now I'm jealous.  I've _never_ been lucky enough to see them even once, but I remain determined!   They must be one of the all-time greatest live shows period.  

Warrior Poet


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## Desdichado (Nov 2, 2005)

Seule said:
			
		

> Queensryche had only one good album.  It's an extremely good album, but still, only one does not qualify them to be in the same category as some of the other bands mentioned.



What category is that: the category of bands that only had half a dozen good songs through their whole career?


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 2, 2005)

reveal said:
			
		

> Going to one show does not give you a perspective on how good he is. Try listening to some of the albums (Midnight Express from Waiting for the Punchline is a great example).




Oh, I listened to the albums. Over and over and over for a couple months because that's all the girl I was with would listen to. Maybe it's just that every time I hear them, I get this sharp pain in my wrist from where she used to dig her nails into my arm and screech "NUNO'S SUCH A GOD!"


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## glass (Nov 2, 2005)

TracerBullet42 said:
			
		

> I'm needing to settle a dispute...which eighties screaming rock band reigned supreme? Warrant or Skid Row?



I voted Skid Row, because I quite liked them, and because I've never heard of Warrant.  


glass.


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 2, 2005)

glass said:
			
		

> I voted Skid Row, because I quite liked them, and because I've never heard of Warrant.




Don't worry, you really arn't missing much, except for some really cheesy videos.


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## Warrior Poet (Nov 2, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> Oh, I listened to the albums. Over and over and over for a couple months because that's all the girl I was with would listen to. Maybe it's just that every time I hear them, I get this sharp pain in my wrist from where she used to dig her nails into my arm and screech "NUNO'S SUCH A GOD!"



There's something to be said for the context in which you hear music having an influence on how you feel about it!   

Warrior Poet


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## TracerBullet42 (Nov 2, 2005)

reveal said:
			
		

> Going to one show does not give you a perspective on how good he is. Try listening to some of the albums (Midnight Express from Waiting for the Punchline is a great example).



Heck yeah!  That's a great song...or if you want to catch him rocking out a little harder, check out He-man Woman-hater on the Pornograffiti album...and no, I'm not referring to that crazy 2:00 intro...

Extreme is one of my favorite bands, and III Sides to Every Story is one of the greatest albums ever.


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## TracerBullet42 (Nov 2, 2005)

Seule said:
			
		

> Queensryche had only one good album.  It's an extremely good album, but still, only one does not qualify them to be in the same category as some of the other bands mentioned.
> 
> --Seule



Dude, are you referring to Empire or Operation: Mindcrime?  They're both very good.

You've got to love Eyes of A Stranger...(yeah, that's right...I'm telling you what you have to like now.)


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## TracerBullet42 (Nov 2, 2005)

hehehe...so far there have been only thirty votes compared to 57 posts.


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## Seule (Nov 2, 2005)

TracerBullet42 said:
			
		

> Dude, are you referring to Empire or Operation: Mindcrime?  They're both very good.
> 
> You've got to love Eyes of A Stranger...(yeah, that's right...I'm telling you what you have to like now.)




Empire is a very very good album.  Operation: Mindcrime is (IMNSHO) an acceptable album, impressive yes, but not something I actually like to listen to a lot.  Nothing else ranks, I don't think.

Has anyone considered Billy Idol?

  --Seule


----------



## TracerBullet42 (Nov 2, 2005)

Seule said:
			
		

> Nothing else ranks, I don't think.



I'll agree...in fact, I'd say that Promised Land was probably the single greatest disappointing album that I ever purchased...had high hopes for that one.



			
				Seule said:
			
		

> Has anyone considered Billy Idol?



hehehe...all I can picture him doing is the Wedding Singer now...


----------



## was (Nov 2, 2005)

I liked both groups.


----------



## Desdichado (Nov 2, 2005)

Seule said:
			
		

> Has anyone considered Billy Idol?



I have indeed, but I don't think he really qualifies as the same type of music either.  Back when he was with Gen X, before going solo, he was considered pretty prototypical punk, after all, and later he became pretty "pop rock" rather than the rather specialized genre of "big hair metal band."

But yeah, Idol is one of my favorite rock-outfits from the 80s.


----------



## freebfrost (Nov 2, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> Although I must say, when I did see Skid Row, they weren't bad. And they at least had the decency to bring Pantara along to open for them.



Skid Row did put on a good show.

However, Maiden always put on an *awesome* show...


----------



## freebfrost (Nov 2, 2005)

TracerBullet42 said:
			
		

> But where would bands like Extreme, Tesla, and Queensryche fall



Queensryche is your philosophy instructor whereas Maiden is your history professor.


----------



## Desdichado (Nov 2, 2005)

freebfrost said:
			
		

> Skid Row did put on a good show.
> 
> However, Maiden always put on an *awesome* show...



I never liked Maiden.  Maybe I should turn in my D&D Players Badge, because I'm not _really_ that much of a metal fan anyway.  I like some of the 80s stuff, but only for the nostalgia, not because I think it's really great music.  I was more into the New Wave stuff.

I should probably play Vampire or Wraeththu or something sissy like that.


----------



## freebfrost (Nov 2, 2005)

Seule said:
			
		

> Queensryche had only one good album.  It's an extremely good album, but still, only one does not qualify them to be in the same category as some of the other bands mentioned.



Let me guess - Empire?  (Youngsters!  Makes us old metalheads shake our heads...    )

_The Warning_ exemplified their best long before commericalism took hold of them, and build upon their EP's sound and style immensely.  I'd put it just a notch above _Rage for Order_, which was a bit more polished, but not as intense.

_Tribe_ has been their best effort in years, and its nice to hear DeGarmo again.

YMMV.


----------



## DungeonmasterCal (Nov 2, 2005)

freebfrost said:
			
		

> Let me guess - Empire?  (Youngsters!  Makes us old metalheads shake our heads...    )
> 
> _The Warning_ exemplified their best long before commericalism took hold of them, and build upon their EP's sound and style immensely.  I'd put it just a notch above _Rage for Order_, which was a bit more polished, but not as intense./QUOTE]
> 
> I agree.  _The Warning_ is a great album, and _Rage for Order _may be just about my favorite out of their discography.  I saw them with Maiden in 2000, and was blown away.  Geoff Tate's vocals just soared live.


----------



## Darth K'Trava (Nov 4, 2005)

I love both bands but like Skid Row a bit better.


----------



## Darth K'Trava (Nov 4, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> Yep, if they weren't, I wouldn't let Laura drag me to see them multiple times.
> 
> I don't know where you are, but they are currently touring and there are tickets available for most of the shows: http://defleppard.com/tour/index.html




Yup. I went with four others when they came to Raleigh a few weeks ago. Great show! And I love Bryan Adams too!


----------



## FickleGM (Nov 4, 2005)

Wow, not the best selection, but I heard that Sebastian Bach punched out Bon Jovi at one time and my wife loves Bon Jovi, so I voted for Skid Row.


----------



## stevelabny (Nov 4, 2005)

and for all you Sebastian Bach fans, don't forget to catch him in his recurring role on Gilmore Girls. 

Priceless.


----------



## Thunderfoot (Nov 5, 2005)

In regard to the two bands listed - I chose Skid Row!  Much grittier and had a hard edge.

But as to which hair band reigned supreme, neither of these two were around long enough to qualify.  If you really want to know, strap in junior, someone in the business is about to school ya!

As far as hair bands (SPECIFICALLY not just heavy metal but those that were on the spandex circuit) there are a pleathora from which to choose during the time frame of 1983 - 1992.  I have seen many responses and I must admit that Motley Crew fit that mold when they first arrived on the scene, but by the late 80s they started to move into the realm of "legitimate" Heavy Metal.  Though Queensryche has been mentioned, they fell into the progressive metal category_The Warning, Operation: Mindcrime_ and _Empire_were all concept albums and were too deep for the hair, whores and Heinken crowd... And Iron Maiden they were true Heavy Metal pioneers (the spandex was not a hair statement, just what everyone was wearing at the time (I even had a pair of black spandex pants))
So we are specifically looking at bands that exploited the LA sound and the Hollywood look.

I would narrow our group to Poison, Warrant, Skid Row, Slaughter, Vixen (you go girls), Faster Pussycat, Cinderella, Whitesnake, Twisted Sister, The New York Dolls, Van Halen (yep they were pioneers), Y&T (yep, they were too), Mr Big, Extreme and the like (There are about four thousand more bands I could name but you get the drift)

As far as pure hair The New York Dolls were a hold over from the glam days and along with Twisted Sister are probably the MOST repsonsible for the look - the odd part is the LA look was created in the New York club scene - both bands were NYC based.
The hair sound was one of tight vocal harmonies and distorted guitars - Van Halen, Whitesnake and Y&T were the progenators of that sound - hands down.  And if you don't believe VH belongs in this category, go back and watch any of the videos from the _1984 _ album... They may have started as a rock band, but under the guiding hand of KISS bassman Gene Simmons (another group that probably belongs on this list) they soon became as much showmen as musicians (_Diver Down_ and _Women and Children First_ are probably the best examples)  

Y&T though gets my ultimate hair band vote.  Though they aren't as well known as the rest, for those of us who were paying attention, they scored the sound and the look well before any of the rest.  This Long Beach (later Hollywood) based quartet cut their teeth in the late 70s opening for groups like Sweet, STYX and KISS and formed thier own distinctive sound in spite of it.  At the begining of the 80s rock anthems like _Lipstick and Leather_ and _Summertime Girls_ set the standard for all other bands to follow.  They could roll out the metal and even scored another major hair hit _Don't Be Afraid (Of The Dark)_ just as the 80s drew to a close.  Unlike all of the other bands in the era, they stayed true to themselves and to their sound throughout the duration.  They are IMO the hands down absolute winners of the Hair Band Hall of Fame MVPs.

"This has been _Behind the Hairspray_, I'm Thunderfoot, we'll see you next time..."
PS in case you were wondering how I came by the name Thunderfoot - maybe you have a clue now. *budda-budda budda-budda BOOM-BOOM*


----------



## Aryoche (Nov 5, 2005)

Mindcrime is good... LIVECrime is far better. Some of their earlier cuts are
decent , Like "The Lady Wore Black", "The Killing Words", and "I Dream in Infrared" come to mind. 


			
				Seule said:
			
		

> Empire is a very very good album.  Operation: Mindcrime is (IMNSHO) an acceptable album, impressive yes, but not something I actually like to listen to a lot.  Nothing else ranks, I don't think.
> 
> --Seule


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 5, 2005)

Thunderfoot said:
			
		

> I would narrow our group to Poison, Warrant, Skid Row, Slaughter, Vixen (you go girls), Faster Pussycat, Cinderella, Whitesnake, Twisted Sister, The New York Dolls, Van Halen (yep they were pioneers), Y&T (yep, they were too), Mr Big, Extreme and the like (There are about four thousand more bands I could name but you get the drift)
> 
> As far as pure hair The New York Dolls were a hold over from the glam days and along with Twisted Sister are probably the MOST repsonsible for the look - the odd part is the LA look was created in the New York club scene - both bands were NYC based.




I've got to disagree with you big time about the New York Dolls. Sure, the image may have come from them, but their music was proto-punk more than anything else. They formed in 1971, were managed by Malcom McLaren before he ever dreamed up the Sex Pistols, and were pretty much over when Johnny Thunders left the band in 1975. They continued on with various members until 1977, when they split for good, still a year or two years before anything resembling hair metal would show up in the clubs. By the mid-80s, at the height of hair metal, David Johansen was performing his Buster Poindexter act, far removed from the metal scene.


----------



## Tinner (Nov 5, 2005)

stevelabny said:
			
		

> and for all you Sebastian Bach fans, don't forget to catch him in his recurring role on Gilmore Girls.
> 
> Priceless.




That would be the reason for my vote for Skid Row as well.

Truthfully, I was listening to anything MTV wasn't playing back then.
Lots of Stormtroopers of Death, Agent Orange, Black Flag, Anagram. Anythign that didn't have a video basically.
We had some great small independant record stores in my area, so I was able to find a lot of non-mainstream stuff. I miss that. I'm so sick of ohearing the same three songs over and over for three months at a time.
Man, Funk Dat!

One other comment about Sebastian Bach, didn't I see a VH1 episode of Where are they Now, or I Love the 80's where he mentioned what a nerd he was growing up?
I seem to recall him making some cheesey sci-fi home video or something
That qualifies as roleplaying in my book.

Skid Row it is!


----------



## DungeonmasterCal (Nov 5, 2005)

Thunderfoot said:
			
		

> Y&T....aren't as well known as the rest,




I love me some Y&T.  _*wanders off to listen to the Black Tiger LP*_


----------



## Ranger REG (Nov 6, 2005)

Two words: Def Leppard.


----------



## frankthedm (Nov 6, 2005)

Hair bands needed more igniting.


----------



## Thunderfoot (Nov 7, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> I've got to disagree with you big time about the New York Dolls. Sure, the image may have come from them, but their music was proto-punk more than anything else. They formed in 1971, were managed by Malcom McLaren before he ever dreamed up the Sex Pistols, and were pretty much over when Johnny Thunders left the band in 1975. They continued on with various members until 1977, when they split for good, still a year or two years before anything resembling hair metal would show up in the clubs. By the mid-80s, at the height of hair metal, David Johansen was performing his Buster Poindexter act, far removed from the metal scene.



True to an extent, but...
Even though they were WAY out of date, many believe them to be ahead of their time.  Whe music was obviously closer to punk than the glam rock they were normally lumped in with, (hard, gritty and simplistic), the lyrical senitiments of their music spoke more to pop culture than punk anarchists.  How about we name them the grandfathers (or possibly godfathers) of "hair metal" and split the difference?   

_After re-reading this post for editing I'm struck by the fact that I am taking this WAAAYYYY too seriously._


----------



## Angel Tarragon (Nov 7, 2005)

Warrant, baby!


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 7, 2005)

Thunderfoot said:
			
		

> True to an extent, but...
> Even though they were WAY out of date, many believe them to be ahead of their time.  Whe music was obviously closer to punk than the glam rock they were normally lumped in with, (hard, gritty and simplistic), the lyrical senitiments of their music spoke more to pop culture than punk anarchists.  How about we name them the grandfathers (or possibly godfathers) of "hair metal" and split the difference?
> 
> _After re-reading this post for editing I'm struck by the fact that I am taking this WAAAYYYY too seriously._





Sure, I'll go with godfathers of hair metal. And you are far from the only one taking it too seriously. I mean, come on, I actually went and looked up the dates of the New York Dolls...


----------



## Henry (Nov 7, 2005)

_*Henry, neophyte rocker from the 80's, sits down and takes notes as in a lecture hall*_

As someone who only caught the tail end of Metal and Hair Band popularity, the origins are fascinating to me.


----------



## Thunderfoot (Nov 7, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> Sure, I'll go with godfathers of hair metal. And you are far from the only one taking it too seriously. I mean, come on, I actually went and looked up the dates of the New York Dolls...



I knew I liked you for a reason!!!!   



			
				Henry said:
			
		

> *Henry, neophyte rocker from the 80's, sits down and takes notes as in a lecture hall*
> 
> As someone who only caught the tail end of Metal and Hair Band popularity, the origins are fascinating to me.



It's ok, Henry, I'm a lot younger than I sound, but I have a whole lot of "professional" experience far beyond my years.  I was playing dives by the time I was 13 and have backed up a couple of "name" groups (that I can't mention here due to professional courtesy) on more than a few occasions.  If you want to take notes, I'll be glad to play professor.


----------



## diaglo (Nov 7, 2005)

Seule said:
			
		

> Queensryche had only one good album.  It's an extremely good album, but still, only one does not qualify them to be in the same category as some of the other bands mentioned.



still didn't stop some of us from going to see them at smaller venues.

diaglo "Hammerjacks in Bawlmore, Hon" Ooi


----------



## Thunderfoot (Nov 7, 2005)

D'oh - Double post - sorry


----------



## Thunderfoot (Nov 7, 2005)

Ok - it's time to stop dissing Queensryche...

Yes _Promised Land _ was a sorry album, but _The Warning, Operation: Mindcrime, Empire _ and to an extent, _Rage for Order _ are all excellent albums.  Even _Queen of the Reich _ is decent and a whole heck of a lot better than anything put out during the grunge era - music died in 1992....  I'll agree about _Promised Land_ but, then a gain, they really didn't have a lot of creative input into that album - the record company suits wanted them to release a "radio friendly" album with hopes that they could recreate _Empire_.  Unfortunately in the music business you do what your production comapny wants, because that's who spends the money (and you can trust me on that...)


----------



## Ranger REG (Nov 7, 2005)

frankthedm said:
			
		

> Hair bands needed more igniting.



IIRC, the only hair that got ignited back then was Michael Jackson, during the rehearsal of the Jackson Five reunion tour.


----------



## Desdichado (Nov 7, 2005)

Ranger REG said:
			
		

> IIRC, the only hair that got ignited back then was Michael Jackson, during the rehearsal of the Jackson Five reunion tour.



I thought it was during the filming of a Pepsi commercial.


----------



## freebfrost (Nov 7, 2005)

Thunderfoot said:
			
		

> Ok - it's time to stop dissing Queensryche...



All you 'Ryche fans know that 2006 will herald Operation: Mindcrime 2, right?

Speak the word...


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 7, 2005)

Ranger REG said:
			
		

> IIRC, the only hair that got ignited back then was Michael Jackson, during the rehearsal of the Jackson Five reunion tour.





Nah, Nikki Sixx set his hair on fire one time onstage, back when Motley Crue was making a name for themselves. He used to light his pants on fire, and one day used too much of the gel and it lit him up.


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 7, 2005)

Thunderfoot said:
			
		

> I knew I liked you for a reason!!!!





By any chance, did I just meet you at the MD/DC/VAGameday last weekend? I am horrible remembering names...


----------



## Warrior Poet (Nov 7, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> Nah, Nikki Sixx set his hair on fire one time onstage, back when Motley Crue was making a name for themselves. He used to light his pants on fire, and one day used too much of the gel and it lit him up.



How the man is still alive today is beyond me.  I mean, he's already died once that I've heard of!  Yikes!

Warrior Poet


----------



## Darth K'Trava (Nov 8, 2005)

Thunderfoot said:
			
		

> Ok - it's time to stop dissing Queensryche...




I liked "Silent Lucidity", the only song of theirs I'd heard. I've got the tape of that album around somewhere....


----------



## Darth K'Trava (Nov 8, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> Nah, Nikki Sixx set his hair on fire one time onstage, back when Motley Crue was making a name for themselves. He used to light his pants on fire, and one day used too much of the gel and it lit him up.




Then there was that guy who lit his crotch up with a botched spark display that went wrong.... Those guys.... messing around with vital body parts like that....


----------



## Zakath429 (Nov 9, 2005)

I am sorry, yes in the 80's I was a metalhead, but I was not really into the Hair Band thing.  I have to agree with the vocal majority in this thread and go with Irom Maiden.  Most of the hair bands were a group of minimal talent people with a good-looking male frontman.  If you want talent, try bands like Maiden, Man-o-War, Saxon, S.O.D., Anthrax, Metallica, Ozzy, and AC/DC.


----------



## Warrior Poet (Nov 9, 2005)

Zakath429 said:
			
		

> I am sorry, yes in the 80's I was a metalhead



Nothing to apologize for.



			
				Zakath429 said:
			
		

> I have to agree with the vocal majority in this thread and go with Irom Maiden.



[Bruce Dickinson] Scream for me, EN World! [/Bruce Dickinson]

Keep on rockin' in the free world,

Warrior Poet


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 9, 2005)

Zakath429 said:
			
		

> I am sorry, yes in the 80's I was a metalhead, but I was not really into the Hair Band thing.




From the sounds of things, lots of people were!   

I was a metalhead, but not really into hair metal, just saw lots of shows and dated lots of girls who were. I was into Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Metallica, Maiden, and even some of the darker stuff like Cannible Corpse and Morbid Angel for a while. Then I got into punk, and metal took a backseat for a long time. It's just been the past few years that I've been getting back into metal. I'm not sure what I missed during the decade or so that I was out of the scene, but from alot of what I've heard, not much. I was severely disappointed with the bands that played on Ozzfest this year, to me the only band with any talent on either stage was Iron Maiden.


----------



## Warrior Poet (Nov 9, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> From the sounds of things, lots of people were!



Whaddayamean "were"?!   



			
				Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> I was severely disappointed with the bands that played on Ozzfest this year, to me the only band with any talent on either stage was Iron Maiden.



From what I heard, Sharon Osbourne wouldn't agree with you on that.   

But knowing Maiden, I bet they rocked the hell out of everyone else who showed up.  According to some of the reviews I read, they did so even when the power was "mysteriously" cut off on them at some point.

Up the Irons!

Warrior Poet


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 9, 2005)

Warrior Poet said:
			
		

> Whaddayamean "were"?!




...and are. 
happy now?   




			
				Warrior Poet said:
			
		

> From what I heard, Sharon Osbourne wouldn't agree with you on that.
> 
> But knowing Maiden, I bet they rocked the hell out of everyone else who showed up.  According to some of the reviews I read, they did so even when the power was "mysteriously" cut off on them at some point.




Yeah, that apparently happened on the last night they played. Members of other bands roadcrews rushing the stage, other band members throwing stuff at them, cutting the power, and Kelly and Sharons voices chanting "Ozzy" while Maiden was playing. I guess they didn't like seeing all the Maiden fans leaving the venues after their set before Sabbath came on. From what I heard (we left before Sabbath played) Ozzy was awful just about every night of the tour, and the high point was definitly Maiden's set.


----------



## Warrior Poet (Nov 9, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> I guess they didn't like seeing all the Maiden fans leaving the venues after their set before Sabbath came on.



I read an account that said Maiden converted a whole bunch of new fans at that show, which probably was salt in the wound for Sharon.



			
				Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> From what I heard (we left before Sabbath played) Ozzy was awful just about every night of the tour, and the high point was definitly Maiden's set.



It's sad.  In their heyday, I bet Sabbath was an awesome show, and at the height of his solo career, I bet a full-on Ozzy show (with Randy Rhoads) was great, too.  I think the years (and the, uh, recreational experimentation) have really taken their toll.  He'll always be an icon in music, but . . . .

I wonder if a lot of the younger fans recognize Iommi, Butler, and Ward, and the contribution that terrible trio made to the drudging, hell-born sound that was Sabbath.

Warrior Poet


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 9, 2005)

Warrior Poet said:
			
		

> It's sad.  In their heyday, I bet Sabbath was an awesome show, and at the height of his solo career, I bet a full-on Ozzy show (with Randy Rhoads) was great, too.  I think the years (and the, uh, recreational experimentation) have really taken their toll.  He'll always be an icon in music, but . . . .




I'm sure they were excellent in their peak. I saw Ozzy around 90-91, and even then, I thought that he was wasted and burned out. Not a bad show, but certainly not what I expected to see from someone of his stature. That was with the band with Zack Wylde and Geezer Butler. They were definitly the driving force behind the music, as Ozzy spent much of the show running around, waving his hands in the air, and throwing buckets of water on the crowd. I was floored by how many songs he either blew the lyrics to or just forgot to finish singing while the band kept on playing.


----------



## Warrior Poet (Nov 9, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> They were definitly the driving force behind the music, as Ozzy spent much of the show running around, waving his hands in the air, and throwing buckets of water on the crowd. I was floored by how many songs he either blew the lyrics to or just forgot to finish singing while the band kept on playing.



Interesting, I just read on Wikipedia (granted, not necessarily the most reliable authority) that Ozzy's trembling was recently diagnosed as a form of Parkinson's disease.  I hadn't heard anything like that.  Doesn't change the fact that he had serious substance issues, though.

Warrior Poet


----------



## Darth K'Trava (Nov 9, 2005)

Warrior Poet said:
			
		

> Interesting, I just read on Wikipedia (granted, not necessarily the most reliable authority) that Ozzy's trembling was recently diagnosed as a form of Parkinson's disease.  I hadn't heard anything like that.  Doesn't change the fact that he had serious substance issues, though.
> 
> Warrior Poet




And the fact that it's caught up with him as he's gotten older....


----------



## Mean Eyed Cat (Nov 9, 2005)

What no mention of Ronnie James Dio?  Man I used to love that guy.  I also loved the stuff he did with Black Sabbath.  And what D&D fan could not appreciate his concerts?  Dragons, knights, swords, kewl stuff!

"Holy diver, you've been down too long in the midnight sea..."


----------



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 9, 2005)

Mean Eyed Cat said:
			
		

> What no mention of Ronnie James Dio?  Man I used to love that guy.  I also loved the stuff he did with Black Sabbath.  And what D&D fan could not appreciate his concerts?  Dragons, knights, swords, kewl stuff!




I liked Dio somewhat, but found a lot of his stuff to be pretty poor musically compared to alot of other people out there. A few excellent songs, but it was almost as if he was a parody of himself after the first few albums. I saw him on the Lock Up The Wolves Tour, which was the album he recorded with Rowen Robertson, who was supposidly going to be the next guitar hero of heavy metal, and disappeared shortly thereafter. Bland, boring show, RJD was rude to the crowd, and I was very disappointed. Ah well.


----------



## freebfrost (Nov 9, 2005)

Yes, _Holy Diver_ and _The Last in Line_ were very good albums, but he seemed to lose his way after that.

I only have seen him once in concert at a Deep Purple/Dio/Iron Maiden show, and he did a decent job.  Nothing outstanding, but he can still belt out the songs - the man still has the pipes.


----------



## Mean Eyed Cat (Nov 10, 2005)

Yeah, I only really liked Dio's early stuff.  Holy Diver, The Last in Line, and Sacred Heart were great.  I really liked Black Sabbath's Heaven & Hell and Mob Rules.  And, I also really liked the stuff he did with Rainbow: Long Live Rock 'N' Roll, Rainbow Rising, and Richie Blackmore's Rainbow are all excellent.  Hearing Ronnie's voice sing the mini epic "Stargazer" and "Light in the Black" (about a wizard and his demise) is great storytelling through great music


----------



## DungeonmasterCal (Nov 10, 2005)

Darth K'Trava said:
			
		

> Then there was that guy who lit his crotch up with a botched spark display that went wrong.... Those guys.... messing around with vital body parts like that....




Blackie Lawless of WASP... one of my fave bands.  My alltime favorite D&D character was an antiPaladin I rolled up after buying the "Last Command" LP.

I've always been a huge Dio fan, as well... and my favorite Sabbath albums are "Heaven and Hell" and "Mob Rules" (I love the Ozzy years, too...but more for individual songs, not whole albums).  I have all the Dio era Rainbow albums, and nearly all of his solo releases (even have the two LP's he did with Elf).

I agree the first two Dio solo releases were probably his best, though I did use the title track to "Sacred Heart" as the basis for the very first adventure I ran.  Great idea; bad adventure.


----------



## Darth K'Trava (Nov 10, 2005)

DungeonmasterCal said:
			
		

> Blackie Lawless of WASP... one of my fave bands.  My alltime favorite D&D character was an antiPaladin I rolled up after buying the "Last Command" LP.




That's it. Couldn't remember who. I'd seen the snippet about it on the "Most Metal Moments" on VH1 awhile back.


----------



## Dannyalcatraz (Nov 10, 2005)

Of the 2 in the poll, I voted with Skid Row.  Not only did their songs have more of an edge (_18 & Life_ vs _Cherry Pie_?  *PLEASE*!), but Sebastian Bach actually lived and acted more like a rock star than Jamie Lane...I mean, the man tried to defend his "AIDS kills Fags Dead" T-shirt.

I ask you, what is more rock & roll than being needlessly & casually offensive?

As for



> ...which eighties screaming rock band reigned supreme?




There are many excellent candidates, but I'd have to eliminate great bands like AC/DC, Sabbath, Purple, Zep, etc, because, in all honesty, they started off in the 60's and 70's.  They weren't really bands of the 80's.

Besides, before I'd crown either Warrant or Skid Row, they'd have to fight off bands like Motley Crue, Ratt, Wasp, Cinderella and a whole host of other Spandex & Hairspray bands.  Not to mention foreign bands like Trust or Satan Jokers.

Dio, while great, was much more inconsistent in quality and consistent in using the same verbiage over and over- Evil, Rainbows, Magic, and so forth.

Side note- Dio's show with Megadeth and Savatage opening for him in San Antonio was my first true rock concert.  Savatage's bass player's line kept going out, so he wound up throwing his instrument at the techs after their set; Megadeth announce that MTV was filming the show, started playing "Devil's Island," and then blew a fuse that darkened the arena for 15 minutes (the first 2 minutes of which people thought was part of the show), and Dio's laser-shooting dragon was fighting his laser-shooting spider...and the lasers set the speakers on fire.  I almost never went back to a live show...

Van Halen is truly strong...but they had too much internal strife and linup changes to be truly kings of the era.  EVH, however, is one of the premier guitarists of the decade- no doubt.

Blackmore's Rainbow and Yngwie J. Malmsteen also produced great stuff, but also suffered from consistency problems.  Yeah- I know nobody plays lik YJM, but sometimes, his music just sounds...overdone.

GNR?  Great band.  Too unstable, plus they really did more stuff in the late 80's and early 90s.  Appetite was released in 1987, after all.

Queensryche, Megadeth, and Metallica- all awesome!  Each, however, had consistency problems.

Motorhead...mmmm.  Great band, but like AC/DC, suffer from sameness.

Iron Maiden has been touted as by many premier, but for my money, the best rock band of the 1980s (Albums + Live shows) was Judas Priest.  Those guys...stellar!  IMHO, neither band really had a bad album in that decade- JP edges out IM only because of Halford's vocals.


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## Thunderfoot (Nov 10, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> By any chance, did I just meet you at the MD/DC/VAGameday last weekend? I am horrible remembering names...



Sadly no, I flew back to Illinois to hang out with my family for Halloween.  I know an odd time for a family haloiday, but if you knew my family...


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## Thunderfoot (Nov 10, 2005)

As I'm reading through the many opinions and remberances, I'm struck by a strange and yet startling thought: No one ruled the 80s in metal.  Mostly because even across the varying metal genres, there was more cooperation than competition (yes, I know there are a few legendary competitive bands, but you get the picture.)

I liked almost every type of metal, be it melodic, thrash, hair or throwback, I even liked punk.  The pop stars had icons (Michael, Madonna) and New Wave had their stellar stars (Thompson Twins, Depeshe Mode) but metal had "Flavors of the Month" more often than not.  Van Halen, Motley Crew, Bon Jovi, Y&T, TNT, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Poison, RATT, Twisted Sister, Judas Priest, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Dio, Warrant, Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, Living Color, even Stryper (to name but a few) all reigned supreme, for about thirty-five seconds.

But the result was a whole lot more far reaching than I think anyone could have imagined.  Heavy Metal went from ugly step-child of rock n' roll to full fledged ugly member of the mainstream music business.  And I for one say, thank Heaven!!!


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## DungeonmasterCal (Nov 10, 2005)

Thunderfoot said:
			
		

> As I'm reading through the many opinions and remberances, I'm struck by a strange and yet startling thought: No one ruled the 80s in metal.  Mostly because even across the varying metal genres, there was more cooperation than competition (yes, I know there are a few legendary competitive bands, but you get the picture.)
> 
> I liked almost every type of metal, be it melodic, thrash, hair or throwback, I even liked punk.  The pop stars had icons (Michael, Madonna) and New Wave had their stellar stars (Thompson Twins, Depeshe Mode) but metal had "Flavors of the Month" more often than not.  Van Halen, Motley Crew, Bon Jovi, Y&T, TNT, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Poison, RATT, Twisted Sister, Judas Priest, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Dio, Warrant, Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, Living Color, even Stryper (to name but a few) all reigned supreme, for about thirty-five seconds.
> 
> But the result was a whole lot more far reaching than I think anyone could have imagined.  Heavy Metal went from ugly step-child of rock n' roll to full fledged ugly member of the mainstream music business.  And I for one say, thank Heaven!!!





I can only say I agree 100%.  You just made one of the most well reasoned statements about Metal I've ever read (and we all know how volatile a subject "best of" threads can get). 
Well said, well said.


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## Thunderfoot (Nov 11, 2005)

Thank You Cal!  It's nice to know my misspent youth wasn't a total waste.


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## DungeonmasterCal (Nov 11, 2005)

Thunderfoot said:
			
		

> Thank You Cal!  It's nice to know my misspent youth wasn't a total waste.




We must have shared our misspent youth...we just didn't know it.  You were a drummer, I was a roadie for local bands.


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## Thunderfoot (Nov 11, 2005)

I'm currently a manager for an Tech crew.  Roadies a sent from the gods of music to keep the talent from looking stupid!  To a fellow roadie and as a professional musician, Thank You! Thank You! a Thousand times Thank You!


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## jgbrowning (Nov 11, 2005)

For a price, I'd do 'bout anything,
except pull the trigger.
For that, I'd need a pretty good cause.

joe b.


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## DungeonmasterCal (Nov 11, 2005)

Thunderfoot said:
			
		

> I'm currently a manager for an Tech crew.  Roadies a sent from the gods of music to keep the talent from looking stupid!  To a fellow roadie and as a professional musician, Thank You! Thank You! a Thousand times Thank You!




You are most welcome.  I've often said that if I didn't actually need money or have a son to help support, I'd chuck it all and be a roadie again.  Nothing like living in the back of a van eating only peanuts and warm beer for three days at a stretch!


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## Desdichado (Nov 11, 2005)

Thunderfoot said:
			
		

> The pop stars had icons (Michael, Madonna) and New Wave had their stellar stars (Thompson Twins, Depeshe Mode) but metal had "Flavors of the Month" more often than not.  Van Halen, Motley Crew, Bon Jovi, Y&T, TNT, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Poison, RATT, Twisted Sister, Judas Priest, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Dio, Warrant, Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, Living Color, even Stryper (to name but a few) all reigned supreme, for about thirty-five seconds.



You think?  I agree many of those were "flavor of the month" but some of them like Van Halen, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe (it's worth the extra trouble to get the dots there ) and a few others sure had some staying power.  I heard them year after year as they released new albums through most of the decade.

I personally think they qualify as rock icons.


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Nov 11, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> You think?  I agree many of those were "flavor of the month" but some of them like Van Halen, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe (it's worth the extra trouble to get the dots there ) and a few others sure had some staying power.  I heard them year after year as they released new albums through most of the decade.
> 
> I personally think they qualify as rock icons.




I've got to agree with JD on this. Even when they weren't putting out new albums, their music was still getting played on the radio and selling very well.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Nov 14, 2005)

I'm betting Thunderfoot has a music collection to rival mine in breadth, if not depth!

However, if there was ever a music genre that suffered from flavor of the month syndrome, it was Rap.

Most of those bands released 1, maybe 2 albums tops, before fading into obscurity or sliding into irrelevance.


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