Who were the best "hair" band? Why?

[Stadler]

I first saw Bon Jovi opening up for the Scorpions on The Love at First Sting tour.  I agree with Tim.  I had my own favorites but they never lasted. One or two albums and gone.

I'm pretty sure I saw that tour as well.  I know I saw BJ as an opener.  They were pretty good. 

[Stadler]

I'm not sure why Enuff Z'nuff isn't mentioned more here.     "Fly High Michelle" is a truly great song if you ask me.   

Have we decided whether Night Ranger is a "hair band" or not?  Or not?  I like almost all their records, but the first two are just stellar from top to bottom. 

[Samsara]

Enuff Z'nuff -- weren't they kind of late in the game, and had this whole hippy image to set them apart? I liked "Fly High Michelle" and another song, but they were good. Apparently the main guy in the band (guitarist, I think) sings better than the lead singer, and after the latter got into some issues, kicked him out recently, and now just sings everything himself. 

Also... hey Tim...



























CLEARLY this is the best band from this era. Just accept that your hate is misplaced, and you are simply incorrect. 

[bl5150]

I first saw Bon Jovi opening up for the Scorpions on The Love at First Sting tour.  I agree with Tim.  I had my own favorites but they never lasted. One or two albums and gone.

I'm pretty sure I saw that tour as well.  I know I saw BJ as an opener.  They were pretty good. 

I have always enjoyed BJ as an opener but umm............Bon Jovi were my first ever arena gig at the age of around 17yo.    New Jersey tour with an Aussie hair band called Roxus opening.   Great concert although I he was already struggling with his range (non-existent "these days").  Juno Roxus actually made Bon Jovi seem underwhelming in the vocal department.

Sadly New Jersey was the last album of theirs that really interested me.   I was fully on board up to including that one though. Slippery When Wet was number one forever in Australia.  Good times.

[cfmoran13]

Tesla's probably my favorite from this time period.  Unjustly categorized as a "hair" band, in my opinion.  The Great Radio Controversy is probably my favorite.  But, you can't go wrong with really anything off the first four.  And, Into The Now was a pretty solid return. 

Unfortunately, the last few have been pretty generic.  They needed to pick up the tempo a bit on at least a few songs.  Too much mid-tempo sameness.

[bl5150]

Tesla's probably my favorite from this time period.  Unjustly categorized as a "hair" band, in my opinion.  The Great Radio Controversy is probably my favorite. 

The first three were killer.     TGRC got the gong in my Top 50 but it could've been any one of them.   Psychotic Supper is patchy but the best songs are some of my all time faves - esp  Song and Emotion 

[Samsara]

I have always enjoyed BJ as an opener but umm............Bon Jovi were my first ever arena gig at the age of around 17yo.    New Jersey tour with an Aussie hair band called Roxus opening.   Great concert although I he was already struggling with his range (non-existent "these days").  Juno Roxus actually made Bon Jovi seem underwhelming in the vocal department.

Sadly New Jersey was the last album of theirs that really interested me.   I was fully on board up to including that one though. Slippery When Wet was number one forever in Australia.  Good times.

Bon Jovi were an early favorite of mine. I remember when Slippery came out. I was 10, and I remember kids at school having all these wild, disgusting rumors about Jon Bon Jovi.    But I didn't care. Slippery was great, and I remember my mother going grocery shopping one day, and they used to (back then) have these cases where they locked up cassettes to buy. She picked me up that and 7800, and man, they rocked. I don't remember when I got the self-titled, but it was probably a year after that, and I wasn't as impressed (since then, I appreciate it more).

New Jersey was just crazy good. After that, I do have Keep the Faith, although it wasn't as good (Dry County absolutely slayed, however). I do have an affinity for These Days, however. The title track, Hey God, This Ain't a Love Song, and the killer "Guitar Lies Bleeding in My Arms" are all excellent. The rest of the album...not so much.

After that, Bon Jovi went total pop with Crush in 1999, and that's when I stopped being a fan. A couple good songs after that, but they albums weren't worth it for me.

I saw them on the These Days tour at Jones Beach in 1995. Great set, although the image seared into my brain was the two gigantic blow-up hula dancers on either side of the stage, who were topless with huge tits. 

re: TESLA

>>>>>>>>>>Tesla was a huge favorite through the comeback record Into the Now. After that, once they booted Tommy, they lost their metal edge. Dave Rude, who replaced Tommy in 2006 (I saw the last show with Tommy, which was an animal rights benefit show, I believe), is a hell of a nice guy and an incredible player. But he's more into the same vibe as Frank Hannon -- that hippy heavy rock thing. As a result, all the records after Into the Now, while OK, are more mellow to a degree. The last one, Simplicity, just sounded like old men playing classic rock songs. It just bored me to tears.

BUT, back in the day, from the beginning through Into the Now, Tesla absolutely slayed. SO many great songs and good records. The Great Radio Controversy was the big one for them, and it is amazing. But I think some of their best stuff appeared on Psychotic Supper and Bust a Nut (thinking Freedom Slaves and Shine Away.

[bl5150]

^

Agreed Brian..................love Freedom Slaves and Keep The Faith was pretty much a one song play for me (Dry County)

[Stadler]

For all the talk about Winger, "Down Incognito" is one of my favorite songs of all time by any band.  "Cause I'm all out of charm.... and I'm all out of money... hangin' down incognito... waitin' for the sun to shine!"   I LOVE LOVE LOVE his voice on that song.    One time I was driving in my car and I hit repeat on that song EIGHT times.   

[bosk1]

I just didn't like Winger.  For a lot of reasons, they are an easy punching bag, as unfair as that might be.  There is no denying the musicianship.  And I know they've done a lot of music that is far better than Seventeen.  But I just didn't care for them. 

Samsara, I'm with you on Bon Jovi.  Through New Jersey, I thought they were fantastic.  I bought the s/t as an impulse buy one day at the record store.  I don't remember whether 7800 had recently come out, or if it came out shortly after that, but I bought that one not long after.  I loved them both.  I remember the in-store ads and displays for Slippery before it came out.  A lot of that stuff had the original album cover that ended up getting pulled.  Bought that one and loved it.  New Jersey came out while I was in Marine Corps boot camp, and I remember buying it at the PX on graduation day.  It was really the soundtrack of that Summer and Fall, and I have a LOT of nostalgia wrapped up in that album.  There are so many songs on that one that are just perfect and easy to latch onto for a young dude getting out away from home and finding his own way for the first time, being a long way from home, and missing his girl who was halfway around the country.  I remember pulling that album off the shelf a couple of years ago.  I was surprised and disappointed about how little a lot of those songs emotionally resonate with me now because my life is just so different than it was back then.  But in terms of the music, it obviously still stands up. 

[jingle.boy]

Tesla's probably my favorite from this time period.  Unjustly categorized as a "hair" band, in my opinion.  The Great Radio Controversy is probably my favorite. 

The first three were killer.     TGRC got the gong in my Top 50 but it could've been any one of them.   Psychotic Supper is patchy but the best songs are some of my all time faves - esp  Song and Emotion 

This precisely.  Really didn't like Bust A Nut when it came out, but when I spun a few years ago, it had aged well.  I tried Forever More, and thought it was good, but I don't remember  Into the Now at all??  *off to Spotify*... Oh, here's why I don't remember it, IT'S NOT ON SPOTIFY!     *off to YT*

@ Stads... Down Incognito is a teriffic song, but Blind Revolution Mad is where it's at for me.

I look at Keep the Faith the same way I look at Psychotic Supper.  Some really great songs, but too much mediocrity (or worse).  I gave up on them after These Days

[Samsara]

bosk,

It's weird with Bon Jovi's lyrics. I think many are timeless stories. I mean, the stuff like Bad Medicine, and all the initial relationship songs like Born to Be My Baby and Living in Sin are what they are, and I'm (like you) way past it. But then you have stuff like Blood on Blood, Stick to Your Guns, stuff like that still resonates.

I can't think back to all the songs on the albums before that, but it's sorta the same in a way. Slippery very much reminded me of Thin Lizzy. Jon has this way of telling a story like Phil Lynott. Some of it was a young man's lustful stuff, but others really are more timeless. If you speed up a few years to Keep the Faith and These Days, when Jon got a bit more socially conscious, it really resonated a bit. He matured as a lyricist even further, and that's why I stuck with them.

I haven't given Bon Jovi's post-These Days albums a critical look, at least lyrically (musically, they are mostly too pop for me). But one thing I always say about Jon -- he hasn't lost that storyteller vibe he always had.

But on New Jersey, man, that album is the perfect blend of nostalgic songs and timeless anthems.

[Samsara]

@ Stads... Down Incognito is a teriffic song, but Blind Revolution Mad is where it's at for me.

Amen on this. Blind Revolution Mad is killer. My favorite Winger song. Brings to mind a cool story. My buddy Jonathan, years ago now, probably 2004 or 2005, was living on Long Island, after I moved away. both of us big Winger fans. We saw them in 2002 at Mulcahy's together. Great show, hung out afterward with the band for pics, etc. (those pics are sadly lost.)

Anyway, Jonathan goes to Kip's solo gig at the Downtown in Farmingdale. He holds up his phone so I can hear Kip do Blind Revolution Mad, and after the song, Kip stops, notices the phone, and says, who's on the phone? Jonathan says it is me, and Kip says, OK everybody, say hi to Brian -- "HI BRIAN!" Ha ha ha. I still remember that. Fast-forward a few years later, and I'm interviewing Kip, and I bring that up, and he absolutely remembered it, because he added a part I forgot about -- Kip asked what I wanted to hear, and I told Jonathan "Rainbow in the Rose," and I heard Jonathan tell Kip, and Kip played it. I totally forgot about that, but Kip remembered.

Kip is a hell of a nice guy, and was a great interview. The man is extremely intelligent and a deep thinker. If those of you not really buying the whole hair metal days of Winger, do yourself a favor and pick up Winger's "IV" record. It's a lot more complex than you think. I remember Kip remarking to me in the interview that it flew over the heads of a lot of people when it came out, and after that, he was a bit more conscious of putting some more straightforward songs on Winger records.

[Logain Ablar]

But on New Jersey, man, that album is the perfect blend of nostalgic songs and timeless anthems.

I agree. It's one of those albums that always brings you back to a certain time in your life.

I can remember the disappointment with Keep The Faith when it came out. Dry County is probably the only song I'd still listen to off that one. My interest fell away rapidly afterwards.

Def Leppard / Poison / Warrant were probably the other ones I listened to around that time. Skid Row also, but they had a harder edge, and it's probably not fair to lump them in with "hair metal".

[Stadler]

Tesla is weird; I was into them for a while (there was a cute girl next door at college that loved them...) but when I go back now, it's not the same.  With other bands - Scorpions, Priest, some of the bands here - they may not be my favorites now but I understand why I loved them and I can sort of get into the mindset, but Tesla sort of eludes me today and I don't know why. 

[Lowdz]

But on New Jersey, man, that album is the perfect blend of nostalgic songs and timeless anthems.

I agree. It's one of those albums that always brings you back to a certain time in your life.

I can remember the disappointment with Keep The Faith when it came out. Dry County is probably the only song I'd still listen to off that one. My interest fell away rapidly afterwards.

Def Leppard / Poison / Warrant were probably the other ones I listened to around that time. Skid Row also, but they had a harder edge, and it's probably not fair to lump them in with "hair metal".

New Jersey is the one for me. Made my top 50.

[Lowdz]

Mark's voice is a thousand times better than Robert Fleischman on those Vinnie Vincent albums. Now there's a voice I can't stand.

Maybe, but that first VVI album was the only one with personality.

This. I'd take Fleishman over Slaughter. Those guitars on VVI are insane. Another album that made my top 50.

[bl5150]

But on New Jersey, man, that album is the perfect blend of nostalgic songs and timeless anthems.

I agree. It's one of those albums that always brings you back to a certain time in your life.

I can remember the disappointment with Keep The Faith when it came out. Dry County is probably the only song I'd still listen to off that one. My interest fell away rapidly afterwards.

Def Leppard / Poison / Warrant were probably the other ones I listened to around that time. Skid Row also, but they had a harder edge, and it's probably not fair to lump them in with "hair metal".

New Jersey is the one for me. Made my top 50.

I gave it to SWW in my Top 50.   Mostly because of two things -  it had more impact (being my first album of theirs) and Bad Medicine makes me cringe 

[Lowdz]

More like Heading For An Earache.

Come on now man. Can't even admit they have one good song?

I'm a big Winger fan but that one isn't anywhere near being their best song. Oh, no, I'm agreeing with Tim😱. Sort of.

[bl5150]

Tim has been hair banned from this thread.

[Samsara]

Tim has been hair banned from this thread.

 

I am willing to bet there is a photo of Tim somewhere in the family vaults with him sporting spandex, makeup, and big hair. And one day, we will see it.

[Dublagent66]

Definitely not Ratt. They were a flash in the pan. They had one headline arena tour in 1985.


Bon Jovi is the answer, even though while I don't really consider them a hair band, they were responsible for Hair Metal's success.

Other than that, you're looking at Motley Crue and Poison.

I liked Ratt a lot, but you're right.  Their success was very short lived.  If I'm not mistaken, Bon Jovi actually opened for Ratt on that 1985 Tour.  That's the only time I saw Bon Jovi live.

You're correct Steve. Bon Jovi did open that tour. 7800. I didn't go. I remember it well though. I thought Ratt sucked. I did see Bon Jovi  open for Scorpions the previous year though.

Bon Jovi was fantastic live.

You're right again Tim.  Ratt sucked as a live band because they partied too hard on the road and probably didn't practice there sets enough.  Bon Jovi was clearly the better band.  Although, I never really was a Bon Jovi fan.  A little too commercialized and not heavy enough for my tastes.  Still a good band though.

[Stadler]

Mark's voice is a thousand times better than Robert Fleischman on those Vinnie Vincent albums. Now there's a voice I can't stand.

Maybe, but that first VVI album was the only one with personality.

This. I'd take Fleishman over Slaughter. Those guitars on VVI are insane. Another album that made my top 50.

As huge a Kiss fan as I am... I don't think I've ever heard the VVI albums.  Should I (bear in mind, if memory serves, Creatures was in my top three Kiss albums in a discography I ran here a couple months ago, and I love Lick It Up). 

[cfmoran13]

Tesla is weird; I was into them for a while (there was a cute girl next door at college that loved them...) but when I go back now, it's not the same.  With other bands - Scorpions, Priest, some of the bands here - they may not be my favorites now but I understand why I loved them and I can sort of get into the mindset, but Tesla sort of eludes me today and I don't know why.

To really understand Tesla, I think you really have to see them live.  I got to see them on the Mechanical Resonance tour opening for Def Leppard.  They just flat-out rock!  Especially back then, with Tommy's attitude (meant in a good way).  I saw them as a four-piece when they toured for Time's Makin' Changes and later with Dave Rude for Into The Now.  Always great live.  Jeff's voice may be a bit (lot) rougher than it used to be.  But, their attitude was always there.

[romdrums]

Winger came in for a morning meeting at my work to demo some new Bose PA gear for us last winter, and they were pretty tight for 7:30 am.  They did Can't Get Enuff, Headed for a Heartbreak, and Rainbow in the Rose, and they nailed the last two tunes.  Kip joked about performing Seventeen, but said, "she's like, 45 now, and that just doesn't ring the same," and then he sang, "she's only 45!"  which got a good laugh out of us.  But yeah, at 7:30 am, he was hitting those high notes in Heartbreak and Rainbow.  Also, Reb Beach was a beast on his solos, his legato playing on the first solo in Heartbreak was especially tasty.  And, it was nice to hear Rod Morgenstein cut loose on the outro solos on the last two tunes.  Had a few co-worker buddies who were, "pssh, Winger," before the meeting, walking out of the meeting saying, "damn, that was good."

[Stadler]

I kind of love that after all this time, it's the same guys.  They've all done all kinds of stuff - out of genre - but seem to fall back into it.  Pretty impressive. 

[Bertielee]

TNT : the duet Le Tekkro / Harnell was fantastic. Harnell is such an underrated singer, but what a voice he had back then.

B.Lee

[Bertie_Wooster]

Kings X with Dugs mohawk would qualify as a hair band

[Samsara]

Winger came in for a morning meeting at my work to demo some new Bose PA gear for us last winter, and they were pretty tight for 7:30 am.  They did Can't Get Enuff, Headed for a Heartbreak, and Rainbow in the Rose, and they nailed the last two tunes.  Kip joked about performing Seventeen, but said, "she's like, 45 now, and that just doesn't ring the same," and then he sang, "she's only 45!"  which got a good laugh out of us.  But yeah, at 7:30 am, he was hitting those high notes in Heartbreak and Rainbow.  Also, Reb Beach was a beast on his solos, his legato playing on the first solo in Heartbreak was especially tasty.  And, it was nice to hear Rod Morgenstein cut loose on the outro solos on the last two tunes.  Had a few co-worker buddies who were, "pssh, Winger," before the meeting, walking out of the meeting saying, "damn, that was good."

That is a great story. During live shows, he sings "she's only 35" or when I saw them in 2002, he sang "35" all the time. It was really funny. Kip's voice has held up well, and to be honest, I think he's tons better now (they all are) then they were 30 years ago. Reb is just amazing. He's been playing with Whitesnake for like 15 years now, and nobody knows who he is still. It's crazy.

[Lowdz]

Mark's voice is a thousand times better than Robert Fleischman on those Vinnie Vincent albums. Now there's a voice I can't stand.

Maybe, but that first VVI album was the only one with personality.

This. I'd take Fleishman over Slaughter. Those guitars on VVI are insane. Another album that made my top 50.

As huge a Kiss fan as I am... I don't think I've ever heard the VVI albums.  Should I (bear in mind, if memory serves, Creatures was in my top three Kiss albums in a discography I ran here a couple months ago, and I love Lick It Up).

You should. Be prepared for vocals as high as anything Paul Stanley belted out in the 80s, all the way through the song😀. First one wins for me. The songwriting is very Creatures/Lick It Up.

 2nd one, they toned everything down and it wasn't the same, but still a decent album, even with Mark Slaughter.

[jammindude]

I get a lot of flack for this, but I strongly feel that Kix must be the single most underrated "hair metal" band of all time.

Blow My Fuse is *NOT* their best work.   Their self-titled debut, and their 3rd album Midnite Dynamite are freaking FANTASTIC.  And their Live album is amazing as well. 

Their signature piece is "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah"....but you have to hear the original first before you can truly appreciate the live version.  Because he does this dialog at the 3 minute mark that became (locally) famous at their shows around Maryland.  So then when they played a sold out show at the University of Maryland on the Hot Wire tour and recorded it for a live album....it was PERFECT.

But, I can't find the "Live Album" version, on YT, so I found a show in Maryland from the same time period.

The original is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOUFiKXRLpk

Live at Hammerjack's in 1991:

https://youtu.be/JG4u4-sgIG4?t=1h32m29s

The other hair metal band that I don't think gets enough credit is Tesla.   Much more talented than their singles would have you believe.

[TAC]

Kix post.

Sometime around 82/83, there was a I taped a King Biscuit show off the radio that I wore out. It was only like 5  songs or something like that.

You should. Be prepared for vocals as high as anything Paul Stanley belted out in the 80s, all the way through the song😀. First one wins for me. The songwriting is very Creatures/Lick It Up.

Thank you.

[KevShmev]

And since when the fuck is Sweet Child O' Mine a power ballad?

I said monster ballad.

I think it qualifies.

Have we decided whether Night Ranger is a "hair band" or not?  Or not?  I like almost all their records, but the first two are just stellar from top to bottom.

I've never thought of them as a hair band.  While some hair band rose up in the early 80s, I think the latter 80s was pretty much the "era of hair metal," and Night Ranger's peak was 1982-1985.  That said, I agree that their material has aged well. 

New Jersey is the one for me. Made my top 50.

While I only know the hits from it, I could never quite embrace that record simply because I thought Bad Medicine was a bag of shit.

Lay Your Hands on Me is a crackin' tune, though.

[King Postwhore]

Blood on Blood is killer tune from that album.

[TAC]

New Jersey is excellent.

Blood On Blood, Wild Is The Wind, Stick To Your Guns. Heck, I even think Born To Be Your Baby is a great tune as well.


Ninja'd!