Whats the deal with Glam Metal

Appetite was more a reaction against the fluff of the 80's hair scene, all though they certainly shared most of the same musical influences.

At least, that's certainly what I thought. They may have had the hair, but by god I was glad when they came along and blew that other stuff away.

I know I never heard anyone try to tell me what a great song Cherry Pie was after that. Thank christ for it too!!

There's no doubt there was small elements of it I was down with....enjoyed some of the playing too. But as a whole, I could take it or leave it......and ususally preferred to leave it.
 
Last edited:
IAnyway, I was over the moon when Soundgarden started getting traction, and bursting with glee when Nirvana put all the nonsense to bed once and for all. Finally, good players and good songwriterscould coexist in the same band!

Just so I'm straight and understand you correctly. Are you saying that there were no good players in the hair metal genre?

The songwriting was very shallow, I'll give you that. Most of the songs were about partying, you know sex, drugs, and rock & roll. But that's what they were singing about. They were all about partying and pissing off the parents. They weren't being serious, they weren't trying to cure cancer with their lyrics. It was all about a good time. So if you're looking for music with a deep meaning, then yeah, hair metal is not for you.

As far as good players...there's were a lot!! Many will never get the credit because of the genre they were in, and that's just wrong.

Everyone has their particular tastes in music. But I could NEVER get into the whole Nirvana thing. I can't stand them. Not because they're credited with killing off hair metal, but just because I simply don't like their music! David Grohl is very talented! Kurt Cobain had a lot of demons, but ultimately I will always view him as a coward. I don't even know the bass players' name. But one band wasn't going to throw me off of the whole genre. I loved Pearl Jam, STP, Soundgarden, Faith No More and AIC will always be one of my favorites.

A lot of people fail to evolve their taste of music. They fall in love with one style and the hell with everything else! It's really a shame because there is great music in every genre, and people would realize this if they weren't so narrow minded.

Now I'm not saying this about you in particular MikeM, because I don't know you. I'm just speaking in general. The only thing I was directing at you was the question of no good players in hair metal.
 
Anyway, I was over the moon when Soundgarden started getting traction, and bursting with glee when Nirvana put all the nonsense to bed once and for all. Finally, good players and good songwriters could coexist in the same band!!

For me there's always been good players and good songwriters in Glam Rock and Glam Metal for the last 40+ years, some where actually genius songwriter and very often very good players, if not virtuosos within the genre...

... let's have a little recap, some of these bands or artists have acomplished amazing musical status within the Glam genre :)

In the begining... Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Suzi Quatro, T. Rex, Gary Glitter, Elton John, David Bowie, New York Dolls, Queen, Slade, Sweet, Bay City Rollers....

then later... Aerosmith, Van Halen, Kiss, Mötley Crue, Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, Scorpions, Ozzy Osbourne, Skid Row, Europe, Def Leppard, David Lee Roth, Stryper, Bad Company...

Not everyone cups of tea, I agree, but all good musicians and good song writers :)
 
Do people hate it? Come to Los Angeles, and you'll find plenty of people who still think it's 1986. LOL.

Yup...
It's still alive and well just have to find it on online radio. My friends band just opened for Great White this past weekend.
 
Everyone has a style of music that they just don't really care for. Rock fans hate country music. Country music fans hate hip hop. Death metal fans hate any other metal. Then they all get mad at other people not liking there type of music. Im sure there is a style of music you don't like. And there will be someone mad because you don't take their style of music seriously. Like what you like. Who cares. Awhile back someone was complaining because people don't like death metal. And they went on and on about how mistreated they were. I find most people into death metal very critical of other forms of music. Yet they get mad when people don't care for their chosen style. Who cares. Im selfish. I like what i like. ANd i don't even consider what other people like. Life is too short to care.........Since I'm ranting i also hate how it is cool to like jazz music. Im like of musicians in my area talking about how much they love jazz and how its their favorite music BUT......... they don't own a single jazz album and can only name one or two bands. WHY if you don't really like jazz or don't really listen to it......dont be afraid to say you don't like something.
 
Just so I'm straight and understand you correctly. Are you saying that there were no good players in the hair metal genre?
.

Did you read his whole post where he complimented several players and used the phrase
Frankie Banali was (and is) a total beast. Loved his playing....

Ditto for many of the other musos that were playing in those bands, especially the guitar players.
?
 
But what might have made the whole genre worse for me than anything were its religious-like followers.,

Well, that's my problem with a certain 3 pc band from Seattle, who's followers some how got the media to buy into this crazy notion they were the voice of an entire generation and the most important music since sliced bread. Their music I could take or leave, I don't have much against it, but the over-worshiping of them is what makes my stomach lurch whenever they are mentioned as a band of quality.
 
Well, that's my problem with a certain 3 pc band from Seattle, who's followers some how got the media to buy into this crazy notion they were the voice of an entire generation and the most important music since sliced bread. Their music I could take or leave, I don't have much against it, but the over-worshiping of them is what makes my stomach lurch whenever they are mentioned as a band of quality.
That is the trouble with overexposure, isn't it? "Voice of a generation" and Cobain's comparisons to John Lennon were a bit over the top, I agree, but I don't think there was anything they could have done to prevent that kind of mania. Nobody in their right minds thought that record would sell more than a couple hundred thousand (not enough to even go gold).

The fact is, whether you like them or not, Nevermind was a totally unexpected breakout hit, and that one record completely changed the rock landscape - glam/hair metal went away and we're still suffering the pop-punk aftertaste. Sure, there were other bands like AIC, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, etc, but their commercial success came after Nevermind and their success came much more slowly. It's hard for me to imagine that they would have had nearly as much success if it hadn't been for Nirvana blowing the doors wide open for them first.

That's not fanboy talk, that's just the way it happened.

I haven't listened to most of that stuff since then, though I hear it all on the radio still but I think it's as tired as The Eagles or Fleetwood Mac (nothing against those guys). I much prefer listening to what's new (Band Of Skulls is on infinite repeat this week).
 
That is the trouble with overexposure, isn't it? "Voice of a generation" and Cobain's comparisons to John Lennon were a bit over the top, I agree, but I don't think there was anything they could have done to prevent that kind of mania. Nobody in their right minds thought that record would sell more than a couple hundred thousand (not enough to even go gold).

The fact is, whether you like them or not, Nevermind was a totally unexpected breakout hit, and that one record completely changed the rock landscape - glam/hair metal went away and we're still suffering the pop-punk aftertaste. Sure, there were other bands like AIC, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, etc, but their commercial success came after Nevermind and their success came much more slowly. It's hard for me to imagine that they would have had nearly as much success if it hadn't been for Nirvana blowing the doors wide open for them first.

That's not fanboy talk, that's just the way it happened.

I haven't listened to most of that stuff since then, though I hear it all on the radio still but I think it's as tired as The Eagles or Fleetwood Mac (nothing against those guys). I much prefer listening to what's new (Band Of Skulls is on infinite repeat this week).

True.

What is kind of odd/weird is Nevermind sold 10 million copies in the US, which is an incredible feat. I'm not taking anything away from that.

Yet, Def Leppard has two albums with sales over 10 million. Appetite for Destruction sold 18 Million copies in the US, not quite twice what Nevermind sold. Metallica's Black album sold 15 million, which is 1 and half times more than Nevermind.

Yet Nevermind was the trend setter that all those other bands had to follow, even though in terms of US sales, Def Lep, Metallica and GnR were all bigger acts.
 
"Voice of a generation" and Cobain's comparisons to John Lennon were a bit over the top, I agree, but I don't think there was anything they could have done to prevent that kind of mania.

Agreed.

It obviously didn't sit well with him either. Doesn't seem to sit well with anyone and probably rightly so. Dylan has been trying to shun the tag for nearly 50 years....unfortunately, poor old Kurt found another way round it.
 
+ Ratt, Dokken, Hanoi Rocks, Stryper, White Lion, Skid Row...and so on.

Now Harry! Don't get mad at me but I love your Glam Metal AVATAR! :*)

It was pop music. For the rock crowd. And some of those guys, were, and still are, incredible musicians. So much more so, than what they played, on their albums. For people who loved the glam metal scene, well, it was quite a scene, indeed. And for those who didn't/don't .... hey, buy something else.​
 
Why do people hate it so much?

Lemme, explain. The evolution on my drumming has gone from, "lets see how fast and complicated I can play," over to "what does this song need to sound good; how can i serve this artist." Ive gone from loving George Kollias and Derik Rody and Mike Portnoy, over to favouring people like John Bohnam, Phill Rudd, Alex VanHalen and (to keep with my topic) TOMMY LEE!!!!......and Rikke Rokket :p

So heres my guff. Alot of people have pretty much boycotted glam metal and any metal band that ever was or is galm metal. But with the influence of the music in my life, I gotta say, I LOVE hearing all those old glam metal bands playing their stuff. Sure the lyrics are a bit much and its not really metal. But I think that for the most part there were some great musicians in that era of music. When the dude from Twisted Sisters comes in with the drum intro to "were not gonna take it," Im like, wow, what a simple part, but so awesomely played. It served the song for what it needed. Same with the album, "Crack a smile and more." by posion, I LOVED hearing the drumming on that album, not to mention the awesome guitar riffs.

Most recently I got Live 8 2005 on DVD and went right to Motley Crue playing "Dr. Feelgood" and it was KILLER!!! Anyone who says Tommy Lee is not a good drummer does not know drumming. He is so solid. And considering it was only 3 musicians playing and 1 singer, they had such a huge sound.

I guess, besides my ranting, I wanna know, what do you guys feel about the glam metal era? Did it have musical merrit? Was it more than just a put on by MTV to you? And did the musicians have a genuine talent that you can honestly say has influenced your playing?

Steve.

I love Glam Metal, Butt Rock and Hair Metal! I have always liked Glam, Hair and Butt like Motley Crue, Quiet Riot, Ratt, Stryper and more.

Purist metalheads HATE Glam/Butt/Hair because:

1. Glam tries to appeal to people in a popular way;
2. Glam is about trivial matters like drugs, sex and fast cars;
3. Glam isn't about serious stuff like death, Satan or bad smells;
4. Glam doesn't take itself seriously.

Otherwise, Glam/Hair/But is just all all other metal and has its own sub-sub-sub genres.

I would really like to see a fusion of Glam and death metal. I think the Genitorturers were kind of like that.
 
Here are some the arguments I've heard (some of which are valid and some...open to interpretation).

  • It's vapid
  • It's pejoratively simple in style and function
  • It's misogynistic
  • it celebrates shallow themes
  • It embraces rock's worst cliches

LOL superb description. It could be said that you just listed the genre's most appealing qualities ...

I have no problem with the misogyny because it's so brainless it's funny ... especially since the protagonists wore more makeup than most women do in their lives :)


In the begining... Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Suzi Quatro, T. Rex, Gary Glitter, Elton John, David Bowie, New York Dolls, Queen, Slade, Sweet, Bay City Rollers....

then later... Aerosmith, Van Halen, Kiss, Mötley Crue, Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, Scorpions, Ozzy Osbourne, Skid Row, Europe, Def Leppard, David Lee Roth, Stryper, Bad Company...

Great list, Henri, though I wouldn't include Bad Company. The "in the beginning" bands read like a list of my favourite bands in the early/mid 70s (apart from the BCRs, and I didn't get into the NY Dolls or Iggy till later)

Never cared for the bands in the second list, apart from a few of their songs here and there.

If you're including Europe, then you probably should add Asia, and from there it's a short Journey to Boston and Kansas, and they lead us to Todd Rundgren and before long we're at Hall and Oates.

It depends on whether we're talking about the shtick, the music or both.
 
Now there's a band! That era was glam rock rather than glam metal, & this example's as camp as it gets :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzKAJRux4ss
Coincidentally, I heard this on the car radio today. Mick Tucker was a tremendous drummer.
Yes, he was :( This band's material is still valid IMO. This, their best song, again, IMO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfJuwGDY154&feature=related

The Sweet... I loved them back then, it all started with this one for me :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh9ggR6gaAc&feature=related

My favourite Mick's drumming song :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaBADUyNGQ4&feature=related

Yes, a very good drummer indeed :)

Are you ready Andy? ...Polly? ...Henri? :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbOc6bQf6ko&feature=related
 
Hmmm, got to say, I'm not really liking that solo. A bit sloppy & thumpy, & I've heard him so much better than that.

This, for example. Talk about underplaying a groove & giving it attitude = love it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5oKFRsrAog&feature=related

Anyhow Henri, I still haven't recovered from your inclusion of the "Bay City Rollers" in a music related thread ;)
 
Yes, he was :( This band's material is still valid IMO. This, their best song, again, IMO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfJuwGDY154&feature=related

Biggest ever Slingerland concert toms? Fill @ 3:11 in a pop song?

Oh yeah - forgot about that. Great pop song! Slick as. There ya go ... the Hall and Oates connection. Added bonus - the facile lyrics are a riot.

MT was always good at quads. He did a classic quad fill in Fox On the Run too. At 1:14 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLLHb7dAKmo

Horrible chorus, though *shudder*


The Sweet... I loved them back then, it all started with this one for me :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh9ggR6gaAc&feature=related

My favourite Mick's drumming song :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaBADUyNGQ4&feature=related

That first one ... mmm, well ... moving on ... the second link - wow! Sweet Lake and Palmer! That put a big smile on my face.

I knew MT was good but not that good. Guess people don't talk about him as much as he deserves because the vocs are so grating.

Ballroom Blitz was always a big fave - that big tom beat he plays a couple of times hits the spot.
 
This, for example. Talk about underplaying a groove & giving it attitude = love it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5oKFRsrAog&feature=related

Anyhow Henri, I still haven't recovered from your inclusion of the "Bay City Rollers" in a music related thread ;)

Yes, The Healer is one of my fav too :)

Bay City Rollers, lol, not my cup of tea, but they're Glam alright, they fit the bill as far as genre is concerned ;) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHDCJVoObGE&feature=related

Another artist that's a bit of fun to watch, very glam indeed :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hPoOOhXg-k&feature=related

That first one ... mmm, well ... moving on ...

Well I was very young :)) ... but that song is responsible for "dicovering" this great Glam Rock band, lol.
 
Back
Top