My Love Affair with Danger Danger

I love Danger Danger and I really hope they land on the bill for Rocklahoma 2008. If you're reading this website, chances are good that you also love the underrated band.

If VH1's Metal Mania didn't suck so bad, I'm sure we'd see more Danger Danger in the rotation. Instead, we get the same videos every weekend, which are usually Whitesnake "Is This Love?" and Dio, "Rainbow in the Dark." Both are great songs...but some variety would be very nice.

Like nearly every glam band, Danger Danger went through some line-up changes from the very beginning to after achieving more than moderate success. Even after the band tried to oust singer Ted Poley in the mid-nineties, there was no denying that he always will be the unmistakable voice of Danger Danger.

Danger Danger's self-titled debut hit store shelves in 1989, and featured the songs "Naughty Naughty," "Bang Bang" and "Don't Walk Away." While Danger Danger's calling card became "Naughty Naughty," I firmly believe "Bang Bang" is a stronger single.

Want controversy? I'll say right here that "Don't Walk Away" is likely the single best power ballad of the entire genre.

You don't have to take my word for that, though. There's an acoustic version of the song on YouTube, and it's posted below. Watch it, listen to it, love it.

All this talk of Danger Danger makes me want to interview the band, so I guess I'll add that to my list of chores for the coming days. I've always thought drummer Steve West to be particularly cute...except for the patch of hair he kept over his eyes. I'm sure he doesn't do that anymore.

Here's "Bang Bang." I love the bass part and I'd like to learn this song. Trouble is, no one seems to have the Danger Danger tab book.

So, I've put my thoughts out there. What do you think of Danger Danger?

Comments

[Joe]

Danger Danger..Love this band!!..I met these guys years back and they were super cool too..Ted is an awesome vocalist..Great article Allyson ;)

[Xandra73]

Thanks so much for the article and the videos! God, I loved them so much back then and they lost nothing of their greatness! I've seen them last September at the UFOR Festival in Germany they totally rocked the house! I would love to see them at Rocklahoma, I hope they will be there.

[Metal Mark]

I never got into Danger Danger much. Ted Poley had a good voice, but the first album was as much AOR as it was hard rock.The second album was better, but nothing special. I didn't keep up with them after that.

[fletch]

Love your "balls" for calling Metal Mania what it is- a sucky video program with the same vidoes week after week. Ugh!

Would love to have a variety and a lot of obscure band videos from this genre: Danger Danger, PBF, Britny Fox, Tuff, Hanoi Rocks, etc...

[Rob Rockitt, Hard Rock Hideout]

I liked this band, and met them thanks to back stage passes that I won from ZRock back in the early 90's.

Looking forward to their new tunes in 2008.

Rob Rockitt
Hard Rock Hideout
http://www.hardrockhideout.com

[Murray]

I loved this band back then, they had a huge influence on me; Ted Poley has a great voice, but more importantly for me, Andy Timmons is an amazing guitarist, and Danger Danger's first two albums that featured his playing really inspired me as a young guitar player.

[BillyKiss]

I loved these guys..Their second album Monkey Business was great as well.

[Kenny Ozz]

Danger Danger rules. And they have a great fan base. Every time I wear my D2 "lets get naughty naughty" t-shirt, I always get tons of compliments. They were however, a MUCH better band with Paul Laine singing than Ted Poley. Want proof? Listen to the 2 different versions of cockroach. Laine OWNS Poley. Im of the opinion that they have made a mistake bringing Ted back.

[aXe mAn]

I also LOVE Danger Danger! They are one of my favorite bands. Their first two albums are great....with the debut being my favorite.

Good luck with getting the interview!

[Tyk]

Great band, but I think they got better with age. Their debut is certainly a classic of the era, but Laine's version of Cockroach is 100 times better; and albums like Four the Hard Way and thereturnofthegreatgildersleeves really have the strongest material. Jaded, Captain Bring Me Down, Dead Drunk and Wasted... great songs.
Don't Walk Away is good... but Don't Break My Heart Again blows it away.

[don]

sorry, i don't think they ever achieved more than moderate success. they are not thought of as such in my opinion.

[jay]

I really like this band. I remember when I saw Naughty Naughty on MTV and bought the album. For some reason they fell off my radar, and two years ago I stumbled across them again. Just got their Live in Japan DVD and Love it! Wish I could find more video stuff of them and am looking forward to their new CD.

[Chey]

if it wasn't for Metal Mania i wouldn't be this into this type of music and lifestyle. I like that show but i havn't been whatching it lately cause its on so damn late and ive seen most of the good videos. That show is the only reson i know who Kix is. lol i am so in love with that band. i can't stop listening! ha ha ha the first video and song i heard from them was Midnight Dynamite. it still is my fave song.

[Rockfighter]

Love the band, Bang Bang is a stronger song, but I disagree with the best power ballad though.

[Rhodeislandrock, Heavy Metal Addiction]

1. You're right, Metal Mania does suck now. If I see Skid Row's '18 & Life' one more time, I'm going to go beserk! VH1 Classic is having $$$ problems, that's why they let all the VJs go and aren't putting more effort into their shows. They are putting more movies on than ever, that was the death toll for VH1 in the '90s.

2. D2 is a solid late '80s band but I think they got better with every album. The debut is good but sounds dated now. 'Bang Bang' is definitely better than 'Naughty Naughty'.

3. Poley vs. Laine? Winner is Paul Laine. Like Kenny Ozz said above, listen to COCKROACH and then compare.

4. Check out Poley's MELODICA project, it's in the same vein as early D2.

Steve
Heavy Metal Addiction
http://hardrockheavymetal.wordpress.com/

[Laney74]

Truly legendary band who realised you needed to move with the times and continually put out great Power Pop in the same way that Butch Walker and Marvelous3 did.

I'm a huge fan of the Paul Laine stuff, fantastic vocals and I prefer his version of 'Cockroach' but yeah, I guess Ted gives the band it's distinct style.

Bruno and Steve have never recieved the praise they deserve for their top drawer songwriting.

LEGENDS!!!

[Makel]

I think I used to have Bang Bang and I Still Think About You on my ipod...but I think as I didn't listen to them for long periods of time, I took them off...now I want them back. :P haha.

[ALEXX]

I LOOVEEEEE DANGER DANGER BUT ANYBODY HERE HEAR COCKROACH ALBUM ITS BETER THAN THE FIRST TWO BELIVE ME

[Adji]

Danger Danger are the best band ever, easily one of my top five favourite bands of all time. The first two albums are just pure gold, bring back cock rock!

Incidentally my band does cover version of bang bang and I Still Think About You, they always go down well.