You Wanted the Best...Number One

Our top ten glam band countdown continues. Here’s what we’ve got so far:

10) Badlands
09) Winger
08) Twisted Sister
07) L.A. Guns
06) Bon Jovi
05) Poison
04) Guns n' Roses
03) Hanoi Rocks
02) Def Leppard

In the top spot...Motley Crue.

It should be noted I had Hanoi Rocks at number one until Sunday night when I had a last second change of heart.  Last night, I flipped a coin over Motley Crue and Def Leppard because both have enjoyed enormous success. Still, I think it’s fitting Motley Crue reign supreme at number one. After all, Nikki Sixx created the ultimate glam band.  In the 1980s, they were a hit – and terror – machine.

When Motley Crue started they were all Metal, but their sound evolved over time. In addition to being a phenomenal songwriter, Nikki Sixx is also a shrewd businessman and knows how to work image. For many years, Motley Crue stayed one step ahead of their peers, changing their logo – and look – with every album. There was Metal with Too Fast for Love, shock with Shout at the Devil, Sunset Strip Glam with Theatre of Pain…well, you get the idea.

When Sixx joined up with drummer Tommy Lee, singer Vince Neil and vastly underrated guitarist Mick Mars, the planets aligned to create something truly special. While people argue Motley’s importance to modern music, there’s simply no denying the quality – or impact – of early Crue. If this were a countdown of the ten best glam albums of all time, Shout at the Devil would be in the top spot. While Too Fast For Love is amazingly gritty, Motley’s sophomore release would become their calling card. Videos for “Too Young to Fall In Love” and “Looks That Kill” played in heavy rotation on MTV. Suddenly, everyone wanted to be Motley.

A lot of people say “Home Sweet Home” is the first power ballad. I don’t agree with this, but Motley probably made it fashionable for 80s bands to show a softer side of Metal. That’s both and good bad I suppose.

There’s no denying that today’s crop of modern sleaze bands channel their inner Motley. If you visit the Myspace pages of any Swedish glam band, I bet you’ll find “Motley Crue” listed as an influence. After all, young bands would be silly not to look up to Sixx and Company. Not only is Motley still really popular among various generations, they’ve made a lot of smart business decisions (drug abuse, jail time and divorces notwithstanding). Motley Crue are one of the very few major bands that own their master recordings. This means more money for band members because they are the label. In addition to making some of the most important music in my life, the band also produced the best rock biography of all time. I’ve read a lot of true rock history, and nothing comes close to The Dirt. If you don’t agree with me, then you’ve clearly never read the book.

While many slag Nikki Sixx for being a big talker or a crappy bass player, no one can deny his creative drive. Even in Motley’s downtime, Nikki has an urge to create new music and it’s not like he needs the cash. Both Brides of Destruction and 58 are underrated, but SIXX: AM might be Nikki’s best side project yet. While the Heroin Diaries is an interesting and entertaining read, the accompanying soundtrack is one of the best albums of 2007.

The current state of Motley Crue is unclear. No one seems to know if Tommy Lee is still in the band, or if there will be a new album or tour anytime soon. Nikki seems content with SIXX:AM and Vince does solo shows all year long. Whatever the case, no glam list is complete without Motley Crue and I hope you agree they deserve to be number one.

Here's Motley Crue performing "Home Sweet Home" live in 1985.

Tomorrow, I'll give you my list of honorable mentions.

You Wanted the Best...Number Two

Our top ten glam band countdown continues. Here’s what we’ve got so far:

10) Badlands
09) Winger
08) Twisted Sister
07) L.A. Guns
06) Bon Jovi
05) Poison
04) Guns n' Roses
03) Hanoi Rocks

In the second spot...Def Leppard.

While I literally flipped a coin to determine number two and number one on this list, you can’t deny the mighty Leps importance to glam. From the roots of Girl thanks to Phil Collen to the unbelievable success of Pyromania and Hysteria, Def Leppard are massively important for so many reasons.

My sweet Def Leppard formed in Sheffield, England at the end of the 1970s. In the beginning, Def Leppard was known as Atomic Mass, featuring bassist Rick Savage, guitarist Pete Willis and drummer Tony Kenning. Joe Elliot auditioned and won the lead singer position. In a 1980s interview with MTV, Rick Savage explained how the band went from Atomic Mass to Def Leppard. In short, it was Joe Elliot’s dream to have a band named Def Leppard. The young Elliot even made posters for his imaginary band. The other guys agreed on the name, and Def Leppard was born.

Changes occurred when guitarist Steve Clark joined the band and Tony Kenning quit. With the help of a session drummer, the band released The Def Leppard EP which forever remains on my dream record list.

Drummer Rick Allen joined shortly before 1979, and guitarist Phil Collen replaced Pete Willis after the release of On Through the Night and High n’ Dry.

By now, the world knows that super producer Mutt Lange joined up with the band to work on Pyromania. After that record hit, Def Leppard were superstars. A phenomenally good album, it contains two essential glam tracks no Metal fan should be without: “Too Late for Love” and “Die Hard the Hunter.” Yes, “Photograph” and “Foolin’” are also considered essentials, but sometimes deeper cuts are the way to go.

In the time between the Pyromania sessions and the release of Hysteria, the band experienced massive highs and lows. The members were millionaires, but Steve Clark was slipping deeper in alcoholism and there was the pesky crash that took Rick Allen’s left arm. It was during this time that Def Leppard proved to be an ultimate glam band: they stuck together, giving the world a lesson in true friendship.

Hysteria, while highly commercial, is the end result of years of studio work. Most people love to slag Hysteria. That’s all well and good, except that it’s the soundtrack for a generation. For this alone, they deserve an induction into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland.

You might not believe this, but I listen to at least one song from Hysteria every single day. It’s great for the gym and cheers when me I’m down. My favorites are “Love and Affection,” “Hysteria,” “Gods of War” and “Animal.”

Somewhere along the way, music snobs decided it was uncool to have a massively successful single like “Pour Some Sugar On Me.” While it’s acceptable for the rest of us to have career defining moments, forget about a Metal band producing commercial rock.

Thanks to Hysteria, Def Leppard is forever cemented in the history of glam as one of the most important acts of the genre. Even after the death of Steve Clark in 1991, Def Leppard forged ahead. Guitarist Vivian Campbell joined the band about a year after Clark's death.

Just like Poison, Def Leppard is always consistent live. They put on a great show and know their audience. Yes, we want to hear the big hits but we also want to hear some of the really early songs too. Plus, Rick Savage ranks just above Bobby Dall on my hot list. (Yes boys and girls, my entire “hot list” is comprised of glam bassists).

Here’s Def Leppard performing “Wasted” live in 1983.

Don't agree with my choice? Come back tomorrow and see who lands at number one on the ten best glam bands of all time list.

Introducing...Nasty Pistolero

My friends the Gypsy Pistoleros are pleased to announce a new bass player.

Nasty Pistolero is from Finland, but he played in a couple of Swedish glam bands. According to frontman Lee Pistolero, Nasty is moving from Sweden to the U.K. to play with the band. The Gypsy Pistoleros will tour next year, on the road to Rocklahoma.

www.myspace.com/gypsypistoleros for more information.

You Wanted the Best...Number Three

Our top ten glam band countdown continues. Here’s what we’ve got so far:

10) Badlands
09) Winger
08) Twisted Sister
07) L.A. Guns
06) Bon Jovi
05) Poison
04) Guns n' Roses

In the third spot...Hanoi Rocks.

The Finnish band formed at the end of the 1970s and their importance in glam is unmatched. Every time I ask a musician "who are your influences" Hanoi Rocks is inevitably mentioned.

Lead singer Michael Monroe looks like he was born glam: the hair, the clothes, the swagger all ooze confidence. The lyrics - especially early Hanoi Rocks - are gritty sleaze, served straight up.

Hanoi Rocks released a handful of albums before getting much acclaim. Then, they were poised for fame with the 1984 release Two Steps from the Move. Poised, that is, until tragedy hit the band. Drummer Razzle was killed when he was riding in a car with a very intoxicated Vince Neil. This sudden death put an end to any momentum the band was gaining in the U.S. Still, Hanoi Rocks forged on, sporadically releasing albums with a wide array of members.

These days, only Michael Monroe and guitarist Andy McCoy remain from the original line-up. Their new album, Street Poetry, was released months ago to critical acclaim. In truth, Street Poetry is an excellent, yet mature, glam release.

Here's Hanoi Rocks performing "Up Around the Bend" live sometime in 1984.

Don't agree with my choice? Come back tomorrow and see who lands at number two on the ten best glam bands of all time list.

You Wanted the Best...Number Four

Our top ten glam band countdown continues. Here’s what we’ve got so far:

10) Badlands
09) Winger
08) Twisted Sister
07) L.A. Guns
06) Bon Jovi
05) Poison

In the fourth spot…Guns n’ Roses.

Hang with me with me here. While Slash, Axl Rose and the rest of Guns n’ Roses will consistently profess their hatred for glam, consider the band’s beginnings. Classic GnR – at its very core – is rooted in all things glam. Axl Rose left the Midwest for the Sunset Strip and Slash gigged all around Los Angeles learning the ins and outs of the axe. He sold Quaaludes to musicians and party goers alike at clubs like the Troubador and Whisky A Go-Go. Moreover, Hollywood Rose and L.A. Guns were, at their inception, gritty glam bands.

After Hollywood Rose and L.A. Guns merged then morphed, Guns n’ Roses was born. The classic line-up featured Axl, Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, drummer Steven Adler and bassist Duff McKagan. The five young musicians scrapped for everything they had, and played when they could. When you’re hungry for fame and desperate for food, you’ll do just about anything to survive. As such, Guns n’ Roses played every big club on the Strip, right next to their glam counterparts. Plus, Slash took business advice from Mr. Nikki Sixx.

Then there’s the pesky history of Slash auditioning for Poison but we won’t get into that (again).

These days, Steven Adler still drums with Adler’s Appetite. That band usually features a revolving door of glam musicians including Kristy “Krash” Majors and Chip Z’Nuff. Adler guested at Rocklahoma and wandered around backstage and smiled a lot. He didn’t seem to have any problems being associated with the glam scene.

Thanks to the overwhelming success – and importance – of Appetite for Destruction, Guns n’ Roses continue to influence new Metal bands. Often times, these bands have a “glam streak” or three. Modern bands like Vains of Jenna and Crashdiet are clearly – and unabashedly - influenced by Guns n’ Roses in their attitudes, songwriting and stage appearance. It’s that constant source of inspiration – and continual fan devotion – that makes classic Guns n’ Roses an ultimate glam band.

Here's Guns n' Roses performing "Nightrain" live sometime in 1988. It's basically awesome.

Don't agree with my choice? Come back tomorrow and see who lands at number three on the ten best glam bands of all time list.

You Wanted the Best...Number Five

Our top ten glam band countdown continues.

Here’s what we’ve got so far:

10) Badlands
09) Winger
08) Twisted Sister
07) L.A. Guns
06) Bon Jovi

In the fifth spot…Poison.

When people think glam, Poison typically comes to mind. It’s the hair, the make-up, the clothes…the stage names. Say what you will, Poison is a party band and when their music comes on the radio everyone is invited to the biggest soirée of the year.

Bret Michaels, Rikki Rocket, Matt Smith and Bobby Dall formed Poison in the early 80s – way back then they were known as Paris. When the band decided to go professional, they left Pennsylvania and headed west for the sleaze of the Sunset Strip. Personal reasons lead to guitarist Matt Smith’s departure and the hunt was one for a new guitarist. The remaining members of Poison auditioned a ton of players, most notably Slash. In the end, C.C. DeVille won the role.

Poison was originally managed by Vicky Hamilton. The band didn’t make any money, but Hamilton worked out a deal that the members of Poison would have “party stipends” in exchange for gigs on the Strip.

Many - including myself - regard Look What the Cat Dragged In (1986) a classic glam album. It’s also pretty well documented that the band wanted the cover art to look like something out of Vogue. For many years in the 80s, androgyny and glam went hand and hand, and it’s hard to tell the gender of each band member of that particular cover.

Critics say Look What the Cat Dragged In is Poison's best work. I don't know if I agree with this, but music buyers made Open Up and Say...Ah! the band's biggest seller. It includes "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" and my mom's favorite "Fallen Angel."

A note about color: the boys in Poison know how to rock green. They created a marketing brand out of “Poison Green,” using the color for more than two decades in fliers, shirts, gear and lasers. Even in the beginning and dirt poor, Poison understood the importance of an elaborate stage show.

Poison are largely important to glam because they really cemented the notion that Metal could be fun. With fun came mainstream appeal and a lot of album sales. These days, Poison headlines a shed tour about every summer. I’ve seen Poison live several times and they are always consistent. Bret Michaels was a good humored ass in Rock of Love and the band as a whole is pretty great about supporting other artists from the old – and current – scene. In recent years, Poison has toured with Cinderella, Endeverafter, Vains of Jenna, RATT, Vince Neil, and Skid Row among others.

Here’s the once banned video “Flesh and Blood (Sacrifice)” from the album Flesh and Blood. Yes, I still have a crush on Bobby Dall.

Don't agree with my choice? Come back tomorrow and see who lands at number four on the ten best glam bands of all time list.

You Wanted the Best...Number Six

Our top ten glam band countdown continues. Here’s what we’ve got so far:

10) Badlands
09) Winger
08) Twisted Sister
07) L.A. Guns

In the sixth spot…Bon Jovi.

Bon Jovi is currently going through a small-scale identity crisis, but in the 1980s they were 100% glam.

Formed in New Jersey in the early part of the 80s, Bon Jovi is one of the most successful bands of the era. Their success and widespread appeal have carried them a long way and they are still able to play arenas some 23 years after releasing their self-titled debut.

Slippery When Wet (1986) made Bon Jovi both rich and famous. That album includes the mega-singles “Livin’ On A Prayer,” “You Give Love a Bad Name,” and “Wanted Dead or Alive.” Millions of records later, the band toured the world and found time to record New Jersey (1988). That album includes the song “Bad Medicine” which was my favorite 45 when I was a kid.

Sheer volume of records sold doesn’t equal success, but it’s pretty hard to argue with sales of more than 100 million records worldwide.

Lead singer Jon Bon Jovi also helped other glam bands. He discovered Cinderella while they played in a Philadelphia bar, and offered Skid Row an opening slot on the successful New Jersey Syndicate Tour.

Bon Jovi’s cultural impact is nearly unmatched. They can jump genre and seemingly do no wrong. From glam to pop to country, people line-up in droves to buy their albums. Last season of American Idol featured a “Bon Jovi” theme week, and Jon Bon Jovi recently hosted Saturday Night Live where he played up his 80s rocker image. Whatever your thoughts on modern Bon Jovi, there’s no denying their importance – and place – in 1980s glam Metal.

Here’s Bon Jovi performing an unplugged version of “Lay Your Hands On Me.” The music sounds good, but there’s something fishy going on with Jon Bon Jovi’s hair.

Don't agree with my choice? Come back tomorrow and see who lands at number five on the ten best glam bands of all time list.