Having spent the majority of my teen years within the 80's, I was inherently affected by the music of the time. I was what they used to call..and I guess still do a headbanger. I fit the image for the most part; t-shirts, ripped up jeans, and yes the mullet. Almost all of the horseman had said mullet(except for Rich who had this stupid tail that I never understood), and listened to the music. We all had our signature bands that we payed homage to. I was a fan of Motley Crue, Jason was a rock solid Kiss fan, Jerry was a Ratt fan, and Rich was partial to Van Halen. Although we each kind of identified with a specific band there were a couple bands that we all liked and one of those was Quiet Riot. The Rock Anthem "Cum on feel the noize," in '83 was a song that I still listen to today as it is part of metal collection programed into the IPOD. Good music. Farewell Dubrow and rest in peace.
12 comments:
Funny how we were all so committed to bands that, ultimately, mean little in any serious cultural sense. Van Halen had Eddie, who changed the course of rock guitar. Kiss emphasized showmanship in a way that seems to have influenced people. The Crue and Ratt had some deadly-serious hit songs, but not much more.
But that was how I defined myself in the eighties. That kind of music. Weird.
And you all thought I was whack job because I didn't embrace my inner head banger. Oddly, I have more respect for most of these hair bands now than I ever did back in the 80's. (actually that is not really fair, only Motley Crue and Ratt are probably Hair bands, Van Halen and Kiss have a little more early history, that they are almost products of the 70's instead of 80's, especially Kiss). I think this is probably a case of these bands being a lot more interesting when you didn't have to listen to some moron blast them from the back of the bus on the way to school every morning.
There may not have been much substance, however I owe this pang in my neck to these bands...and a good time was had by all.
What I always find to be funny is when my wife comes out of the closet as liking one of these bands or songs. I made her a CD of 80's rock bands at her request and she enjoys it. You know: RATT, Twisted Sister, Night Ranger, Def Leppard, Great White, Whitesnake, something else "white" or "Black", etc. She uses it for working out and such.
Now I think that I enjoy "Cum on Feel the Noise" or "Were not Gonna Take it" in moderation as much as the next guy. But when Kim thinks I am surprised at what a rocker she is because she likes a few Def Leppard songs, I have to laugh (on the inside of course). Def Leppard is like Heavy Metal "lite", and I mean like 102.9 Lite. When I hear the drum line on "Pour some sugar on me", I cant help but think "Man, I could play that with one hand tied behind my back", and it turns out to be more true that I ever would have guessed. That may be a bit cruel, but it's not a coincidence that they sound like the drummer only plays with one arm. Maybe they could have gone the Grateful Dead route and went with the two drummers.
By the way, for all of my Def Leppard rippings, I do actually like "Photograph" from Pyromania and some of their other stuff is listenable, I just wouldn't say that it "rocks" in particular.
Anyway, enough marginally offensive content. May the poor dude from Quiet Riot rest in peace.
*ahem*
Def Leppard was, is, & always will be my favorite '80s band. Mock me if you will, but they were the first concert I went to (thanks to my friend Marie), & got me to expand my horizons from a (mostly) country music collection.
And yes, I realize that last piece will open me to a shitload of ridicule (esp. from the Benesh boys), but a) it wasn't until I hit HS that I expanded my music tastes, & b) I grew up in frickin' Indiana for Christ's sake. Sue me.
=)
Nik..
Relax..for you are in a safe place. All opinions welcome. For the record I have each disc that the boys from Leppard have made.
wipes away a solitary tear & stifles a sniffle
Likes Weather *&* owns all the Lep's albums?!? Wow...
Mike... I think you're my new Hero. No, I know it.
=D
I love Pyromania. And Hysteria can't be denied.
But the stuff since then?
Guh.
Name me a good song.
Promises and Paper Sun to begin with...
Not bad songs. I went to YouTube and watched the videos. When "Promises" started I thought, "Where have I heard that riff before?" So I looked around at other Lep songs--it was definitely a Lep riff, probably from Hysteria.
I had heard something like it before. It's not an exact copy, but the opening riff for "Promises" sounds a lot like the Steve Clark solo at about the three-minute mark of "Armageddon It." Check the videos here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcW37mF2iDI
and here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiQBLLQSLNk
Is it possible to rip off yourself?
I guess since it was Clark in "Armageddon" and it's Phil Collen in "Promises," that's beside the point.
After reviewing the evidence the opening riff is surprisingly similar to the lead in at 3:16 of Armageddon It. Good ear my friend. I really took to promises because of that riff and the drive of the song. Something about the guys songs connects.
I'm your average, ordinary, everyday kid. Happy to do nothin'... in fact that's what I did.
sigh Good times... good times.
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