Recently,
August 21, 2015 to be exact, Bon Jovi released their newest album Burning
Bridges. This album was released amidst little fanfare, with the band
making no mention of it on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or even on their
website. The album arrived to those who preordered it in a brown paper bag.
Yes! You heard that right! It was literally delivered in a brown paper bag,
similar to a lunch bag. Burning Bridges contains no lyrics sheet,
pictures, or credits, nothing but the CD, album title, and song titles.
(Update: Bon Jovi sent an email to fans on August 26th promoting the album,
with links to their amended website, which included lyrics and credits for each
song. As of this point, Bon Jovi is still not promoting the album on social
media.) Also, below is a pic of a friend's CD when it arrived--courtesy of my Bon Jovi pal, Margo. Thanks, Margo!
Why
all the stealthiness for this album? Perhaps Jon Bon Jovi answered that
question when he recently explained to a small crowd of fans, "It [Burning
Bridges] is our latest, it's not our next. It is sort of the end of a
cycle, not the beginning of the new one. Some of the songs are 10 years
old. 'We Don't Run' is a new one. 'Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning' is
probably 8 or 10 years old. It's the end of an era."
And
in a recent interview JBJ told Vancouver's Steve Darling, "Burning
Bridges (um) is the end of an era. . . . It was meant to coincide with
a Southeast Asian tour. . . . It's a fan record. It's under the radar. But it's
also the conclusion of a 32 year relationship (uh) with my record company. . .
. It was time to move on. The traditional model wasn't working for me anymore,
. . . so it was both a fulfillment, and more importantly, something I'm proud
of because it's (uh) it's songs that, ya know, I wouldn't put out
otherwise."
Since
I just quoted Jon Bon Jovi saying, “Some of the songs are 10 years old,” let’s
talk about “old,” or shall we say, “previously unreleased songs,” for a minute.
In the past, Bon Jovi has released other albums with previously unreleased
material. In fact, last year Bon Jovi re-released their New Jersey album
as a box set with the second disc, called The Sons Of Beaches,
containing all previously unreleased material. Sons Of Beaches included unreleased songs that were written for the
original New Jersey album, as well as
demos of familiar Bon Jovi tunes. In addition to that, Bon Jovi has a three-CD
box set called 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong, with all included
material being previously unreleased. Let’s face it, albums like these and Burning Bridges are marketed to mega
fans. With Burning Bridges
specifically receiving no airplay (that I’m aware of), and no promotion on Bon
Jovi’s social media sites, the “casual” Bon Jovi fans are most likely unaware
that this CD was even released. It’s like a special secret between the mega-fan
and rock star. If writing a song is like baring one’s soul for all to see, then
albums like Burning Bridges, allow
only those that have crossed over to mega-fandom to feel like they get a
special intimate glimpse into our favorite artist’s soul, that special glimpse
on which a large portion of fans will miss out. So what “soul-baring” songs can
you hope to hear on this album? Here is a list of the songs included on Burning Bridges:
A Teardrop to the Sea
We Don't Run
Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning
We Fall Down
Blind Love
Who Would You Die For
Fingerprints
Life Is Beautiful
I'm Your Man
Burning Bridges
Take Back The Night
I
won't touch on all of the songs on this album, even though I am enjoying them
all, but here are a few worth mentioning.
"We
Don't Run" is the only song that Jon Bon Jovi has explicitly stated
is new for this album. Written in the style of other great Bon Jovi rock
anthems, it also echoes the "burning bridges" theme in it's lyrics;
"Not afraid of Burning Bridges, 'cause I know they're gonna light my
way." And what Bon Jovi anthem would be complete without lyrics to rally
behind? Fans, roll down the windows in your car and sing like no one is
listening!
We don't run, I'm standing my ground
We don't run, and we don't back down
There's fire in the sky, there's thunder on the mountain
Bless each tear and this dirt I was born in
Run
We don't run
We don't run
"Saturday
Night Gave Me Sunday Morning," as I said earlier, was written 8-10 years
ago. It is an upbeat, feel-good song, sure to be a crowd-pleaser when played in
concert. It has that classic Bon Jovi feel to it, making it yet another great
recognizable Bon Jovi tune. Also, this is the only song on the album that was
co-written with Richie Sambora, and it may be a long time, if ever, before Bon
Jovi fans get another song written by our "dynamic duo."
Also
included in the album tracks is the sultry number "Who Would You Die
For." Jon croons erotic lyrics, which I have personally witnessed making
waves with the ladies on social media. Such lyrics include:
Will you write me lipstick letters
Miss me when I'm gone
Wake up tangled in the sheets
Still aching for my arms. . .
All I want is all of you and more
The big bad wolf is knocking at your door
Who would you die for. . .
I want to know
And
while this song isn't one of my personal favorites on the album (it's a little
slow for me), the other gals sure seem to like it. . . . A LOT.
One
of my favorite songs on the album is "Life is Beautiful," which
musically seems to be reminiscent of the tunes included on The Circle,
and I wonder if it was written for, but not released for that album. And did
you notice, fans, that there are some similarities in the theme or lyrics of
"Life Is Beautiful" and "When We Were Beautiful” (which was
included on The Circle)?
Check
it out the similarities in lyrics and theme. Life is Beautiful The sky is cracked We can't go back
When We Were Beautiful
The world is cracked, the sky is torn
I'm hanging in, you’re holding on
Aaaaand
Life is Beautiful
I can't save me from my sins
Innocence my long lost friend
When We Were Beautiful
Back when we were innocent
I wonder where it went, let's go back and find it
Did
you see that? “Life is Beautiful” mentions a cracked sky, and “When We Were
Beautiful” includes a cracked world and torn sky. Both songs refer to a loss of
innocence. Grasping at straws you say? I think not. I heard the similarities,
and ENJOYED them, the first time I heard "Life Is Beautiful."
I
will also include an honorable mention for "I'm Your Man." On
occasion in his shows, Jon Bon Jovi includes a cover of Leonard Cohen's
"I'm Your Man" which Jon has said that he wishes he had written
himself. And while this song is not Leonard Cohen's song, it certainly seems to
be an homage to the original version that Jon loves so much.
One
more number to remark on is "Burning Bridges." This song is Bon
Jovi's not-so-fond farewell to their former record company in an old-time
bar sing-along style song, with telling lyrics that include:
Check the box
Mark this Day
There's nothing more to say
After 30 years of loyalty they let you dig the grave
Now maybe you could learn to sing
Or even strum along
I'll give you half the publishing
You're why I wrote this song...
Sayonara
Adios, auf wiedersehen, farewell,
Adieu, good night, guten
abend,
Here's the last song you can sell
Now
don't get me wrong, even though the lyrics are a bit harsh at times, this song
is pretty hilarious. I dare you to listen and not laugh while you sing
along.
One
last thing, Bon Jovi fans, keep your eyes peeled and your ears open for Bon
Jovi's new album, which will be released sometime in April or May of 2016, with
a tour to follow. (Yay! Another tour!) In the meantime, keep calm and listen to
Burning Bridges.
15 year old son: Mom, my music teacher says there's some famous bass player coming to the music store.
Me: Oh, yeah? Who is it?
Son: I dunno know.
One week later: driving by the music store, the sign reads, "Billy Sheehan, bass clinic."
WHAT?!
I nearly put my husband through the windshield, as I hit the breaks and turned the car around to buy tickets for the clinic!
About three weeks later, my son and I arrived at the music store ready for the clinic. If you've ever read my blog, you know I have a thing about being as CLOSE TO THE STAGE AS POSSIBLE. Since it was a weekday (workday for most), I figured lining up for the clinic about an hour before the doors opened would be sufficient. My bet paid off, and we were the second people in line.
When the doors opened, my son and I found seats in the front row. Only 100 tickets were sold for this event. The room continued to fill, and soon enough, the music store announced that it was time for the clinic to begin.
After a nice introduction, and a big shout out to Yamaha, who was sponsoring the clinic, Billy took the stage and played for a few minutes. (Sheehan playes Yamaha bass guitars, and has his own signature model Yamaha bassavailable for purchase.)
For those of you who don't know, I am not a musician. I LOVE music. I DEVOUR music. A BIG part of MY WORLD is music.
Of course, most of the room was made up of men who ARE musicians. I came to this clinic prepared to pretty much not understand whatever "technical" things Billy would talk about. But it didn't matter to me, I was just SO HAPPY to be there.
I first heard of Billy Sheehan when I was a freshman in high school and David Lee Roth released his album Eat 'Em and Smile (on which Billy Sheehan played bass). In fact, the first concert I ever attended, was David Lee Roth's Eat 'Em and Smile concert at Chicago's (then called) Rosemont Horizon. That was a GREAT SHOW! I've been hooked on rock concerts ever since!
A couple of years later, in '89, my friend Marie bought Mr. Big's first (self-titled) album. (Yes, of course I bought it right after that!) I remember the two of us playing it in the car while driving. I was addicted to that rush from the first time I heard it (sorry for the pun...somewhat sorry, anyway). If you're a regular reader to my blog, you know that I have BIG LOVE for Mr. Big, and that they have been one of my favorite bands for many years. And if you're not aware, Billy Sheehan also has a band called the Winery Dogs. I recommend you check them out if you haven't already!
Back to the clinic, after Billy played for a few minutes, he opened the floor for questions. The questions ranged from things like, "What was it like to work with David Lee Roth?" to "How do you do play an appregio?" He was so gracious as he answered the questions. When he was showing the crowd how to do certain bass riffs that he was asked about, he explained the riff and showed it in slow motion. He encouraged the audience, saying that anyone could play anything they wanted to with practice, thus making music, even complex, music attainable to all present.
It was fascinating listening to him as he talked about his daily warm-up routine and how he practices the same finger exercises on his bass everyday for hours. Interestingly, this is the same routine he's been doing for years. He explained that if you teach your fingers to be anywhere they need to be on the fret, then you can play anything, because you remove the physical limitations from yourself. (In other words, the notion that "I can't do that because my fingers don't reach there" is no longer an issue.) If you train your fingers to reach anywhere, then you can play anything to which you set your mind and practice habits.
What may have amazed me most, is that he said he discovers something new EVERY day on the bass! He said that even if you don't feel like playing, do your finger excersises, and stick with it, and eventually something new will present itself to you. First comes discipline, then comes inspiration.
He talked the artists who inspired him to come up with some of the different playing techniques that he uses. He also shared personal stories from his "early" days with Talas. He talked about how he put Mr. Big together, and their journey to fame. When someone asked how to put a band together, he said that he is of the opinion that it's more important to like the people with whom you're playing than to have the "best" player in your band. I remember the stories he shared and could say more, but if you've read my blog, you know that I am unwilling to spoil a future event for others by sharing too much.
And do you know what? He made everything so uncomplicated that I understood everything that he said! His total time on stage, most of which was answering questions, was about two hours. But the evening didn't end there! Billy Sheehan stuck around to sign autographs and take pictures with people. He was so kind to all. When it was my turn to talk to him, I told him that I LOVE Mr. Big and that "Alive and Kickin'" is my favorite song. I asked if he would personalize an autograph to me with the words "Alive and Kickin." Fortunately, he was happy to oblige! Can you imagine that? After all of these years (29 years to be exact), I got to MEET, and take a PICTURE with, and get an AUTOGRAPH from Billy Sheehan! I am one HAPPY GIRL today!
I am SO THRILLED that I got to see Billy Sheehan up close and personal! Yeah, duh, you couldn't tell right? Well, come to think of it, I've been up close and personal before at Mr. Big concerts when I've had front row right in front of Billy! But this was a different animal than a concert entirely. It was such a pleasurable evening. I highly recommend going to one of his clinics if one is coming near you!
I'd like to extend a big thank you to all of my regular and new readers! I so enjoy taking you along with me on my rock music adventures! I also really love hearing from you either in the comments section or through social media. Do feel free to share any of my posts that you like. I especially like to have conversations about music on Twitter. You can find me my on Twitter page by clicking here.
Did you ever read through a list of alleged Top 10, or say, Top 25 Hair Bands of All Time and wonder WHAT PERSON WHO OBVIOUSLY NEVER ACTUALLY LISTENED TO '80s hairband/metal wrote that list? Well, I just did. Today. I found myself complaining out loud to my computer screen, wondering how in the world is Lita stuck back at number 25, while Vixen is placed in the number 9 spot. And how could the obviously misinformed author include Britny Fox in the number FOUR spot and not mention Whitesnake AT ALL? Fortunately, it was at that point that I remembered that I HAVE A BLOG!!! And truly, what better person than me, who lived through the '80s, lived and breathed '80s metal, still listens to '80s hairband/metal, and still sees these bands in concert whenever possible to write such a list? (Don't get me wrong, I had Vixen and Britny Fox's tapes back in the 80s and like them too, I just think there needs to be a little "setting of the record straight!")
Before I continue, if you're looking for a GREAT place to hear everything from '80s metal to current metal, you MUST check out my friend, Andrew Babcock's radio show, Hair Metal Mansion. You can click here to see a list of show times and stations. You can also listen to previous shows by clickinghere. Seriously, Hair Metal Mansion is my "go to" place for the music I love, as well as awesome interviews. Just this week, Andrew interviewed Erik Turner from Warrant on the show.
On to my list. I edited and rewrote this list over the course of a couple of weeks, deleting a handful of my favorite bands, choosing instead to include bands that I felt were the most influential at the time. Helping me with this list is Rocker Hubby, Perry, pictured right (or above, if you're viewing this on your mobile device), on stage in 1983.
So without further ado, here are my
Top 30 Eighties Metal Bands of All Time
Beginning with--
30. Stryper
Has curiously never been on a top 25 list that I've read, but, as I recall, pretty much "everybody" listened to these self-proclaimed Christian rockers. I saw the Black and Yellow Attack donned rockers in concert on their In God We Trust Tour at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, as they played to a nearly sold-out crowd. So earning their spot on this list is Stryper with "Calling on You."
29. Yngwie Malmsteen
Don't hate. Yngwei's only real successful hit was "You Don't Remember, I'll Never Forget." (This self-proclaimed '80s metal girl saw Yngwie in concert just a few short years ago at Chicago's House of Blues, and was, BTW, the ONLY girl in the who building who wasn't working there as a server/bartender. I'd aslo like to mention that this was my husband's anniversary present to me, at my request, in leiu of a romantic dinner.) And while Yngwie has and likely will always have his own cult following, if you don't belong to that crowd, I'd like to see you try and name any other Yngwie songs. I can name 2 more. Seriously. "Blue" and "Baroque and Roll." That's it. But he has staying power with his own fan base who seem to like his guitar licks, and he definitely deserves a spot on this list. Here is "You Don't Remember, I'll Never Forget."
28. Mr. Big
Oh, how I LOVE this band! Mr. Big started off with heavy hitters Paul Gilbert, formerly of Racer X, and Billy Sheehan, of David Lee Roth fame. With the addition of bluesy singer, Eric Martin, and Pat Torpey on drums, this band is still loved by many. I have Mr. Big this far back on the list because their first album, Mr. Big, was released in the summer of '89, making them really more of a '90s than an '80s band. Here's their first release, "Addicted To That Rush."
27. Quiet Riot
I was just watching Footloose with my son. In the movie, Kevin Bacon's character, Ren, is driving his car, blasting his Quiet Riot cassette tape, Metal Health. While watching the movie, I was reminded of just how popular this band was at one time. In 1983, Metal Health even uprooted Michael Jackson's Thriller from its number one spot on the charts. Here they are with their chart-topping song, "Bang Your Head (Metal Health)."
26. Scorpions
On my first date with my husband of now 20 years, we saw the Scorpions in concert at the Rosemont Horizon, now called the Alllstate Arena. I know some of you probably think they should be higher on the list, and I'll even agree with you based on their longevity and the influence they've had on other bands. I like them. I just don't love them. And please, oh please, classic rock stations, can you play SOMETHING OTHER than "Rock You Like a Hurricane" or the "The Zoo"? So how about we change it up with this one? Here's "Big City Nights."
25. Winger
"She's only forty-two" is what Kip Winger would have to sing these days. Winger was a bit late on the '80s scene, with their debut album, Winger, being released in 1988. Personally, I like a good Winger song, and I like them in concert too. From their platinum album, Winger, for my friend Kate, here is "Madeline."
24. Queensryche
Because if I don't put them somewhere on this list my husband will divorce me. I like them. Don' t love them. Here's is my favorite song by Queensryche, "I Don't Believe in Love."
23. Great White
I totally didn't go to my senior year homecoming dance because Great White and Tesla were in concert in Chicago that night, so I went to see them instead. All of my friends told me that I would regret missing my senior homecoming dance later in life. Uh, yeah...NOT! Then or now! I mean really. Choose between lame Top 40 hits and dance music, or let Great White rock me, rock me, rock me now, roll me through the night in concert? No contest.
Speaking of "Rock Me Now," here it is.
22. Guns N Roses
I had Appetite for Destruction, but I was never one of their mega fans--although they had quite a mega following. I will say this, I think "November Rain" is one of the best songs and videos from the era. Here it is.
21. Alice Cooper
"We're not worthy! We're not worthy!" If you don't get that, you need to turn on Wayne's World as soon as you're done reading this blog! I saw Alice on his Trashes the WorldTour. At that time--I was in my teens and I didn't really follow him all that closely--I thought I would only know the songs from Trash, which was my only Alice Cooper aquisition in my then-cassette collection. BUT, I was surprised to find out that I knew most of the songs that he played that night, including songs I knew from the radio, as well as discovering that a good number of his songs had been covered by bands that I love. Making albums since the '60s, having influenced MOST of the bands on this list, here is Alice Cooper with his 1989 hit "Poison." (Interesting note, Alice teamed up with Desmond Child-- who helped Bon Jovi write hits like "Livin' on a Prayer" and "You Give Love a Bad Name"--to write Alice's album Trash.)
20. Warrant
Also GREAT in concert. It seems like "everyone" remembers this band for "Cherry Pie," and in some ways, rightfully so. But before "Cherry Pie," Warrant had their duo power ballads, "Heaven" and "Sometimes She Cries," both of which I love, and have even kareoked to the former. It wasn't pretty, friends. Be glad you missed that one. Moving on, this girl is a sucker for a good electric guitar solo like the one in "Uncle Tom's Cabin," but my favorite Warrant song of all time is "I Saw Red." Here it is.
BTW, Erik Turner, who I know must be hanging on my every word in this blog, I'd like to try one of your wines, but they're not available in this region yet. Say the word, and I'll get you my address to send me one. Dry red, please! ;)
19. Skid Row
"Park Avenue leads to...SKID ROW!"
Glam meets heavy. Oh, how I love this band! Thank you, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, for discovering them. Skid Row was AWESOME in concert! I wish they had a video for either of my two favorite Skid Row songs, "Can't Stand the Heartache" or "Here I Am." But they don't, so here is the one that started it all, "Youth Gone Wild."
18. Cinderella
Thank you AGAIN, Jon Bon Jovi, for discovering this band that I have often enjoyed listening to over the years! As I write this blog, I'm sitting in a Panera having a "shot of gasoline." If you don't get that, check out Cinderella's song "Night Songs." Here is Cinderella with "Somebody Save Me." Oh yeah, this band SPANKS in concert. Make sure you see them or Tom Keifer (singer) solo. Either one.
17. Tesla
I'm shocked that I didn't wear out my tapes, Mechanical Resonance (1986), and The Great Radio Controversy (1989), for as much as I played them. I know I've said this about other bands in this blog, but OMG this band is GREAT live! And they are nice guys too. I met Tesla several times in the '80s, including before their show with Great White (the concert I mentioned earlier--when I skipped homecoming to see Great White and Tesla). Tesla was promoting The Great Radio Controversy at a record store prior to the concert that night, and hundreds of fans, including my friends and I, lined up to meet them. Good times, friends, good times. Anyhow, Tesla's "Love Song" is, IMO, one of rock's greatest songs of all time. Here it is. Go ahead and sing along. You know you want to...
16. Iron Maiden
I love me a little Bruce Dickenson's vocals on occasion. And if you're an '80s metalhead, you probably do too. Here's their classic, "Aces High."
15. KISS
Could easily be placed higher on this list, considering their undeniable influence on some of the other bands listed here; however, they're a bit too gimmicky for me. I will say that I love, and I mean LOVE their song "Tears are Falling." And I love Paul Stanley's groovy green fringe gloves in the video. Pardon me while I take a moment to belt out this song, "I read your mind like an open book. You lost the fire in your eyes..."
14. AC/DC
I. CAN'T. STAND. AC/DC. Their songs sound like fingernails on a chalboard to me. But even so, I can't deny their staying power or the influence they've had on other bands. And really, is there a kid that ever picked up a guitar that hasn't learned an AC/DC song? I think not. So more than earning their spot here, in spite of my dislike of them, here's AC/DC with the only song of theirs that I can stand even remotely, "You Shook Me All Night Long."
13. Dio
Okay, I'm a bit on the young end to really appreciate Dio. In fact, the only Dio song that comes to mind offhand is "Rainbow in the Dark." But Rocker Hubby insists that Ronnie James Dio was a HUGE influence in the early '80s on the rockers that I loved in the mid to later '80s. Here is Dio coming in at number 13 at my husband's request. Perry, I could have put your beloved Queensryche right here instead. Just sayin'...
12. Ozzy Osbourne
Hilarious on The Osbournes, but Ozzy is not really one of my favorites. However, having been around on the music scene since the 1970s with Black Sabbath, as well as a long and successful solo career, not to mention influencing many of the bands here, he definitely deserves a spot on this list. Rocker Hubby would like me to mention that Ozzy didn't just have influence on the music scene, he MADE musicians, like the awesome guitarists that have played with him. The likes of Randy Rhoads, Zakk Wylde, Jake E. Lee, and Brad Gillis. Kids, let's take a moment to bask in the greatness of these axe wielders. Ahhhhh...
I know many of you expect me to put something like "Crazy Train" here, but my favorite Ozzy song happens to be "No More Tears."
11. Metallica
Yours truly, AboutPaintGirl, saw Metallica in concert in 1988 during the first ever Monsters of Rock concert held in the U.S. (I could have sworn it was 1987, but the Internet tells me it was 1988.) Yours truly, AboutPaintGirl, also had her very own copy of Master of Puppets on cassette tape. However, as I get older, I really like to be sung to and not growled at, per se, while listening to music. Ironically, I tortured my parents playing Metallica in my teens, and now that I don't really want to listen to Metallica anymore, my teen son does. Fortunately, I usually find this pretty awesome and far from torture.
10. Lita Ford
It takes a strong woman to hang out with the big boys. Lita produced one hit after the other on metal stattions in the '80s, including "Close My Eyes Forever," a duet with Ozzy Osbourne. She is, hands down, my favorite female artist.
I would have loved to include the video for her biggest hit, "Kiss Me Deadly," but it's currently not on YouTube, due to copyright issues. Instead, I'll include one of my favorite songs by Lita, which was co-written with Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx. Here is "Falling in and out of Love." Cheers to the Queen of Metal.
9. Poison
Simple songs. Catchy hooks. HOT singer. Love them or hate them, Poison was a BIG part of the '80s Metal scene. I saw them several times in the '80s, playing to packed or sold-out crowds. Singer Bret Michaels still packs venues and delivers high-energy shows. Here's the one that started it all, "Talk Dirty to Me."
8. Dokken
Going to shed a wee tear here about the Dokken/Lynch breakup. I love, LOVE Dokken music with George Lynch. Fortunately, I got to see them in concert BEFORE the Dokken/Lynch breakup. The biggest problem I have here is choosing only one of their videos. I'll go with this one, "It's Not Love."
7. RATT
EXPLODED on the scene with "Round and Round" in 1984. I remember well that "Round and Round" was played on rock, pop, and metal stations in Chicago. RATT remains one of my favorite bands of all time, as Invasion of Your Privacy remains one of my favorite albums. Speaking of Invasion of Your Privacy, from that album, here is "Lay it Down."
6. Whitesnake
Is anyone else reading this blog slightly obsessed with David Coverdale's Twitter page? He's HILARIOUS!
If you don't already know, prior to forming Whitesnake, David Coverdale was Deep Purple's frontman. Whitesnake has been around since the late '70s and has influenced many a band on this very list. Like Ozzy, David Coverdale has a knack for hiring the best-of-the-best axe weilders, including the likes of Adrian Vandenberg, Vivian Campbell, Doug Aldrich, Reb Beach, and most recently, Joel Hoekstra. Whitesnake will be releasing their latest CD, ThePurple Album, in May and will be touring soon. I know I'm looking forward to seeing them live, and I hope you are too. Just don't get between me and the stage! Seriously.
5. Van Halen
Do you understand just how big 1984 was? It was everywhere. Rock, pop, and metal stations. Everywhere. Eddie Van Halen's "Eruption" influenced many a kid to pick up a guitar and learn to play. Ya know, all this talk about Van Halen is kinda putting me in the mood for a little Panama, Panama-a, Panama, Panama-a-a-a-a-a!
4. Def Leppard
"Rock of Ages, Rock of Ages, still rollin', keep a-rollin'." Is there any rocker that doesn't like Def Leppard? That statement might not be that far off, with Def Leppard's Hysteria and Pyromania both holding Diamond Awards from RIAA for selling over over 10,000,000 albums each. Def Leppard remains a regular on my personal Pandora, and a band I truly enjoy seeing concert. Here is one of my favorite songs of all time, "Hysteria."
3. Bon Jovi
Yes, Bon Jovi IS my favorite band. But before some of you heavier rockers naysay this slot for my beloved Bon Jovi, keep this in mind--both Bon Jovi'salbums Slippery When Wet and New Jersey occupied the Number 1 slot on the charts, with Slippery When Wet retaining the number one spot for eight weeks. Both albums also had two singles each that reached the number one slot ("You Give Love a Bad Name," "Livin' On a Prayer," "Bad Medicine," and "I'll Be There For You"). And if you didn't already know, all 5 of the singles released from New Jersey reached a spot in the top ten on Billboards Hot 100s singles chart, a record that still stands today for a hard rock album. And that's not all. Bon Jovi's success continues today with both their 2010 and 2013 tours being the highest grossing tours of each respective year.
Here is Bon Jovi with their number one single, "I'll Be There For You."
2. Aerosmith
I think it's pretty safe safe to say these bluesy hard rockers from the 1970s influenced most 1980s rock/metal artists. While this band's popularity ebbed in the early '80s, they made a huge comeback in 1986 when they teamed up with rappers Run-D.M.C. for their rerelease of "Walk This Way." There's no doubt this band has staying power to this day, ranking 14th on RIAAs top selling artists list. Since I just mentioned it, let's watch Aerosmith's comeback song, "Walk This Way" with Run-D.M.C. I can still picture Joe Perry sticking his head through the hole in the wall. Ha-ha. You'll see.
1. Motley Crue
Gather around, kids, and let me tell you a little story from back in about 1985, when I was somewhere around 13 years old. One day on my way into school, a kid walking next to me said, "Shhh! Don't tell anyone I gave this to you," as he discreetly shoved a cassette tape in my hand. On the tape he had written "Motley Crue" on both sides. I popped the tape in my boom box that night and proceeded to listen to what he had recorded. On side one, he had recorded the self-titled Motley Crue, and on side two, he recorded Shout at the Devil. I listened to the tape again and again and again. I'm pretty sure my head exploded that night. That was the night I gave up the likes of Duran Duran and Madonna; I had been musically reborn. Now don't get too upset about that pirated tape. I bought everything from Motley Crue. I even bought the one with John Corobi instead of Vince Neil, which I think, like, five other fans bought too. Just kidding. Really.
Motley Crue was and still is, as the well worn saying goes, "larger than life," and their fans love them. Even though there are bands that outsell Motley Crue on this list, according to IMBd they are still one of the top selling bands of all time. (Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Aerosmith, Guns N Roses, AC/DC, Metallica, and KISS also made the list.)
So why put Motley Crue at the number one spot? They EMBODIED '80s metal, from their look, to their sound, and some would argue their outrageous lifestyle as well. I can remember a good many local '80s rocker bands trying to imitate their sound and style, more so than any other band at the time.
Through the years Motley Crue has remained true to their metal roots, remaining essentially the same band that they were in the '80s.
My favorite Crue song still remains "Home Sweet Home." In the '80s, if you could plunk Van Halen's "Jump" on the piano, you could probably plunk "Home Sweet Home" too. I know I could. Here it is...
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