No Beatles, No Glam

Today back in 1964, the Beatles made their American television debut on the Ed Sullivan Show. Clearly, this pre-dates me by about two decades, but I appreciate the impact on pop culture. Make that impact on global culture.

Anyway, I must admit if the Beatles had never existed, the chances of Glam being a form of popular music are about zero. If you think about, the Beatles are probably the most significant thing ever to happen to popular music. I mean, we went from ragtime, to country, to swing and something called rock - but it didn't roll until the Beatles swept in from Liverpool.

The Beatles were a bit dangerous, weren't they? They had "long" hair and wore mostly black. Their songs were - gasp! - uptempo. They also had an air of entitlement around them as they performed. Even before hitting it really big, each member of the Fab Four seemed to walk with a special confidence and display a smirk that said "Yeah, I know your daughter loves me and so does your wife. Buy a record."

I guess it was that confidence - coupled with the incredible song writing talent duo of John Lennon and Paul McCartney - that made the Beatles so famous.

So, as the Beatles continue to change the face of popular culture, they inspire thousands of kids to pick up guitar and pound the drums.

With each generation, there is an influence. In nearly every case, that influence can be mapped back to the Beatles.

If you watch the clip at the bottom of this article, you'll see young ladies swoon for these larger than life personas. You'll get the exact same reaction at a RATT concert about 20 years later.

Consider this: Aerosmith list The Yardbirds and The Who as having a major impact on their sound and style. They also credit the Beatles as a major influence.

You already know Aerosmith influenced about every successful Glam band ever to come from the 80s scene, most notably Motley Crue, L.A. Guns and Faster Pussycat. If you listen carefully, paying attenion to the many layers that make up the more complex Glam songs, you can definitely hear The Beatles.

Don't believe me? Think about all those cover tunes. Most bands have played at least one Beatles song in their respective careers. It's about knowing where you came from - and where you're going - that often breeds success and sustainability.

Pick the Kix Tune

Kix is reuniting this summer for some sort of tour. To that end, I was watching some YouTube videos to gear up for the very special event.

I don't know if the east coast band will stop in Ohio, but I'm sure I'll see them at Rocklahoma. While "Don't Close Your Eyes" is a highly underrated power ballad, I firmly believe the band's fast songs are far superior.

Someone help me here. Let's pick the best Kix song and video.

Here's an odd one for you: "Body Talk."

Here's "Cold Blood."

Now, here's "Blow My Fuse." This is my pick for favorite song and video. This tune just plain makes me want to either dance or pump my fist in the air. I won't lie: I also think every member of the band looks damn hot in this clip!

So, which of these tunes is better? If you don't like these picks tell me which song you prefer and why.

*On a semi-related note, I think I should interview Kix. This band is so underrated, yet so full of talent. It's a shame they didn't get hugely famous. Ah, the injustice.

One Night Will Remind You...

I don't necessarily think Journey are Glam, but they have their moments and apparently my mom was listening to them yesterday.

I know this because she sent me an email, talking about how much I liked Journey when I was four. You see, I've always liked music, probably because she always played rock records. Somewhere in my parents home is a faded picture of me wearing a pink shirt, one hand on hip, standing in front of the stereo.

It's true. I was born Glam.

My mom bought lots of 45s. Those are the smaller records for people even younger than me. Anyway, 45s were most commonly singles. I always wanted to hear the "hit" song and over and over, so my mom marked the A side with an "X."

She doesn't keep junk or clutter, but still has all those records. In fact, "Separate Ways" is one of those singles. I guess my mom put it on the turntable today, saw the X and got a little nostalgic. 

Now I'm nostalgic. Let's all listen to separate ways.

Now, you tell me one of your childhood music stories. I know every single one of you has a special music memory.

Possible Package Tour?

Get ready to see George Lynch back with Don Dokken. Apparently the two are once again reconciling for a summer tour. Who else is rumored on the bill? None other than Warrant (with Jani Lane, of course) and Cinderella.

Can you say Rocklahoma?

Let's break this down.

Of the three, I'm most excited to see Warrant. I've already seen Cinderella live, but I've never been to a Lane fronted Warrant concert.

That said, I've never seen George Lynch perform live either. For many, Lynch makes Dokken. While I'm not the biggest Dokken fan on the planet, I do like some of the songs and must admit that the band gave one hell of a performance at Rocklahoma 2007.

I saw Cinderella when they opened for Poison a couple summers back. While the band was good, Tom Keifer's voice wasn't as strong as I'd hoped. I'm guessing the entire band will be in top form for this summer's package tour.

Here's the question: if Dokken, Cinderella and Warrant are touring this summer, who is left to support Poison?

My guess is that Poison will tour, but they won't play Rocklahoma 2008. I think they will headline a shed tour with White Lion and Trixter...and maybe even Vince Neil. Poison were smart last year to take Vains of Jenna on the road. To that end, I think they will add another young band to their summer jaunt. Either Dirty Penny or Lynam would be great.

Thoughts?

Photo credit: George Lynch via his personal Myspace page.  

Fish Out of Water

I started my new job yesterday and I felt like a fish out of water. We're talking a 360 degree turn in what I used to do for a living. You take the good with the bad in life, and have to push yourself to grow I suppose.

At the beginning of the 1990s, the writing was on the mall for many Glam bands. As the music industry embraced change, artists either had to evolve with the times or get pushed to the side. Some Glam bands like Dangerous Toys tried to change their look and sound but just ended up alienating fans.

Other bands like RATT stayed pretty true to their original, sleazy leanings. While bands like Motley Crue were big enough to ride the wave of the unforgiving 90s, smaller acts like Danger Danger and Trixter were gobbled up and eaten by the music machine.

Suppose all the Glam bands we love, from the biggest acts down to the most obscure garage acts had stayed true to their sound and rode the storm. Grunge probably wouldn't have hit quite so big, but there are still reasons why Seattle bands ran L.A. musicians out of bars all along the Sunset Strip.

See, if I didn't push myself to take on a new challenge, I might not fail. While I can produce a live newscast half asleep and with one hand tied behind my back, that doesn't mean I should just go with the comfortable forever.

I believe Glam bands should have stuck together and fought back against the record industry, especially in the lean years between 1995 and 2000. Such a fight might not have meant endless band break-ups, poor releases and lackluster album sales.

Still, there is something to be said for toil. Practice makes perfect and all that jazz. The whole bit about "how bad do you want it?"

None of us ever know what the future holds - every day is, after all, a pure gamble. Still, I think it's ironic that the very bands that were mocked but a decade ago and now on the comeback trail, much like the politicians vying for votes today in primary elections all across the United States.

For if not toil, there is no comeback. With no comeback, there is no praise. I guess in a way, I'm saying absence has made the heart grow fonder - at least in my case. It's a romantic notion, dreaming about my Glam bands in their heyday.

Back to me and the new job. As I was daydreaming that my situation was close to that of many musicians, it dawned on me that I didn't feel normal until I was at the gym with my iPod. Music has become so ingrained in my everyday life that I feel a little off kilter if I'm not listening on a regular basis. It was funny: I stepped on the treadmill and nothing else mattered (pun intended).

I guess for awhile, each new day will be a challenge. With my music, I will survive.

Would Guns n' Roses Reunite?

With all the rumors swirling about reunions and special performances in advance of the 2008 Rocklahoma line-up announcement, I couldn't help but wonder about Guns n' Roses.

Now, I know as well as everyone else that the original Guns n' Roses won't be reuniting anytime soon, let alone for Rocklahoma. My question is this: if the Guns n' Roses we all know and love was still together, would the band headline the Glam festival?

I'm not sure Axl Rose would go for Rocklahoma. In the band's hey day, Guns n' Roses played festivals in South America in front of about a 100,000 people. The stage shows were big, and according to Slash, somewhat overdone.

Can you imagine if Axl Rose came out of hiding tomorrow and decided to reconcile with Slash, Izzy Stradlin, and Duff McKagan? So many years removed from the Use Your Illusion records, I still believe music reporters would go nuts.

You'll notice I didn't name a drummer in the previous paragraph. I think that would be another sticking point: who would play skins in the reunited Guns n' Roses? Steven Adler made himself a Rocklahoma fixture last year. He's also the most seemingly interested in a reunion. We all know Matt Sorum replaced Adler after drugs got in the way of the music. While Sorum played on the records after Lies (save one song during the Use Your Illusions sessions), I think many fans would prefer to see Adler behind the kit. Of course, Sorum is the drummer for Velvet Revolver which also features Slash and Duff McKagan. That relationship could possibly deter an "all original" line-up reunion.

Here's the other thing. What if Axl, Slash, Duff, Izzy, and Steven all reunited? Would they play Appetite for Destruction in its entirety, or would the band also dabble in songs from Lies and the Use Your Illusion records?

Of course, Axl's mood must always be considered. Would he run out on the Rocklahoma stage and act like he still has an album in the top spot of the Billboard charts, or would he somehow be humbled at the opportunity to perform again for the very fans who have sustained him - and his mansion - for all these years?

2008 could very well be the year of Chinese Democracy, but I don't think we'll ever see that album officially released. Most tracks have leaked on the Internet in one form or another. If Axl wanted the album out, we'd all have it on our iPods by now.

I think a reunion is also in Axl's court. Discuss.

Mad Margritt: Animal

One of the best new bands I've heard in a long time is Mad Margritt. Crazy name - great music! We're talking a hybrid between early Van Halen and Def Leppard here Glam fans.

Their album Animal is available on Perris Records. The track listing looks like this:

Extreme Osculation
Animal
Looking In From The Outside
Don't Say A Word
Loaded Gun
I Don't Think I Love You
Ruling Me
Time

I love "Don't Say a Word," but all the tracks are really top notch.  In addition to the clear Van Halen and Def Leppard influences, you can hear Bon Jovi and maybe even Flock of Seagulls. Mad Margritt knows their audience and definitely plays to their strengths.

Mad Margritt isn't a new band. They released an album in 1997 and more since that time. As you may have guessed, they've played with national Glam bands like RATT and Cinderella. While I'm not lucky enough to say I've seen Mad Margritt live, I'm really optimistic these guys will come near Ohio soon.

When I hear newer bands like Mad Margritt, Lynam, or Vains of Jenna I get really optimistic about the future of glam.

Now, there is a drawback to Animal: the album just isn't long enough! All seven tracks are quality, but I would like to hear a little more. This one is defintely going on the Glam iPod.

Go listen to a few tunes on Mad Margritt's Myspace page. After you fall in love with the band (and I know you will!) go buy the disc. I believe you can buy Mad Margritt albums in stores like Best Buy or through Mad Margritt online .