Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #11 – Warrant “Cherry Pie”

Perhaps one of the most defining songs of the “hair metal” genre, “Cherry Pie” falls just outside the top ten. How in the world does such an epic song fall so low? I’m sure there are several arguments that can be offered to bump it up, or to replace one of my picks for the [...]

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #11 – Warrant “Cherry Pie” »

(December 22, 1949 – May 20, 2012)

Continue reading about R.I.P. Robin Gibb »

Kip Winger played bass for Alice Cooper, but was given the opportunity to front a new band called Sahara with virtuoso Reb Beach on guitar. The cover art for the first album was done when a problem arose: there was another band called Sahara. So a last-minute name change took place, but the word “Sahara” [...]

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #12 – Winger “Seventeen” »

Both Lita Ford and Ozzy Osbourne got their big breaks with other bands (The Runaways and Black Sabbath, respectively), but had solid solo careers going by the time this song hit the airwaves. From the 1988 album, Lita, “Close My Eyes Forever” was certified Gold and peaked at #8 on the Billboard charts. This song [...]

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #13 – Lita Ford and Ozzy Osbourne “Close My Eyes Forever” »

University of Kentucky Tri-A-Puzzle by Late For The Sky Puzzles are so boring…usually. Late For The Sky’s “Tri-A-Puzzle” products are anything but usual. Whoever tries to work this puzzle has three options: 1) put together the die-cut helmet-shaped puzzle, 2) add the team-colored border around the helmet, or 3) flip the whole thing over and [...]

Continue reading about University of Kentucky Tri-A-Puzzle by Late For The Sky »

One of the most popular bands in Baltimore, Kix unfortunately couldn’t gain any momentum after this song peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. Locally, however, the band remains very popular and is always a big hit at the M3 Festival. Other songs considered: “Blow My Fuse,” “Cold Shower,” “Yeah Yeah Yeah” Purchase Kix [...]

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #14 – Kix “Don’t Close Your Eyes” »

Active since the 1970s, Krokus has a harder edge than your average 1980s hair metal band. With two gold albums in the USA in the 1980s, and two more gold and one platinum in Switzerland in this 21st century, they have a very loyal fan base. Other songs considered: “Screaming In The Night,” “Midnite Maniac,” [...]

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #15 – Krokus “Stayed Awake All Night” »

Enuff Z’nuff at the M3 Rock Festival [Hard Rock Hideout]
Jumbotron Art [Iconic Ballplayers]
Pete’s collection [pseudo-macro]
The Avengers // Art Print [DKNG]
Judgemet day for Donruss [Night Owl Cards]
Players I Collect – Sandy Alomar [C…

Continue reading about Random Awesomeness (part 78) »

Shut Up And Give Me The Mic by Dee Snider Gallery Books, 2012 432 pages Dee Snider, lead singer for Twisted Sister, is a true renaissance man. He is a vocalist, a songwriter, a screenwriter, a radio host, and an actor of both screen and stage. Oh, and an author. Shut Up And Give Me [...]

Continue reading about Shut Up And Give Me The Mic by Dee Snider (2012) »

Dusty Baker has decided to make Ryan Ludwick his designated hitter. Ludwick is batting .183 (15-for-82) this season. Exactly what is going through Baker’s mind? According to Hardball Talk: “I know everybody wants me to play the guy who’s hot, but what happens when the guy who’s hot gets cold and the cold guy never [...]

Continue reading about If that ain’t good managing… »

Standard Catalog of Vintage Baseball Cards edited by Bob Lemke Krause Publications, 2011 696 pages The 21st edition of the Standard Catalog of Vintage Baseball Cards is just as massive and comprehensive as ever, covering every major issue and a great number of regional issues from 1863 through 1980. Although it is noted that not [...]

Continue reading about Standard Catalog of Vintage Baseball Cards edited by Bob Lemke (2011) »

Before you shoot me…this was an amazing song for what it was. Very out-of-character for the band if you listen to Extreme’s other material, but this is the song that made them relevant to more than just the guitarists who looked up to Nuno Bettencourt. Extreme is back together and released an excellent album last [...]

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #16 – Extreme “More Than Words” »

Guitarist Vito Bratta was supposed to be the second coming of Eddie Van Halen, but after the breakup of White Lion in 1992 he has done nothing of note. Mike Tramp continues to use the White Lion name in some fashion, and still gives it his all on the stage. Other songs considered: “Little Fighter,” [...]

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #17 – White Lion “When The Children Cry” »

Family TableTopics by TableTopics Don’t you just hate it when there is a lull in the conversation, or when you can’t think of a question to ask the kids to start a discussion, or when the dialogue at the dinner table always seems to cover the same topic? With TableTopics, you can break free of [...]

Continue reading about Family TableTopics »

(December 31, 1948 – May 17, 2012)

Continue reading about R.I.P. Donna Summer »

It is unfortunate that Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns cannot bury the hatchet and work together; they made some great music together in the 1980s. Currently both tour with their own version of the band. Tracii has a revolving door of lead singers, including former reality show contestants Marty Casey and Dilana. I was fortunate [...]

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #18 – L.A. Guns “Never Enough” »

I struggled with the decision to include Jackyl in the countdown. They don’t really fall into the “hair metal” category; the band’s first album was not released until 1992, but since they are often grouped in with the genre, it is difficult to separate them out. That debut album features no fewer than five very [...]

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #19 – Jackyl “Down On Me” »

(March 6, 1937 – May 16, 2012)

Banjo player for the bluegrass band The Dillards, Doug also played in the fictional band The Darlings on The Andy Griffith Show.

Continue reading about R.I.P. Doug Dillard »

Various candy items by Boston America Corp. I recently received a nice little package of assorted candies fro Boston America Corp. featuring Ghostbusters (“Slimer Sours”), Pac-Man (“Power Pellets”), and Nintendo (“Brick Breaking Jawbreakers,” “Superstar Candies,” and “Zelda Mints”) tins, all pictured above. As the candy goes, it is as good as any other candy out [...]

Continue reading about Candies by Boston America Corp. »

Keel never got the respect they deserved. Some of the best hair metal you’ve never heard is hiding on the six studio albums released by this group, including their excellent 2010 record, Streets Of Rock & Roll. Other songs considered: “Because The Night,” “Rock & Roll Outlaw,” “Speed Demon” Purchase Keel music.

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #20 – Keel “The Right To Rock” »

Mark Slaughter and Dana Strum worked together in the Vinnie Vincent Invasion; the record company yanked Vinnie’s contract from him and awarded it to a new band made up of half the Invasion. Joined by Blas Elias and Tim Kelly, Slaughter recorded a strong debut album, Stick It To Ya, that reached #18 on the [...]

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #21 – Slaughter “Up All Night” »

I don’t remember Steelheart from 1990, but the debut self-titled reached #40 on the charts, while this song rose all the way to #14 on the US Hot 100. Singer Miljenko Matijevic also lent his voice to Mark Wahlberg for the Rock Star movie. Other songs considered: “She’s Gone,” “Can’t Stop Me Lovin’ You” Purchase [...]

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #22 – Steelheart “I’ll Never Let You Go” »

The influence of Led Zeppelin on the hard rock of the 1980s was most prevalent in the music of Kingdom Come, though Lenny Wolf’s act could never reach the iconic status of the mighty Zep. The guitar riff of “Get It On” along with Wolf’s soaring vocals still resonate with rockers today. Other songs considered: [...]

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #23 – Kingdom Come “Get It On” »

Custom 3 3/4 Michael Myers Halloween vintage Kenner style MOC Horror [eBay] My Ultimate Crossover Film [Dave Lowe Design] ‘Arrow’ Picked Up For Series By CW [Splash Page] Cereal Monsters: The Good, The Bad and The Mummy [foodiggity] Tecmo Bowl’s Bo Jackson in Super Mario’s World [Super Punch] Homemade Nesquik [Sugar Bananas] Way More Than [...]

Continue reading about Random Awesomeness (part 77) »

Hank Williams, Jr. is more than a musician. Hank Williams, Jr. is an entertainer. His performance Saturday night at Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio, was one for the ages, featuring his biggest hits and a few new songs to boot. The crowd was revved up from the very beginning thanks to strong opening performances from [...]

Continue reading about Photoset: Hank Williams, Jr. (May 12, 2012 @ Nutter Center, Dayton, OH) »

Jamey Johnson took the stage after 38 Special’s set. The crowd was beginning to fill in more at this point, and Johnson received a great response. Despite being a relative newcomer to country music, Johnson has a strong following among those who enjoyed the genre before it became more commercial. He has a very traditional, [...]

Continue reading about Photoset: Jamey Johnson (May 12, 2012 @ Nutter Center, Dayton, OH) »

Saturday night, Hank Williams Jr. brought his rowdy friends to Wright State University’s Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio. The first band to take the stage was southern rock legends 38 Special. Opening their set with “Rockin’ Into The Night,” 38 Special rocked for fifty solid minutes, roaring through their biggest hits including “Caught Up In [...]

Continue reading about Photoset: 38 Special (May 12, 2012 @ Nutter Center, Dayton, OH) »

Representing Canada on the hair metal scene, Brian Vollmer and Helix were an average hard rock group with one fantastic song, the anthemic “Rock You.” Had they not recorded this song, it’s possible they wouldn’t have made this …

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #24 – Helix “Rock You” »

With one of the most recognizable keyboard riffs of the 1980s, very few lists omit “The Final Countdown” from their top AOR/hair metal/80s rock lists. This song has great crossover appeal, and hit the top spot in France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and Italy in 1986. Other songs considered: “Rock The Night,” [...]

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #25 – Europe “The Final Countdown” »

Wrapping up the bottom half of our Top 50 Hair Metal Songs countdown is Pretty Boy Floyd with the sticky sweet “I Wanna Be With You.” This is the American version of Pretty Boy Floyd, not to be confused with the Canadian band of the same band that was later renamed Tommy Floyd due to [...]

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #26 – Pretty Boy Floyd “I Wanna Be With You” »

A light-hearted song with a great groove, “Bathroom Wall” showcases Taime Downe’s sense of humor and vocal screech at the same time. Downe tried to take the band in a different direction in the mid-90s and mixed in some industrial effects, but the classic sound is what fans remember and crave. Other songs considered: “House [...]

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #27 – Faster Pussycat “Bathroom Wall” »

Like numerous other bands, BulletBoys went through several lineup changes over the years with the lead singer being the only constant. In 2009, the group released a very good album called 10c Billionaire on an independent (now defunct) label. Of course, nothing they ever do will ever compare with “Smooth Up In Ya.” Other songs [...]

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #28 – BulletBoys “Smooth Up In Ya” »

How fitting that XYZ comes in just ahead of Great White, since vocalist Terry Ilous has replaced Jack Russell in one version of Great White. XYZ’s debut album was produced by Don Dokken and peaked at #99 on the Billboard 200.
Other songs conside…

Continue reading about Top 50 Hair Metal Songs: #29 – XYZ “Inside Out” »

A short drive from Cincinnati, Hank Williams Jr. is playing at Wright State University’s Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio. Tickets are still available to see the legendary Bocephus, rising star Jamey Johnson, and southern rockers .38 Special during…

Continue reading about What are you doing Saturday night? »

Dark Shadows Really Was Dark…Once [Neatorama] Avengers Bookmarks Craft for Kids [Crafts by Amanda] Familiar Faces / Strange Places: George Foster / White Sox [Dick Allen Hall of Fame] Wax Paper Pop Art #30, the Big Hairy Ape edition… [Branded in the 80s] 11 Weird and Wonderful Webcams [mental_floss] Downloads [Paper Toy Adventures] To better [...]

Continue reading about Random Awesomeness (part 76) »