13 Years of BBG!
Tuesday, December 3, 2019 at 12:01AM Today is the 13th anniversary of this website, which is pretty crazy when you think about it. After all, 13 years is quite a long time. We sure have made some good memories over the years. We've seen a lot of concerts, witnessed some incredible reunions, said goodbye to some bands (and they all inevitably come back!) and mourned the untimely deaths of some of our heroes, too.
We've celebrated personal victories and supported each other through defeats and other bad times. We've swung through three different American presidents (so far!), near countless natural disasters and one on again, off again Brexit.
Through it all, the constant has been the music, especially the hairy kind. Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Tesla, Poison, RATT, Motley Crue - we love them all. But we're in on the joke, so we can poke fun at them - and ourselves! - now too.
Of course the biggest news in Glam these days it the apparent Def Leppard, Motley, Poison tour. Our friends Poison are set to make a big announcement today at 4:30... presumably about this tour. This is the tour that will dominate posts on this site for awhile once it kicks off - because that is just how we roll. For every person who comes here to comment and complain about Motley again, there are two more who say they don't want to listen to anything but 80s metal, Lizzo be damned. In 13 years of doing this site there are three bands that consistently get the most comments when I post about them: Guns n' Roses, Motley Crue and Van Halen. This has not changed or wavered. The fan bases are solid and vocal.
Who knows what this next year will bring. I am trying to focus on my day job and my business writing, so my tank is pretty empty when it is time to update this site. I also find I go through phases where I will only listen to one band, period. I will do Pink Floyd, then I See Stars, then Aerosmith, then something absolutely random. I do not listen to commercial radio because I do not have the patience and I try not to read Facebook too much because that site is trash so I am limited in my exposure to new glam. Quite frankly, I'd rather listen to the old stuff anyway and I bet you would too.
Reader Comments (21)
Every so often we may meet a child of the ‘60’s and ‘know’ they’re still on a bit of a trip and flying the flag for all that was great with that era. I view myself similarly as a representative for the ‘80’s. I smile at the images and parties our music contributed to. What would ‘me too’ think of the glorification and objectification of women? There’s plenty of MTv evidence to be found on YouTube!! I smile when I smell hair spray. I smile when people say “party hearty” cuz I’m thinking “party hearty rock n roll, drink Barcardi smoke a bowl!!!” I smile when people bring up how silly and oblivious our fashion sense was cuz; it was. Ignorance truly is bliss. I smile when I hear a song that reminds me of a former lover. I smile when I reminisce about losing my virginity on a hot summer day capped off with Motley and Whitesnake with friends. I smile when I meet people who know what I’m smiling about when I talk about the ‘80’s Hair Metal years.
The vibe of those years makes me simply smile and that’s enough. Sure there are things from back then that shouldn’t and wouldn’t happen in this day and age. But every generation shall have that. This BBG community often has the “80’s vibe. The peacock like postering and vitriol in a somewhat anonymous environment sometimes is lame. Sure I can mix it up but I try and be mindful. Alas just like at a keg party I’d avoid those people and just ‘smile’.
Peace
Here's to the next 13!
Love reading each post, no matter if it is a band I don't particularly get into, or maybe slightly off topic, or whatever. I'm glad most of the time it is strictly about the music. It connects us all. No matter if we have disagreements on what it means to us personally vs. your opinion.
I pine for the day to be in the crowd with you all at one of these bands live. I feel like sometimes I'm the only one "really into it" at shows, but I feel like the brothers and sisters that hang out here would be one of the best crowds to ever see a show.
Here's to 13 more.
I recall the first time I posted many years ago. It was Christmas Eve and I was popping off at Metalboy! and got my behind handed right back to me.
I have really enjoyed following along with y'all the past several years and hope to continue doing so for many more.
Thanks for letting me be a part of this community.
I, too, start every day with BBG. Hell, I don't check my email when I'm on vacation, but you better believe I check BBG!
Thanks for doing what you do!
Side note: Think the 4th act on the Motley tour is Machine Gun Kelly??
I joke, if there's a 4th band in guessing it'll be The Cult.
Peace/rock on!
But I owe you a debt, Allyson. Your site remains a necessity for me. And the people on this site are engaging, spirited, and diverse. I hope we get to cheer you on when you celebrate the 26th year!!!
Seriously, thank you.
Before I found you, I had probably barely written more than a paragraph in ten years. And when I first discovered your site (2007?), I only read your Posts and Comments for a few months.
Now look at me, you can’t shut me up.