Girls, Girls, Girls

Being a radical feminist, it's time to shine the spotlight on some girl rockers.

Today...bad girl quartet Vixen.

Vixen was formed in Minnesota in 1980 by guitarist Jan Kuehnemund while still attending high school. She moved to L.A. hiring and firing several musicians along the way. It wasn't until the late 80s that the Vixen line-up was secure, featuring singer Janet Gardner, bassist Share Pedersen and drummer Roxy Petrucci.

In a male-dominated industry, the girls in Vixen had to prove their musical chops time and time again. Gender is constructed, but in the 1980s the lines that divided the sexes were much different than today. While the girls in Vixen look beautiful in their video for "Edge of a Broken Heart," their male counterparts went on the defensive, competing for chart placement, record sales...and bigger hair.

For the ladies, hairspray, pantyhose, high heels and eye liner were acceptable. For men, a form of rebellion. The male rockers played electric guitar with ease, and used their axe skills to impress the ladies. If a woman can outplay (outwit! outlast!) a man on stage...then what was the point?

Ironically enough, Vixen played their biggest shows in support of hugely popular male acts including Bon Jovi. The girls in Vixen and Richard Marx shared a manager, which eventually led to their most popular single, "Edge of a Broken Heart."

After their self-titled debut Vixen the girls hit the recording studio for their 1990 follow-up Rev It Up. Tensions boiled over and the band broke-up. Lawsuits and reunions later, a new Vixen album hit store shelves at the end of January. Live & Learn  features a new Vixen line-up, again fronted by guitarist Jan Kuehnemund. Other members of the new Vixen are singer Jenna Sanz-Agero, bassist Lynn Louise Lowrey, and drummer Kat Kraft.

Ironically enough, while I was doing my Vixen research a story crossed the Blabbermouth newswire. During an interview on The Classic Metal Show,  Jan Kuehnemund addressed the "real" reason behind the Vixen break-up. Some people say there was a physical dispute which left original singer Janet Gardner knocked on the floor. Of course, Kuehnemund denied the account so we'll probably never know what caused the split of the greatest all-girl metal group.

Rexx in Effect

The glam mistress was poking around www.rockdetector.com last night and came across quite a few "forgotten" bands.

One of the most unique sounding is Diamond Rexx.

Formed in Chicago in 1985, Diamond Rexx are a band infused with Motley Crue good looks and thrash metal  sensibilities. Make no mistake dear readers, the boys in Diamond Rexx like their music hard and fast.

Diamond Rexx  scored a major label recording contract with Island and released  Land of the Damned in 1987.

Singer Johnny Cattone, guitarist S. Scott Priest, bass player Dave Andre and stick man Nasti Habits jammed  on this debut disc.

After a slew of personnel changes, Diamond Rexx released Rated Rexx in 1989 and Golden Gates in 1990. As grunge swept across the nation, Diamond Rexx fell off the face of the earth.

Or did they?

Surprising everyone in the music business, Diamond Rexx reformed and released the aptly titled Rexx Erected in 2001. Evil soon followed at the dawn of 2002.  The newer discs are much harder than their debut.

Why are so many glam bands obessed with consonants? Diamond Rexx features a double X, and the name "Nikki Sixx" is a veritable cornucopia of alliterative consonants.

The glam tribute band "Metal Skool" mock double consonant use with the bassist choosing the stage name of Lexxi Foxxx (he says the spare "X" is for extra sex). Ironically enough, the band's name ignores the double consonant rule and instead opts for double vowels. Scandal!

Other glam bands to observe the double consonant rule are Alcatrazz, Ratt, and Roxx Gang.

I have to point out that Diamond Rexx  drummer Nasti Habits shares the same name as the former back-up singers for Motley Crue. I highly doubt this is coincidental, even though the Crue's Nasty Habits spelled their names phonetically correct.

Believe it or not, Diamond Rexx enlisted the help of black metal  drummer Bill Schmidt for their turn of the millennium comeback. I don't understand how a man with such a vanilla name was involved with the likes of Mayhem, Master, or Warcry...but it's true.

Diamond Rexx is again on hiatus, but you can hear some of their later work on iTunes.

They Tore My Intentions Apart

I've got a new theme song today, glam fans. Skid Row's "Slave to the Grind" pretty much sums it all up. Consider the lyrics:

"You got me forced to crack/
My lids in two.
I'm still stuck inside this rubber room/
I gotta punch the clock that/
Leads the blind.
I'm just another gear in the assembly/
Line - oh no."

And later:

"A routine injection, a lethal dose/
But my day in the sun ain't even close.
Theres no need to waste/
Your prayers on me.
You better mark my words/
cause I'm history."

The track appears on the album of the same name. Slave to the Grind is the first heavy metal album to hit the top spot on the Billboard chart.

Seething after a horrible work day, I was pleasantly surprised to find a countdown worth watching on VH1 Classic. Former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach hosted to the Top 40 Metal Songs of All Time. Not surprisingly, "Slave to the Grind" is on the list, coming in at number 18.

If you're wondering, the music network considers Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" as the best Metal song of all time.

You see, dear readers, it really is true that you can't be king of the world if you're slave to the grind. The fact makes the glam mistress wonder why so many of us slave (pardon the pun) away at daily jobs we hate, creating a miserable existence when our talents are wasted elsewhere.

A New Jersey band formed in 1986, Skid Row earned the acclaim and help of mega-star Jon Bon Jovi. Their first studio album -  simply called  Skid Row -  was released in 1989 and spawned the hits "18 and Life," I Remember You" and "Youth Gone Wild."

Of course, it seems all good things must come to an end and Bach was fired in 1996. Don't worry about Bach. He's been dabbling in music, television and Broadway. Most famously, he has a recurring role on the CW series The Gilmore Girls. Of course, you can learn more about Bach's current projects at www.myspace.com/sebastianblog.

The "new" Skid Row keeps the rock rolling with their most recent release Revolutions Per Minute. That disc hit stores on October 24, 2006.

The Vains of Jenna debut Lit Up/Let Down was released on the same date.  Coincidence? I think not. It's just merely one more sign that the revolution has begun.

["Slave to the Grind" lyrics by Bolan, Bach, Sabo. From the 1991 Atlantic Records release Slave to the Grind ]

Easy Come, Easy Go

Dear readers, the Glam Mistress is in a bad mood today, spawned by crappy decisions at her place of employment. The Mistress can't help but wonder if a lobotomy is a requirement to become management.

But I digress.

Kids, we're starting a special new feature today called looking back, looking forward. Each Friday, I'll highlight a new glam band making waves in the music industry. As an added bonus, we'll have a quote from an artist who was hot during the heyday of the Sunset Strip.

Today, our first quote is from guitarist Dave London of the band Rated X.

The boys didn't have a major label deal but they played at all the big clubs and helped pack in the crowds. Dave is also affiliated with the glam band Vaudville. Check him out at www.myspace.com/thedavelondon.  

Of his favorite Sunset Strip memory, Dave says:

"...This might be hard to believe, but we drank A LOT. Not just beer mind you, hard booze. So remembering details is not really 'in memory'. I do remember that there were a lot of women, and I remember having soooooo much fun, acting tough and looking cool...I can't even believe I was lucky enough to have a part of it."

The Glam Mistress thanks Dave London for his quick and honest reply.

Now, looking ahead to the future.

Twilight of the Idols performer Brendan C. Evjen dropped me an email, asking me to check out his music. I'll call it new-wave glam. I am very impressed and I think you will be too. Hear some tracks at www.myspace.com/theidols or www.twilightoftheidols.com.

Twilight of the Idols doesn't sound like Poison, but the music is fresh and unique. Brendan has worked with some really big names in the music industry, including Grammy winner Chris Vrenna and A Perfect Circle producer Ken Andrews.

Brendan assures me he's ready to hit the road. If Twilight of the Idols stop in Ohio, you can bet the Glam Mistress will be there with bells on!

With Teeth

A bizarre Myspace message from Vains of Jenna singer Lizzy DeVine got me thinking about musicians and union protection.

Evidently, dear Lizzy needs a root canal and the dental procedure is going to cost a thousand bones.

That’s a lot of jack, glam fans.

After Lizzy opined about his financial status (and really... all of us are broke deep down) I got to wondering about musicians, financial protection, health benefits…and union representation.

If a musician is signed to a label, I would expect that accomplishment to have perks (other than free beer and autograph-hungry fans).

Most average people have jobs with benefits that include health insurance.

Even today many people hold union memberships that protect wages and benefits. I work at a union television station.

The nation’s largest union is the Screen Actors Guild, representing nearly 120, 000 working actors. According to www.sag.org "The Guild exists to enhance working conditions, compensation and benefits and to be a powerful, unified voice on behalf of artist's rights. ”

While it might seem fashionable for a creative genius to starve for his art, I disagree. If a musician is steadily working, performing on a regular basis and making money for a label I feel that person (or persons) is entitled to some basic health care.

Orchestral performers typically have union representation (in a former life I did public relations for a professional Philharmonic).

With an iron-clad union contract, the philharmonic musicians earned a good wage and worked great hours. Their performances protected, bootlegging – and photography - strictly prohibited.

So, is there such a thing as a unified musicians union for rock stars? 

A quick Google search lead me to the American Federation of Musicians. A little poking around on the site, and I found that a membership does entitle a musician to health coverage. Membership dues vary, but a little more than a hundred bucks seems the going rate for all chapters.

Now, I have no way of knowing if Vains of Jenna are members of this union, but I think labels need to take better care of their young talent while working them to death. After all, should VOJ break big (and they will, mark my words) Filthy Note stands to profit handily.

War and Peas

Saigon Kick was one of those rare bands that came on the glam metal scene late and was able to successfully ride the wave of alternative hysteria.

Their first album simply called Saigon Kick, didn't break any boundaries but the four Florida rockers broke  big with 1992's The Lizard.

The Lizard contained the hit single "Love is on the Way."

Vocalist Matt Kramer, guitarist Jason Bieler, bassist Tom DeFile and drummer Phil Varone formed Saigon Kick in 1988. Since that time, there's been a slew of line-up changes.

While many glam bands struggled through the 90s (like Motley Crue and Poison) and others never made it beyond cult status (like Hanoi Rocks) Saigon Kick was able to morph from glam, to alternative to semi-grunge without alienating their core fan base. 

I was recently reminded of "Love is on the Way" while mindlessly flipping through pages on iTunes. For whatever reason I had completely forgotten about this melodic tune and the band. When I downloaded the song and really listened to the lyrics I was instantly struck by the quality of the writing. "Love is on the Way" has a haunting tempo, making it the kind of track that cuts right into your soul.

Ex-frontman Matt Kramer is working on many solo projects including a book of poetry, set for release early next month. In 2002, he released the album War and Peas. 

Kramer is the proud owner of the Lascivious Recording record label.

I think War and Peas sounds like early Saigon Kick. You can purchase the disc at www.mattkramer.net.

Pandora's Box

I feel a bit like Pandora today.

Over the weekend, I retrieved a tub of music memorabilia from my childhood home. The purple Rubbermaid tub was simply labeled "Aerosmith Collection" in cursive writing. This isn't surprising, after all, Aerosmith is my favorite band and I horded anything and everything that had any mention of the Boston-based band.

When I finally dug into the box a day ago, I found so much more than just Aerosmith memorabilia. Inside, there were classic editions of Metal Edge, Hit Parader, Circus and Rolling Stone. My (cassette) box set of Led Zeppelin, tons of vinyl, cassettes and CDs, posters...and a random Snoopy bird house.

Most of the vinyl is all Aerosmith. I own every release from Aerosmith to Get a Grip on vinyl.

Most interesting, though, are the magazines. They represent a classic snapshot of uniquely American pop culture. As the dates of the magazines progress from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, the cover images change from glam metal gods to misery loving grunge heroes.

Sitting beside me right now is a March 1990 issue of Hit Parader. Nikki Sixx is on the cover, promoting the feature story about Motley Crue. Also listed on the cover are Lita Ford, White Lion, Tora Tora, Great White, Skid Row, Dio and L.A. Guns.

I re-read the magazine last night. After all, I purchased the rag when I was 11, needless to say I didn't remember the articles. Taking the journey down memory lane, I was both amused and surprised at the content of the some of the articles. Back in the day, Hit Parader had a completely different vibe, and the writers reflected this. A big hunk of the magazine is dedicated to reader comments, some of which blew me away. The brazen readers seemed to say anything to defend their favorite bands, even at the expense of the Hit Parader editors. The cover story, "Motley Crue: Hard Lessons" talked about their new album Dr. Feelgood and the band's struggle to get sober after a decade of excess.

The passage in time was also shocking, reading about marriages that have long since dissolved (as with Lita Ford and Chris Holmes) and reading quotes from my favorite rock stars who lost their battles with addiction, as in the case with Def Leppard guitarist Steve Clark. In fact, the magazine featured a lengthy feature on Def Leppard and their upcoming follow-up to the multi-platinum Hysteria. The interview seemed to portray a group of guys that were keeping it together; in under two years their beloved band mate would be dead, they'd hire a new guitarist and the music scene would completely change.

Most humorous are the ads for "rock" wear. Leather bustiers, silver stud jewelry and band t-shirts are peddled on every other page. I doubt any of these "companies" are still in business, but there's an ad for a Hanoi Rocks shirt that I would love to own!

In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman. Legend says she opened a container releasing all the miseries of mankind: greed, vanity, slander,envy, pining. Pandora left hope inside her box.

This is the way I think of my box of treasures.