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 .

Baton Rouge

Does anyone remember Baton Rouge?

Having a mild flu for the last week means I've had a lot of time to click around the Internet and watch videos. This leads me to Baton Rouge and "Walks Like a Woman." I really like this song.

I guess the members of Baton Rouge broke off into different bands. Lead singer Kelly Keeling was also in the Michael Schenker Group and later, Blue Murder.

I wonder if Baton Rouge would ever consider reuniting for a few shows or for Rocklahoma? I'd definitely be down for that.

So...what do you think of Baton Rouge?

LoveBone Rocks

New band alert glam fans: LoveBone, from Oneida, New York.

Recently, the band sent me their 2004 self-titled EP. A new studio album is currently in the works. According to press materials, the name LoveBone comes from the C.C. DeVille (of Poison) tune "I Hate Every Bone In Your Body (But Mine)."

If you've heard of the band, that's because they've had a few songs on compilation albums, most notably "B.O.N.E." on the Perris Records release Hollywood Hairspray Volume 7.

The LoveBone Demo features these songs:

B.O.N.E.
Can't Drink You Off My Mind
Saved Myself
Inside Out
Sunspot Baby

My two favorite songs on the demo are  "Can't Drink You Off My Mind" and "Sunspot Baby." I really enjoy all the songs on the disc, but I must admit every track could benefit from an audio boost. "Can't Drink You Off My Mind" reminds me of something the Cosmosonics would record. The rest is a sort of Chip Trick/Pretty Boy Floyd hybrid. I know this is an odd mix, but it does work.

Listen to some tracks here.

20 Years of Rock?

Thinking about all the glam bands that were just on the Motley Cruise and still performing regularly, I can't help but wonder if today's bands will be just as successful.

There is something about glam that gives an artist longevity. While the great music is one reason for the incredible staying power, another reason has to be the deep connection between fan and artist. Surpassing that connection is a sense of youth and fondness.

You already know I'm a big fan of Avenged Sevenfold. In fact, they are just about the only modern band I really enjoy. Their songs are technically difficult and impressive...but I wouldn't necessarily call the music fun.  Will the band still be playing 20 years from now? Doubtful.

I can't imagine that guitarist Synyster Gates will have the same dexterity needed to adequately perform the songs. While Eddie Van Halen can still wail a guitar, Gates needs a different form of dexterity to make his music sing.

I also don't think modern rock bands...be it Avenged Sevenfold, or Fall Out Boy, or whomever...has the right staying power necessary to keep fans interested for more than two decades. I don't think it's necessarily the music; rather it is the entire lack of a scene that allows fan building.

While MTV was hugely instrumental in cultivating bands and solidifying fans, modern acts no longer have this avenue because the channel refuses to play music videos.  

While modern bands still earn play on rock radio, a million different stations thanks to satellite channels make competition even more difficult.

So, do you think modern rock bands will still be playing for fans in the year 2028?

Discuss.

Thin Disguise

Well, here we are.

Months and months of speculation, news tips right into Bring Back Glam!, gossip on Metal Sludge and more...The William Morris Agency is representing Warrant and has just issued this new photo.

I'm still skeptical. I don't think this is a permanent arrangement in any way. After all, half the band is denying the rumor and Jani Lane is excitedly fueling the fires. My guess is this: the reunited Warrant will play Rocklahoma and will also perform on the 2009 Motley Cruise. In fact, their name was mentioned as a band already asked to play on the party ship. If you're wondering, other bands mentioned by organizers are Queensryche and Tesla. I'm not really sure I can imagine Geoff Tate partying on the Lido Deck, but I guess you never know.

Will Warrant hit the road with Poison this summer? Probably. 

If you visit Warrant on Myspace, Jamie St. James is still listed as the band's lead singer - BUT, the band's official website has completely changed. There's just a front door of the Dirty Rotten Stinking Filthy Rich business ogre.

Get ready to hear "Cherry Pie" a lot this summer.