Are You a Hair Raid Groupie?

You can’t make this stuff up. I get pitches and media releases from bands all the time. I’ve been conversing over email with one of the guys in Hair Raid for a few months and once again, he requested an interview. See, I agree cover bands are a huge part of the Glam revolution: they keep the songs we love alive across the world, allowing us to rock out by proxy. So, I sent over some basic questions…and instead of answers, I got what you’re about to read. Seriously. Between this site, Noisecreep, guest posts, my time in television and radio and more, I’ve done hundreds of interviews…and never has any subject just taken the reigns and completely “interviewed themselves.” I kind of like it. So what you have next is a little feature on the cover band known as Hair Raid, only edited for clarity and grammar.

Recently, Bring Back Glam! caught up with the notorious recluse "Spade" and the boys of Hair Raid while promoting their recent "Orgy of Excess Tour".  That’s right - 80s Hair Metal has a new front man.  Hair Raid has officially taken it upon themselves to bring back the high kicks, splits, and spandex that defined the days when Twisted Sister, with their teased-up hair and Legion of Doom-style shoulder pads, ruled the day.

Started in a small crack house in Maryland - Hair Raid remembers its roots and continues to play the songs that inspire fun, excess, and sex.  “When we started we didn’t have a place to play and the conditions were less than stellar.  The cops never came to this neighborhood so the noise was never a problem,” said bassist ‘Doc’ who apparently is in charge of the resources that keep the band properly hydrated and in peak performance for each show.

As far as the line up goes the fans can surely look forward to the standard Bon Jovi, Poison, Guns and Motley Crue but an occasional Steel Panther song or even Team Americas:  "America, Fuck Yeah" do make the set list to change it up a bit.  To really get the crowd going and the bras flying, the band has a set list referenced as “Thong Songs” – To the likes of Journey, Loverboy, The Outfield, and the rest of the power ballads Hair ballads sure to make the cat’s meow.

“The fans say they come out for the tunes but we know why they’re really here.  The chicks!  The crazy antics and the sense of freedom this music really brings.  It’s escapism in its truest form.  Who wants to stay home and worry about your job?  What could be more fun than pure sex and rock and roll?” chants drummer ‘Spade,’ who apparently seems to be true to name: ‘always coming up spades.’”  He assures us that the chaos around the show is all in the spirit of fun and no animals are ever hurt.  Huh?

The quiet man of the group, ‘GI Joe,’ who served his country with Axe in hand adds, “I just love to shred.  It’s what I do.”

The recent addition of keyboard player “Angel,” brought on the ability to play songs not originally in scope, but more importantly additional on stage antics.  Angel boasts, “I really never understood how nasty men could be until I joined a band.  Sex and rock, at least there seems to be two tracks to their mind.  I love every minute of it.”  We assume anyone that puts up with this weekly debauchery must surely be an “Angel.”

Even with the success of their recent performances, Hair Raid continues to drive harder, deeper, cake on the hair spray and search for eyeliner that doesn’t run.  "Our fans known as the Hair Raid Army have been our biggest asset as they are the ones that come up with the great ideas for our spring break-like T-shirt giveaway games.  The interaction with the crowd is really what sets our show apart from any other band.  Our fans do not tell their friends they “heard a band,” they tell them stories about the “show they saw.”  And that’s exactly what were looking for,” says front man “Worm,” who is apparently known for his own backstage antics.  The visual aspects and crowd interactions continue to evolve for the band and they are reaping the benefits.  Apparently the crowd gets a little too excited as prop blow-up girl "Jenna" wasn’t able to make the interview as she was in for repairs.

Hair Raid performs primarily in Virginia, but you can also find them in Washington, D.C., Maryland and New York for annual appearances. Next show is October 9th in Crystal City.

Where next - Tokyo?

Click here for more show information.

 

Glamtastic Rocktober Tuesday: New Music From Steel Panther, Lita Ford, KISS, Joe Perry

Talk about Glam! There are a ton of new releases out today! Joe Perry has a new one called Have Guitar Will Travel. KISS is out with their Wal-Mart exclusive Sonic Boom. Lita Ford is back with Wicked Wonderland, her first new effort since 1995. Steel Panther's Feel The Steel is finally out in the U.S! All in all, it's a huge day for the music we love.

There are other albums, too! U.D.O. has a new album called Dominator. Heart has an Amazon-only exclusive Baby Guitars. Powerman 5000 is offering up Somewhere on the Otherside of Nowhere, Deep Purple releases This Time Around - Live in Tokyo and Black Sabbath Vol. 4 gets a re-release (along with most of the other Sabbath classics).

Of these, I already have the Lita disc and I'm getting the Steel Panther, Joe Perry and KISS. In fact, I'm heading to the KISS Korner with a coworker at lunch so we can paw through the merch, get our CDs and other crap.

Let's talk about Wicked Wonderland for a second. Lita's effort is a noble one: she's trying to make a comeback as a strong, female rocker. Not always the easiest thing to do. Wicked Wonderland doesn't sound like "Kiss Me Deadly." Instead, it's much heavier, with a sort of electro edge. I'll admit being surprised, but I still think Wicked Wonderland is a strong effort - and unique because Lita worked on the entire album with her husband Jim Gillette of Nitro.

"It was the best experience I've ever had," Lita Ford admits to Bring Back Glam! about the recording process with her husband. "Jim and I are soul mates and we do everything together. You know how twins sometimes finish each other's sentences and weird stuff like that? That's how Jim and I are. It's almost spooky – we freak a lot of people out."

The rest of my Lita interview soon on Noisecreep.

Which albums will you pick up today?

Follow Bring Back Glam! on Twitter! 

Win a Rocktober Bring Back Glam! Prize Pack

To celebrate Rocktober and the most Metal month of the year, I'm giving away a very special Bring Back Glam! prize pack.

One winner will receive a Stryper DVD, mystery CD, BBG! T-shirt and something else totally top secret. So, that's four awesome prizes. Basically, you're getting $50 worth of merch for nothing.

Wanna win? Just send a email to allyson@bringbackglam.com. Put "Rocktober" in the subject line. Any email without the correct subject line will be eliminated. Do not send more than one entry. Please use your full name and mailing address when entering. Any entry without the correct information will be eliminated. Send your entries by 11:59pm ET on Friday, October 9. This contest is open to readers everywhere. Good luck.

Remember, follow Bring Back Glam! on Twitter.

Update on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at 02:01PM by Allyson B. Crawford

Congratulations to Chad Wedlake for winning the prize pack!

Drive It To Ya Hard!

It don't get much more obscure on a Sunday than Roxxi. I don't know much about Roxxi except the band did exactly one album, Drive It To Ya Hard and had one video for a song of the same name. You can find the CD on eBay I suppose...something tells me this one goes for a premium since it's so rare. The good (and odd) news is that the band has a Myspace age. Seriously. Just click here.

Clicking around on that Myspace reveals that lead singer Glenn Stewart has been in a ton of equally obscure acts including: Disciple, Thoren, Lucky Stiff, Suicide Squeeze, Mundo Mojo, Play Rough, Uncle Wally, SpitShine and some more. So, Mr. Stewart asks fans to visit his new website, I oblige, and discover he's now a country act. Yep. In his new "official" bio, Glenn mentions some "success with a band in the 80s" but that's it. I guess Glenn determined he could earn a better living off the twang than the Glam. I can't fault a man for earning a living, that's for sure.

No matter the present - we enjoy the past. Here's the video for "Drive It To Ya Hard."

The Top Ten Heavy Metal Bands of All Time (According to the New Times Blog)

Once a week, I try to make a pass and see what other media outlets are saying about Metal acts. The New Times blog of Broward-Palm Beach, Florida just posted their picks for the ten best Metal bands of all times. Some of the picks make sense, some are just out of whack. Here's the list:

1. Black Sabbath
2. Metallica
3. Judas Priest
4. Slayer
5. Mastodon
6. Motorhead

7. Iron Maiden
8. Megadeth
9. Death
10. Pantera

Iron Maiden should be at the top of the list, then Black Sabbath. I'd keep Judas Priest in the number three slot.  Who doesn't belong? Mastodon, Death and maybe even Slayer.

I'll give the writer of the post credit: each band included on the list is true Metal...still, there's one big act missing: AC/DC. I have to admit astonishment at any "best of Metal list" that fails to include the mighty AC/DC.

What say you?

Tommy Lee's New Project is Genius

By now you may have heard that Tommy Lee is working on a new Methods of Mayhem record. The cool thing is that Tommy is asking any of us with any musical ability to contribute. Last night I spoke with Tommy about the The Public Record, a "contest" of sorts where you can add your music to the next Methods CD.

The marketing tag, "The first large-scale, truly interactive recording process" is accurate. My conversation with Tommy will post Monday on Noisecreep and I hope you all go there to read about it - and I sincerely hope those of you who are musically inclined will participate in this.

For eleven weeks, you can add your voice, beats, riffs, or whatever to "song skeletons" sketched out by Tommy. The best of the best will  be used - and then will be released during February 2010 via RoadRunner. 

Sweden Rock 2010 Tickets Available Now

If you 100% plan on attending this summer's Sweden Rock Festival, you might as well buy your tickets today. The festival just released the tickets - the first 3,000 sold are at a reduced rate.

Here's the info from the promoters:

Today, Thursday October 1st at 09:00 hrs, the 4-day tickets for next year's Sweden Rock Festival are released.  

The first 3000 tickets will be sold at a reduced price and the maximum number of visitors has been limited to 33000 (this year, the festival had 35200 visitors). So, if you have already decided to visit Sweden Rock Festival next year, there are good reasons to get your ticket early.   There will not be a kick off party in Stockholm this year. Instead, bands will be announced as soon as they have been confirmed. No bands will be presented today, but we have several interesting negotiations going on and we hope to be able to make the first announcements very soon.

The 1- and 3-day tickets will be released early next year. The exact date will be announced once it has been set.   Tickets can be purchased on our website, www.swedenrock.com. There, you can also find more info about the festival. Information about accommodation can be found at www.visitsouthsweden.se.   The 2010 edition of the Sweden Rock Festival will take place in Sölvesborg on June 9th-12th.