‘Hair’ goes Et cetera’s 80s music review

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The 1980’s were a time of great fashions and great entertainment. The 80’s
embodied a period of time when it was cool to wear slap bracelets, leg warmers,
and guys could get away with wearing makeup, and teasing their hair up to the
moon.
The 1980’s music scene saw the appearance and demise of many one-hit wonders,
as well as the appearance of some bands that still exist today.
The one hit wonder scene was filled with tons of bands that never really made
it. However, there are a few notable ones that most of us who grew up in the 80’s
remember.
1. M.C. Hammer: Perhaps one of the more popular bands of the 80’s,
his most famous songs were “U Can’t Touch This” and “2 Legit
2 Quit.” Most widely known for his baggy pants, I can remember that there
was actually an M.C. Hammer cartoon that lasted for about the same two-week popularity
period that Hammer did.
2. Vanillia Ice: I know that there are those in existence today whom can
still sing “Ice Ice Baby” word for word, and have it on MP3 in their
hard drive so they can ruin a perfectly good party with horrendous singing. Vanilla
Ice also made a special appearance on “Teenage Mutant ninja Turtles 2”
before making his final dive into obscurity.
3. New Kids on the Block: These guys actually had a few hits on the market,
which in hindsight seems unfortunate. however, the girls were screaming over this
early version of the boy band while the Backstreet Boys probably looked on in
awe and decided that selling out was their life’s dream. New Kids on the
Block also enjoyed a two-week reign of popularity before being discarded.
4. Boyz II Men: Yes, Boyz II Men is still around, but they do not enjoy
even half of the loving fans they once did. They used to have droves upon droves
of people mindlessly singing along to their anthems. They soon stepped out of
the limelight, and are only now making an attempt at a comeback.
5. Genesis: Another flash in the pan band that enjoyed a little bit of
popularity. I’m not really familiar with their hits, because I thankfully
quit listening to the radio after Queen started getting replaced with Genesis.
All I can really say about this band is that they died quickly and peacefully
as they should have.
Despite these less than adequate acts that stuck their noses in the face of the
music industry where it had no business, there is salvation for the 80’s.
A faint glimmer as a diamond in the rough that makes the decade worthwhile one
overall. That salvation was what the 80’s is predominantly known for: big
hair, big sounds, and excesses of almost every nature. I have made a list of the
top ten hair bands in the 80’s that made the decade great.
10. Jackyl: Okay, so maybe Jackyl didn’t come out exactly in the 80’s.
However, they were a hair band, and embodied everything that the 80’s was
about. They were loud, raunchy, and many of their songs were about sex, drugs,
and rock n’ roll. One of their best songs, if not best-known is “The
Lumberjack,” which is the only song in rock history to feature lead chainsaw.
However, their most popular radio single was “When Will it Rain.” Jackyl
is still around today, but they are lingering in the background, when they sould
really be in the foreground.
9. Quiet Riot: The name in and of itself screams 80’s music. They
are known for their loud singing and thunderous guitars, as well as the guy in
the steel hockey mask. Quiet Riot was best known for their hit songs “Cum
on Feel The Noize” and “Bang Your Head (Metal Health),” and has
proven that they should never have disappeared.
8. Europe: This particular band was only in it for the money. When they
had made their albums, their hits, and their millions, they retired and were never
heard from again. Their most popular song was incidentally a ballad called “Carrie.”
However, they had their louder songs, such as “Cherokee,” and “The
Final Countdown.”
7. Ronnie James Dio: Dio started as a replacement for Ozzy in Black Sabbath,
and then parted ways with Sabbath and started his own band. His most famous radio
singles are “Holy Diver” and “Rainbow in the Dark.” He also
has several other awesome songs not on the “Holy Diver” disc, such as
“Evilution” and “Hollywood Black.”
6. Skid Row: One of the more awesome of the 80’s lineup, Skid Row’s
first album was undoubtedly their best, featuring such hits as “18 and Life”
and “Youth Gone Wild.” However, their album “Subhuman Race”
was not as big, nor was their five-track disc “B-Side Ourselves,” and
they subsequently took thier leave from the rock scene.
5. Warrant: With huge hair, thunderous guitars, and sexual innuendos galore,
Warrant was one of the true greats of the 80’s. Their greatest album by far
was “Cherry Pie” with the title track being one of their biggest hits.
Also, “Heaven” is one of the most memorable videos of their time not
only for its ballad qualitites, but also for the white leather suits and the synchronized
headbanging. However, their popularity died down in time, and while they are still
around, they do not enjoy the popularity they once did.
4. Def Leppard: Another of the loud and proud greats of the 80’s,
Def Leppard was best known for their ripped jeans and drummer who lost his arm
in a drunk driving accident. Their hits included “Pour Some Sugar on Me”
and “Love Bites” among many other anthems of thier time.
3. Motley Crue: Crue hasw found their way into the upper echelons of rock
eminence by virtue of their total greatness. Their fame started with the “Shout
at the Devil” album, and continued until they made the fatal mistake of trying
to replace Vince Neil. Some of thier more notable songs are “Shout at the
Devil,” “Dr. Feelgood,” and “Kickstart My Heart.”
2. Twisted Sister: Twisted Sister is almost an entire embodiement of the
whole 80’ experience. The men dressed in drag, wore heavy makeup, and could
never get enough hair spray. One of their greatest hits was “We’re Not
Gonna Take It,” among many other great songs.
1. Poison: This band got number one for their loud music, huge amount of
excess, and gigantic hair. While their louder songs attracted attention, perhaps
their best known song is “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” one of the greatest
ballads of all time.