Hair spray and spandex did mix for a time...

[Thunderfoot]

As I'm reading through the many opinions and remberances, I'm struck by a strange and yet startling thought: No one ruled the 80s in metal. Mostly because even across the varying metal genres, there was more cooperation than competition (yes, I know there are a few legendary competitive bands, but you get the picture.)

I liked almost every type of metal, be it melodic, thrash, hair or throwback, I even liked punk. The pop stars had icons (Michael, Madonna) and New Wave had their stellar stars (Thompson Twins, Depeshe Mode) but metal had "Flavors of the Month" more often than not. Van Halen, Motley Crew, Bon Jovi, Y&T, TNT, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Poison, RATT, Twisted Sister, Judas Priest, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Dio, Warrant, Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, Living Color, even Stryper (to name but a few) all reigned supreme, for about thirty-five seconds.

But the result was a whole lot more far reaching than I think anyone could have imagined. Heavy Metal went from ugly step-child of rock n' roll to full fledged ugly member of the mainstream music business. And I for one say, thank Heaven!!!

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

As I'm reading through the many opinions and remberances, I'm struck by a strange and yet startling thought: No one ruled the 80s in metal. Mostly because even across the varying metal genres, there was more cooperation than competition (yes, I know there are a few legendary competitive bands, but you get the picture.)

I liked almost every type of metal, be it melodic, thrash, hair or throwback, I even liked punk. The pop stars had icons (Michael, Madonna) and New Wave had their stellar stars (Thompson Twins, Depeshe Mode) but metal had "Flavors of the Month" more often than not. Van Halen, Motley Crew, Bon Jovi, Y&T, TNT, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Poison, RATT, Twisted Sister, Judas Priest, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Dio, Warrant, Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, Living Color, even Stryper (to name but a few) all reigned supreme, for about thirty-five seconds.

But the result was a whole lot more far reaching than I think anyone could have imagined. Heavy Metal went from ugly step-child of rock n' roll to full fledged ugly member of the mainstream music business. And I for one say, thank Heaven!!!

I can only say I agree 100%. You just made one of the most well reasoned statements about Metal I've ever read (and we all know how volatile a subject "best of" threads can get).
Well said, well said.

 

[Thunderfoot]

Thank You Cal! It's nice to know my misspent youth wasn't a total waste.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

Thank You Cal! It's nice to know my misspent youth wasn't a total waste.

We must have shared our misspent youth...we just didn't know it. You were a drummer, I was a roadie for local bands.

 

[Thunderfoot]

I'm currently a manager for an Tech crew. Roadies a sent from the gods of music to keep the talent from looking stupid! To a fellow roadie and as a professional musician, Thank You! Thank You! a Thousand times Thank You!

 

[jgbrowning]

For a price, I'd do 'bout anything,
except pull the trigger.
For that, I'd need a pretty good cause.

joe b.

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

I'm currently a manager for an Tech crew. Roadies a sent from the gods of music to keep the talent from looking stupid! To a fellow roadie and as a professional musician, Thank You! Thank You! a Thousand times Thank You!

You are most welcome. I've often said that if I didn't actually need money or have a son to help support, I'd chuck it all and be a roadie again. Nothing like living in the back of a van eating only peanuts and warm beer for three days at a stretch!

 

[Desdichado]

The pop stars had icons (Michael, Madonna) and New Wave had their stellar stars (Thompson Twins, Depeshe Mode) but metal had "Flavors of the Month" more often than not. Van Halen, Motley Crew, Bon Jovi, Y&T, TNT, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Poison, RATT, Twisted Sister, Judas Priest, Rainbow, Deep Purple, Dio, Warrant, Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, Living Color, even Stryper (to name but a few) all reigned supreme, for about thirty-five seconds.

You think? I agree many of those were "flavor of the month" but some of them like Van Halen, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe (it's worth the extra trouble to get the dots there ) and a few others sure had some staying power. I heard them year after year as they released new albums through most of the decade.

I personally think they qualify as rock icons.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

You think? I agree many of those were "flavor of the month" but some of them like Van Halen, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe (it's worth the extra trouble to get the dots there ) and a few others sure had some staying power. I heard them year after year as they released new albums through most of the decade.

I personally think they qualify as rock icons.

I've got to agree with JD on this. Even when they weren't putting out new albums, their music was still getting played on the radio and selling very well.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I'm betting Thunderfoot has a music collection to rival mine in breadth, if not depth!

However, if there was ever a music genre that suffered from flavor of the month syndrome, it was Rap.

Most of those bands released 1, maybe 2 albums tops, before fading into obscurity or sliding into irrelevance.