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

[spatha]

Slash, Duff (bassist), and Matt (drummer) formed Velvet Revolver with another guitarist and Scott Weiland (STP).

Damned good band by the way.

But I'm going to have to add AC/DC to the discussion. As screaming rock and not hair metal.
My favorite bands are
1. Motley Crue
2. Guns and Roses
3. AC/DC

 

[Warrior Poet]

And how is it that Van Halen hasn't even been mentioned as the top big-hair metal band of the 80s? Do they not get enough cred because they were popular or something?

I'm just not sure I'd call them hair metal in the same vein as Poison, Ratt, Cinderella, Motley Crüe, and some of those others. I think of them as more hard rock. Def Leppard, they're tougher for me to classify. The early stuff (the best stuff) was definitely hard rock or heavy metal, but after Hysteria, they became something . . . else?

Warrior Poet

 

[Desdichado]

Just checked allmusic.com. You're kinda right. Twisted Sister wasn't on the soundtrack, but there was a Queen song on there: "One Vision"

Warrior Poet

THat can't be right; I remember clearly that Twisted Sister had remade that (and I guess, if so, that'd make them a three-hit wonder.) How could my memory of that be so wrong? I even remember seeing the MTv video of the Twisted Sister remake, but I can't find any evidence of it now.

Too weird.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

No thanks. I'd rather have Van Halen and Def Leppard, frankly. And how is it that Van Halen hasn't even been mentioned as the top big-hair metal band of the 80s? Do they not get enough cred because they were popular or something?

If you want to talk about the biggest Hair Metal band of the 80s, Def Leppard blows everyone else away in terms of success. One hit after another for years. And still playing sold out shows and putting out albums. I should know, my wife is a huge DL fan, and I've seen them with her 5 or 6 times over the past couple years. Now that's not to say that I think they are the best musically, as I was never a big fan of theirs when they were huge. I've grown to like their stuff now (can't help to, it's on in the car and home all the time), but there are others I liked much better then.

 

[TracerBullet42]

I love the turn this thread has taken...

Truth be told, I just wanted to make a poll, not having ever made one before, and a buddy of mine and I were arguing over which of those two bands was greater...Skid Row or Warrant.

I felt that Warrant was a better band over all, but Skid Row had a couple of outstanding songs...and Sebastian Bach can flat-out sing. So I chose Skid Row. My buddy stood by Warrant's side. Figured it was time to call upon the genius of EnWorld.

We talked about doing a big bracket of eighties bands and having a "battle of the bands" tournament, but both agreed Metallica would walk away with it, so it wouldn't be much fun.

But where would bands like Extreme, Tesla, and Queensryche fall?

And why did we spend so much time talking about it?

That's pretty much where it ended.

But I love where this is going...wonderful (and some not-so-wonderful) trips down memeory lane...

Ooh, remember Stryper? I could go on and on...

 

[Warrior Poet]

Because they were really, really good. When most people say "hair band" they refer to bands that didn't make it past 92 when Nirvana hit it big.

Yes. Between Eddie's phenomenal talent, and the band's ability to reach a broad audience across pop, hard rock, metal, party band genres, and so forth, I think they're harder to classify into any single category.

Warrior Poet

 

[reveal]

Extreme is one of my favorite bands. I got into them because of More Than Words but I have all their albums and they are fantastic. Their last album, Waiting for the Punchline, has some great songs and Nuno Bettencort is an awesome guitarist. Too bad Gary Cheron left and got hosed by Eddie Van Halen.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

Def Leppard, they're tougher for me to classify. The early stuff (the best stuff) was definitely hard rock or heavy metal, but after Hysteria, they became something . . . else?

Slang is an unusual album, but after that, they went back to doing more of what they did on Pyromania and Hysteria, but without producer Mutt Lange. Good pop metal, but the big radio and audience wasn't there for it. But as I posted above, they can still sell out 12000 seat shows around the country.

 

[Warrior Poet]

But where would bands like Extreme

Pop metal? Pop hard rock?

Tesla

Hard rock, intelligently done, and somewhat unappreciated.

Queensryche

Progressive metal or progressive hard rock.

And why did we spend so much time talking about it?

'Cause it's fun!

Ooh, remember Stryper?

I'd rather not.

Warrior Poet

 

[DungeonmasterCal]

I hated Warrant with the heat of a thousand suns. Their songs just...irritated me. Skid Row, on the other hand, had a heavier sound and a more in your face delivery than Warrant could ever manage, IMHO. And Sebastian Bach is the superior vocalist in this contest, hands down.

*takes breath to calm down* I miss the 80s.