Speaking of amazing singers… how about Ray Gillen and his work in Badlands?

It’s not a great recording, but it’s a live performance and all Ray – no autotune, no backing tracks, just Ray’s incredible voice. (Thanks, Ricky for turning me onto them, all those years ago).

Badlands with “High Wire”

Steelheart was another band that came in at the tail-end of the hair metal era, with their debut album being released in 1990 (and what’s with that lame-ass album cover?). Yeah, a lot was derivative and formulaic but…

Holy shit, Miljenko Matijevic can sing.

Sure the “I’ll Never Let You Go (Angel Eyes)” song is perfect for a radio dedication to your high school girlfriend, but the real gem on that album is this song: “She’s Gone”. I always preferred the album version as it’s longer, but all you’ll find online is the radio/video edit. Still tho… those pipes, the emotion poured into singing this song. Simply awesome.

Oh man… take me back to my radio daze. In 1990 David Geffen was enjoying success so he spun off a new record label, DGC. To help get it started, harder rock bands like… Nelson… were signed. Of course if you have a formula you keep milking it, and so Tyketto.

I remember seeing Tyketto’s album come into the station in 1991 – simply because that name was so odd, it stuck in your head. I never gave it a chance. It was the early 90’s. Hair metal was passé, or at least, these guys didn’t seem to embrace what made that music so good – and so, it never really took off. And then… DGC signed this obscure little band from Seattle called Nirvana and the world changed.

I admit, the YouTube rabbit hole brought this one up and writing this post I let the song spin – the first time I really listened to it. It’s not bad.

Tyketto with “Forever Young”

This came on my iTunes radio mix the other day and it reminded me how terrible it was. It came out at the tail-end of the “hair metal” era, when everything had turned derivative and formulaic along with bands/musicians trying to find their way to success before everything had fully passed them over.

And you got this.

That said, Andy Timmons is a good guitar player and Ted Poley can sing. But if this doesn’t epitomize all that was that particular moment in time. 🙂

This is Danger Danger with “Naughty Naughty” for your Sunday Sunday Metal Metal

The YouTube rabbit hole rarely disappoints. No exception here with Burning Witches covering “Holy Diver”

More YouTube rabbit hole with Nocturna “New Evil”

This song is fantastic. The composition. The progression. Taylor’s singing. When this album came out I listened to this song over and over, it’s so good. I’m still not tired of listening to this song.

The Pretty Reckless with “25”

The YouTube rabbit-hole continues. Thundermother with “It’s Just a Tease”

Another band I hadn’t heard of before the YouTube rabbit hole. Here’s Devilskin with “Never See the Light”