Tunes you need Tuesday by request: hair bands

I have a ton of ScrapFest! stuff to do, but it’s Tuesday (for a couple hours anyway) and Anna Bess requested an ’80’s hair bands “where are they now” post.  Never liked hairbands, but I’ll do my best.

Where to start?  I found a website http://www.ilovethe80s.com which lists the bands A-Z, but no extra info, so let’s see what we can come up with.

We’ll start with letter B.  Bad English was a group who named themselves after something to do with pool, but I wouldn’t know anything about that.  They had a big hit that I actually remember, “When I See You Smile,” which was written by Dianne Warren.  the band’s drummer. Deen Castronovo, later went on to join a reformed Journey with singer Steve Augeri, Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, and Ross Valory. Bad English played a couple of reunion concerts this past March.

C is for Cinderella.  Did you know Bon Jovi discovered the group Cinderella in 1985?  Kind of neat.  Cinderella’s big song was power ballad “Don’t Know What You’ve Got (Till It’s Gone)” and they released a greatest hits cd in 2005.  They had planned a tour this summer, but the singer’s vocal chord hemorrhaged (ouch) and they’re hoping to tour this fall.  The album cover I clipped cracks me up.  I know it was the ’80’s, but Lord, that’s a lot of look as Tim Gunn says.

D is for Def Leppard.  They named their band Def Leppard instead of “Deaf Leopard” as a homage to Led Zeppelin.  Maybe they should have went with Badd Spelin.  Anywhoodle, they’re still around.  In fact, their  new album, Songs from the Sparkle Lounge, was released worldwide on April 28, 2008.  The album debuted at #5 on The Billboard 200.   Country singer Tim McGraw co-wrote the the first single is “Nine Lives.”

E is for Europe, which is a band from Sweden and I wonder why they didn’t just call themselves Sweden or  something, but whatev.  They’re still rockin’ and are going back to the studio this fall to record.  This album cover is scary.  It’s blue.  The guy on the bottom right looks a little like Emilio Estevez’s Swedish bro.  They aren’t very pretty, are they?

I’m skipping down the alphabet ’cause I’m bored.

I remember liking the band Living Colour and I had a good friend in college who super liked them.  They were the only all African-American heavy metal band that I know of.  Please correct me if I’m wrong.  Living Colour sang “Cult of Personality,” and broke up in ’95 and have gotten back together, planning to release a new cd next year.  BTW, lead singer, Corey Glover (no relation to Danny Glover) is on tour with Jesus Christ Superstar in the role of Judas.  No, I’m not making that up.  You think he still has the dreads?

Metallica just released a new cd last week called Death Magnetic.

All of Motley Crue’s original members have come back to record and tour.  They released Saints of Los Angeles in June and a film adaptation of their band autobiography The Dirt, is due to be released sometime in 2009.  They’re saying Christopher Walken may play David Lee Roth and Val Kilmer may play David Lee Roth and that’s enough to make me want to see it.  That’s hilarious.  You think Pam Anderson will play herself?

After doing a couple of reality shows, (CC DeVille in the Surreal Life and Bret Michaels’ Rock of Love with Bret Michaels) Poison is touring again with their original line-up.  In all of my life, I’ve never worn as much makeup as those chicks are wearing.  The pursed lips are killing me.  I like how the brunette has an understated look.  I think 80’s hairbands spawned a lot of the drag queens working today.  I can’t look at this anymore.  I have an urge to pick up the hairspray and a teasing comb (if I had one).  It’s sad that CC DeVille is prettier on this album cover than I’ve ever been, even on my wedding day.  I’m going to go cry into my makeup bag now.  Hope my mascara doesn’t run.