Little know 80s-90s Metal Gems

Cleric

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 14, 2011
14,845
16,713
Adelaide
AFL Club
Adelaide
Got to love the old school metal. There were some many good ones in the day that sometimes you lose track.
Here is some that people may not of heard of that you might like.

Sea Hags.
One album only and wasnt a chart topper. Some good songs on there.


Icon.
Couple of albums and old school metal. I got into this band as their was a cassette tape at the local libary that my friend found.


My Sisters Machine
They are the Seattle version of LA Guns. A break away from Alice in Chains before they were famous. Sounded quite similar.


Bang Tango
I loved this band. Should have been bigger than they were.


Love Hate.
Some great songs.



Would be interested in what other similar lesser known bands people used to listen to.
 
Last edited:

Dee Snider

Norm Smith Medallist
Jul 17, 2006
7,869
7,328
Burning in Hell
AFL Club
Collingwood
A big yes to Icon. Love Hate debut was ok follow-up a let down and I lost interest (Jizzy Pearl sure has spent time in a few notable bands over the journey like LA Guns, Ratt & Quiet Riot), Bang Tango not for me. I had that Sea Hags album but can't remember anything about it.....

Off the top of my head some of the 'lesser' bands that might fit here would be Warrior, Malice, Black'n'Blue, Savage, Warrior Soul, Saigon Kick, Tuff, Johnny Crash, Leatherwolf, Only Living Witness, Keel, Wendy o Williams and the mighty Hittman.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Cleric

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 14, 2011
14,845
16,713
Adelaide
AFL Club
Adelaide
A big yes to Icon. Love Hate debut was ok follow-up a let down and I lost interest (Jizzy Pearl sure has spent time in a few notable bands over the journey like LA Guns, Ratt & Quiet Riot), Bang Tango not for me. I had that Sea Hags album but can't remember anything about it.....

Off the top of my head some of the 'lesser' bands that might fit here would be Warrior, Malice, Black'n'Blue, Savage, Warrior Soul, Saigon Kick, Tuff, Johnny Crash, Leatherwolf, Only Living Witness, Keel, Wendy o Williams and the mighty Hittman.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Some of those I have yet to hear. Will give me something to look for on youtube.
Some others on the top of my head.
Junkyard, Dangerous Toys, Racer x, Faster Pussycat, Girlschool, Vinnie Vincent Invasion, Pretty Maids.

I had hundreds and hundreds of cassette tapes of long lost bands which I have since lost.
I had a heap of bootleg stuff which I can no longer find.
They were good times.
And love the old Twsited Sister.
 

Dee Snider

Norm Smith Medallist
Jul 17, 2006
7,869
7,328
Burning in Hell
AFL Club
Collingwood
Some of those I have yet to hear. Will give me something to look for on youtube.
Some others on the top of my head.
Junkyard, Dangerous Toys, Racer x, Faster Pussycat, Girlschool, Vinnie Vincent Invasion, Pretty Maids.

I had hundreds and hundreds of cassette tapes of long lost bands which I have since lost.
I had a heap of bootleg stuff which I can no longer find.
They were good times.
And love the old Twsited Sister.

Yeah bands like Faster Pussycat and Racer X I didn't mention because I presumed they hadn't been 'forgotten'. I always laugh at the thought of Vinnie Vincent Invasion - not too many guys start a band, name it after themselves and then get kicked out of their own by the other members.....which is essentially what happened to poor old Vincent when they guys formed Slaughter (who's debut is a good listen too if you get time). There's heaps more bands.....just depends on how obscure you want to go I guess.
 
Jul 28, 2012
11,010
10,327
Melbourne, the lost City.
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
QPR, Buffalo Bills
I wish these guys were all little known...
If Poison, Whitesnake, W.A.S.P, Bon Jovi, Warrant, Manowar and Stryper all got in a Battle of the Shittiest Bands of the 80's, which one would win?

Answer:
They would all be beaten resoundingly and conclusively by Winger. I defy you to name even one of the bands listed whose lead singer's name is "Kip."
Man, the 80's were funny....
 

Dee Snider

Norm Smith Medallist
Jul 17, 2006
7,869
7,328
Burning in Hell
AFL Club
Collingwood
I wish these guys were all little known...
If Poison, Whitesnake, W.A.S.P, Bon Jovi, Warrant, Manowar and Stryper all got in a Battle of the Shittiest Bands of the 80's, which one would win?

Answer:
They would all be beaten resoundingly and conclusively by Winger. I defy you to name even one of the bands listed whose lead singer's name is "Kip."
Man, the 80's were funny....

Overall, the 80s were a Golden period for metal. I guess this discussion is focusing more on the "LA-scene" type 80s metal bands (although not all of bands mentioned above are from LA) which we all know went down the toilet towards the end but as a whole, the 80s was the #1 decade. Early 90s not far behind obviously with more of a European focus all the way over there in Sweden & Norway of all places.

I'm surprised you put WASP in your list of shittiest bands? And Whitesnake.....1987 for example, is chock full of steam-hammer Sykes riffs.
 
Jul 28, 2012
11,010
10,327
Melbourne, the lost City.
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
QPR, Buffalo Bills
Overall, the 80s were a Golden period for metal. I guess this discussion is focusing more on the "LA-scene" type 80s metal bands (although not all of bands mentioned above are from LA) which we all know went down the toilet towards the end but as a whole, the 80s was the #1 decade. Early 90s not far behind obviously with more of a European focus all the way over there in Sweden & Norway of all places.

I'm surprised you put WASP in your list of shittiest bands? And Whitesnake.....1987 for example, is chock full of steam-hammer Sykes riffs.

Mainly for the image: Blackie is funny and David Coverdale went insanely hairy in the late 80's!
 

Dee Snider

Norm Smith Medallist
Jul 17, 2006
7,869
7,328
Burning in Hell
AFL Club
Collingwood
Didn't know they had a new album out, so thanks for the info.

2015.

Worth checking out Randy Piper's band 'Animal' too. Heavy early-WASP sound, Rich Lewis almost identical to Blackie vocal wise. Chris Holmes & Tony Richards also members at some point... so the WASP influence was huge. Violent New Breed the best. Start with 2 songs 'Morning After' and 'Salt'. That'll give you a good taste.
 
May 18, 2014
6,457
9,299
stuck in the simulacrum
AFL Club
Geelong
2015.

Worth checking out Randy Piper's band 'Animal' too. Heavy early-WASP sound, Rich Lewis almost identical to Blackie vocal wise. Chris Holmes & Tony Richards also members at some point... so the WASP influence was huge. Violent New Breed the best. Start with 2 songs 'Morning After' and 'Salt'. That'll give you a good taste.
Thanks mate.
Almost lost interest in the music industry.
Need something inject some enthusiasm.
 

Schauermann

Norm Smith Medallist
Jun 27, 2011
7,310
5,005
Hamburg
AFL Club
Fremantle
I wish these guys were all little known...
If Poison, Whitesnake, W.A.S.P, Bon Jovi, Warrant, Manowar and Stryper all got in a Battle of the Shittiest Bands of the 80's, which one would win?
Stryper!!!! By a mile.

Anyway. Lots of good 80s stuff. Only knowing today's Manowar probably makes it unbelievable how good they were back in the days...

Sweden had good stuff as well: Heavy Load, Gotham City, Silver Mountain, Oz (well ok Finland, but pretty close). Same for Germany: Trance, Vampyr, Black Fate...
 
Jul 28, 2012
11,010
10,327
Melbourne, the lost City.
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
QPR, Buffalo Bills
Stryper!!!! By a mile.

Anyway. Lots of good 80s stuff. Only knowing today's Manowar probably makes it unbelievable how good they were back in the days...

Sweden had good stuff as well: Heavy Load, Gotham City, Silver Mountain, Oz (well ok Finland, but pretty close). Same for Germany: Trance, Vampyr, Black Fate...
image1.jpeg
Unfortunately, quality control and the '80s didn't mix. So, with nobody telling the musicians that they should probably stick to musicianing, we ended up with adventures in idiocy such as ...MANOWAR!
 

Cleric

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 14, 2011
14,845
16,713
Adelaide
AFL Club
Adelaide
I wish these guys were all little known...
If Poison, Whitesnake, W.A.S.P, Bon Jovi, Warrant, Manowar and Stryper all got in a Battle of the Shittiest Bands of the 80's, which one would win?

Answer:
They would all be beaten resoundingly and conclusively by Winger. I defy you to name even one of the bands listed whose lead singer's name is "Kip."
Man, the 80's were funny....
Wasp? For real? Their album Crimson Idol is the best metal concept album since Operation Mindcrime.

I went to the Poison concert in Adelaide back in the day and it was interesting. The guitar solo was the worst I have ever seen CC sucked.
 

Cleric

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 14, 2011
14,845
16,713
Adelaide
AFL Club
Adelaide
Overall, the 80s were a Golden period for metal. I guess this discussion is focusing more on the "LA-scene" type 80s metal bands (although not all of bands mentioned above are from LA) which we all know went down the toilet towards the end but as a whole, the 80s was the #1 decade. Early 90s not far behind obviously with more of a European focus all the way over there in Sweden & Norway of all places.

I'm surprised you put WASP in your list of shittiest bands? And Whitesnake.....1987 for example, is chock full of steam-hammer Sykes riffs.
Have to agree with your thoughts on 1987. Some amazing guitar work from John Sykes.
 

Dee Snider

Norm Smith Medallist
Jul 17, 2006
7,869
7,328
Burning in Hell
AFL Club
Collingwood
Have to agree with your thoughts on 1987. Some amazing guitar work from John Sykes.

I remember reading how Sykes had written most of the album quite early and was determined to get 'that' guitar tone from day one. He was the main driver of that album - even suggested getting rid of Coverdale when he couldn't perform in the studio due to a nasal infection or something similar.

Coverdale got wind of it and fired the whole band as soon as recording was done! I think Adrian Vandenberg came in and completed a few solos and that was it.

So none of the guys in the Still of the Night video (and subsequent tour) played on the track or the album.

Sykes' solo albums are good, he's got a good voice!
 
Back