The Manamal Streaming Radio - Hair Lair Blog

Electric Angels

9/13/2018

Despite having an amazing group of musicians and support from rockers such as Bruce Kulick of Kiss and Jon Bon Jovi the Electric Angels didn’t reach the pinnacle of success that many other bands from the same time frame found. As we’ve learned with many great hair bands from the time, the introduction of grunge music was just too much for most bands to battle. Electric Angels featuring Shane, Ryan Roxie, John Schubert and Jonathan Daniel were an L.A. based band that moved to New York. Within a few months of their arrival they were signed to Atlantic Records and began playing shows with groups including Dogs D’Amour and Mother Love Bone.

In 1989 producer Tony Visconti and the guys recorded their self titled debut album in London. While there were several great tracks on the album the time frame of the release was at the end of the hair metal era and did not get the recognition it deserved.
The super catchy “Rattlesnake Kisses” song was played pretty heavily on MTV with the sexy Christina Applegate featured in the video.

There was a bit of a tussle with Atlantic Records over the 2nd album, several demos of early songs were slated to be on a follow up album that the record company wanted to call New York Times against the bands wishes. With the poor promotion of the band and these differences of opinion the band let their contract expire in 1991.

In early 1992 the band broke up when Ryan Roxie moved back to L.A. to play with Gilby Clarke and Slash’s Snakepit. The other members of the band went on to play in different projects and even released their second album together in 2017 on Demon Doll records, the tongue in cheek title Lost in the Atlantic referenced their experience with Atlantic Records.

I reached out to Ryan Roxie for some information on the band for their Vintage Spotlight. He says:

"Electric Angels....we were young, strong, and good-looking.....we discovered as a band what is was like to have nothing, then quickly have something, then even quicker go back to where we started. Celebrating the highs and trying not to lament the lows, it was a roller coaster ride from the early L.A. Daze to the eventual New York Groove....wouldn't change a thing."

These days the guys from Electric Angels are still in touch despite being spread out all over the place.

Jonathan Daniel - Music Manager / Mogul

John Schubert - School Teacher

Shane - currently living in NYC

Ryan Roxie - currently living somewhere on tour with Alice Cooper

Hurricane

8/29/2018

When you put together Kelly Hansen, Robert Sarzo, Tony Cavazo and Jay Schellen you get a great group that produces some of the most catchy, hair band music of the 80s. While they didn’t explode onto the scene like Guns N Roses or Quite Riot this band featuring two younger brothers of Quiet Riot members definitely made a name for themselves.

The band released 4 full albums with their sophomore effort being the most successful. Over the Edge featured the only charting song by the band titled I’m on to you. This track peaked at 33 on the Billooard Rock Tracks chart in 1988. Their self released first album Take What you Want combined with constant touring landed the band a recording contract in 1988.

During this monumental year in hair metal music, 1988, bands such as Poison and Guns N Roses were household names while Hurricane was going through lineup changes in preparation for a new album. Slave to the Thrill was released in 1990 and while it was a more focused and “together” album it was released while the tides were turning against power chords and big hair melodic rock.

Tony Cavazo - Bass guitar, backing vocals (1985–1991, 2010–present)
Mike Hansen - Drums (2010–present)
Michael O'Mara - Lead vocals (2016–present)Former members
Kelly Hansen - Lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards (1985–1991, 2000-2003)
Jay Schellen - Drums, percussion, backing vocals (1985–1991, 2000–2003)
Michael Guy - Lead guitar, backing vocals (1985)
Doug Aldrich - Lead guitar, backing vocals (1989–1991)
Larry Antonino - Bass, Backing vocals (2000–2003)
Sean Manning - Lead guitar, backing vocals (2000–2003)
Andrew Freeman - Lead vocals, rhythm guitar (2010–2012)
Jason Ames - Lead vocals (2014–2015)

Autograph

8/28/2018

Original Members:
Steve Plunkett
Steve Lynch
Randy Rand
Steven Isham
Kenny Richards

In the early 80s, 1983 to be exact Steve Plunkett, an amazing singer, songwriter and guitarist left his band Silver Condor to begin his own solo project. This led to him hooking up to record his material with several musician friends. They formed a solid lineup that would produce some very 80s tunes.

It is rumoured that Plunkett chose the name Autograph for the band after hearing the Def Leppard song Photograph on the radio. Their 1983 demo was played for David Lee Roth who invited the band to open for Van Halen on tour. Playing a 48 show tour opening for a major band was unheard of at the time for an unsigned group. Autograph was signed to RCA Records after in late 1984.

While Autograph is a well known name today their debut album Sign In Please was released in October 1984 and did not hit any charts until January 1985. Turn Up the Radio is the bands only major hit and the song that most people know Autograph by today. Over the next few years the band lost and gained a few members, before eventually breaking up in 1989. During their shortlived time together they created 3 full albums, toured with Heart, Motley Crue, Aerosmith, Ronnie James Dio, Whitesnake and Bryan Adams.

You can still catch one version of Autograph playing various festivals and events. Monsters of Rock Cruise, M3 Rock Festival, and state fairs just to name a few.

August 27 Hurricane and Autograph

8/27/2018

Our Vintage Spotlight bands this week are two that most fans of hair metal, and music in general probably know of have heard of. Hurricane and Autograph.
We'll have a blog post about each of the bands throughout the week but for now, if you havent' heard of them, or of their music, or if you're a fan and just want to hear a favorite song again, here are two of their most popular videos.

Big Bad Wolf

8/22/2018

Track List
Midnight Angel
Whereyawannago
I Can't Get Over You
Walk Don't Run
Crystal
Shot Down By Love
Cutting Edge
Three Chords of Steel
Light On For You
Blame It On Rock

Coming onto the scene bit too late Big Bad Wolf was an amazing group that released one self titled album in 1998. Had the timing been right I believe Big Bad Wolf would have been huge! With the legendary guitarist and songwriter Craig Chaquico of Jefferson Starship and Starship,a sexy vocalist, the power chords and big hair sound of Big Bad Wolf would have fit into the metal scene perfectly if only they’d gotten together a few years earlier.
Don't Say Goodbye

Members:

Brett Bloomfield - bass, vocals

Greg Chaquico - guitars, vocals

Rolf Hartley - singer, acoustic guitar, keyboards

Kenny Stavropoulos - drums, vocals

McQueen Street

8/21/2018

The term K. I. S. S. or Keep it Simple Stupid is one that seems to fit right in with the band McQueen Street.

Former cover band 'Klass', formed in 1987. When they signed with SBK Records they changed their name. The new name came from from the street the recording studio was on and their two albums are McQueen Street and McQueen Street 2. It doesnt' get much more simple than that. The music, however, is not generic, basic or phoned in. They had "it", but they were coming into the genre a little to late to become a household name.

The self titled debut album featured some big names like producers Tom Werman and Steve Stevens, with Stevens also adding guitar to one track, as well as Jeff Scott Soto lending his voice to a few songs. This album produced 2 music videos that were included in the MTV show Headbangers Ball. Both Money and My Religion had decent airplay.

Once radio and MTV stopped playing hair bands due to falling in love with the grunge trend McQueen Street was dropped form the label and broke up. Singer Derek Welsh acquired the rights to the 2nd album which was already recorded but never released and self released McQueen Street 2 in 2003

Derek Welsh - lead vocals, guitar (1986-1993)
Michael Powers - guitar, backing vocals (1986-1993)
Richard Hatcher - bass guitar, backing vocals (1986-1993)
Chris Welsh - drums (1986-1993: died 1994)

Click to Purchase

August 20 McQueen St. and Big Bad Wolf

8/20/2018

Our Vintage Spotlight Artists this week are McQueen Street and Big Bad Wolf.

Both bands were a little late in the game to really succeed in the hair band genre, but timing doesn't affect talent! While the hair band era was ending both of these bands were putting out great music.

We'll have individual posts about each band throughout the week, but for now take a few minutes to check out
My Religion by McQueen Street and I Cant Get Over You by Big Bad Wolf.

Blackeyed Susan

8/15/2018

When Dizzy Dean Davidson left Britny Fox he formed a new group that was a big step down from the "in your face" glam and lace look of his previous band. There was a lot more difference than the image with Blackeyed Susan.

The debut album Electric Rattlebone had some great bluesy tracks as well as a few instrumentals. Whether you heard of Blackeyed Susan back in the day or are just now discovering that the Britny Fox frontman didn't just fade into the metal ether check out this album.

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Blackeyed Susan
Dizzy Dean Davidson – vocals, guitar and harmonica
Rick Criniti – guitar, sitar and vocals
Tony Santoro – guitar and vocals
Eric Levy – bass and vocals
Chris Branco – drums and percussion

Britny Fox

8/14/2018

What is the formula for a platinum record? Based on Britny Fox's history, a combination of Victorian style glam, long hair and the song/video "Girlschool". Now keep in mind this probably isn't the formula for success today, but in the late 80s Britny Fox was the epitome of elegant trashiness, big hair and rockin' tunes.

In 1985 in Philadelphia "Dizzy" Dean Davidson, Billy Childs, Michael Kelly Smith and Tony Destra formed Britny Fox. The guys released a demo in 1986 called "In America". Using their connections with Cinderella via Smith the band was signed to a major label. Shortly after the band was signed they lost Tony Destra when he was killed in a car accident.

The self titled debut album was released in 1988 featuring replacement drummer Adam West. With the tracks "Girlschool" and "Long Way to Love" as well as major MTV airplay for the videos this album was one of the most successful releases of the year selling more than one million copies. Other events of note include winning Metal Edge Magazine's Reader's Choice Award for Best New Band in 1988.

Fans of Britny Fox know that there are several amazing tracks on the debut album but when it comes to memory, Girlschool is the song that most people recognize. Despite this great start and success there was only one more album released by that lineup. Boys in Heat was released in 1989 and shortly after frontman Dizzy Dean Davidson left the band. Replacement Tommy Paris stepped in.

Their third album, Bite Down Hard featured appearances by Zakk Wylde, Ozzy's guitarist and Rikki Rockett from Poison. In 1992, the glam scene was dying a miserable death thanks to Nirvana and the like so the 1992 breakup of the band was to be expected.

There have been a few reunion efforts made in the new milennium. As recently as 2015 the Britny Fox lineup minus Davidson was together and playing shows.

Click Album Covers to Purchase

August 13 Britny Fox and Blackeyed Susan

8/13/2018

This week's Vintage Spotlight Bands are very closely related, but surprisingly a lot of people don't know about one of them.

Britny Fox exploded onto the hair metal scene with a victorian look involving a lot of lace and ruffles to go with their long hair. Their first album had the popular hits "Girlschool" and "Long Way to Love".

After a 1992 breakup....

Frontman Dizzy Dean Davidson formed the group Blackeyed Susan and purusued a less glam, more bluesy sound. This was a short lived band that produced some catchy tunes, including "Ride With Me".

Throughout this week we'll look at the individual bands and members as well as what they're doing today!