Year: 1986 Song: "Turbo Lover" by Judas Priest So "Turbo Lover" is my favorite Judas Priest song because who among us can resist a three-verse extended metaphor that likens sexual intercourse to motorcycle riding. For three verses. Sometimes a beloved song does not a compelling video make, though. Fortunately, that is so not the case here. Compelling, … Continue reading Of Turbo and Lovers
Big Hair Video Lair
Wanted, Asleep or Awake
Year: 1984 Song: "Wanted Man," by Ratt So, I'm going through these videos mostly chronologically, for reasons and for science, and sometimes I absolutely know I'm going to write about a particular video, and other times I watch Metal Mania or poke through Youtube, unearthing treasures. And what a treasure I have unearthed here. I had never even … Continue reading Wanted, Asleep or Awake
Lord of the Chains
Year: 1984 Song: "Breaking the Chains" by Dokken As I've said before, one of my favorite genre of metal songs is the anthem that sounds like it's about scoring with chicks but is really about the power of male friendship -- e.g., "Round and Round" and "I'll Be There For You." "Breaking the Chains" isn't that song, at … Continue reading Lord of the Chains
Nightmare on Van Halen Street
Year: 1984 Song: "Hot for Teacher" by Van Halen With the success of the absolutely wonderful Stranger Things (#TeamBarb), everything 80s horror-related is en vogue. (Not to be confused with En Vogue.) So I thought we should take a look at Van Halen's brief foray into horror: the short-form music-based film "Hot for Teacher." You think David Lee … Continue reading Nightmare on Van Halen Street
In and Out of Trouble. Mostly Out.
Year: 1985 Song: "In and Out of Love" by Bon Jovi 7800 Fahrenheit. The temperature at which rock burns. If you listen closely, sometimes the wind still carries the anguished cries of metal bands who didn't think of that album title first. You'd figure the dudes who thought of it would at least use it on an album they're … Continue reading In and Out of Trouble. Mostly Out.
So Not Your Fool.
Year: 1986 Song: "Nobody's Fool" by Cinderella We're going to jump ahead a couple years to celebrate the joy that is East Coast glam metal. Not every band sprouted out of the puddles of Aquanet and Jack Daniels dotting the Sunset Strip, you know. Cinderella comes to us from Philadelphia, which means it's okay to have a … Continue reading So Not Your Fool.
Heaven’s on…something.
Year: 1984 Song: "Heaven's on Fire," by KISS I can't hold off any longer. We have to talk about "Heaven's on Fire." As an intro, here is an actual email conversation that occurred between me and my best friend about this music video: me: have you seen kiss's music video for "heaven's on fire"? because it is … Continue reading Heaven’s on…something.
The Time Traveler’s Sister
Year: 1984 Song: "Sister Christian" by Night Ranger Ah yes. Everyone's favorite paternalistic power ballad about the dangers of giving it up before your time is due. The meaning of this one seems quite clear. In fact, when I saw Night Ranger perform on the Rock Never Stops Summer Tour '99*, when Jack Blades** sang the … Continue reading The Time Traveler’s Sister
It’s Fly When Girls Stop By for the Summer(time)
Song: "Summertime Girls," by Y&T Year: 1985 Like warm weather, March Madness (go Heels!), and baseball, I AM BACK and ready to bring you down Aquanet-soaked memory lane on a much more frequent basis. And what better way to kick off Spring Break than with Y&T's "Summertime Girls"? Well before LFO, there was Y&T, and Friend of … Continue reading It’s Fly When Girls Stop By for the Summer(time)
Bang Your Head: Heavy Metal and Its Curative Properties
Year: 1983 Song: "Metal Health (Bang Your Head)" by Quiet Riot If you're asking how the hell it took so long to get to Quiet Riot, well, I can't blame you. You know, they're only the first metal band to have a number 1 record on the Billboard charts. So to kick of 2016 (dare I say … Continue reading Bang Your Head: Heavy Metal and Its Curative Properties
Amy Rossi 