Diario

Europe / Stormwind / Wings of Tomorrow (1) / Feb 1984

Listening to this band reminds me of why I think the tags "hair metal" or "hair band" can be dangerous, potentially hiding some good material from bands that formed before the glam style got popular around 1986. Today's selection is a case study.

To me, "hair metal" implies a visual look of teased hair, makeup, spandex, and headbands; a musical style of power chord riffs, catchy hooks, and shouted or sing-along choruses; and lyrics about (a) partying (b) girls (c) partying with girls (d) rocking hard about partying with girls.

There certainly was a lot of this stuff in the back half of the 80s - what we thrash metal/speed metal/nwobhm freaks of the time joined our heroes in calling "posers" - and it wasn't all limited to the L.A. sunset strip, either.

Certainly a number of bands come to mind whose success was pretty much limited to the hair metal heyday: Poison (for sure the #1 leader)…

1. How did you get into 31?
Ozzy Osbourne. God, can’t remember… Must have been my mother playing Changes for me in the crib or something.

2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22?
Pink Floyd. Oh who knows? I think it might have been Another Brick in the Wall

3. What's your favourite lyric by 29?
Cinderella. Probably Shake Me ;) Good times!

4. What is your favourite album by 49?
Van Halen. I guess it’s got to be 1984 or 5150

5. How many albums by 13 do you own?
Twisted Sister. I think I own two, Come Out And Play and Stay Hungry. Both on vinyl, of course!

6. What is your favourite song by 50?
Alias. Well, I gotta say More Than Words Can Say. That was my first “real” boyfriend and mine first Song. :)

7. Is there a song by 4 that makes you sad?
Bon Jovi. Yeah, I Want You… It’s SO romantic and sad! I looove it!

8. What is your favourite song by 15?
Warrant. Hmm… Depends on my mood. Sometimes it’s Sometimes She Cries, and sometimes it’s Down Boys

…

Thu 9 Nov – Europe, stereolith

Well, what can I say? It was the best day anyone could ever think of.

It all started in about 10 in the morning, when I was at the hairdresser (I skipped school, this was more important). I was gonna curl my hair just like Joey had his in the 80's.

I sat there for about 2½ hours, and it ended up like a big bunch of phone-cords, with half a hairspraycan in it. I was thrilled.

After that I ran to the subway to go to Globen, and the musicshop "Rocks", which is in a building close to Globen, where my friend Ida was waiting for me. We wanted to be sure that we were the first ones in line to the signing. We were.
After about 2 hours, the rest of the crowd started to show up. The tension was rising.

About 17:30 they walked thru the door. Europe. A halfhour late, which had felt like an eternity, but now, the time actually stopped. I couldn't believe it. Was it really them? Like Ida said later: "They looked so... …

Just before Christmas, i was lucky enough to win a couple of records at my favorite radio channel, www.rockklassiker.se . Which made the Christmas a quite nice and rocking holiday.:-)

I Won Secret Society
Which i thought was quite nice. I really like their new more rough sound, but i think that Joey Tempest vocals stands out as a little to polished sometimes. But he writes great lyrics.

Another record that i won was the Kiss Alive! Box Set with
Alive!
Alive II
Alive III
and Millennium Concert

This box is just awesome. Some of the best live recordings ever done. Just great.

All this together made my Holiday a rocking one, and now I'm just hoping that my luck will continue and that i win the Harley Davidson they have as a prize right now.:-)

I've changed my avatar, maybe you have already noticed that... But writing a journal about that will let me write about some new music I have been listening to using the title of a great song by... (Did you guess it?)... Bob Dylan. And I really like Modern Times, his latest album. Maybe it's even better than Love and Theft.

But I have been paying more attention to Europe. Some time ago I managed to get a copy of The Final Countdown, which I found to be a good album, with a good bunch of songs I like, so I thought Let's try something else by Europe.... I'm getting addicted to them, I love their 80's rock sound and the expressiveness of Joey Tempest's vocals.

Oh, heavens! I really would like to live back in the eighties so I could go to some mythical concerts (Europe, Queen, Pink Floyd...). At least dreaming is free as in beer.

In no particular order:

Kip Winger (Winger)
Kip is amazing. I've never heard him miss any single note live, his voice is just perfect. I'm a big Winger fan, and both their debut album and 'Pull' leave me awestruck. I'm listening to 'Spell I'm under' as I writhe this, and all I've got to say is: Wow! Pity I've never heard any of his solo albums, I guess I have to check them out.

Sebastian Bach (ex-Skid Row)
I've got mixed feelings here, but all in all I think he deserves to be called great. His voice is awesome, but I heard him deliver a couple of shitty performances.. I guess it depends on his form, and if he chooses to act as an asshole or not, LOL! It's a shame he left (was fired from?) Skid Row.

Jon Bon Jovi (Bon Jovi) A.D. 1984 - 1996
One of the greatest voices in hair metal world. Or should I say it WAS one of the greatest voices in hair metal world. I can't accept the lame way in which he sings now. He seems to sing through his nose and the passion, which used to be one of his greatest advantages, is gone.
…

ALL TIME (ON-AN-ISLAND Pack :) )
Pink Floyd 'The Division Bell' (c)1994
Europe 'Prisoners In Paradise' (c)1991
Banco De Gaia 'Big Men Cry' (c)1997
Banco De Gaia 'A Magical Sounds' (c)1999


BEGINNING
Bon Jovi 'New Jersey' (c)1988
Pink Floyd 'Delicate Sound of Thunder' (c)1988

SCHOOL / HIGH SCHOOL
Europe 'Prisoners In Paradise' (c)1991
Europe 'Out of This World' (c)1988
Europe '1982-1992' (c)1993
INXS'Greatest Hits' (c)1994
Bon Jovi 'Cross Road' (c)1994
Roxette 'Tourism' (c)1991
Pink Floyd 'The Wall' (c)1979
Pink Floyd 'Wish You Were Here' (c)1975
Seal 'Seal' (c)1994
Aerosmith 'Get A Grip' (c)1993
Bon Jovi 'These Days' (c)1995
Pink Floyd 'Meddle' (c)1971
Pink Floyd 'A Momentary Lapse Of Reason' (c)1987
Dire Straits 'On Every Street' (c)1991
Bon Jovi 'Keep The Faith' (c)1992
Roxette 'Crash! Boom! Bang!' (c)1994

+ significant songs:
Pink Floyd 'Sorrow'
Pink Floyd 'Comfortably Numb' [live'88]


ACADEMY
Dream Theater 'Falling Into Infinity' (c)1997
…

This time I'm going to write a longer piece of lyrics to make your guessing easier. The lyrics to be solved are bold. Forget the google and enjoy!


1. "Waking to these sounds again /I wonder how I'll sleep /Passing out is taking off into the stubborn deep."Over and Over
2. "When all the things that you've been thinking has you so confused and so unglued / Your head is spinning / Well we've all felt the same inside."
3. "You're always the head of the game / I drag behind."Drag
4. "Well, baby used to stay out all night long /She made me cry, she done me wrong / She hurt my eyes open, that’s no lie / Tables turn and now her turn to cry." It's All Over Now
5. "Put up, Baby Face I love your lipstick / Baby Face, it makes me all shades of red."
6. "London bye ta ta, strange young town."London Bye Ta Ta
7. "I was walking in the park, dreaming of a spark."Lavender
…