Music Exam 3

What is a common philosophy in bands from the late 80s to the early 90s

-the idea that commercial success and artistic integrity were unimportant (c.)

Judas Priests drummer continued playing after he lost his arm?

False (It was the drummer of Def Leppard)

The combination of punk roots and polished production of Green Day led to pop punk?

True

What was the first video to appear on MTV?

Video Killed the Radio Star

Billy Squier

-"The Big Beat," would come to be sampled numerous times by major hip-hop artists including Run-D.M.C., Alicia Keys, and Jay Z, to name a few, enshrining Squier in modern music -Squier's follow-up effort, 1981's Don't Say No, saw him soar to international fame The album peaked at number five and stayed in the charts for more than two years -Several hit singles and videos came and Squier became a fixture on MTV by late 1981 -His videos were usually fairly straightforward, most featuring him in performance mode, either shot from live concert footage or simulated on a sound stage -In 1982, Billy Squier released Emotions in Motion with cover art by famous pop artist Andy Warhol -The album climbed to number five and produced another of Squier's best- known songs, "Everybody Wants You" -The accompanying video was an enormous hit on MTV and ran in regular rotation for several months -Additionally, the album featured Queen's Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor providing backing vocals on the title track (they were listed in the album credits as "Emotional Support") -Squier toured extensively in support of Emotions in Motion including shared billing with Queen, Foreigner, and The Who -He is also credited with helping to introduce a young British heavy metal band, Def Leppard, to US audiences as they opened for Squier during part of the tour -Ironically, the album's biggest hit song (and Squier's highest-charting career single), "Rock Me Tonite," featured an accompanying video that would prove to be his undoing -In what has been frequently described as the worst video ever made, Squier is shown waking up in a satin sheet covered bed and then performing a kind of dance to the song that can only be described as terribly unskilled and awkward -The video met with massive ridicule and Squier's popularity declined rapidly -His next album would only sell around three hundred thousand copies. Squier himself blames the video for derailing his career

Who produced Metallicas black album?

Bob Rock

Kurt Cobain

Suicide

Pearl Jam

-First formed as Mookie Blaylock in 1990 and began performing original material in the Seattle scene -After gaining the attention of Epic Records and signing a contract, they changed their name to Pearl Jam -The band entered the recording studio with producer Rick Parashar in March 1991 to record their first album, Ten -Ten was released in August 1991 and did not sell well at first -In the middle of 1992—in the wake of Nirvana—the album entered the top 10 and would remain in the Billboard charts for nearly five years -Critics called Ten a masterpiece and cited Vedder's vocal work as being from the gut and hypnotic -The music is intricate and, at times, dense and raucous, drawing as much from classic rock bands like Zeppelin as it did from its contemporaries Vedder's lyrics deal with depression, suicide, alienation, and social concerns -The album's singles, "Alive," "Even Flow," and "Jeremy" all reached mainstream charts and their accompanying videos were awarded heavily at the 1993 MTV Video Music Awards -Ten would eventually sell more than 13 million copies in the United States alone and remains Pearl Jam's best-selling album -Pearl Jam toured furiously in support of Ten and in 1992 had an appearance on Saturday Night Live, their own MTV Unplugged special and were part of the 1992 Lollapalooza tour -Pearl Jam's second album, Vs., was recorded in the spring of 1993 and released that October -The band hired producer Brendan O'Brien and aimed for a more aggressive sound -Most of the music was written from studio jam sessions in an attempt to capture the live band feel -The result is a looser, less polished product than Ten with more of the focus on power The album features two acoustic ballads as well -One of these, "Daughter," a song dealing with child abuse, was a successful single -"W.M.A." deals with police racism and "Glorified G" is an attack on gun enthusiasts -Vs. sold nearly 1 million copies in the first week following its release -Vitalogy was released on vinyl in November 1994 and on CD the following month -Recording sessions were tense as the pressures of fame and the stress of the -Ticketmaster suit had begun to take their toll -McCready entered rehab for cocaine and alcohol addiction during the album's postproduction -In many ways, Pearl Jam was imploding -Nonetheless, Vitalogy was praised by critics as "original" and "uncompromising" -Drummer Dave Abbruzzese was fired for personal reasons before the Vitalogy tour and was replaced by Jack Irons -The band toured successfully in Asia and Europe, although back in the United States, their continued boycott of Ticketmaster created many problems -Very few other bands showed any solidarity in joining them

The Police

- Influences of rock, new wave, reggae, and punk to create one of the freshest and most popular sounds of the new decade -"Don't Stand So Close to Me" is about an inappropriate liaison between a high school teacher and one of his students -The subsequent video was also a hit on MTV in 1981 -Their politically charged song "Spirits in the Material World" was one of the album's featured hits: it is an indictment of government and capitalism -Demonstrates the band's increasing use of synthesizers, which would be employed even more liberally on their next album

Motorhead

- No British metal band of the late 1970s straddled the fence between punk and metal more than Motörhead -They would find early success in 1979 with their second studio album, Overkill -The album unexpectedly reached number twenty-four on the UK album chart and the momentum resulted in their next album, Bomber (1979), peaking at number twelve -The music from this period established Motörhead as a raunchy, raucous, speed-freak metal band that relied far more on energy than polish -Motörhead's fourth studio album, 1980's Ace of Spades, would represent, to many, the band's defining moment -The title track became a kind of unofficial Motörhead anthem and perhaps their best-known song

Iron Maiden

-A demo recorded on New Year's Eve 1978 would gain the band their first substantial recognition -They delivered the four-song tape to Neal Kay, the owner of a London club called Bandwagon Heavy Metal Soundhouse in hopes of landing work -Kay liked what he heard and began playing the tape regularly at his club: it proved to be quite popular with the club's crowd and secured Iron Maiden steady gigs there as well -As the band grew in stature through local press and performances, they decided to self-release the demo they had given to Kay -They duplicated five thousand copies and sold them all in a matter of weeks: the demo, known as -The Soundhouse Tapes, brought the band to the attention of EMI Records, who signed the band in late 1979 -Even early on, Iron Maiden began to display their proclivity for the "metal epic"—songs that tended toward lengthy, complex, progressive structures but were decidedly heavier than 1970s progressive rock -Additionally, a number of Iron Maiden albums feature an instrumental piece -The album Killers, released in 1981, was made up almost entirely of music written by Steve Harris before the recording of Maiden's debut album -The recording was the first to feature guitarist Adrian Smith, as well as the first of a string of albums produced by Martin Birch, who would work on every Iron Maiden record until 1992 -Birch was a veteran rock producer and had worked with Fleetwood Mac, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath before joining forces with Iron Maiden -The album was also Di'Anno's last -His excessive use of alcohol and cocaine had begun to interfere with his ability to perform resulting in his removal from the band immediately following the album tour -1983's Piece of Mind would mark Iron Maiden's debut in the US album charts, and its singles "The Trooper" and "Flight of Icarus" began to receive minor airplay on American AOR stations -The album's lyrics reflect the band's interest in literature, drawing various inspiration from books like Frank Herbert's sci-fi classic Dune and Alfred Lord Tennyson's narrative poem The Charge of the Light Brigade -There are also references to Greek mythology as in the song "Flight of Icarus," and to cinema with "Where Eagles Dare" inspired by the 1968 Brian Hutton film of the same name

John (Cougar) Mellencamp

-American Fool rose to the top of the Billboard album chart in 1982 and earned Cougar a Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance -The focus is clearly on traditional rock instrumentation (with the occasional fiddle, dulcimer, or accordion), standard verse/chorus forms, and a plain-spoken vocal style -"Jack & Diane" is Cougar's most successful hit single to date: the video became an MTV standard as well; it featured grainy images of Cougar's childhood photographs and home movies set against those of him performing the song, presumably in the present -The images of Americana, hot rod cars, motorcycles, diners, and a budding romance set in Midwestern scenery created a simple but powerful backdrop for the song -1985 release, Scarecrow, would lead to his central involvement in organizing the Farm Aid benefit concert series, along with Willie Nelson and Neil Young -The series was established to assist family farmers in their struggles against losing their farms to mortgage debt and corporate takeover of their land and livelihood, as well as to raise awareness to the importance of family farming -The song "Rain on the Scarecrow" speaks directly to this and became somewhat of an anthem for the first concert -The Farm Aid benefit concerts have been an annual event since 1985; they have included dozens of popular musicians and raised tens of millions of dollars for family farmers

Sevendust

-As a band that effectively represented the flavor of metal in the late 1990s, Atlanta, Georgia's Sevendust has been noted for their soulful vocals, quasi- progressive forms, raw melodies, innovative drumming, and powerful riffs -Formed in 1994 by drummer Morgan Rose, guitarist John Connolly, bassist Vince Hornsby, and later joined by vocalist Lajon Witherspoon, and guitarist Clint Lowery, the band released their self-titled debut album in 1997 -Singles from the album included "Black," a song that deals with racism, and "Bitch," which deals with a relationship gone bad -1999's Home confirmed the band's legitimacy as a world-class metal act for the new millennium -The singles "Denial," a song about drug abuse and "Waffle," a song about expressing one's individuality, clearly represent the state of alternative metal at the end of the twentieth century

Prince

-Began his recording career in 1978 -He was richly creative throughout his entire career and, even early on, attained a level of mastery over a widely diverse range of styles -His output extends into pop, rock, funk, R&B, soul, disco, rap, jazz, electronica, and gospel; he often seamlessly merged multiple styles together in the same song -Where Madonna wove her sex appeal into performances and videos, Prince wove his into his music: simply put, Prince's music is sexy -Where Michael Jackson dubbed himself the "King of Pop," Prince seemed only mildly concerned with pop success; his music was about itself in a way that spoke to artistic integrity over mainstream appeal -This is apparent in songs like "Sexy MF," "Gett Off," "Head," "Do Me, Baby" and "Jack U Off:" the titles and lyrics of these songs—and others—clearly suggest that there was no concern for mass media or MTV exposure -To be sure, if Prince wanted to write a pop hit, it was well within his purview; although unlike nearly every other pop star, it was not always his goal

Generation X

-By the the mid-late 1980s, rock music had become fragmented into numerous subgenres; although by then, heavy metal and metal genres had the largest piece of the rock pie -Around the same time, a relatively new underground movement dubbed "alternative" rock was gaining a substantial fan base -The term alternative was a reference to music outside of the mainstream more than any specific musical style -Like early metal and thrash, the so-called alternative bands built their followings through heavy touring, low-budget independent label recordings, and fan involvement, although many alternative bands had the added benefit of airplay on college radio as well as an occasional mainstream rock hit -In 1991, Perry Farrell of the alternative rock band Jane's Addiction, along with the band's management, organized the first Lollapalooza festival—a touring, multistage, outdoor concert that hearkened back to Woodstock -In fact, inspired by the 1960s phrase "Woodstock Nation," Farrell dubbed the Lollapalooza audiences "Alternative Nation" -The festival featured alternative artists from various genres as well as assorted nonmusical performers, art and technology displays, and tables and booths set up by groups promoting political ideas and various humanitarian causes -The mass media soon attached the name "Generation X" to this newly visible youth demographic, a term that was itself inspired by Douglas Coupland's 1991 novel called Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture -In his novel Coupland describes a youth with few economic prospects, who are forced to work at "McJobs," low-paying, no-future positions in the service industry -Where the hippie counterculture called out the establishment through protest and activism, Gen Xers were generally seen as apathetic and self-pitying -The most visible Gen Xers were children of privilege who embraced the outsider lifestyle because it was romantic and because they could, not because they had no choice -The band Nirvana would come to be one of the representational symbols of Generation X -Their music, aptly labeled grunge, has a thick, sludgy sound that was heavily distorted like metal, but without the focus on precision or virtuosity. ----Lyrically, grunge was filled with angst, apathy, and alienation -Grunge acts were noted for their particular "fashion" as well: torn jeans, flannel shirts, and a basic "thrift store" look -The epicenter of grunge was Seattle and the rain-soaked environs of the Pacific Northwest

Michael Jackson

-Career began at Motown Records as a child pop star in the 1970s performing with his older brothers as the lead singer of The Jackson 5 -Jackson left Motown and began his mature solo career, as well as an enormously fruitful relationship with producer Quincy Jones, in 1979 with the album Off the Wall -The recording was hailed by critics as a successful transition from his early Motown work It was in 1982 with the release of his pop rock epic Thriller that Michael Jackson would ascend to almost divine status -The videos from Thriller helped to break down the racial barrier on MTV: Michael Jackson seemed tailor made for the burgeoning video station -He had the moves, the music, and the charisma, and his videos became the standard by which all other pop videos were measured -"Billie Jean," "Beat It," and the mini-film "Thriller," cited by many as the best music video ever, featured dancing and choreography the likes of which had not heretofore been seen in music video -After Jackson, it would become the norm: pop singers could no longer just stand in front of the microphone and deliver their song; there had to be at least some dancing, though even the most skilled usually fell short next to Jackson

Soundgarden

-Credited with helping to form the early grunge scene in Seattle along with Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains, Soundgarden would record two albums before finding major success in the wake of the Seattle grunge explosion of 1991 with their third studio album, Badmotorfinger -Although many commentators consider Badmotorfinger to be a metal record, its sludgy, down- tuned sound, broad tempos, and odd time signatures make it difficult to classify -If time and place are factors, then it clearly belongs to the grunge genre -The lyric content hovers between metal and grunge as well -The singles "Jesus Christ Pose," "Rusty Cage," and "Outshined" enjoyed considerable airplay on alternative radio stations while the videos for the latter two songs were heavily aired on MTV -The video for "Jesus Christ Pose" was removed from MTV in 1991 amid controversy over its images and lyrics being perceived as anti-Christian -To add to the confusion of exactly what Soundgarden was all about and where they really fit in musically, while promoting Badmotorfinger, they toured with hard rockers Guns 'N Roses and glam rock band Skid Row in North America before setting out on a headlining theater tour of Europe -They were also nominated for a Grammy in 1992 for Best Metal Performance -By 1994, the sounds of grunge had become entrenched in the mainstream -When Soundgarden released their fourth album, Superunknown, it went straight to number one on the album chart -The album deals with themes of suicide, depression, and drug abuse -There is a considerable amount of musical experimentation on the album. Producer Michael Beinhorn encouraged the band to employ multiple layers of sound and he sought to expand their appreciation of other music -He made band members listen to a variety of other styles of music during the recording process The result is a grungy, complex, punk-pop-psychedelic record that stands as a monument of the era -The album Down on the Upside was even more experimental than Superunknown and abandoned many of the heavy elements for which the band came to be known -Critics praised the album as a Zeppelin-esque exploration of crisp acoustic sounds, however, the album sold poorly -Touring with Metallica in 1996 as part of Lollapalooza, Soundgarden reached a boiling point internally and decided to disband following the tour

Slayer

-Drawing on "spikey" punk fashion, the "leather" look of Judas Priest, and the occultist vibe of Black Sabbath, Slayer cultivated an image that both visually and lyrically alluded to Satanism, though the band has repeatedly denied being Satanists and have stated that it was only part of their "shock" value -Their stage sets would feature pentagrams and inverted crosses while the band donned black leather and homemade spiked armbands -While performing in Anaheim in 1982, they were approached by Brian Slagel of Metal Blade Records, who by then was preparing the track listing for his upcoming Metal Massacre III compilation and wanted Slayer to be a part of it (recall that Metallica appeared on the Metal Massacre debut) -Slayer agreed and recorded the song "Aggressive Perfector" for inclusion on the album -Following the release of the compilation, the song, along the band's live performances were causing such a buzz in the underground scene that Slagel offered Slayer a contract with Metal Blade Records -Show No Mercy, Slayer's debut album, was released in 1983 Relentless touring helped to generate buzz about the album -The early Slayer tours were very low budget, self-managed, and almost entirely self- funded -These were far from the high-level arena tours of mainstream rock bands but served to unite the band members in their cause: getting their music out to the world by whatever means were available -The outings made an impact, and with thirty-five thosuand copies of the album sold worldwide, it marked a sales milestone for the fledgling Metal Blade label -Critics were sharply divided over Show No Mercy: some critics have praised the album, stating that it was "as seminal as Kill 'Em All" and that it "expanded the limits of metal;" others called it "pure unadulterated junk" and "amateurish" -It has since come to be universally recognized as an extremely significant juncture in the development of metal -Slayer's magnum opus came in 1986 with Reign in Blood -Having gained a significant amount of attention in the underground scene, the band was approached by executives at the newly formed Def Jam Recordings, which had been having remarkable early success in the world of hip-hop: the band accepted the deal -Armed with a major label budget and assigned to a seasoned producer, Rick Rubin, Slayer would create one of the most devastating records in the history of metal -Slayer and Rubin kept things relatively simple in terms of song structure and length; the entire album (ten songs) clocks in at just under thirty minutes -In other words, there are no lengthy epics here: instead, the band cranked up the tempo and delivered an ensemble performance that was honed to a razor-sharp edge -Rubin's approach to production brought every blindingly fast moment into clear focus -In terms of sheer metal brutality, speed, and precision, this record was light years ahead of anything else at the time -Reign in Blood has been credited—almost solely—with inspiring several entire subgenres of heavy metal, including so-called death metal, black metal, and crossover thrash -The album almost did not see the light of day -Def Jam's distributor, Columbia, refused to handle it due to its darkly provocative lyrics and cover art -After much negotiation, Geffen Records eventually agreed to distribute it -With no airplay whatsoever, Reign in Blood peaked at number ninety-four on the US album chart and number forty-seven in the United Kingdom

Def Leppard and Rick Allen

-Drummer Rick Allen was driving in his Corvette with his girlfriend in in the hills outside of Sheffield, England, when he lost control on a curve and hit a stone wall -His left arm was severed in the crash -At the age of twenty-one, with his band topping charts all over the world, the young drummer's future, as well as Def Leppard's, was in question -As he recovered, Allen's bandmates stood by him and encouraged him to continue: bolstered by their support, Allen began formulating ideas about how to compensate for the missing limb -Working with engineers at electronic drum manufacturer, Simmons, and with friend and fellow drummer Jeff Rich, a drum kit was designed that allowed Allen to use foot pedals to trigger sounds he would normally play with his left hand -Allen worked diligently to develop his new technique -Rich was enlisted to provide drumming support as the band began to play live again: when he missed a show in Ireland and Allen was left to play alone, it became clear that the one-armed drummer was fine on his own -Allen made his official comeback performance at England's Monsters of Rock Festival in 1986 and was warmly welcomed with an enthusiastic ovation from the audience

Faith No More

-Faith No More's third studio album, The Real Thing, was released in 1989 on the independent label Slash Records -Once again, MTV exposure proved a key ingredient to success -The video for the single "Epic" was aired heavily on the video channel and sent the song up the charts -Performances on the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards as well as Saturday Night Live bolstered the band's popularity, and combined with extensive touring, brought album sales in excess of 4 million copies -Following their success in 1990, Faith No More followed up with Angel Dust in 1992 -A complex, experimental recording which employs heavy sampling of a diverse array of existing pieces (everything from Simon and Garfunkel's "Cecelia" to Shostakovich's string quartet no. 8) alongside instrumental performances, the album had critics raving It has been called a "startlingly original concoction" and "the most uncommercial follow-up to a hit record ever" -In terms of popular reception, the album sold much better overseas than it did in the United States -Faith No More's subsequent albums became much less metal oriented and their popularity waned in the United States -The band broke up in 1998 only to reform in 2009 -Faith No More served as inspiration for a diverse body of artists including Guns 'N Roses, Nirvana, Metallica, Limp Bizkit, and Korn -Many credit the band with inventing alternative rap rock/metal, though Red Hot Chili Peppers' singer Anthony Kiedis has accused Mike Patton of blatantly imitating his performance style and mannerisms

Helmet

-Finding success in 1990 with their debut album, Strap It On, New York alternative metal band Helmet stood out among their contemporaries -Their music possessed an eerie, hypnotic quality due to its repetitive, unrelenting rhythms and dense, drop-tuned textures -Helmet spurned the long hair and wild clothing of metal bands of the era, opting for a "jeans and sneakers" look that was closer to what one might see at a college frat party than a rock concert -Founded by its only lifelong member and primary songwriter, guitarist/singer Page Hamilton, the band has gone through numerous lineup changes over the course of its career, which to date has produced seven studio albums, four of which were released in the 1990s -Helmet are widely recognized as a major influence on metal of the late 1990s and beyond 2000 -Helmet released four albums during the 1990s

Triumph

-Following a period of recording, touring and earning scattered radio exposure between 1975- 1979, Triumph's third album, Just a Game (1979), would provide the struggling band the commercial success they were seeking -The songs "Hold On" and "Lay It on the Line" gained significant exposure for Triumph, the former breaking the top 40 and both becoming enormous AOR hits -These early hits showed the band's depth of songwriting skill, their propensity for dramatic musical contrasts, and their superb musicianship -1981's Allied Forces brought Triumph further into the spotlight with the songs "Magic Power" and "Fight the Good Fight:" "Magic Power," a song praising the power of music, reached number eight on the mainstream rock chart and became something of a youth-culture anthem -By 1984, Triumph's lyrics had become decidedly more political: their seventh album, Thunder Seven, is a concept album that explores the state of humanity at the turn of the twenty-first century -It is considered by most fans and critics to be the band's creative peak -Triumph became known well for their stunning live performances as well -They were one of the earliest bands to heavily incorporate laser light shows -They were also among the first bands to release music on the emerging compact disc format in 1984 -As a band and individually, Triumph are noted for their support of a number of charitable causes and philanthropic endeavors including United Way of Canada, Kids With Cancer, Barrett House AIDS Hospice and the Children's Wish Foundation, among others

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

-Following a series of false starts, shoestring-budget tours, and attempts to form a permanent backup band, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts released their first album, I Love Rock 'n' Roll, in 1981 -The album was a mix of covers (including a Runaways cover written by Jett) and originals: it sold more than 10 million copies -The title track, originally written and released by The Arrows, was among the covers. Jett had first heard the song years earlier and it had become a regular part of her live show -Her recording of it with The Blackhearts was a massive hit single, selling more than 2 million copies and the video was aired heavily on MTV -The success of the video for "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" had made Joan Jett an MTV superstar -The follow-up album, entitled Album, came in 1983 and was also a mix of originals and covers -Jett followed with more albums, a string of hits, her own New Year's special on MTV, a series of sold-out tours, and a role in the Michael J. Fox Movie Light of Day -One of Jett's most enduring hits, "I Hate Myself for Loving You," came in 1988 from the album Up Your Alley -It features former Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor performing the guitar solo The hit "Little Liar" was also featured on Up Your Alley -There were two videos shot for "Little Liar," both of which enjoyed heavy rotation on MTV

Madonna

-Following her early beginnings in entertainment as a dancer and then a guitarist in a band called Breakfast Club, Madonna began her solo career in 1981, signing with Sire Records -Her earliest singles became quite popular in the dance club scene and reached high positions on Billboard's Dance charts -Her debut album, Madonna, came in 1983. It was cowritten and coproduced by Reggie Lucas and John Benitez -The singles from the album were important in bridging the gap between late disco, dance pop, and rock music in the early 1980s, but it was the videos that introduced Madonna the person as a vivacious, street-smart, independent woman with no interest in holding with the "girl-next- door" cliché -Her style and sound would become the model for the so-called "pop diva" of the 1980s and well beyond -Madonna's videos contained many postmodern motifs relating to provocative subjects such as interracial and homosexual relationships, religious freedom, and nontraditional gender roles -She became an important catalyst for public discourse regarding these lingering taboos

Deep Purple

-Following their success with Machine Head in 1972, British hard rock band Deep Purple underwent a series of lineup changes, commercial ups and downs, solo careers, and their official disbandment in 1976 -In 1984, the classic lineup of Gillan, Blackmore, Lord, Paice, and Glover reunited to record the album Perfect Strangers -The revival of the hard rock market in the 1980s and their timely return to it proved successful for pioneering band -Perfect Strangers climbed to top positions on several European charts and reached number five in the United Kingdom -It would peak at number sixteen in the United States but a massive 1985 US tour in support of the album would be the second-highest gate of the year, topped only by Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. tour -The music on Perfect Strangers validates the band's seamless adaptation to a new era of hard rock: in other words, they didn't sound like a 1970s band trying to fit in as a 1980s band -Deep Purple continues to record and tour despite several subsequent lineup changes and the death of keyboardist Jon Lord in 2012

Damn Yankees

-Formed in 1989 and led by Tommy Shaw of Styx, Damn Yankees included guitarist Ted Nugent (Amboy Dukes and solo), bassist Jack Blades (Night Ranger), and then-unknown drummer Michael Cartellone -Damn Yankees's self-titled 1990 debut was quite successful, producing three hit singles, "Coming of Age," "Damn Yankees," and the power ballad "High Enough," and selling more than 2 million copies -Damn Yankees also produced several videos which were successful on MTV -They launched a massive world tour in support of their first album that lasted for well over a year -The 1992 follow-up, Don't Tread, was not as successful but nonetheless produced several hits and sold nearly 1 million copies

The Cult

-Found their earliest commercial success in 1985 with their second studio album, Love: it reached number four in the United Kingdom and built momentum for the band abroad -In 1987, working with producer Rick Rubin, The Cult released Electric, a highly polished hard rock offering which brought the band mainstream success in the United States and a world tour -The Cult's major commercial breakthrough was 1989's Sonic Temple. The album was recorded with then-up-and-coming producer Bob Rock -The videos for "Sweet Soul Sister" and "Edie (Ciao Baby)" enjoyed regular rotation on MTV The Cult are actively recording and touring -They were also an important stepping stone for producer Bob Rock, who will later play a significant role in Metallica's success, as well as drummer Matt Sorum—who, after rising to fame as a touring drummer with The Cult, would join Guns N' Roses for most of the 1990s

Alternative Metal

-Moreover, with alternative rock and grunge moving into the mainstream, and many grunge bands blurring the lines between grunge and metal, the idea of alternative music became increasingly ambiguous -This inevitably led to greater and greater sub-classifications of metal that was infused with "alternative" elements or vice versa -Critics, fans, and musicians were creating new terms like "stoner" metal, "industrial" metal, "gothic" metal, "noise" metal, "sludge" metal, and so on -To be sure, many of the distinctions were incremental at best and at times, had more to do with characterizing the audience or the culture rather than the music itself -There were very clearly identifiable stylistic fusions, like funk metal and rap metal as well

Rage Against The Machine

-Guitarist Tom Morello, drummer Brad Wilk, vocalist Zack de la Rocha, and bassist Tim Commerford formed Rage Against the Machine in Los Angeles in 1991 and have comprised the band's lineup since -Rage combines elements of metal, rap, funk, and thrash with caustic political and social commentary -They address serious issues such as corporatism, imperialism, government oppression, warmongering, institutional racism, and police brutality in nearly all of their music -They recorded their self-titled debut album in 1992 and produced two more albums, Evil Empire (1996) and The Battle of Los Angeles (1999) before decade's end -Rage represents a volatile mix of music and politics

Types of Metal

-Heavy metal in the 1980s can be basically—and more or less chronologically— divided into three subgenres: the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (fairly diverse in itself ), American "glam" metal, and underground "thrash" (sometimes called "speed") metal -More fragmentation will occur by the end of the 1980s with so-called "death" metal, "doom" metal, "black" metal, and "power" metal establishing a presence

Judas Priest

-In 1977, the band signed with the major CBS Records (a rare accomplishment for a metal- oriented band in 1977) and included most of what would be their first long-standing lineup -Two important contributions Judas Priest made to early heavy metal: the precision two- guitar attack of Tipton and Downing and the aggressive double bass drum figures played by Phillips in the studio -Stained Class (1978), Priest's fourth studio album, was the first Priest album to enter the US chart, even though it just barely did so -The album was markedly heavier than Sin After Sin and contained darker themes -The album is considered a seminal recording in the NWOBHM -Judas Priest's cover of the Spooky Tooth song "Better by You, Better Than Me" from Stained Class would bring significant controversy to the band in 1990, more than a decade after its release: The parents of a teenage boy would force a civil action against Judas Priest after their son and his friend shot themselves in 1985 in an alleged suicide pact -The friend succeeded in his suicide attempt while the son of the parents bringing suit would die from his injuries several years later -The 1990 court action alleged that Judas Priest had hidden a subliminal message saying "Do It" in the song -The band denied the allegations and the suit was eventually dismissed, but it kept alive the ongoing social discourse on the topic of free speech and artist accountability -Around this time, Priest adopted a distinctive "biker" look which featured a considerable amount of leather clothing enhanced with metal studs As an accoutrement to this new image, vocalist Rob Halford began taking the stage on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a move that would become a Priest concert hallmark -They also began to craft a more commercial approach to their music with heavy leanings toward straightforward verse/chorus structures and a slightly bluesier flavor

Bruce Springsteen

-In 1980s mainstream rock there was no greater champion in rock for the working-class than "The Boss," Bruce Springsteen -Having made a serious mark on the mainstream in the 1970s with Born to Run, he had become a familiar figure in the American rock scene -Involved in humanitarian causes as early as 1979 when he and his band joined Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE) and performed at a concert series known as the "No Nukes" concerts, which were captured on a live album as well as a documentary film -In 1980 he continued his musical exploration of working-class life with his album The River, and in 1982 he released Nebraska, a collection of acoustic songs that deal with blue-collar strife, but also depart from that theme to explore social outcasts, criminals, and even mass murderers -Nebraska did not enjoy the commercial success of his previous albums but was deeply praised by critics for its emotional challenge and dark sophistication -The title track is an unsettling tale based on the true story of serial killer Charles Starkweather and his girlfriend, Caril Fugate, who embarked on a two-month killing spree in the late 1950s: Springsteen delivers the disturbing narrative in the first person rendering it all the more chilling -Springsteen's most significant work, at least in the 1980s, came in 1984 with Born in the U.S.A. -The album produced seven top 10 singles and has sold more than 30 million copies -More importantly, many of the songs addressed some of the most crucial working- class social developments of the era -The title track itself paints a picture of the utter isolation and disenfranchisement that a working-class man who had returned from conscripted service in Vietnam experiences: it also alludes to those who never returned -The accompanying video presents potent images of blue-collar, subsistence-level life following the Vietnam era interspersed with scenes from a deeply passionate live concert performance of the song, all of which lent potency to the song's message

Metal Villified

-In 1988, TV personality Geraldo Rivera hosted a two-hour prime time network special called "Devil Worship: Exposing Satan's Underground" -In it, Rivera attempted to draw a link between teenage Satan worship, sacrificial murder, and heavy metal music -By selectively documenting several grisly murders in which teenagers were involved in ritual worship and committed murder, Rivera also noted that the teens were fans of heavy metal music, and that the music, lyrics, and album art were somehow responsible for influencing the actions of these obviously disturbed individuals -The music and album art of bands like Mötley Crüe and Iron Maiden were woven into the program, and singer Ozzy Osbourne, one of the most persecuted musicians in rock at the time, deftly defended his music and viewpoints via satellite feed

Napster

-In 1999, Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker created the file-sharing service, Napster, that allowed users to exchange music, free of charge, over the Internet -Napster made music available to everyone, circumventing artists and record labels. The Record Industry Association of America (RIAA) sued -Napster was forced to shut down (though it was eventually reborn as a legal music company) -As Napster proved, many Internet users felt that anything on the Web should be free— including artistic material -The music industry continues to struggle with issues of ownership to this day -Not only was Napster involved in the sharing of existing music, they were also responsible for the premature leaking of yet-unreleased music -Both Metallica and Madonna, among others, had singles leaked on Napster before their official release dates, costing the artists an undeterminable amount of money -Both Lars Ulrich of Metallica and rapper Dr. Dre sued Napster in separate and highly publicized cases: Napster settled on both suits

The Moscow Music Peace Festival

-In August 1989, in the last dark days of the Cold War, a momentous occasion took place in Moscow's Central Lenin Stadium -A host of American and European heavy metal and hard rock bands, along with several Russian bands, took to the concert stage in the name of world peace and, somewhat ironically, drug abuse treatment and prevention -The first of its kind in the Soviet Union, the Moscow Music Peace Festival drew hundreds of thousands of young Russian rock fans together in what has been called that country's equivalent to Woodstock -The event was sponsored by the charity, Make a Difference Foundation, in an effort to assist in educating Soviet doctors in learning the newest methods for treating drug addiction -Additionally, the concert signified the pinnacle of success for Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev's Glasnost (openness) policies, which greatly helped to end the Cold War -Among the performers were Ozzy, Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, Skid Row, and Scorpions -The concert was an event of historical and political significance

Master of Puppets

-In the fall of 1985, Metallica headed back to Denmark to record their third studio album, and second with Rasmussen -Master of Puppets, released in March 1986, became thrash metal's first platinum album It marked a turning point in metal history: It simultaneously opposed and redefined the mainstream -The band perfected what they had started with Kill 'Em All and expanded with Ride the Lightning with music that demonstrates absolute control of composition, texture, structure, energy, and pacing -Rasmussen and Metallica paid meticulous attention to every detail, creating an album with a clear sense of musical atmosphere and lyrical character -Critics of all stripes praised the album as a masterpiece; it has been consistently hailed as one of the greatest recordings of all time -In 2016, Master of Puppets was added to the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress making it one of only 450 recordings, and the only heavy metal album, to do so

Glam Metal

-Its manifestation in the 1980s was basically a combination of seventies glam (outfits, makeup, theatrics), punk (high energy), metal (heavy distortion, raw power), and pop rock (verse/chorus forms, commercial goals) -Of all the debauchery the rock and metal lifestyle, glam was arguably the most debauched -Many bands used copious amounts of hard drugs and alcohol, were notoriously sexually promiscuous, and regularly engaged in behavior that would land most people behind bars or in the hospital -Occasionally glam rockers had run-ins with the law—sometimes serious ones—but most often they were granted special dispensation because of their unique position in society in the "age of excess"

Korn

-Korn was formed in Bakersfield, California in 1993 by guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer, bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, drummer David Silveria, vocalist Jonathan Davis, and guitarist Brian "Head" Welch -The lineup would remain stable throughout the 1990s and produce four albums, all of which would be certified multiplatinum -Korn are considered the pioneers of so-called "nu" metal -Their music brings together heavy grooves, influences of 1970s hard rock, rap, 1990s alternative, funk, and avant garde-inspired dissonance -Their lyrics are deeply personal and tackle subjects such as bullying, child abuse, exploitation, depression, sexuality, and drug abuse -Korn has sold more than 35 million records, produced thirty-nine music videos, and won two Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards

Alice In Chains

-Like Soundgarden, Seattle band Alice in Chains hovered around the gray area between metal and grunge in the early 1990s -After hearing a demo tape of the band in 1989, executives at Columbia Records offered them a contract -A promotional EP was recorded in 1990 and the band's first single, "We Die Young" became a hit on metal radio stations -Columbia assigned producer Dave Jerden to work with Alice in Chains on their debut album -Jerden had worked as a mixing engineer with bands like The Rolling Stones, Frank Zappa, and Talking Heads in the 1980s -The album, Facelift, was released in the summer of 1990: it was not an immediate success but was hailed by critics as establishing a taste for grunge among heavy metal fans -When MTV began airing the video for "Man in the Box" in regular daytime rotation in 1991 amid the grunge craze, the album took off -Touring as opening support for the Clash of the Titans metal tour, which included Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth, Alice in Chains were rather poorly received -Apparently, many of the hardcore metal fans were not impressed by the slow, grungy stylings the band was offering -In spite of their lukewarm reception on the tour an EP called Sap, which was recorded between the tour and the follow-up album would sell over half a million copies, confirming the band's viability -In 1992, Alice in Chains recorded and released their second studio album, Dirt -The recording is much darker than Facelift with almost half of its songs dealing with addiction, a subject with which the band were becoming intimately familiar Critics raved over Dirt -The song "Would?" was written in response to the overdose death of Andrew Wood of the band Mother Love Bone and with whom Cantrell had been friends -"Angry Chair," written by Layne Staley, is a philosophical reflection on the trappings of fame and the pain of addiction -A lengthy world tour followed the album with Alice in Chains opening for Ozzy on the North American leg and headlining in Europe -The band's next album, Alice in Chains, came in late 1995 amid much press coverage of Staley's addiction -That the band did not tour for the album added fuel to the fires of speculation about his condition -Nevertheless, the recording showed a band in full possession of its expressive powers -It would be told later just how painful the sessions were for Staley's bandmates; they watched helplessly as he was consumed by heroin -Cantrell sang lead vocals on three of the four album singles -Most of the album's themes deal with isolation, depression, and death -In April, 1996, Alice in Chains appeared on MTV Unplugged and a live album of the concert was released -The band agreed to tour with Kiss for that band's 1996/1997 reunion outing but after only four shows, Staley was found unresponsive after overdosing on heroin -He was revived but the band were forced to back out of the tour and went on an extended hiatus -After a failed attempt to restart the band in 1998, Staley retreated from the company of his bandmates and family -He was found dead in his Seattle home on April 19, 2002, of an apparent heroin and cocaine overdose at the age of thirty-four

Supergroups

-Made up either partially or entirely of well-established, famous musicians coming from their own successful solo careers or bands to record and tour together -Most often, these supergroups were short-lived side projects, perhaps resulting in an album or two and the ensuing promotional tours -Many resulted in infamous ego clashes -Supergroups were generally seen as "money in the bank" for record companies and concert promoters, and they usually had no trouble generating sales

Living Colour

-Moreover, with alternative rock and grunge moving into the mainstream, and many grunge bands blurring the lines between grunge and metal, the idea of alternative music became increasingly ambiguous -This inevitably led to greater and greater sub-classifications of metal that was infused with "alternative" elements or vice versa -Critics, fans, and musicians were creating new terms like "stoner" metal, "industrial" metal, "gothic" metal, "noise" metal, "sludge" metal, and so on -To be sure, many of the distinctions were incremental at best and at times, had more to do with characterizing the audience or the culture rather than the music itself -There were very clearly identifiable stylistic fusions, like funk metal and rap metal as well -Living Colour's 1990 follow-up, Time's Up, was far more experimental, incorporating elements of jazz, blues, hip-hop, thrash metal, and art rock -The album featured an impressive lineup of guest appearances including Jagger, Little Richard, Queen Latifah, master saxophonist Maceo Parker, and voice-over by James Earl Jones -Reached number thirteen and won a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Album -In 1993, Living Colour released Stain, a fairly aggressive and obscure album that was not as well received as their previous two -Internal issues with the band would lead to their dissolution in 1995 though they reunited in 2000 and continue to record and tour -The band had a brief but influential presence in the early 1990s and confirmed the popularity of experimental metal fusion -Vernon Reid is considered one of the primary forces in the development of funk- infused alternative metal

Nirvana

-Nirvana became well established in the little-known Seattle grunge scene in the late 1980s and had released their first album, Bleach, in 1989 on the independent label Sub Pop -Bleach did not sell well but was praised by critics as an album that defined the 1990s and showed Cobain's considerable songcraft -Unhappy with Sub Pop, Nirvana began pursuing major label interest -They secured a deal with DGC Records in 1990 and began work on their next studio album with producer Butch Vig -Nevermind was recorded between May and June of 1991 and released in August -As the band were behind schedule and the mixes not yet complete, Andy Wallace, who had recently mixed for Slayer, was brought in to finish the project; a decision that resulted in Nirvana's dissatisfaction with the final product: they claimed it sounded "too polished" -DGC had only modest hopes for the record; however, exposure of the song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" on college radio in September created a spike in sales, shortly after the video debuted on MTV it began to create a buzz -By year's end, both the single and the album were global hits -In January 1992 Nevermind bumped Michael Jackson's Dangerous album from the number one spot in the US chart and was topping charts in countries around the globe -Nirvana opted not to tour the United States citing exhaustion -They certainly didn't need to: Nevermind sold more than 30 million copies worldwide -The band performed at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards where they also won Best Alternative Video and Best New Artist -The hits "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Come as You Are" epitomize the band's pop radio appeal and served to erode the meaning of the label "alternative" as they placed Nirvana squarely in the mainstream -Nirvana hired producer Steve Albini for work on their next album and entered the studio in February 1993 -Albini had earned a reputation in the American alternative scene as a producer who understood the style and was not likely to over-apply studio polish -As it turned out, the album was finished in two weeks, although Cobain was again unhappy with Albini's product -The deficiencies perceived by Cobain were corrected by producer Scott Litt and In Utero was released in September 1993 -It quickly rose to number one on the Billboard album chart -The album is much less polished-sounding than Nevermind and reflects the bands grungier roots -Most critics praised the album as a triumph

Motley Crue

-Nobody lived harder than Mötley Crüe -Gaining experience and a devoted following in the Hollywood Sunset Strip scene in the spring and summer of 1981, the band recorded and self-produced their first album, Too Fast for Love, and released it on their own independent label, Leathür Records, in November 1981 -It initially sold twenty thousand copies before the band was signed to Elektra Records, when the album was remixed by producer Roy Thomas Baker and re-released in August 1982 -It would go on to sell more than 1 million copies by 1986 -1983 with the release of Shout at the Devil -It is considered by many critics and fans to be the band's heaviest album -Critics have called it "dark," "sleazy," "menacing" and "notorious, yet highly entertaining" -The band's image at that time was inspired by the leather and studs look of Judas Priest but included the big hair and heavy makeup that would come to characterize eighties glam -The album's title and pentagram cover art drew fire from conservative and Christian groups, who associated it with Satan worship -The album demonstrates a much greater level of studio polish than their debut, as well as the evolving sound of Mötley Crüe -The song "Looks That Kill" was a successful single and the accompanying video gained the band their first serious exposure on MTV -In 1985, the song "Bastard" made the PMRC's Filthy Fifteen list for violent lyric content -Vince Neil and his friend, Hanoi Rocks drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley, were traveling to Neil's home on a return trip from a liquor store in Neil's high-performance sports car -Neil, intoxicated and traveling too fast, lost control and hit another vehicle head-on -The occupants of the other vehicle were severely injured and Dingley was killed in the accident -Vince Neil was charged with DUI and vehicular manslaughter -He received a sentence of thirty days' jail time and a fine of $2,600,000 -As community service, Neil also filmed a series of public service announcements warning of the dangers of driving while intoxicated -Girls, Girls, Girls was released in 1987 as Mötley Crüe's notoriety was reaching epic proportions and glam metal was dominating the rock world -The title track (and its video) is an unabashed celebration of whiskey, drugs, strip clubs, and motorcycles -The song "Wild Side" represents a rarity for the party-oriented band: It approaches social consciousness by detailing the dark underbelly of urban life with themes of pimping, organized crime, and assault -Both songs were MTV and AOR hits -As an added bonus to the already massive stage show, drummer Tommy Lee devised a drum kit that was periodically moved to front and center stage and then spun completely upside-down while Lee continued to play -In December 1987, bassist Nikki Sixx was declared legally dead as he was transported to the hospital as the result of a heroin overdose: paramedics revived him en route -Sixx would later author a book called The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star (2007) chronicling his addiction and recovery -The incident led the band's management to cancel a European tour out of a genuine concern that some of the band would "come back in bodybags" -They staged an intervention to convince the band members to enter rehab -Sixx's near-death experience also served as inspiration for the band's hit song "Kickstart My Heart" from the Dr. Feelgood album -Released in 1989, Dr. Feelgood was a landmark recording for Mötley Crüe: it was their first album to reach number one on the album chart; it would be their best-selling album; and it was the first album the band recorded in a state of sobriety -Working with producer Bob Rock, the band recorded what is almost universally considered their finest album -Rock's production resulted in a meticulously detailed recording, adding an entirely new dimension to Mötley Crüe without sacrificing the band's inherently muscular sound

Blondie

-Origins in the New York new wave underground scene of the late 1970s, emerged as mainstream rock superstars early in the 1980s -Its first international hit single, "Heart of Glass," in 1979 -More disco than rock, the song was actually a reworking of a reggae-influenced song that Stein and Harry had written earlier in the 1970s: the rise of disco influenced them to change the basic rhythmic feel of the song -"The Tide Is High," a cover version of a Jamaican reggae song by the group The Paragons, became a number one hit for Blondie, as did their rap-laced song "Rapture" -Although it is not a rap song per se, it was the first number one hit in the United States to feature any kind of rapping

Bon Jovi

-Playing in local clubs and showcase events, Bon Jovi caught the attention of scouts at Mercury Records and were offered a record deal -They released their self-titled debut in 1984 and scored a hit with the single "Runaway" -It reached the top 40 and helped to put Bon Jovi on the map -The band released their follow-up album 78000 Fahrenheit in 1985 and, although sales were not as brisk as Bon Jovi and Mercury had hoped, headlining tours in Japan and Europe were hugely successful -In order to enhance their fortunes, Bon Jovi decided to recruit professional songwriter Desmond Child and up-and-coming producer Bruce Fairbairn for work on their next album -Slippery When Wet was released in August 1986 and was an overnight success -It reached number one on the Billboard album chart and would go on to sell more than 12 million copies -Bon Jovi's presence on MTV increased greatly with videos for the singles "You Give Love a Bad Name," "Livin' on a Prayer," and the power ballad "Wanted Dead or Alive," all three of which were Billboard chart hits as well -"Livin' on a Prayer" won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Stage Performance -Soon, Bon Jovi were headlining arenas and stadiums all over the world including England's Monsters of Rock Festival in 1987 -In 1989, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora gave a stunning acoustic performance of "Livin' on a Prayer" and "Wanted Dead or Alive" at the MTV Video Music Awards -These acoustic versions of their rock hits served as inspiration for a phenomenal new series soon launched on MTV called "MTV Unplugged," in which rock performers would play acoustic arrangements of their music -Reaching number one on album charts in multiple countries and establishing a record for the most number one singles from a hard rock album with five, New Jersey would sell 7 million copies in the United States alone -In the final days of the Cold War, it was also the first album by an American artist to be released and sold legally in the Soviet Union

Primus

-Primus' sound was heavier than the Chili Peppers' and is sometimes referred to as alternative metal or funk metal -In 1989 Primus released their first full-length album, Suck on This, a live album recorded in Berkeley, California -The album is credited with helping to propagate the burgeoning underground genre of funk rock/metal in the late 1980s -1990's Frizzle Fry brought well-deserved critical praise to the band for their superb musicianship and unique sound -A video was released for the single "John the Fisherman" that featured a cameo appearance by Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett -Primus would go on to build a cult following and enjoy varied success in the 1990s and 2000s -Claypool has come to be one of the most respected bass players in rock -In 2000 he played in the supergroup Oysterhead with former Police drummer Stewart Copeland and Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio

Billy Idol

-Represents the crossover of punk into the early 1980s mainstream -Began his career in the British punk band Generation X in the late 1970s and embarked on a solo career in 1980 -He teamed up with whiz-kid metal guitarist Steve Stevens in a songwriting partnership that would produce some of the biggest hits of the decade -Idol and Stevens both projected a charismatic glam/punk image that was well suited to video -Idol's 1981 debut album, Billy Idol, produced by disco pioneer Keith Forsey, did fairly well in the album charts and spawned the hit single "White Wedding" -It would become one of Idol's most recognizable songs and the video became a staple of early MTV -Idol would, in fact, become a kind of poster boy for MTV, appearing in memorable promos with his trademark sneer, clenched fist and thick Cockney accent declaring "I want my MTV!" -Most of the songs follow standard verse/chorus form and employ a well-produced and effective blend of synthesizers and standard rock instrumentation -A serious motorcycle accident in 1990 nearly cost Idol his leg and put him out of regular action for a time, though during his recovery he still managed to film videos (he was shot from the waist up) -His career has been on-again, off-again since around 1993

Duran Duran

-Rose from the British new wave scene in the early 1980s -Their self-titled 1981 debut album would lead to global success and their massive exposure on MTV placed them at the vanguard of the Second British Invasion -Their music was catchy and well crafted and their small-screen video image was a carefully tailored blend of sexuality, theatrics, fashion, and glamour -Their first hit single was "Girls on Film" from their 1981 debut -The original video was intended by the band to be viewed in adult-age dance clubs and on premium pay-TV channels and was thus fairly R-rated -The film showed topless women engaged in pillow fights, mud wrestling, and other fetish-like scenes. -The heavily edited MTV version was a hit nonetheless -Nicknamed the "Fab Five" -Its most successful song was the number one single "The Reflex" -The version from the album underwent a substantial remix by producer Nile Rodgers (of the band Chic) before being released as a single: it subsequently became the most successful single of the band's career

Styx

-Straddled the fence between progressive rock and hard rock through most of the decade -As such, they are quite difficult to classify: unlike many prog bands of the 1970s, Styx had a strong tendency toward catchy rock hooks and the occasional pop-esque ballad -They recorded nine albums between 1972 and 1979 and had achieved moderate success on AOR by mid-decade -Styx had their major commercial breakthrough in 1977 with their seventh album, The Grand Illusion which spawned the hits "Come Sail Away" and "Fooling Yourself " -The album contains many art/prog elements with expansive forms, prog-like harmonic progressions, and a heavy synthesizer/keyboard component: though these are interspersed with hard rock elements like distorted guitars, gritty vocals, and heavy drums and bass -Paradise Theater would become the band's most successful album and would also lead to their greatest controversy: several religious and anti-rock activist groups claimed that Styx, using a studio technique known as backmasking, had hidden Satanic messages in the song "Snowblind"

Ice T and Body Count

-That underground metal and rap shared many cultural similarities—both aggressively attacked the establishment, both spoke to social inequities, both derided economic oppression, both denounced political abuse of power including police brutality, and both were similarly attacked by critics—was not lost on emerging rap artists like Ice-T -Ice-T debuted the new band during the 1991 Lollapalooza tour: half of his set was devoted to Ice-T solo music and the other half to Body Count Some of the rapper's less open-minded fans accused him of "selling out" for incorporating rock elements into his music -Ice-T responded to these accusations by including an interview excerpt in the introduction to the song "Body Count," which was included on Ice-T's 1991 album, O.G. Original Gangster -This was the first recording to feature Body Count as a band -Body Count's self-titled debut was released in 1992 and quickly established Ice-T as an important crossover artist, though the album would soon create one of the most heated controversies in the history of rock, rap, and metal -The song "Cop Killer," included on the original release, was intended as an indictment of those police officers who abused their power by committing illegal acts of violence against civilians -Protests by police and other organizations rapidly spread across the country -Campaigns were launched against Body Count's record label, Warner Bros., to pull the album from record store shelves -Politicians and public figures spoke out against the record, including George H.W. Bush, who denounced Warner Bros., and actor/political conservative Charlton Heston, a stockholder in Warner, who demanded the company take action -There were as many angry citizens defending Body Count's right to free speech and understood that police brutality was and remains a serious issue, particularly in light of the Rodney King beating -Even the National Black Police Association supported Body Count saying that police brutality was the cause of an entrenched antipolice attitude, and recommended the formation of independent civilian review boards "to scrutinize the actions of our law enforcement officers" -In the end, Ice-T pulled the song from the album, not wanting to be seen as trying to cash in on the publicity, and desirous to refocus on the real issue of police brutality -Other issues addressed in the album included drug abuse, racism, and censorship -Unfortunately, the song "Cop Killer" is no longer available -Ice-T and Body Count continued to stir things up and provide important social and political commentary throughout the 1990s -In spite of the deaths of several original members over the years, Ice-T and Ernie C have kept the band actively recording and touring to the present day, although no controversy like that which surrounded "Cop Killer" has since embroiled the band

PMRC

-The PMRC was formed in 1985 by four women—Tipper Gore, Susan Baker, Pam Howar, and Sally Nevius -Their mission was to increase controls regarding access to certain music by minors— music that they deemed to contain explicit lyrical content regarding violence, drugs, and sex -Their main proposal was that the Recording Industry Association of America voluntarily label albums with explicit content, much the way that the film industry rates films -They also proposed that record stores should be forced to remove displays of albums with explicit content, keeping them out of the sight of customers, and that radio stations and video channels should be not be permitted to air songs or videos deemed explicit -The PMRC also compiled a list known as the Filthy Fifteen, fifteen songs that exemplified their objections to lyric content in popular and rock music -Nine of the fifteen bands were heavy metal bands; the list also included music by Prince, Madonna, and Cyndi Lauper, among others

Culture Club

-The band created a catchy blend of new wave, pop, reggae, and soul music to become one of the top acts of the early 1980s -Boy George built a certain aura around the band with his ambiguous sexuality: he never confirmed or denied any queries to determine his sexuality, but rather used what became his famous pat response to the question: "I prefer a nice cup of tea to sex" -Entered the US charts and heavy rotation on MTV in 1982 with the single "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me," a reggae- and gospel-influenced pop song from their debut album, Kissing to be Clever -The single "Karma Chameleon" would eventually reach number one in more than thirty countries -By 1984, Boy George was becoming increasingly dependent on cocaine: his use of the drug escalated rapidly into a full-blown addiction and by 1986 he was also using heroin -Additionally, and unbeknownst to the public at the time, Boy George and drummer Jon Moss were romantically involved: their relationship was often troubled and involved physical and verbal abuse -In spite of Boy George's involvement with Bob Geldof 's Band-Aid project in 1985, Culture Club's popularity was waning -Their third and fourth albums were far less successful then the previous two -In July of 1986, Boy George was arrested for possession of heroin and Culture Club disbanded

Van Halen

-The early 1980s, the David Lee Roth era, is fundamentally a continuation of the over-the-top, guitar-driven rock that brought the band international fame in the late 1970s -When Roth departed in 1985, Van Halen joined forces with vocalist Sammy Hagar for what came to be known as the "Van Hagar" era -Van Halen began to sparsely incorporate synthesizers into their sound around 1981, however, their use of these would become more fundamental by 1984 and would accelerate after Hagar joined -From 1980 to 1984, Van Halen released four albums with Roth (for a total of six, all produced by Ted Templeman) -1980's Women and Children First solidified the band's status as the premier hard rock act on the planet -5150, the first album with the new singer, came in 1986 -In spite of the lineup change and an even heavier keyboard/synth element, the album rose to the number one spot on the Billboard charts with the lead single "Why Can't This Be Love" reaching number three -The last Van Halen album of the 1980s would also reach number one in 1988. OU812 (Oh, you ate one too) was a mix of heavy guitar-based jams and deceptively simple synthesizer-driven, pop rock-oriented songs, all of it of extremely high quality in production and execution

Underground Thrash Metal

-The idea of being underground, in the simplest sense, meant not getting airplay or MTV exposure -It would be an oversimplification to say that that was all there was to the underground scene: underground was as much about an attitude as it was about the lack of airplay or the music itself -Many underground metal bands, like purist punk bands of the 1970s, were wholeheartedly antiestablishment -Like punk, "thrash" and "speed" metal bands often expressed nihilistic perspectives, were seen as antisocial, and drew fire from mainstream critics for lacking musical skill -Unlike punk bands, and contrary to the views of most critics, many underground bands were in fact highly skilled musicians with deep a commitment to artistic principles over (or at least before) commercial success -Musically, thrash and speed metal were an intensification all that metal had become by the early 1980s: it was faster, louder, more distorted, more technically demanding, and in general, more abrasive; it was also much less about melody and much more about rhythm

New Wave

-The most conspicuous difference between pre-1970s rock and new wave was that new wave (and punk) lacked the rhythmic smoothness of the blues -A jittery, tense sense of rhythm prevails in new wave as do thinner textures -There was also a heavy presence of synthesizers

Ozzy goes solo

-The newly formed band was to be called The Blizzard of Ozz, though after their debut album was recorded, Ozzy's record company decided to call the album Blizzard of Ozz (1980) and label it as an Ozzy Osbourne solo project -The album features "Crazy Train" which would become an Ozzy signature song -The Blizzard of Ozz song "Suicide Solution" would bring significant controversy to Ozzy in 1984 -In a situation similar to that of Judas Priest in 1990, CBS Records and Ozzy found themselves being sued by the parents of a teenager who took his own life -They sued for "encouraging self-destructive behavior" and claimed that Ozzy's song contributed to the death of their son -Ozzy contended that the song is about the slow death of alcoholism and was inspired by the death of AC/DC singer Bon Scott -Ozzy Osbourne is considered the "Godfather of Heavy Metal." He is also known by the tongue-in-cheek moniker, "The Prince of Darkness."

Metallica

-The song "Hit the Lights" was recorded for the Metal Massacre compilation in early 1982 with Hetfield handling the rhythm guitar and bass parts -The band's bass player, Cliff Burton (1962-1986) made an enormous impression on the pair and they asked him if he would join Metallica, feeling he would be a much better fit than McGovney -After initially declining, Burton later told Metallica that he would join them if they relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area where Burton was based -They agreed, fired McGovney, and moved to the Bay -The band began performing with their new bass player in March 1983 and recorded another self-funded demo -Kill 'Em All, Metallica's debut album was released in July 1983 -The original title the band had wanted, Metal Up Your Ass, was rejected by Zazula -The album had very limited sales following its release but helped to build Metallica's following in the underground scene -Kill 'Em All is now universally recognized as one of the most important albums in metal history -It became the template for thrash metal -Its music and lyrics were decidedly set apart from the mainstream, yet it would inspire countless imitations -The band traveled to Denmark in the summer of 1984 to record their second album with producer Flemming Rasmussen -The resulting work, Ride the Lightning, saw Metallica expand their boundaries to include more complex forms and sophisticated harmonies without forsaking their aggressiveness -This was due in part to the greater amount of input from Burton, who was versed in music theory -He lent his depth of musical knowledge to the band and they grew as a unit -Hetfield's lyrics became more socially oriented and philosophical around this period as well: he would come to be widely recognized as one of the greatest lyricists in metal -The album was initially released on Megaforce in July 1984, though Zazula did very little to promote it: displeased, Metallica severed ties with him -In the summer of 1985, they were invited to play the Monsters of Rock festival in Donington Park, England where they opened for Ratt and Bon Jovi to a crowd of seventy thousand -Two weeks later they performed at the Day on the Green festival in Oakland, California, to a crowd of sixty thousand -Metallica took to the road as the opening act for Ozzy in support of Master of Puppets in March 1986 -After completing the US leg of the tour in August, Metallica headed to Europe for a series of headline shows -Traveling in Sweden during the night on September 27, 1986, while the band members were sleeping, their driver lost control of the bus causing it to skid sideways and overturn several times -As the bus was flipping, bassist Cliff Burton was thrown from the window of his bunk compartment and was crushed beneath the bus as it landed Burton was twenty-four. -The rest of Metallica debated whether to carry on in Burton's absence -Concluding that their friend would have wanted them to forge on, and receiving support from Burton's family, Hetfield, Ulrich, and Hammett set out to find a replacement, taking little time to grieve -After holding several dozen auditions, Metallica hired bassist Jason Newsted, formerly of the thrash band Flotsam and Jetsam (and soon after dubbed him "Jason Newkid") -The EP also gave fans something to tide them over while Metallica recorded a new album: that album, ...And Justice for All, came in August 1988 -The album captured a surgically precise and progressive-oriented Metallica dealing in intensely thrashing riffs and richly complex structures light years away from verse/chorus pop rock; lyric themes dealt with political injustice, social inequities, war, and censorship in a poetic and intelligent manner -The album also saw Metallica release its first video, something the band had built a reputation for saying they would never do -This drew fire from some of their longtime fans, declaring that Metallica had "sold out" Regardless, the video for "One" rose to the number one-ranked spot on MTV following its debut -...And Justice for All would be Metallica's final album of the 1980s; however, with the release of Metallica (also known as "The Black Album") in 1991, Metallica would become a household name and held up by many as the "Led Zeppelin of their generation" -Working with producer Bob Rock, Metallica was nearly nine months in the making -The album debuted at number one in ten countries, sold more than 16 million copies in the United States alone, and stands as a monument in heavy metal history

Def Leppard

-Their 1979 three-song demo, called The Def Leppard E.P., was self-produced on an extremely low budget -The band printed one thousand copies and either sold them or gave them away to anyone who would help spread the word -At a club performance at Sheffield University, Joe Elliott noticed prominent BBC DJ John Peel in the audience and leapt from the stage to hand him a copy of the demo -Peel, in turn, played the band's songs on his popular show, after which they began getting attention from the London music press -Enlisting producer Mutt Lange, who had recently come off of producing AC/DC's hard rock masterpiece Back in Black, Def Leppard found the studio chemistry they had been lacking -With Lange's skillful assistance, the resulting album, High 'n' Dry (1981) began to uncover Def Leppard's full potential as a world-class metal band -The video for the single "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" would make the band MTV regulars and introduce them to a huge American audience -Three years in the making, Def Leppard's third effort with Lange would prove to be their most successful recording with more than 25 million copies sold worldwide -Though the music, in the context of mid-1980s metal, was as close to pop as it was to metal (Lange's stated intention was to create rock's answer to Thriller), the album is painstakingly produced down to the most infinitesimal detail -The album's videos were enormously popular as well -Hysteria contained some notable power ballads: among these, "Love Bites" became a number one hit single, clearly speaking to the popular appeal of the power ballad in the '80s

Guns N' Roses

-Their persistent presence in the bustling Sunset Strip and Hollywood club scene gained the attention of several record labels -They signed with Geffen Records in 1986 and released a live demo to maintain a market presence while they retreated to work on their debut studio album -Appetite for Destruction was released in 1987 and for a time, performed rather poorly The video for the lead single "Welcome to the Jungle" was simply not receiving any airplay on MTV -When Geffen president David Geffen finally persuaded MTV to air the video, they initially placed it during their late-night rotation -Shortly after airing, requests for the video began pouring in to MTV and "Welcome to the Jungle" was soon among the most popular videos on MTV -After Guns N' Roses took MTV by storm, album and singles sales skyrocketed -The band embarked on a massive world tour which kept them on the road for well over a year -They variously opened for Mötley Crüe, The Cult, Alice Cooper, Iron Maiden, and Aerosmith and headlined many concerts as well: by late 1988, Guns N' Roses were one of the biggest hard rock bands on earth -Appetite for Destruction made Guns N' Roses one of the most successful bands in history It holds the record for the best-selling debut album of all time with around 30 million copies sold worldwide -Musically and culturally, the album was the Back in Black of a new generation; a generation that was dealing with the specter of AIDS and the stifling conservatism of Reagan-Bush Era politics. Appetite revisited "sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll" with bluesy, rebellious music: it was pure hedonism repackaged for the MTV era -In 1991 they released two albums, Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II, simultaneously The recordings demonstrated remarkable musical prowess and diversity, as well as the skills of producer Mike Clink -Both records immediately rose to the number one and two positions in the album charts -The accompanying videos, especially the one for "November Rain," were enormously successful -Guns N' Roses seemed to transform from a gritty, blues-based rock band into a group capable of writing epic compositions and spouting serious political discourse

Eurythmics

-They decided to handle all of the creative aspects as a duo and hire studio and live musicians as needed -Signed to RCA records and worked with influential and innovative electronic music producer Conny Plank on their 1981 debut album, In the Garden: commercial success proved elusive Their second album, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), would provide the commercial success the duo were seeking -Almost overnight, Lennox became a pop rock idol, appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine and many other popular publications -Her soul-tinged vocals and her visual appearance (her hair was cropped and she often wore men's suits) created a powerful feminine mystique and a strong MTV presence -The success of their previous album afforded Lennox and Stewart the luxury of hiring the string section of the British Philharmonic and conductor Michael Kamen to work with them in the studio -1985's Be Yourself Tonight demonstrated a stylistic expansion for Lennox and Stewart: focused on traditional rock instruments and encompassed Motown, pop, and R&B elements (guest appearances included Stevie Wonder and Elvis Costello as well as Aretha Franklin singing a duet with Lennox on the hit feminist anthem "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves") -Eurythmics continued down a path of chart success and maintained a strong MTV presence through the rest of the 1980s -By 1990, the pressures of success and heavy touring had caused a rift between Lennox and Stewart: they parted ways and each embarked on solo careers -Eurythmics would reunite in 1999 and again in 2014 to perform in a massive tribute concert marking the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show

U2

-They originated in Ireland -They not only maintained a relevant position throughout the 1980s, they continued to evolve musically and actually grew in popularity throughout the 1990s and 2000s to become one of the most successful bands of all time -From their beginnings, their music, and lives—both as a band and as individuals—have been steeped in humanitarian and political causes and philanthropic endeavors -Have recorded thirteen studio albums, sold over 170 million records and hold the record for the highest-attended, highest-grossing concert tour of all time with their 2009-2011 promotional tour for their No Line on the Horizon Album (2009) -The resulting album, The Unforgettable Fire, came in 1984 -The song "Pride (In the Name of Love)" was the album's biggest hit -It is about the life and death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. -A major arena tour followed, as did a highly acclaimed performance at the UK Live Aid festival at London's Wembley Stadium (seventy-two thousand were in attendance with an estimated 2 billion TV viewers) -The 1987 Joshua Tree album would be U2's most successful work of the decade -It fused American and Irish roots elements, U2's straightforward rock approach, and Eno's atmospheric style into hits like "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and the utopian-themed "Where the Streets Have No Name" -In the time between The Unforgettable Fire and The Joshua Tree, Bono and his bandmates had developed a great love of the cultural richness of the United States; Bono had immersed himself in the literature of radical American writers like Norman Mailer and Raymond Carver -The band had also been motivated by their recent experiences in meeting and performing with musicians like The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan to dig deeper into the roots music of the United States as well as their own Irish musical heritage

Red Hot Chili Peppers

-Three albums came between 1985 and 1987 (the second of which, Freaky Styley, was produced by funk pioneer George Clinton) and—in spite of numerous personal and professional issues both in the studio and on the road—the band gradually built a modest but devoted international following -Upon returning home from the tour for their third album, Slovak retreated from the company of his bandmates as he struggled with severe heroin addiction -He was found dead in his apartment on June 27, 1988, at the age of twenty-six from an apparent overdose -A distraught Irons left the band soon after -Kiedis and Flea debated whether or not to continue, but ultimately concluded that they did not want to abandon what they and Slovak had accomplished -Kiedis battled with his own heroin problem and several more members would come and go before the band reached its stable 1989 lineup and released their fourth album, Mother's Milk -Mother's Milk produced three singles including a cover version of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" -Working with producer Rick Rubin—who would go on to produce the band's next five albums—the Chili Peppers recorded 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik, the album that would catapult them to international superstardom and define commercial funk rock for over two decades -Major hit singles "Give It Away," "Under the Bridge," and "Breaking the Girl" followed, as did enormous MTV exposure -During this period, the band refined and fortified a sound that combined funk, rap, acid rock, art rock, and blues and brought it to the mainstream

Talking Heads

-Were well established in the underground new wave scene in New York City -They had gained recognition with the modestly successful singles "Psycho Killer," "Life During Wartime," and a cover of Al Green's "Take Me to the River" -Byrne's characteristic nervous-sounding voice was complemented by the band's punk/new wave-inspired minimalist approach -"Burning Down the House" from their fifth studio album, Speaking in Tongues enjoyed heavy rotation on MTV, as did others that followed

Pat Benatar

-With a musical life that began as a classically trained singer, Pat Benatar would release her debut rock album, In the Heat of the Night in 1979. -By early 1980, In the Heat of the Night had reached number twelve on the album chart. Its second single release, "Heartbreaker," written by Geoff Gill and Cliff Wade, became a hit as well -The song helped to build a commercial presence for Benatar and to create the enthusiasm which would propel her second album, Crimes of Passion, to number two on the album chart following its release in August 1980 -Crimes of Passion would include Benatar's fully formed backup band, several of whom would make songwriting contributions -The band included guitarist Neil Giraldo (whom Benatar would marry in 1982), guitarist Scott Sheets, bassist Roger Capps, and drummer Myron Grombacher -The album produced the hit singles "Treat Me Right" and "Hit Me with Your Best Shot," which would become Benatar's signature song -It also contains the single "You Better Run" which, as mentioned earlier, was the second video to air on MTV (the album earned Benatar her first Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal)

What are some of the common grounds between punk and new wave?

-it has the same personal, political, and social messages -they both had a common audience -simplicity, raw energy (not bad production tho)

What was one of the main things that mainstream rockers in the 80s were known for socially?

-mainstream rockers moved to help causes using their own star power. (Band aid, farm aid, etc)

How did Cliff Burton of Metallica die?

Bus Crash

What was madonna known for?

Business Acumen

Eddie Vedder and the lyrics of 10:

Deal with depression, suicide, etc (d.)

Gen Xers called out the establishment?

False

Metallica rose to global superstardom one year after forming?

False

Lane Staley of Alice In Chains:

Heroin overdose

Randy Rhodes

Plane Crash

MTV

The Buggles "Video Killed The Radio Star" was the first video to air on August 1st, 1981