One bad concert does not a bad group make. Guns & Roses in Dallas was the absolute worst I've ever been to, and they're one of the great all-time hard rock bands. She Sells Sanctuary, Love Removal Machine- you cannot deny the power of those songs.
I saw that show. They had a guest guitar player come in for whatever reason (I didn't know who he was, and did they only have one guitar player otherwise?) anyway, he's out there thrashing and it was readily apparent his sound wasn't working. He didn't know what to do, at first he pretended it was, then put his arms out... then they stopped and complained. Overall it was a terrible set, which sucked because I was looking forward to seeing them. Unless you just think they are the most amazing thing ever, they were popular enough I don't see how they count here, terrible set aside. What about GWAR? Formed in 1985, released "Hell-O" in 1988? I don't really consider them an 80's band, as I would consider "Scumdogs of the Universe" (1990) their first overall likable album, but technically....
Most overrated band during the 80s was definitely Aerosmith. All the band was strung out on heroin, their music was awful, they were high in concert, and just were playing awful. The only reason they made it through was on the basis of their classic hits. Anyone care to disagree with that?
Aerosmith were playing clubs while Joe Perry and Brad Whitford were gone they had basically turned to a heroin infused **** storm. They didn't reunite with Joe/ Brad until 85 and the first album Done With Mirrors didn't do well at all. It was only after doing Walk This Way with RUN D.M.C. and releasing Permanent Vacation that they were back on top. They were pretty much an afterthought for much of the decade.
Lillian Axe Their album Psychoschizophrenia remains one of my top 10 favorite albums by anyone. They're still around and have sort of modernized their sound. They are still good but not quite the same.
Lillian axe was definitely one, for pretty much the same thing Raven Lunatic said only I liked Love and War better than Psychoschizophrenia though. Dokken, Tyketto, Sweet FA and Warlock were also pretty good
Most of the Columbia acts who hit a dead spot in the early to mid 1980s were forced to work with outside writers- that includes Heart, Aerosmith, Cheap Trick and Eddie Money. That's where you got songs like What About Love, Angel, The Flame, and Take Me Home Tonight. That's why they all started sounding like REO Speedwagon instead of themselves. All it took for the record company to force their hands was 1 or 2 albums that dipped in sales; for Heart, it was Private Audition, for Aerosmith, Done w Mirrors and Rock in a Hard Place, for Cheap Trick the Doctor and Eddie Money, Playing for Keeps. Then they had to work with Linda Perry and all those other schlock gloss 80s writers. ** They asked Springsteen after the less-than-commercially successful Nebraska if he would consider working with outside writers and he basically told them to GTFO- then he did Born in the USA. And they didn't dare ask Bob Dylan- he was untouchable at Columbia. ** The funny thing is that the songs you will remember those groups by- Barracuda, Sweet Emotion, Surrender, Two Tickets to Paradise- were all written and performed by the artists. The 80s cotton candy hits will fall by the wayside.
Some great ones already mentioned. I'm gonna offer up Frehley's Comet. Ace Frehley, lead guitar Anton Figg, drums (you might remember him from Paul Schaefer's band on Letterman) Dokken, Krokus ... excellent blasts from the past! Great thread.
Anton Fig played in Ace's 2009 album too. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CV2zxovssAQ?list=AL94UKMTqg-9AsARqaQomWDEb1IeX8P1dv" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
They were quite popular around the Houston club/drug scene in the late 80-early 90's. Songs off of Love, Electric, and Sonic Temple. They were the gateway band between the decades, then came Ministry, Jane's Addiction, NIN and others Red Square
Zebra <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/C5I_CpoodtI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Oh I forgot a few more. Dangerous Toys Shotgun Messiah Giant Some groups came out with very underrated albums right at the end of the 80's when music had moved on to grunge.
Billy Squier is another one that was huge in the early 80's I think people forget that Def Leppard opened up for him in their home country on their first tour. Don't Say No is still a classic hard rock album <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/4n229zpPALE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> He's also made enough money off publishing to keep him living comfortably, and his song the big beat is the most sampled song in the history of hip hop
Billy Squier gets a bad rap because of that video he made wearing a leotard, but some of his early stuff was great.
