This is the thread where you recommend the fruitiest pop metal I don't already have

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Looking for super-clean pitch-shifted falsetto harmonizing that piles on the saccharine beyond the point of nausea, glistening gloss-drenched guitars, sick synth overlays, real or implied handclaps, ultra-airbrushed everything; there have to be new, far-out orchards I have yet to explore. The more artificially flavoured the better.

Would it be worth it to give Nelson a try and would I still respect myself in the morning?

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Wednesday, 6 August 2003 23:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I doubt Nelson would be worth it. Bulletboys? Slaughter? Bang Tango?

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 6 August 2003 23:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm not reprobate enough to give you the recommendations that you really need; I'm sure there are things out there that would curl your hair without the need for a big froofy perm and a can of hairspray. But I can heartily recommend a listen to The Sweet for a vintage slice of bubblygum heavy rock -- "Desolation Boulevard" and "Give Us A Wink" are the two to start with. They're the archetype for many of the late-'80's hair bands (Poison most prominently).

― Nom De Plume (Nom De Plume), Wednesday, 6 August 2003 23:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I think pretty soon you're either gonna have to go more metal or more pop. Pop-metal is a difficult balance to maintain.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 6 August 2003 23:35 (twenty-two years ago)

you need ... SHOTGUN MESSIAH!

― vahid (vahid), Wednesday, 6 August 2003 23:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Well put, Anthony. If you're going more pop, might I suggest Cheap Trick. More metal, Queens of the Stone Age. None of this is news to you, I'm quite sure.

― Nom De Plume (Nom De Plume), Wednesday, 6 August 2003 23:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Shotgun Messiah is amazing, but I'd probably argue they're more metal than what Sundar is describing. At least the video that I saw on VH1 Classic (the singer kinda looks like Jesse Camp!).

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 6 August 2003 23:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe try something from Firehouse's debut. At the time, I remember thinking this music's already tenuous connection to the metal lineage was truly being stretched thin to the point of breaking.. Nirvana was fast on their heels, yet still they had hits!

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Thursday, 7 August 2003 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Firehouse's "Don't Treat Me Bad" is awwwwesome.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 7 August 2003 00:05 (twenty-two years ago)

oh, and don't forget Trixter!

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Thursday, 7 August 2003 00:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, for FUCK's sake.. Pretty Boy Floyd's "Leather Boyz With Electric Toyz" already!

― donut bitch (donut), Thursday, 7 August 2003 00:27 (twenty-two years ago)

What Donut Bitch said. Not this AOR crap. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 7 August 2003 00:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Are Enuff Z'Nuff pop metal? You really need to hear "New Thing" if you haven't already, Sundar. It's the dreamiest. I just listened to it 20 times in a row.

God, it sounds like Oasis, I never realized that before. Best Oasis song ever, though.

― Arthur (Arthur), Thursday, 7 August 2003 03:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Heh. Fret not, Arthur, I'm with you on Enuff Z'nuff love in general. I was just listening to Tweaked the other night, now that's a great lost album...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 7 August 2003 03:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Nom, worth noting that the New Pornographers have been covering "Action," the single from "Give Us a Wink," for at least two tours now. One of the most inspired covers ever.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Thursday, 7 August 2003 05:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Any band with an exotic (preferably Oriental) motif in the brand name. Saigon Kick, Hanoi Rocks, Tangier, Tora Tora, Wang Chung, you get the idea

― dave q, Thursday, 7 August 2003 14:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Steelheart - Never Let You Go is possibly the most extreme example of whiteboy falsetto oversinging to ever cross these ears. It don't get much more plastic. I remember reading an interview with the singer once where he talked about playing the song live and having his tight-ass pants split open when he bent over backward singing the song's climax.

― Tom Breihan (Tom Breihan), Thursday, 7 August 2003 14:22 (twenty-two years ago)

BINGO

Sorry.

― person#0 (person#0), Thursday, 7 August 2003 14:28 (twenty-two years ago)

There was a band named Trixster.

― rat, Thursday, 7 August 2003 23:02 (twenty-two years ago)

You need to check out Nitro. "Hot, Wet, Drippin' With Sweat" and "OFR." Classics.

― Johnny Badlees (crispssssss), Friday, 8 August 2003 18:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Florida powermetal band called Kamelot completely ownz0r

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Friday, 8 August 2003 19:01 (twenty-two years ago)

re: Nitro; OFR is a stone classic, but a little over-the-top for what you want, probably. HWDWS is exactly what you described, though. I really think it's terrible, though.

Helpful note, mentioned on previous threads as well -- you need to buy this stuff on cassette if at all possible (at least 1985-1992) -- the LPs, and particularly the CDs, are so horribly mastered that they lose a lot of the meat of the sound. Nitro OFR is the all-time worst offender.

― Hurlothrumbo (hurlothrumbo), Friday, 8 August 2003 19:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I never actually heard the thing, but I saw a cassette by a band called Tigertailz who really took the glam look further than I'd have thought humanly possible. They were the most nightmarish combination of first-album Poison and Sigue Sigue Sputnik. You might wanna check them out.

― Phil Freeman (Phil Freeman), Friday, 8 August 2003 19:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Metal Sludge interview with Tigertailz original lead singer! They're coming back you know.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 8 August 2003 20:21 (twenty-two years ago)

helloween- keeper of the 7 keys, pt. 1

― Matt B. (Matt B.), Friday, 8 August 2003 22:24 (twenty-two years ago)

the liner notes to the last Iron Savior album were the ultimate powermetal extravaganza

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Friday, 8 August 2003 22:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Good question -- who are the glam metal bands with pomp and schmaltz to rival Duran Duran? A lot of the bands already listed, such as Trixter, are more or less Aerosmith-level bar bands dolled up to look metal, but don't have the modern chrome and cocaine touch. I'd suggest Firehouse, later Helix, and Danger Danger. Also, when you get into the 3rd and 4th albums by Dokken and especially Ratt, the pink and purple tones completely take over.

Nitro are pure nervous energy, but recommended to anyone investigating the synthetic side of metal. Go: http://www.thisishowifeel.com/nitro

As for non-glam bands like Helloween -- schmaltz abounds. Check out modern day perfume metal by the likes of Lost Horizon, Kamelot, and Rhapsody for a good whiff.

Oh -- make White Lion "When the Children Cry" your personal anthem!

― Ian Christe (Ian Christe), Saturday, 9 August 2003 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Allegedly there was a followup song by them called "When the Children Die"?

who are the glam metal bands with pomp and schmaltz to rival Duran Duran?

Best damn comparison in a while. And Andy Taylor always did just want to rock amidst the synths.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 9 August 2003 18:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't know if I'm ready to deal with "When the Children Cry" again but White Lion's "Wait" was actually pretty much the reference point I had in mind when I posted this originally. Other general reference points can broadly include "Hysteria" (actually pretty much all of the album), "The Final Countdown", "Don't Look Back", Journey's "Escape" and "Mother, Father". But what takes it further? The balance is the whole point, BTW. Many of these suggestions seem very promising and I will look out for them. I remembered Danger Danger and Dokken too. Enuff Z'Nuff seems promising. Will definitely look out for Steelheart.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Saturday, 9 August 2003 18:41 (twenty-two years ago)

TIGERTAILZ! Me and my friends almost died laughing when we found their used LP in high school. That front cover, sweet Jesus. I believe their bassist is named Pepsi Jones.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 9 August 2003 19:14 (twenty-two years ago)

After checking out some Firehouse and Steelheart, I should also mention that absence of blues elements also helps.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 15:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Please do try some To/Die/For and (if somehow you never heard them) HIM...

― JP Almeida (JP Almeida), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 16:20 (twenty-two years ago)

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