2010: Terrible Year for Rock ‘N Roll

Posted on May 25, 2010 Written by ripitup

2009 was a tragic year for music. But it looks like 2010 is not that bright either. Scorpions are done, Steven Tyler fall off stage, Brett Michaels gets a brain hemorrhage and just we thought he recovered, it turns out he has a stroke and has a whole in his heart. Oh, and heavy metal/rock band DIO’s vocalist Ronnie James Dio died. He was recovering from stomach cancer.

Dio: Ronnie James Dio second from right. Image from http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/19412333/Dio+AppiceGPilson+90s.jpg

Poison frontman Bret Michaels. Image from:http://www3.whig.com/whig/blogs/thebreakdown/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/michaels2.jpg

It’s weird to see rock starts have all these health problems. Yeah, we are well aware that they are human, but they did get over a great deal of stuff in the past: death of best friends/band members (Steve Clark from Def Leppard, Cliff Burton from Metallica), loss of health, loss of crucial body parts (Rick Allen from Def Leppard) , drug addictions.(Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Aerosmith) , loss of their looks…But since they always seem to bounce back, it is just feels awful to have all the bad news in a row. After all, they symbolize energy. Their stage shows rock us and their songs celebrate life, parties, sex, friendship and love. We grow up with them. Hell, our parents grew up with Aerosmith.It also reminds us of mortality and fragility of all.

For more (mostly) uplifting facts and posts on Rock N’ Roll:

6 Fast Bon Jovi Songs That Feature The Word Love

7 Cover Songs That Rock

What Do You Mean You Haven’t Heard of Metallica?

7 Interesting Facts About Jon and Bon Jovi

FUN ROCK TRIVIA

Posted on May 13, 2010 Written by ripitup

Alright, fellow rockers! Want to read some fun facts on Van Halen, Bon Jovi, Poison, Nirvana, Def Leppard and Kiss? Then here’s the post for you. You might already know some of them, but hey I am sure you will have a good time remembering too.

*Eddie Van Halen played his guitar behind his back more often than not. Sure he looks cool, but the rumor is he was trying to hide his secrets to being a master guitar-player.

Def Leppard members. Rick Savage, Rick Allen, Joe Elliot, Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen — Def Leppard members. Singer Joe Elliot is in the middle. Image from: http://abovethevile.files.wordpress.com

* During one Def Leppard interview, frontman Joe Elliot was asked what was the most ridiculous thing they had read about themselves. Joe answered “I read that I was dead”. Now we know sometimes reporters can get too creative with their news but this is too much. Don’t you think?

* I am sure you are familiar with the Bon Jovi hit “You give love a bad name”. Supposedly, Jon wrote this song for his ex Diane Lane. Yep, they dated for a short while in the 80s. While they made a very pretty couple, I am guessing it didn’t go all that welli then?

Poison, Bret Michaels — One of Poison's more recent pictures. Lead singer Bret is wearing a cool hat. Again. Image from: http://www.yorkblog.com

*When I heard Poison’s hit “Ever rose has its thorn” for the first time, I had thought it was a very romantic song about how every one has their flaws and we accept our lovers as they are- until I read the story in the best of album. Brett Michaels’ girlfriend left him for another guy with more money. But then of course Poison made it big and his career took off. So the girl is the thorn and the rose is his career. Bret Michaels’ own words. Strangely, this makes the song more fun for me.

*KISS are best known for their make-up and their stage outfits that match. For years, they didn’t take the make-up at their concerts or backstage. So without the make-up, no one recognized them in the streets. Way to be annoynomous. Then they made an appearance on Jay Leno and came out with their identities. It is weird, but they had too many groupies even with the make up. Gene Simmons admitted that girls found it hot. I am a girl and I love Kiss’ music but putting KISS and hot in the same sentences? Nope. Not for me. Especially if they have the make-up on.

Jon Bon Jovi hosts Saturday Night Live. It is one of the funniest SNL episodes ever. Sure one stint wasn't that funny. But the rest was hilarious. Image from: http://benaxelrad.files.wordpress.com

* Jon Bon Jovi hosted an episode of SNL in 2007. The opening stint had him in the 80s, visiting SNL cast member Amy Koehler when she was a teen and Jon was in his Slippery when wet days. The episoe involved many jokes about the band, Jon himself and the songs. Bon Jovi performed two songs and Foo Fighters also sang a song as they were the official musical guests.

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Look what the cat dragged in: POISON

Posted on June 15, 2009 Written by ripitup

Poison in their glam days-not that they have completely left it : ) — Poison in their glam days-not that they have completely left that phase: )

Poison was founded in the early 80’s by drummer Ricky Rockett and front-man Bret Michaels (the second guy from the left).

I am sad to admit that I have discovered them only about 8-9 years ago; but have been one of their biggest fans ever since.They offer everything I look for in a band: Great rock sound,lovely vocals,amazing guitar riffs, good lyrics…They also look the part.You might think that hair-metal phase is over but I’m glad Poison did not join the “fashionable” musicians who cut their hair and had a wardrobe make-over one by one.Today Poison wear much less make-up and this is not necessarily a bad thing but other than that, they still kick ass.

I haven’t seen them live yet but I am dying to.

You see, I grew up with Poison. Forget about the grunge age,the supposedly dead old school rockn’roll and fashion-wise frowned upon clothes.I love my jeans torn and ripped.I love leather,mini skirts and leopard skin patterns on my clothes.I adore red lipstick and electrifying guitar rips.I love my men with long hair.I have a soft spot when it comes to rockers. I wish I had the talent,the luck and the guts to try and become a rock star.I don’t.However learning to sing and learning how to play the guitar are on the top of my list. And although I am grateful the Internet made it much more easier for us to reach songs,I will kinda miss the time when I first discovered them and made it my mission to find all the songs they have ever recorded.Mind you,we had entered the new millennium and people worshipped computer-generated music and considered rock lovers/headbangers about to be extinct.Not that most people you run on the street today don’t think the same and throw you weird looks.But that’s why we have the rock concerts.Nothing like a great gig in town to for my kind of people surface and rock with our fav. musicians…

California,2000. I have spent this amazing time in Santa Barbara and found my love as far as places on earth go.I have seen a lot of places after that but California remains my first love.It also did wonders at helping me discover new bands.As much as I adored Bon Jovi,liked Guns n’roses and enjoyed some modern rock (Goo Goo Dolls,Third Eye Blind,etc…), I longed for faster,harder rock.It hadn’t helped matters that Bon Jovi had softened their sound and come up with songs like “Thank you for loving me” and “Say it isn’t so”- from the Crush album whose half had crushed me…)Anyways,so I buy these two records called Monsters of Rock 1 & 2.I met Poison, Alice Cooper,Ratt,Great White,Whitesnake…OK, before you start telling me I was too freaking late and where the hell I was when these people came out…OK,well-I wasn’t born!!!!!!! I had the misfortune of being born in 1984. I didn’t get to know rock until mid 1990s and after that it was all about Pearl jam or Metallica for people. But then I travelled to California and realized once more that rockn’roll was a hell lot more than just a phase for me.

So the records had the most popular hits of course. But I shan’t be judged for falling for all of them.Every rose has its thorn is a gem and Alice’s Poison is amazing (I have heard of these on VH1 for sure but hey,I was reminded once more to go record-hunting). And then my long quest began.Some of the record shop assistants didn’t know who they were and some were shocked by my age.My friends teased me on the “weird” bands I listened to all the time.But who gave a shit? I was having a great time with my Whitesnake and Poison records.And it turned out,those hits were not even that good next to all the other great stuff they had done.

While I discovered that the men I believed to be so hot turned out to be ugly after the massive haircuts they got,I was also thinking:If rockers follow fashion-instead of creating it-the world is even a shittier place than I thought.I loathed people trying to dictate what I could or could not wear.I still have jean mini skirts and own a black leather jacket.Why?I look hot in them! Who cares it was popular 10 years ago or will come back in another 10?

So I was so pleased to see Bret Michaels‘ on MTV cribs one day.His hair was still long,he was wearing black leather pants,a black t-shirt,one of his trademark hats and the silver that completed a rebel’s look.He was in his mid-40s,looked damn great and hadn’t joined the flock of short-haired 0h-so-updated musicians.Yes,I know they all resembled each other back in the day.But it doesn’t matter how many people you follow or how many follow you-it’s all about whether or not you are doing it because you like it.Then,it just looks natural.