Rock and Roll in the 80's
Introduction
The sound of rock in the 1980's was not much different than the 70's style of rock. Heavy beats and fast tempos were still a part of the rock sound. The beat in rock often depends around the electric guitar or bass guitar and that did not change. The change happened when bands began to play with a tough, hard-edged sound. This sound would become known as "Heavy Metal". Some other styles of rock in the 1980's were Glam Metal and Alternative Rock.
Artists of the 1980's
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METALLICA
Metallica was formed in 1981 when Lars Ulrich put an ad in a local newspaper. The band is known for its heavy metal sound and it is a part of thrash metal subgenre of heavy metal rock. Their music was influenced by Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath. The band reached more of the mainstream audience when it released the album, "Metallica", in 1991. The band has won nine Grammy Awards. A band member, Cliff Burton, was killed in a bus accident in 1986 and the band found a bassist to replace him.
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BON JOVI
The band Bon Jovi's front man is Jon Bon Jovi. The band has been 25 years and is still touring. Nine out of the band's ten studio albums have gone platinum. Jon Bon Jovi and Richard Sambora did something very unusual on MTV's Video Music Awards in 1989. They performed the songs, "Wanted: Dead or Alive" and "Living on a Prayer" with only two acoustic guitars. People liked it so much that MTV started a new show called, "MTV Unplugged".
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BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Bruce Springsteen's music alternates between rock and folk music. He is an American singer, song writer, and musician. His band is called the E Street Band. His music reaches many different audiences and has different purposes from party to emotional ballads. He is best known for the album, "Born in the USA". He has earned nineteen Grammy Awards during his very long career.
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GUNS N ROSES
This band was formed by Axl Rose in 1985. The band's music is a blend of punk rock, blues rock, heavy metal, and classic rock and roll. In the 1990's it added a horn section to the band. The band has been through difficult times. Members have left for many different reasons through the years. Axl Rose had something to do with that because his behavior was often unpredictable.
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IRON MAIDEN
English Heavy Metal band, formed in 1975. They rose to fame in the early 80's, and made the USA platinum album The Number of the Beast in 1982. They are known as one of the most succesful Heavy Metal bands. The members of the band are Steve Harris, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson (leader), Nicko McBrain and Janick Gers.
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MOTÖRHEAD
British Rock band formed in 1975 by bassist, singer and songwriter Lemmy Kilmister. They were part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and got famous in the early 80's. The albums Overkill and Ace of Spades are the most famous of them. People say that they are Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal and Speed Metal bands, but Lemmy don't like these stereotypes, and says that Motörhead sound is "Rock 'n Roll".
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MÖTLEY CRUE
American Hard Rock band formed in California in 1981. It was founded by the bassist Nikki Sixx and the drummer Tommy Lee, and after, Mick Mars and Vince Neil joined the band, as guitarist and singer. They are famous because of their hard-living style: all members have problems with the law, spent time with jail, alcohol, drugs and are heavily tattooed. They made an album in 2008.
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POISON
American Hard Rock band that made a lot of success in the late 80's. They became icons of MTV, and is still performing today, after 25 years. They are part of the Glam Rock.
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TWISTED SISTER
American Heavy Metal band from New York, that uses the shock tactics from Alice Cooper, the extreme glamour and the rebellious mood from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Their most known hits are "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock".
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JANE'S ADDICTION
American Alternative band formed in Los Angeles in 1985. The members are Perry Farrell (vocals), Dave Navarro (guitar), Eric Avery (bass) and Stephen Perkins (drums). It made a lot of success in the late 80's, with the album "Nothing's Shocking".
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PIXIES
American Rock band formed in Boston, in 1986. Black Francis, Joey Santiago, Kim Deal, and David Lovering are the members. They made a lot of success in the late 80's, with the album Doolittle. Their style is alternative, and there are many references to mental instability, violent Biblical imagery, physical injury, and incest feature in many of the band's songs.
Language of the 80's
The language of the 80's:
1. Airhead - absent minded
2. Bogus - a bad situation
3. Couch potato - someone who sits on the couch and does nothing
4. For Sure - I agree
5. Hacker - a computer genuis
6. Outrageous - wild, exciting
7. Radical - wild, exciting, and cool
8. Totally - extremely cool
9. Fly - beautiful
10. Hype - message or propaganda
Fashion
The fashion of the 1980's included trends from other decades, too. Men and women began to wear loose shirts and tighter pants. People liked to display their wealth in the 80's and men wore "power suits". Women wore shoulder pads as their place in the work place became more important. Brand names were important to people.
Fashion of the 1980's
Feathered hair for women
Long layered hair for men
Slightly teased hair
Stick-up bangs
Side pony tails
Glitter
Blue eye shadow
Long T-shirts
Bright colored pants
Tight pants
Neon colors
Impact on Today's Music
The 1980's music was used more frequently in movies and television. Although rock music had did not change much, it began to be more accepted. It was still the same music, but people saw it as less offensive. It seems that as new music comes on the scene, it becomes more offensive to people and music that has been around for awhile is more accepted.