The Hair Metal Guru

Hardline’s Double Eclipse should have been huge… so what went wrong? In this video, Ryan and I take a deep dive into Hardline’s 1992 debut album Double Eclipse—a record packed with massive hooks, ripping riffs from Journey guitarist Neal Schon, and one of the best vocal performances of the era from Johnny Gioeli. This album had all the ingredients of a hair metal classic. So why didn’t it take off...

Who are the greatest frontmen in rock & roll history? 🤘In this episode of The Hair Metal Guru, Patrick, Ryan and I are joined by SPECIAL GUEST STAR Dennis Churchill Dries of Tattoo Rodeo as we dive into one of the most debated topics in rock—who are rock's greatest frontmen (or women?). So, no, we're not talking about the greatest singers... we're talking who had the entire packag...

In this video, I follow up on the situation involving Ted Poley, Stevie Rachelle, and Sebastian Bach from the Monsters of Rock Cruise. After initially calling out Sebastian’s behavior, Ted has now issued an apology—but I’m not so sure he needed to. Here's the video I did on the topic last night:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJZcuwV9djQ&t=51sToday I'm here to give you my perspective o...

Wildside’s 1992 album Under the Influence is one of the most overlooked records of the entire hair metal era—and in this video, Ryan and I dive deep into why it's a hidden classic. Despite arriving at a time when the scene was collapsing, this album delivered everything we were looking for. So why did it fail? And does it deserve a second look today? In this video, we:• Break down the Under th...

The Forbidden L.A. Guns Album Finally Gets Its Due. In this exclusive interview, Chris VanDahl (ex-L.A. Guns vocalist on the 1996 album American Hardcore) clears up a ton of the questions on the band's darkest and most divisive chapter. Chris also talks about, yes, the Steven Tyler comparisons, and his years fronting highly successful Aerosmith tribute bands. He also details his time with Cher...

In this video, Jones and I break down the shocking situation involving Ted Poley of Danger Danger and former Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach following the Monsters of Rock Cruise. After returning home, Ted took to Facebook with a lengthy post accusing Sebastian of being drunk, unruly, and even threatening to fight people onboard. PLUS, the story was corroborated by Tuff frontman and Metal Sludge fo...

In this video, Ryan and I dive into a heated debate about whether bands should play cover songs during their live shows. It all started when Eddie Trunk questioned why bands would play covers when they already have massive catalogs of their own music—then Duff McKagan jumped in with the opposite take, saying it’s a great way to show respect and connect with fans. Ryan and I discussed each point an...

In this video, Patrick, Stone and I take a deep dive into Alice Cooper’s 1991 album Hey Stoopid and ask the big question… what happened? We fell in love with him on Trash, and everyone expected huge things on the followup, so why didn't Hey Stoopid deliver? Is it the songwriting? The production? The changing sound of the early ‘90s? Or does the album actually hold up better than people give it...

In this video, Patrick and I (AND CHARLIE!) dive into your comments from the past couple of months—and yeah… some of you had a LOT to say 😳From great questions to some wild takes, I picked out a handful of comments that I had to respond to. Whether you agree, disagree, or just want to join the conversation, this one’s for you. And of course, Charlie is here too… and she definitely has opinions 🐶...

Hair metal gave us some of the coolest looks in rock history… but let’s be honest—some of them were just plain GOOFY?! 😂In this video, Patrick, Ryan, Jeremy and I take a look at some of the most outrageous, over-the-top, and downright questionable looks from the hair metal era. From Axl Rose rocking a kilt and chest protector to Sebastian Bach showing up in one of the wildest outfits you’ll ever...

Steve Brown of Trixter is taking on the music of Bon Jovi with his new tribute band Always Jovi… but the real question is—is he the perfect fit? In this video, Patrick and I break down why this project actually makes a lot of sense. From Steve’s voice and musical versatility to his personal history with Jon and Bon Jovi, this might be one of the most natural tribute band pairings we’ve seen in a l...

Brent Muscat, original guitarist of Faster Pussycat, sits down for an in-depth 3-hour conversation and holds nothing back. In this interview, Brent shares the real story behind Faster Pussycat—from the early days on the Sunset Strip to the band’s rise, the challenges along the way, and what really happened behind the scenes. He also opens up about his life outside the band, his musical journey, an...

A major tour controversy is unfolding—and Stevie Rachelle from Metal Sludge is at the center of it. Read Stevie's Metal Sludge article here:https://metalsludge.tv/australia-dear-danny-bazzi-of-silverback-touring-i-am-so-very-disappointed-in-you-as-are-several-others-and-here-is-why-stevie-rachelle/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ0CCVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeqZlgZHsaXYWe_dA8uM8...

Was Kix’s Hot Wire album just a little too late… or is it actually one of the most underrated releases of the early ’90s? In this video, we take a deep dive into Hot Wire (1991) from Kix—an album that arrived right as the music world was shifting. With grunge about to explode, did Kix miss their moment… or does this record still hold up 35 years later? We talk about:Our personal history with KixTh...

In his second interview on the channel, Firehouse guitarist Bill Leverty opens up about the band’s future following the passing of longtime frontman CJ Snare. Check out my earlier interview with Bill right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IizlFZu7agM&t=3sKeep up with Firehouse and purchase "Midnight Gasoline" here! https://www.firehousemusic.com/The Bill Leverty website: https:/...

When should a band change its name… and when is it a huge mistake? From the Vince Neil / John Corabi era of Mötley Crüe to other lineup shakeups across rock and hair metal, Ryan and I break down when changing the band name makes sense—and when it can seriously hurt a band’s career. Sometimes the sound changes. Sometimes the lineup changes. But does that mean the name should too? In this video, we’...

In this video, Patrick, Ryan, Stone & I dive headfirst into a full-blown hair metal singer debate—and yeah… it gets heated... mainly because Stone's an idiot. Just kiddin', Stone! The four of us tackle 20 questions about some of the biggest voices of the ’80s and early ’90s. We’re talking:Who was the best? Who was the worst? Who could actually deliver live? And who defined the entire e...

In his first interview in 5 years, original RATT drummer Bobby Blotzer opens up about the band’s past, the legal battles, and whether there’s still a chance for one final run. We dive into everything--from the glory years of the '80s to the lawsuits and lineup turmoil to the sad ending of Robbin Crosby to the possibility of RATT reuniting to say goodbye to the fans the right way. Is a final ch...

Scott Coogan is getting a lot of attention after a recent Facebook post about not wanting to use Ace Frehley’s name or reputation for personal gain. The post was heartfelt and quickly earned him a wave of goodwill from fans--Stevie Rachelle and Metal Sludge carried a story about it. Here it is:https://metalsludge.tv/we-have-a-bingo-scot-coogan-issues-statement-on-ace-frehley-i-personally-feel-it-i...

1989 was a huge year for hair metal. In this video we tackle 15 questions about the bands, albums, songs, and moments that defined the year — and we debate our answers. From chart dominance to the best albums and biggest ballads, we break down what really ruled the hair metal world in 1989.Feel free to donate (or NOT!) to my PayPal: anthony.a.bryant@hotmail.com Follow me on X! https://x.com/HairMe...

Why didn’t this go platinum? In this video, Ryan, Patrick, Stone and I take a deep dive into L.A. Guns’ 1989 album Cocked & Loaded—a record packed with hooks, attitude, and a massive hit with The Ballad of Jayne. So what happened? We talk about our history with the album, how it holds up today, and break down the real reasons it never reached platinum status during the peak of the hair metal e...

Motley Crue’s Shout At The Devil album from 1983 isn’t just a great album—it might be the defining record of the entire hair metal era. But which song is the best? In this video, Ryan and I rank every track on Shout At The Devil from worst to first, breaking down what works, what doesn’t, and we're gonna let you know what sucks and what doesn't. Do you agree with our #1 picks? Make sure yo...

Hair metal ballads… I love 'em... and so should you! But not all of them deserve the hype. In this video, we dive into 20 hair metal ballad hot takes, covering everything from the best songs of a certain year to which bands shouldn't do ballads in the first place. We’re talking Poison, Warrant, Cinderella, Motley Crue and more—and trust me, not every opinion will go down easy. Some of thes...

Ryan and I ranked every song on Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet from worst to first! From “Livin’ on a Prayer” to the deep cuts, here’s our full breakdown of this 12 million-selling album. Do you agree with our #1 pick? Please Like, Subscribe, & HYPE!! Thank you!!Feel free to donate (or NOT!) to my PayPal: anthony.a.bryant@hotmail.com Follow me on X! https://x.com/HairMetalGuruThe Hair Metal Guru...

Roxy Blue looked like a sure thing in 1992. Jani Lane from Warrant discovered them. With their debut album Want Some? featuring tons of potential hit singles and major label backing from Geffen, they had everything lined up to break big. But then everything changed. In this in-depth interview, Todd Poole opens up about what really happened to Roxy Blue at the exact moment grunge took over—and why...