Rock ‘n’ Roll Rebels & the Sunset Strip Volume 1 – Discs One & Two Review

DISC ONE:

Rattlesnake Shake – Shootin’ Daggers
Rattlesnake Shake – Get Around (Everybody Needs Somebody)
Alice Be Tokelas – In the Morning
Alice Be Tokelas – This Is Now
The Wild – Get Down 2 Night
The Wild – Some Girls
LongGone – Higher
LongGone – Sticky Situation
Hans Naughty – Fallen Nature
Hans Naughty – Be In You
Imagine World Peace – Something I Miss
Imagine World Peace – Sometimes
Bad Blood – Slip
Bad Blood – Sweet Addiction
Cyclone Sound – City Monsters
Cyclone Sound – All Systems
Hap Hazzard – Sorry
Hap Hazzard – Under Fire

DISC TWO:

Charlotte – Little Devils
Charlotte – Krackerman
Lypswitch – Sexx On The Sun
Lypswitch – She’s So Psychedelic
Bad Bones – My Love Is For Real
Bad Bones – Give Good Love
Enticier – Daddy’s Little Girl
Enticier – One Way Ticket
Scratch – Merry Go Round
Scratch – Smack Dab
Hardly Dangerous – Sweeter Than Honey
Hardly Dangerous – Game Of Love
Sam Mann and Thee Apes – Feel My Body
Sam Mann and Thee Apes – Nasty Woman
Mad Reign – Rise
Mad Reign – The First One’s Free
The Mimes – Crack Alley
The Mimes – Kick, Kick (Scratch And Fight)

Glam metal is one of those styles that, depending on the band, I either enjoy it or I hate it. Some glam bands are so simplistic with their playing and songs that it just comes off as below amateur and frankly pretty shitty. I know that much of the appeal of glam is the attitude and the look, but if you have no songs to back it up, it’s just some stupid gimmick without substance. Poison, in my estimation, are a horrible band overall, but that first album encompassed the best and worst of glam metal. They had the look and some good songs, but I wasn’t a fan of the musicianship. Seems somewhat confusing, but I never thought they measured up to the strength of the songs- the songs were enjoyable despite not having good players. Sunset Strip back in the day was chock full of bands vying for their moment in the spotlight playing this distinct brand of make-up wearing, teased haired music. Again, some were great, some not so much.

Rock ‘N’ Roll Rebels & the Sunset Strip is a collection of rare gems from obscure 80’s/90’s era glam bands, that unless you were a part of the scene back then likely have never heard of, and in fact some of these tracks were never intended for an actual release. This two disc set chronicles such bands with names like Rattlesnake Shake, Hans Naughty, Enticier, Lypswitch, and Hap Hazzard. Much like this genre, this collection runs the gamut of some really impressive classics to a few clunkers. The bands I felt offered the most for me were Bad Bones, Scratch, Cyclone Sound, and LongGone. I found each of those bands to exemplify the best of what the Strip had to offer of the lesser known and/or forgotten bands of that era. Whether it was catchy songs, strong performances, or just something about the attitude in their delivery, those were the ones that stuck with me more.

Eonian Records has done a bang up job compiling this entertaining collection, giving the listener a great stroll (or would that be D’stroll) down glam metal lane via the Sunset Strip. If you are a fan of this era and style, this is probably going to be right up your alley. Even the songs I didn’t love entirely I was still able to enjoy. If you like your music dirty, nasty, and looking more like your sister, Rock ‘N’ Roll Rebels & the Sunset Strip is just what the doctor ordered.

Written by Chris Martin

Ratings    Chris    7/10