Glam metal

[El Rev sXe]

So I wanted to do this thread a long time ago, and now I have the time. So basically I don't like glam metal. Motley Crue, Poison, Twisted Sister, Quiet Riot and others, well I think they are a bunch of borring people. However many people say that they are bigger than life blablabla, they have a huge influence on music blablablala, they "revolutionised music" yatta yatta yatta.

IMO glam metal was one of the worst demostrations of music, I'm not going to lie, I like "every rose has it's thorn" but I mean talking about them as an influence on music? A bit overrated IMO. I mean it's a genre that has been only in the 80's. You don't see bands today that they call themselves "glam metal". Anyway, glam metal in general is always a controversial topic amongst the metal community. So I ask you metal heads:

What is your opinion on glam metal?

Do you think they deserve credit as a big influence on today's bands?

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

It's a cheese thing amigo, kinda like liking 80's new wave or rom-coms (possibly why it's so popular with girls of a certain age). Nothing serious about the lyrics, not really something to either get up in arms or alternatively extremely irritated about. Personally I'm quite fond of a bit of Poison, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard etcetra. Feel good music - but not for people searching for meaning or great orchestral musicality. But then again, original rock n' roll was accused of the same thing.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

THANK YOU for this thread. I LOVE Glam Metal.

I enjoy glam metal for several reasons. Yes it's cheezy. But the glam metal age featured some of the most amazing vocalists (Miljenko Matijevic from Steelheart), guitarists (George Lynch from Dokken and Lynch Mob), bassists (Nikki Sixx from Motley Crue) and many others. Many mainstream rock bands such as Aerosmith, Van Halen, and Bon Jovi are often associated with the glem metal scene as well, whether it was for just an album or a stretch of time.

Rev sXe, as much as I like you, I think you're WAY underselling the influence of glam rock. Some of Glam Metal's top acts are some of rock music's most influential acts read like a who's who of rock music in the last 20 years. Take a moment to think of music without: Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Kiss, Whitesnake, Twisted Sister, Guns N Roses, and Tesla. I'm not trying to sell you glam rock as The Beatles, but there's a mark those bands have made.

Glam Metal is responsible for the advent of the Power Ballad, which is now a staple in rock music. Perhaps they didn't invent it, but they dame sure popularized it. Forget lighters in the air without glam metal.

Glam metal also truly launched music into the video era, and MTV can thank glam rock for their contribution to their success. Motley Crue's "Home Sweet Home" is often credited as the first power ballad video aired on TV, and changed the landscape of rock music.

This genre of music harkens back to a happier time. It wasn't overly complex, it wasn't rocket science. It was feel good music, it was loud, it had memorable guitar riffs and dudes dressed in drag. It was the return of the excessive lifestyle that rock should be known for. Everything rock should be, glam metal was.

 

[El Rev sXe]

THANK YOU for this thread. I LOVE Glam Metal.

I enjoy glam metal for several reasons. Yes it's cheezy. But the glam metal age featured some of the most amazing vocalists (Miljenko Matijevic from Steelheart), guitarists (George Lynch from Dokken and Lynch Mob), bassists (Nikki Sixx from Motley Crue) and many others. Many mainstream rock bands such as Aerosmith, Van Halen, and Bon Jovi are often associated with the glem metal scene as well, whether it was for just an album or a stretch of time.

Rev sXe, as much as I like you, I think you're WAY underselling the influence of glam rock. Some of Glam Metal's top acts are some of rock music's most influential acts read like a who's who of rock music in the last 20 years. Take a moment to think of music without: Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Kiss, Whitesnake, Twisted Sister, Guns N Roses, and Tesla. I'm not trying to sell you glam rock as The Beatles, but there's a mark those bands have made.

Glam Metal is responsible for the advent of the Power Ballad, which is now a staple in rock music. Perhaps they didn't invent it, but they dame sure popularized it. Forget lighters in the air without glam metal.

Glam metal also truly launched music into the video era, and MTV can thank glam rock for their contribution to their success. Motley Crue's "Home Sweet Home" is often credited as the first power ballad video aired on TV, and changed the landscape of rock music.

This genre of music harkens back to a happier time. It wasn't overly complex, it wasn't rocket science. It was feel good music, it was loud, it had memorable guitar riffs and dudes dressed in drag. It was the return of the excessive lifestyle that rock should be known for. Everything rock should be, glam metal was.

Well IC you have some valid points here IC: glam metal brought some amazing instrumentalists as well frontmen and therefore spectacles. Power ballad? Hell yeah. Music videos? Dman right. I even dare to say that the whole glam movement helped to other variations of metal to be mainstream. From the mainstream point of view, glam metal was indeed a big push for rock and metal.

However, there are times that people start to say Poison this, Motley Crue that etc... I mean I can hear a song like "talk dirty to me" but is "cool" and all that you want but it never got direction. At least I don't know any epic glam metal song. I mean there isn't out there any song that was like "stairway to heaven" or "estranged" or many other songs that saw a grow in music. Maybe that's my problem with glam, it was only "straight" rock you know? That isn't a bad thing, but IMO you need to grow as an artist and always search for something different and better. With glam it was alwas¡ys the same thing. What do you think?

 

[IrishCanadian25]

Hmmm, so an 'epic' glam metal song, eh? This list is the best I can come up with off the top of my head:

"Pour Some Sugar On Me" by Def Leppard

"Paradise City" by Guns N Roses

"Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi

"We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister (this was THE rebellion song of the 80's glam metal and was a direct response to Tipper Gore and the "Parental Advisory" movement)

"Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake

..and as awful as it is...

"The Final Countdown" by Europe. Ugh. Love it.

 

[JGlass]

Oy, I sort of hate to admit it, but there is a place in my heart for glam metal. Being born in 89, I sorta missed the time period where glam metal was big, but some of it still managed to make it's way onto my iPod.

Before I continue, I'd like to issue a preemptive apology to all my New Jersey brethren: I can't stand Bon Jovi. I just do not like that guy's music. Nothing against him as a person, and I've even see him do some pretty good cameo spots as an actor, but I just can't listen to his songs. I still like Bruce though.

But there is a ton of good glam rock out there that helped shape rock as we know it today. Where would we be with Appetite of Destruction, one of the greatest rock albums ever made? Guns n Roses had so many epic songs off that album that they have managed to become a big part of rock and roll history despite the fact that they weren't together all that long.

Aerosmith is also, in my opinion, a glam metal band. They definitely had that heavily made-up look, as well as loud sound heavy on guitar that accompanies glam metal, and they are just as big a part of rock history as anyone. Whether it's a song you pound your fist to, like Dude Looks Like a Lady, or a song you wave your lighter to, like Cryin', Aerosmith is a pretty complete packages.

With glam metal you sorta take the good with the bad. You have your good Poison songs/you have your shit Poison songs. You have Aerosmith and Guns n Roses/you have Whitesnake and Twisted Sister. That said, even some of those lesser known, lesser talented bands have released some pretty good stuff.

So glam metal is okay with me. I can't listen to it in large quantities, but slipping one or two songs into a playlist never hurts.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

What about their contribution to keep fit - Survivor and basically the whole Rocky soundtracks are glamtistic, and who can forget Kenny Loggins and the Footloose/ Top Gun soundtracks - a good forthright beat is great to get the blood pumping. On the power ballads by glam bands - is it just me or are these typically country love songs without the stigma?

 

[El Rev sXe]

Hmmm, so an 'epic' glam metal song, eh? This list is the best I can come up with off the top of my head:

"Pour Some Sugar On Me" by Def Leppard

"Paradise City" by Guns N Roses

"Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi

"We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister (this was THE rebellion song of the 80's glam metal and was a direct response to Tipper Gore and the "Parental Advisory" movement)

"Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake

..and as awful as it is...

"The Final Countdown" by Europe. Ugh. Love it.

OK first of all GnR are way beyond glam metal. Like I said "estranged" or "november rain" are BEYOND any glam metal band/song. You see GnR are the perfect example of how a band must grow musically.

I know all of this is subjective but seriously IC "livin' on a prayer" is epic? Oh come on! Come on man, "pain it black" is epic, "stairway to heaven" is epic, "child in time" is epic, "war pigs" is epic, "noevember rain" is epic. Idk about you, but for me the songs you said are catchy. If you want, they are the 80's "anthems" but epic? Idk man, IMO an epic song is a complex song not a catchy/cheezy song.

 

[Davi323]

Personally, I enjoy "glam" metal, or hairbands. I like them precisely because they don't sing about serious shit much. Music is entertainment, its meant to be fun. I do wonder how many people actually look past the cheesy lyrics and are capable of hearing some fairly complex musical structure? Some of those bands (not all) came up with some interesting musical scores, and don't get any credit for their actual playing ability. Some of them can actually play their instruments and sing...unlike the screaming into the mic bullshit they call rock these days.

Don't get me wrong, glam metal has its share of crap too...but it doesn't get nearly the credit it deserves either.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

OK first of all GnR are way beyond glam metal. Like I said "estranged" or "november rain" are BEYOND any glam metal band/song. You see GnR are the perfect example of how a band must grow musically.

I'm sorry but I'm going to have to respectfully disagree - if GnR are not glam, then what are they? November Rain (while a great tune) has the exact same sentiments as I Won't Forget You Baby by Poison only with Bat Out of Hell length and guitar solos.

 

[El Rev sXe]

I'm sorry but I'm going to have to respectfully disagree - if GnR are not glam, then what are they? November Rain (while a great tune) has the exact same sentiments as I Won't Forget You Baby by Poison only with Bat Out of Hell length and guitar solos.

Well my FitFinlay, that one is a hard one to answer. Well indeed GnR at first was a glam band. They got the hair, the lyrics, the look, but the not the music, at least not for me. It was always a little more complex, but like I said, it's very debatable. However, "Use you illusion" showed a mature GnR that was differentiated from their classic sound and even more from the whole glam movement. I'm a musician and at least for me, "november rain" or "estranged" aren't songs that begins from a riff or an acoustic guitar. Is way more complex to write those kind of songs. Everything here is very subjective, but at least for me, when you compare "girls, girls, girls" with "don't cry" you don't say that they are both glam. They have different sounds, they are different genres.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

Well my FitFinlay, that one is a hard one to answer. Well indeed GnR at first was a glam band. They got the hair, the lyrics, the look, but the not the music, at least not for me. It was always a little more complex, but like I said, it's very debatable. However, "Use you illusion" showed a mature GnR that was differentiated from their classic sound and even more from the whole glam movement. I'm a musician and at least for me, "november rain" or "estranged" aren't songs that begins from a riff or an acoustic guitar. Is way more complex to write those kind of songs. Everything here is very subjective, but at least for me, when you compare "girls, girls, girls" with "don't cry" you don't say that they are both glam. They have different sounds, they are different genres.

Ok, using this logic,ADD Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, and Queen to my list of glam rock bands. I win the thread.

Seriously, Finlay is right. GnR are ABSOLUTELY Glam Rock. Just because the fact that they are proves you wrong doesn't mean you can just take them out of the equation. Motley Crue with Nikki Sixx = Glam, GnR with Slash = Glam.

Are also, to be fair, are you really asking me to compare "Paradise City," or ANY song, for that matter, to Paint It Black and Stairway to Heaven? Did you get into Keith Richards' stash, man? I wouldn't compare ANY glam rock song to classic like that in a million years, mainly because my argument is not that glam rock is the greatest music of all time, rather just that it's a great genre.

The glam rock anthems I listed gave that generation their voice the way the Stones and Beatles did the kids of the 60's. "We're Not Gonna Take It" was glam metal's anthem the same way "Smells Like Teen Spirit" became grunge's anthem.

 

[El Rev sXe]

Ok, using this logic,ADD Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, and Queen to my list of glam rock bands. I win the thread.

Seriously, Finlay is right. GnR are ABSOLUTELY Glam Rock. Just because the fact that they are proves you wrong doesn't mean you can just take them out of the equation. Motley Crue with Nikki Sixx = Glam, GnR with Slash = Glam.

Like I said IC, GnR were at first glam, you just said it "Nikki Sixx = Glam, GnR with Slash = Glam." However, GnR changed, you didn't hear so many blues elements on Poison for example. Even today, Bon Jovi aren't anymore glam, they do this kind of pop rock thing. What Im saying is that maybe glam is just like grunge, it belonged to a specific period of time. Grunge= 90's, glam= 80's. It's a good genre but it didn't went anywhere. It didn't change it was always the same formula (just like grunge).

Are also, to be fair, are you really asking me to compare "Paradise City," or ANY song, for that matter, to Paint It Black and Stairway to Heaven? Did you get into Keith Richards' stash, man? I wouldn't compare ANY glam rock song to classic like that in a million years, mainly because my argument is not that glam rock is the greatest music of all time, rather just that it's a great genre.

I'm not asking you anything at all man, I think in the tournament we shared alot of points of view. I do understand the last part, my problem was when you said they had epic songs. Wich leads me to:

The glam rock anthems I listed gave that generation their voice the way the Stones and Beatles did the kids of the 60's. "We're Not Gonna Take It" was glam metal's anthem the same way "Smells Like Teen Spirit" became grunge's anthem.

Like I said before IC, the list you gave aren't epic songs, they are 80's anthems. Just like "smells like teen spirit" or unfortunely today's "american idiot". Those songs are anthems but they aren't exactly the demostration of being a virtuoso musician.

 

[Uncle Phatso]

I hate glam and hair metal. To be honest I'm not sure why half of the bands were declared anything close to metal. Bands like Van and Gnr had amazing guitar players and drummer. Motley had an awsome drummer and an allright guitar player. For sure most of the bands had great players in them, but usualy for me totaly the lyrics and most of the singers were shit.

Ic on the other hand posted up some of the greats in his other posts. But to call 3/4 of the bands anything close to metal is just foolish. Would you mention whitesnake and Black sabbith in the same breath? I for sure wouldn't, and the funny fact for me is half of the bands claim to be influenced by all of the founding fathers. While that is cool I really don't care.

To me 9/10 songs in the glam metal era were just about the same. It was all about sex, Sex to me is an ok topic for a few songs. But when you have 200 bands on the radio and every other song pops up has basic sex lyrics or under flowing layerd in sexual meanings it gets annoying.

The drag didn't bother me, really alot of metal heads take their clothing choice from what a gay man started anyways. So its just not that out of the normal.

But the one thing that marred me from the start as a kid was hearing about all the drug use. I'll be the first to admit that I've smoked, but I've never used anything else. For me this peroid was marked with one of the first wide spread uses of drugs. I know in the 60's and 70's you had coke and lsd and acid. But really the drug stories wern't that popular outside of the hippie era. But in the 80's you had just about every band not focusing on the MUSIC, and focusing on the drugs and the drinking.

What i'm saying here Is sure go ahead take a load off go party and get laid. But it shouldn't be an every day thing to the point that stars were being reported dead every day and literaly sinking so far into addiction that their music suffered from it.

I'm also not saying that musicians today aren't guilty of it today, but in the glam metal era lets be honest that was the motto. Lets play a show and go on a 3 day party.

That really is the reason why I hate glam and hair metal. I don't doubt their musical tallents.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Some of Glam Metal's top acts are some of rock music's most influential acts read like a who's who of rock music in the last 20 years. Take a moment to think of music without: Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Kiss, Whitesnake, Twisted Sister, Guns N Roses, and Tesla.

Exactly right IC, Glam Metal brought us some of the most influential bands of the last couple of decades. Guns N Roses would never have been born without the LA Sunset Strip Glam Scene. Axl, Slash and the others were perfect for this scene, and without it may never have broken through in the way they did.

Look at Bon Jovi and Kiss, still selling out stadiums and arena's all over the world, their enduring popularity is a testement to the way people still feel about Glam Metal. The vocals in this type of music are usually pretty awesome, noone will convince me thats bands such as Guns N Roses, Bon Jovi, Kiss and Skid Row did not have incredibly charismatic frontmen with great voices, and they brought personality and excitement to the stage in a way that most rock bands now can only dream of. Guys like Sebastian Bach, Jon Bon Jovi and Axl Rose are far more talented that most boring singers today.

This genre of music harkens back to a happier time. It wasn't overly complex, it wasn't rocket science. It was feel good music, it was loud, it had memorable guitar riffs and dudes dressed in drag. It was the return of the excessive lifestyle that rock should be known for. Everything rock should be, glam metal was.

Yeah, Glam Metal isnt particularly "smart" music, you don't need to think or read into the deep meaning lyrics. Its fun, its harmless and all about having a good time. This will always remain popular with fans because it is what life is about. Meeting girls, partying and enjoying yourself. The resurgence of this genre, albeit sometimes as parody, with bands such as Steel Panther shows Glam Metal with never compettely die.

I like Glam Metal, its not my favourite genre, but I do love the big riffs that appear in Glam style songs (as IC said), I am a sucker for a good riff. Some of my favourite songs, such as "Paradise City", "Girls Girls Girls", and "Love Gun" came from Glam Metal bands.

It may be really cheesy and uncool but who cares? I definitely think Glam Metal should be thought of fondly in musical history, it produced many great bands, some of whom are still making top quality music today and without it the musical landscape would be very different, and I dont think in a good way. It is outdated now, its very "80s" just like grunge or Britpop is "90s" but that doesnt reflect on it in a negative way. The Beatles are very "60s" but people still love them. Glam Metal was important for music, and although it isnt as popular now and bands such as Guns N Roses and Bon Jovi had to adapt their styles over time to remain relevant, the genre will still be popular for a long time to come.

 

[mrbrownstone]

I love glam metal personally, in fact it is right up there with Thrash as my favourite genre (weird pairing right). Many of my favourite bands are glam, Van Halen, Guns N Roses yes they were in fact glam at least Appetite and Lies were they had the hair, the look, the drugs, the sound, whether or not they were on Illusion though is debatable, Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Kiss.

It did many good things for rock music, mainly it brought rock and metal back to some sort of prominence during a time where music was dominated by horrible pop songs, any genre that does that I applaud. It also brought in music videos and introduced Power Ballads.

Sure it may not be the most thought provoking music but it doesn't need to be, I don't always want to think about what I have just listened to and try to decipher some political music. Sometimes I want a good riff and a catchy chorus and that is exactly what you get with songs like Paradise City, Were Not Gonna Take It, Girls Girls Girls, Aint Talking Bout Love etc.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

To me 9/10 songs in the glam metal era were just about the same. It was all about sex, Sex to me is an ok topic for a few songs. But when you have 200 bands on the radio and every other song pops up has basic sex lyrics or under flowing layerd in sexual meanings it gets annoying.

A great number of songs in the glam era were sexually charged, and were also about love. "Girls, Girls, Girls, for example." But I think a lot of people fail to go any deeper than that because it's easier to look at the simple, fun surface of the genre. Here are some examples.

Kix (a lesser know but still very talented band) wrote and performed a song / power ballad called "Don't Close Your Eyes." It was actually their biggest hit, and was a well-written and lyricized indictment of suicide.

Skid Row has a massive hit called "18 and Life" which is about the careless lifestyle of a violent, drunk youth who takes an issue too far one night and ends up in prison for the remainder of his existance for murdering someone. 90's band "The Mighty Mighty Bosstones" took a cue from Skid Row in their song "Numbered Days." I'm sorry, but the story of an 18 year old kid with issues like that being imprisoned is far deeper than sex.

I've mentioned it before, but Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It" is a response to censorship, which Dee Snyder also marched on Capitol Hill to battle. It was in the midst of the "Parental Advisory" program, and a major footnote in rock music history.

Glam Rock band "Stryper" was one of the original 'God Rock / Metal bands,' and their hit "To Hell With The Devil" showed the world that glam metal and hard rock didn't have to be sinful.

Enuff Z'nuff's "Fly High Michelle" is a ballad about a girl with a drug problem who through her youth away and sadly OD'd. Slaughter's "Fly to the Angels" was also a ballad of a lost love, though it's unclear if it was to drugs or something else.

I will certainly concede that most glam rock songs are based on topics such as love and sex. But I want to make sure it's not labeled as not being able to go beyond that.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

Skid Row has a massive hit called "18 and Life" which is about the careless lifestyle of a violent, drunk youth who takes an issue too far one night and ends up in prison for the remainder of his existance for murdering someone.

What an awesome song man, love it! And yes, very deep!

I will certainly concede that most glam rock songs are based on topics such as love and sex. But I want to make sure it's not labeled as not being able to go beyond that.

Well said. The fact that most Glam songs are about sex is only the same as most rap songs being about guns, money and ho's. Or Irish songs being about drinking, or lots of metal songs focusing on death. Or R'n'B songs being about sex or love. Most genres seem to focus on a small number of core subjects.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

Well said. The fact that most Glam songs are about sex is only the same as most rap songs being about guns, money and ho's. Or Irish songs being about drinking, or lots of metal songs focusing on death. Or R'n'B songs being about sex or love. Most genres seem to focus on a small number of core subjects.

Oi! How dare you... ah who am I kidding! So... does anyone know any Irish Glam Rock bands - that should cover off two of my favourite pasttimes

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[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

I enjoy a few Glam Metal bands. Crue, Twisted Sister etc. but then on the flipside I absolutely hate GnR, always have and probably always will, and to be 100% honest, I want Bon Jovi dead!

Glam sadly didn't seem to last once the 90's came along. Grunge came along thanks to bands like Pearl Jam, AIC, Soundgarden and Nirvana, and that was followed by Nu-Metal with Korn, Faith No More etc leading the helm, and all the while TRUE metal just kept getting bigger and stronger and of course, has outlasted all three of those sub-genres i just mentioned beforehand (if only emo and hardcore would die like Glam, Grunge and Nu-Metal all did).

There's a special place in my heart for some Glam bands but the majority of them just didn't ever do anything for me, or there was something in particular about that band that made me detest them. For GnR, it was Axl 'Could i be more of a twat if i tried?' Rose.

So... does anyone know any Irish Glam Rock bands

No, but if you've never heard of Flogging Molly, i'd recommend them.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

I enjoy a few Glam Metal bands. Crue, Twisted Sister etc. but then on the flipside I absolutely hate GnR, always have and probably always will, and to be 100% honest, I want Bon Jovi dead!

I spoke with Bon Jovi this morning, actually. He's not too fond of you either.

Glam sadly didn't seem to last once the 90's came along. Grunge came along thanks to bands like Pearl Jam, AIC, Soundgarden and Nirvana, and that was followed by Nu-Metal with Korn, Faith No More etc leading the helm, and all the while TRUE metal just kept getting bigger and stronger and of course, has outlasted all three of those sub-genres i just mentioned beforehand (if only emo and hardcore would die like Glam, Grunge and Nu-Metal all did).

In all fairness, there are more surviving and enduring glam metal bands still touring and recording now than grunge bands. Maybe glam cooled off, but it never went away. And you're seeing a glam resurrection now with bands like Buckcherry, Hinder, Nickleback, Burn Halo, etc. Just a more kicked up version.

There's a special place in my heart for some Glam bands but the majority of them just didn't ever do anything for me, or there was something in particular about that band that made me detest them. For GnR, it was Axl 'Could i be more of a twat if i tried?' Rose.

Every musical style has a few of these. Vince Neil and Axl Rose were glam's. Noel and Liam Gallagher. Ted Nugent. The list goes on and on...

No, but if you've never heard of Flogging Molly, i'd recommend them.

Flogging Molly is tremendous.

I'd also recommend Black 47, Off Kilter, and The Pogues.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

Not of my favorite genre, I hate the big hair, make-up and spray but some great axemen and some good songs came from this period, for sure. Sure a lotta songs sang of humpier times, but there were some insightful ones as well, as IC pointed out.

Also, I don't think Gn'R can ever be considered GLAM. You hear that riff from Paradise City (Just an urchin livin'...) and feel that they are more akin to metal than glam rock, if you get my drift.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

Not of my favorite genre, I hate the big hair, make-up and spray but some great axemen and some good songs came from this period, for sure. Sure a lotta songs sang of humpier times, but there were some insightful ones as well, as IC pointed out.

Also, I don't think Gn'R can ever be considered GLAM. You hear that riff from Paradise City (Just an urchin livin'...) and feel that they are more akin to metal than glam rock, if you get my drift.

One of my best buddies does roadie for Million Dollar Reload and is a talented musician in his own right. IHO GnR are most definitely not Metal. I think if we look at other genres (ex Country) there is a wide spectrum of what is acceptable (ex Jonny Cash and Shania Twain). GnR, Poison, Bon Jovi, Heart, Nickelback, Bowling For Soup, Fountains of Wayne etcetra - IMO, all Glam.

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

I dunno Fit, something about G n'R is definitely not glam. I mean they're sound is a lot raw'er', plus there was that menace in Axl's voice that can never be heard in any other big-haired singer's voice.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

I've seen GnR and Metallica over the space of one weekend - there really is no comparison. I've also seen Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Whitesnake, Nickelback, Bowling For Soup and I really believe they're more on that level. Also, Axl has always carried himself as a more 'Glam' character. I believe that if you walk up to mate and ask him/ her who does he/ she think of when you say Glam Rock, GnR will be mentioned.