Something cool happened a couple weeks ago when I was shown into the Steel Panther dressing room for an interview (here). I was greeted warmly by the band, and while we readied/deactivated our devices and aligned our seating, my ear identified a classic BulletBoys deep cut (above) emitting from the vicinity of lead singer Michael Starr. I kinda automatically started to sing along — I know the jam like I know my ballz — and in a blink, a surprised Starr had engaged me in fan talk about BulletBoys, which led to assorted gab about their producer Ted Templeman (Van Halen), the iTunes unavailability of 66% of their major label releases, and their mercurial frontman Marq Torien. Fun!

And so, the interview got off to a bright start. Of course, by the end of our epic talk (read it), I’d dashed that baseline respect with dense observations, fumbled follow-ups, and a stoner’s slow listening comprehension. But the sadder thing is that Starr and I won’t be splitting an 8-ball at the just-announced and totally awesome and very unexpected BulletBoys reunion show on December 30 in West Hollywood. This is huge! For just about the first time since … well, at least since the internet, the BulletBoys won’t be Torien’s solo show, but the original band — most radly, hotrod guitarist Mick Sweda (King Kobra) and big ballz drummer Jimmy D’Anda. But Starr and Steel Panther play Vegas that night, so I’ll have to pour his half of our BulletBoys blow into Sweda’s vitamin water. See you there!

-ADF

Get yourself the three classic BulletBoys albums here and here and here. View Steel Panther dates here. 

Sweden’s glam metal renaissance is solely responsible for my throbbing, veiny ear-ection these days, but so far my fave jamz are from two sleek, uber-produced acts: Crazy Lixx and Crashdiet. Young me wouldn’t have looked twice at these synthy, post-Loverboy bad-boys-running-wild types, but goddammit it’s 2011 and I’ll take what I can get. Shit, the songs are there, so it’s cool. But secretly, what I’m eagerly awaiting is the raunchy counterparts to this scene’s Poison, Slaughter, Warrant, and Winger. (I think Goethenberg’s Hardcore Superstar splits the difference like Motley Crue.) Yes, I say let’s get some non-glossy, sleazy, bluesy, flashy, ribald, Swedish hair rock, cuz it’s impossible to overrate the best work of Badlands, Junkyard, Dangerous Toys, and BulletBoys. Oh wow stop the presses there go the fabulous BulletBoys right now! Big news!

BulletBoys’ self-titled debut album was a smash success during the heyday of heavy metal, going platinum and spawning the MTV and radio hits ”For The Love Of Money” and ”Smooth Up In Ya.” Now original members Marq Torien (vocals) and Lonnie Vencent (bass) have reunited to perform the LP from beginning to end for the first time in the group’s long and storied history.

Click to read more…

It’s Alive’s clip for “Pieces,” which debuted today on Noisecreep, is on the second worst clip I’ve watched today . This is only by virtue of the fact that all penises survive the video intact, and that’s only by virtue of the fact that no one in the video actually has a penis. They did, however, have a wind machine, in order to ensure that vocalist Zach Webb gets maximum flowing locksitude. So they’ve got that going for them.

Also, is it just me, or could Webb play Marq Torien in a Bullet Boys biopic?

-AR