But what we started in glam the Scandinavians finished - and are still doing it better than anyone else.
Keep your 'glam lite' bands who only put their lipstick on for stage performances, I want true glam!
The band that everybody (yes, everybody!) tried to copy in the '80s, Finland's
Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks, as they were 'back in the day'. Below, live footage of 'I can't get it' from around 1984.
Singer Mike Monroe, spawning the 'is that a man or a woman?' look for many, many copy-cat glam bands for the rest of the '80s. And here's Mike a little later on...
Now a jump forward to the '90s, Sweden's Backyard Babies
At a time where everyone I knew was listening to some truly dire music, I thank the powers that be for bands like Backyard Babies who have kept the Scandinavian 'glam flag' flying high.
Video 'Look At You', fast, funny and very punky glam.
Yes, that is the drummer about to eat a hot dog...
From the early '90s up until right now, Backyard Babies are currently on a 'long hiatus', which brings me to why I have linked these two bands together for this blog post.
BYB have always been friends with other glammies, including Danko Jones, Ginger from The Wildhearts and of course Mike Monroe. All the above mentioned have guested on various Backyard Babies songs, my favourites being 'Friends' and 'Babylon' (Faster Pussycat cover mixed with Beastie Boys).
Now Mike Monroe has a new album out, 'Sensory Overload', with some killer artwork I might add...
And guess who's in his new band? Dregen from Backyard Babies, of course!
Here they are... (centre- Mike, centre right- Dregen)
And they are touring the United States in October RIGHT NOW so I strongly recommend you check out their tour dates right here and get yourself along to a show.
I know I'll be in the front row when they come back around to the UK.
For news and updates check out the official website MICHAEL MONROE.
Long live glam!
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