CanGLAMada (The Man Behind The Music)

 

With the recent decline in the music industry of hardly any new releases and not many new bands being signed and my trading coming to a standstill, i’ve decided to take my additional free time to write about my life and love of my music and my hobby of music trading and collecting.

It’s not a cheap hobby to say the least, countless hours of work burning the music, getting photo copies done, running to the post office, keeping stock on supplies. I’ve gone through numerous upgrades on one computer and having to buy another one, the printers and countless ink refills, a few burners I went through not to mention the money I had to initially invest buying all the music in the early stages to get my collection started. I can’t even put a price on the time I spent away from my family to devote to my hobby!

Even today any money I make by selling from my website goes directly back into getting new music, supplies or upgrades to my equipment.

I first started getting into music in the mid 70’s while working my very first job on an over night shift. Before that I wasn’t much into listening to the radio or buying music until I heard a song by The Sweet, it was Ballroom Blitz.

I was now listening to the radio more and asking my brother Joe and others what other good bands were out there and that they would recommend. With my first paycheque I bought the The Sweet-Desolation Boulevard,  Aerosmith-Rocks and The Scorpions-Fly To The Rainbow.Soon afterwards I was getting into Alice Cooper, Kiss, Queen, The Scorpions, and UFO as long as it had a melody, guitars and rocked hard. Soon came other cool bands like Starz, Angel, Rex, The Godz, Riot, and Legs Diamond. These bands were considered to be way ahead of it’s time, even though some of the bands released such classic Lp’s  as the Starz-S/T, Angel-On Earth As It Is In Heaven, Rex-S/T, The Godz-S/T, Riot-Rock City, Riot-Narita and another classic before it's time Montrose-S/T it was just being  at the wrong time. These releases are still as popular and still rock as hard today as when they were first released!  The music and the bands were awesome, life was good. As it would be, just as I started getting into the scene terror struck! Disco, the dreaded disease soon was spreading taking over the radio airwaves and record deals.

Bands were disappearing off the radio and losing their record contracts and only Kiss with their huge following were able to survive these troubled times.

I started listening to Punk Rock and more British bands that were around at the time as an alternate, I was now playing  and buying LP’s by The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Ramones, Slade, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Deep Purple, Foghat and Mott The Hoople.

Then came the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal or NWOBHM, bands toned down the blues influences of earlier acts, increased the tempo and adopted a “tougher” sound, taking a more hardcore approach to it’s music. It was a scene directed almost exclusively at Heavy Metal fans.

The early movement was associated with acts such as Iron Maiden, Saxon and Def Leppard among others. The image of bands such as Saxon (long hair, denim jackets, leather and chains) would later become synonymous with heavy metal as a whole during the 1980’s.

New Wave of British Heavy Metal suffered the same fate as many other musical movements. First, the majority of its leading lights were unable to follow up on their initial successes. Second, many bands moved further away from the era towards mainstream hard rock, with Def Leppard in particular targeting the American market with a more refined sound despite having major success. By the mid 1980s, young rock fans searching for their own identities found a new metal scene emanating from Los Angeles led by bands such as Mötley Crüe, Poison and later Guns N' Roses. Record companies also latched onto the Los Angeles artists over the more underground NWOBHM bands.

The L.A. scene was awesome so many bands were playing and getting signed and the releases and music contracts to cool bands were at a high. I personally had a hard time trying to find the cash to buy all the cool releases that were coming out. I was also starting to buy “Metal Edge” magazine to keep up with the news. Too bad I lived in Canada, I look back and wish I had the opportunity (couldn’t due to family commitments, and funds) to visit L.A. and check out the countless bands playing the local scene, other magazines at the time were Kerrang, Metal Forces and Rock City News.

My love for music especially Glam soon would take a big step in my life as I was reading a copy of Metal Edge (I wish I new which issue it was, if anyone has or can find the issue with my article in the pen pal section, year probably 1990-1991, i’ll pay a handsome price for it) I noticed in the music trading pen pal section fans asking for and trading some bands I never heard of like B.B.B., P.B.F. A.C.S. amongst the familiar groups like Motley Crue and Poison. I didn’t know what the letters stood for but new I should check them out so I picked out the pen pal article that had the most bands that I never heard of before and sent a letter to “Raychill Kill”, pretty sure that he just made the name up and hoped he’d answer back!

Sure enough I got a letter from him with tons of cool demos by the Big Bang Babies, Alleycat Scratch, Wikked Gypsy and Pretty Boy Floyd amongst others. I was sure glad he was willing to sell me the demos since being from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada where the music scene sucks (still today) and new to the scene I had nothing to offer in trade. From then forward was the beginning of my career in the trading world once I obtained enough demos, rare recordings from Raychill I began to expand my collection, soon I was trading with people from all over the world.

The L.A. Glam Sunset Strip scene was the most awesome time to experience the bands were everywhere you could party and take in bands all night long, the image was as cool as the music not to mention the chicks were just as hot as the bands. This was the best era of Glam by far, the hair,  the makeup, the melodies, the guitars blazing, the party Glam Rock sound electrifying the world. But just as the scene was taking off and more newer bands were getting released and others seeking record contracts the dreaded thing called grunge (I even hate printing it) soon struck the music world. It basically wiped out everything in it’s path, from the big names like Poison, Ratt, Motley Crue to the newcomers like Big Bang Babies, Wikked Gypsy and Tuff and all the great number of bands that were in L.A. or trying to secure a record deal or release all was destroyed. All the record companies were interested now was signing any band that wore a lumber jacket, army boots and had no singing or musical talent!!!

Instead of sticking together and fighting the new trend the groups broke up, joined the new scene (LOSERS!!!) or disappeared into obscurity.

Since there were no contracts or support from the music industry I thought at the time the best solution and idea for the bands to survive were to support each other by banding together and having them tour in groups of three to four bands and bring the newer bands on the tour to support.

But I guess the bands had too much of an ego to share the stage, only in the past couple of years I’ve finally seen some bands do festivals and summer tours banding together.

During this time I managed to stay sane by listening to more Hard Rock bands and following the trend in Japan, but still staying loyal to anything that was glammy. Glam will always be there in the underground world and has surfaces at numerous times since the L.A. scene. I remember when the Peppermint Creeps, Revl’on Red, and the Guttersluts to name a few tried to revive the L.A. scene.

I also remember a big scene in Italy of all places trying to get Glam going. Thanks also to Japan and the U.K. for also trying at various times. Which takes us to today and the scene is now big in Sweden thanks mainly to the likes of Crashdiet, Sister, Danger to name a few.

For Glam to survive even underground please support the music by listening to their demos and if liking them buy their cd, send a email to the band, buy merchandise, write a article, go to the gigs, visit the Glam sites and engage on the message boards that support Glam!!!

I wish I had the funds to audition for a new glam band then promote, manage and tour with them and eventually put out a cd, they would be called “Covered In Makeup” and do mostly cover tunes of all my fave bands (songs). I also would like to put together if i had the funds a touring band with full stage production including flash pods, lasers, light show, strippers and awesome stage design. I would have special guests from past and present bands whose music we would perform. The touring group would consist of  4 vocalists, 6 guitarists, 2 bass players, and 2 drummers. Playing all my favourite tunes from my ipod top 400 list, consisting of songs from 70's Glory Daze, 80's Hair Band Era, and 89-92 Glam,  L.A. Sunset Strip Day's!

Some of the highlights of my trading and love of the music included, being regarded as one of the best music traders in the world with over 15 years experience,  article in Metal Edge, articles in Leather Boyz zine, article in SLAM! Zine, first encounter with Traci Michaelz through Nicole (R.I.P., the greatest glam drummer, if anyone deserved the shot at the big leagues it was Traci), hearing the advance tape of Erotic Suicide over the phone from Shawn C. Lane, seeing Warrant/Danger Danger at a small theatre in my hometown before they made the big times, getting a call from Tuff’s Stevie Rachelle, thanks on the Angel-In The Beginning cd, being mentioned an various websites, having my collection rated as the best Glam collection in the world!

I would really appreciate and like to see a box set put out by Pretty Boy Floyd containing a demo disc, live disc and live dvd plus lots of pics. Also a autobiography on Steve Summers of Pretty Boy Floyd and a book about the L.A. Sunset Strip Glam scene featuring the rise and fall of the scene with bios and pics of all the bands (ie. P.B.F., B.B.B., A.C.S.)

Outstanding Thanks To;

My wife Patty (who put up with my hobby and even helped out with mailing, photo copying, supplies), my daughters Bekkii and Rachel (their patience while I did my trades), my son Ryan (all his computer help and designing and maintaining my website), and my brother Joe (helping with band info, demos and cd releases).

Thanks to; George West for all the work and patience on my cdr/dvd covers.

Special Thanks To;

All my traders past and present (it’s such an amazing experience to meet so many different people from all over the world) in no particular order, Raychill Kill, John Watson, Michael Lupardus, Marco Morrone, Moreno Lissoni, Manu Thommeret, Yoshi Igarashi, Daniel Staresina, Sebastian Kozak (for Glory Daze Pics/Articles) Andy West? (U.K.), Richie Andrews? (Australia), Dan Earley, Stacy McCain, Jay Steinhardt… and SORRY to all the ones I forgot to mention.

(Please contact me to be added or deleted from list and reason why). Also thanks to all my Facebook friends for keeping the Glory Daze, Glam Years, and 80's alive with all the great memories (posts).

Mega Thanks To;

The L.A. Sunset Strip Scene, The Roxy, The Troubadour, Gazzarri’s, The Country Club, Coconut Teaszer and the following bands in no particular order; Alleycat Scratch, Ambush, Ana Black, Angel, Babylon A.D., Britny Fox, Big Bang Babies, Champagne Suicide, Cherry St, City Kidds, Crashdiet, Creature, Cruella D'Ville, The Godz,

Dancer, Doll, Erotic Suicide, Foxy Roxx, Guttersluts, Hanky Panky, Heart Throb Mob, Impellitteri, Legs Up, Lethal Lipstick, Lickity Split, Liquor Sweet, Lollipop Bitches, London, Lovemaker, Loud N Nasty, Paris,  Penny Lane, Peppermint Creeps, Pretty Boy Floyd,  Queeny Blast Pop,

Rated X, Rex, Revl'on Red, Riot, Ruby Slippers,  Scritt Scrat, Shame, Shameless-(As Provoke), Shameless, Shanghai Lilly, Shok L'Amour, Shock Cinema, Spider Junkies, St.Valentine, Starr,  Starz, Strike Twice,

Suicide Alley, Sweet, Swingin' Thing, Tazzberry Blue, Tommi Gunn, Tryx, Tuff, Vain, Vaudville, Wicked Kin, Wikked Gypsy, Wildside, Y&T, Yngwie Malmsteen,

(Any Photos, Flyers, and Articles on the above bands would be greatly appreciated)

Thanks To;

The bands that are finally releasing their material (demos/rare recordings) on smaller labels/mail order (Demon Doll Records, FnA Records, Retrospect Records, Eonian Records) and not sitting on it waiting for the big record contract, it isn't going too happen, Rocklahoma (And all the bands playing and keeping the music alive!!!),  Classic Rock radio stations (for keeping the flame burning), Pirate Bay, Youtube (lots of cool bands, music and videos on there), Myspace (same),  Canada Post (For not losing my mail),The Internet (sure beats the old days of snail mail), The (old) Glitzine board, Maxell, UPS (for photo copies), Fuji, Dell, The numerous printers and burners I went through,  Santa Lucia Pizza, Southern Comfort, Captain Morgan’s Rum, RC Cola, Family Guy, The King Of Queens all the fanzines, websites and mail order stores worldwide, Ebay,

Metal Edge ( the glam late 80’s early 90’s era), Kerrang (same), Rock City News, Metal Forces.

No Thank To;

Marky Glam (I sent him over 50 tapes of rare demos, live recordings on tape to transfer to cdr for me) he said some were lost by his post office (he never tried to resolve it with the post) then he claimed he lost some moving (???) now he has disappeared and refuses to answer my emails about my remaining tapes!!! Some may think he’s a nice guy but he sure knows how to befriend you then steal your collection then claims it’s his and people think he has a huge collection but they don’t know he obtained most of it by ripping me off and others!!!

To all the bands who I know have lot’s of demos and unreleased material collecting dust while they look for the big record contract (it ain’t gonna happen), Reality TV (bring back sitcoms), BAD TRADERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! People who don’t know how to end trades or answer emails! EBAY RIPOFFS!!!!!!!!!!!!! The poor postal services worldwide who lose parcel’s. All the so called rock stars (I don’t have to mention their names) who sold out and are doing reality shows, the bands that release their cd’s at Walmart or other stores exclusively. The bands and music industry for charging ridiculous concert ticket prices $$$.

The record companies, artists and government who say you are ripping them off or it’s illegal to download or trade music (when in fact take kiss for example they release a Lp, cassette,  cd,  the same cd again remastered, then even again the same cd remastered with extra tracks) so you’ve paid out five times for the royalties and basically the same songs. Again if it’s illegal why can you buy burners, blank cdr’s, mp3 players, ipod’s!!!

Disco, Grunge, Alternative Rock, Thrash, Rap and all that other CRAP they call music now on the radio and in record stores!!!

The terms: “mullet”, “old school”, “hair bands”!!!

Note to all the bands that have demos sitting around collecting dust, release the material so all your fans can enjoy them!!!Also to the bands that have their material held by record companies (like Sony), write to them to get released!!! OPEN THE VAULTS!!!

I am presently downsizing my collection once again due to the recent state of the music industry and the trading scene dying out and my concentrating on my Demo Wants and Ultimate wants on my web page! Lots of great deals on my website as I go through my collection and add to my TRADE/SELL list!

 

Please contact me at jimns@shaw.ca

(For any additions/deletions/suggestions on this article)

 

Visit my website at http://www.jimsmusic.ca 

(To trade/buy or to just check out)