Hair bands, the metal gods of the 1980s, teetered on the brink of extinction for a long time. However, the rabid fan bases never lost hope that their heroes would be able to go out the way they rocked — on their own terms.
With the upcoming reunion of Guns N’ Roses at 2016 Coachella, the ’80s metal scene is poised for a comeback that’s sure to satisfy the longing of their fans.
What drives fans to flock to see these bands now, when their prime has certainly passed? It’s not nostalgia alone. It’s an era in a country that has gone over-the-top with political correctness and, ultimately, it’s about saying a final goodbye to the decade of decadence that started it all.
Many remember the 1980s as one of the most fun-filled, if also tense, decades in history. Ronald Reagan led the nation, staring down the Soviet Union. Michael Jordan became a basketball sensation. Madonna challenged everything decent about pop music.
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With all of this going on, there was no group that partied harder or rocked louder than rock ‘n’ roll’s metal bands, and in a manner that was as hair-raising as their style. Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Poison, Van Halen, and Guns N’ Roses were just some of the bands that grabbed our attention with their loud music and brash antics. In many ways, they defined the era and, with a comfortable mixture of chaos and loudness, provided the perfect snapshot of America.
Their lifestyles off stage, meanwhile, provided the photo album that many fans, a majority of them young males, wished their lives could be. Being in the 18-to-34 demographic at that time meant living vicariously through these bands as they defined excess in sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll.
Titillating stories of bands hitting the stage, rocking out, and heading backstage to a party fully stocked with booze, drugs, and groupies became the stuff of legends. Fans gobbled it up. Guns N’ Roses first album, “Appetite for Destruction,” has sold 28 million copies globally.
All good things, however, come to an end.
As the ’80s rolled into the ’90s, and the Clinton era brought the advent of a politically correct culture, these bands fell in prominence and, in many cases, dissolved. The vocal majority of fans were forced to mature and accept that society was moving on and the studded leather jackets and cans of hairspray would need to find a place in the back of the closet.
Fast forward to 2016. The trickle of political correctness that came about in the 1990s has turned into a roar of “offended” culture. Every word uttered in public is dissected to determine who might be offended, and what could possibly be done to make things right by them. The smallest incident is turned into a national crisis worthy of endless hours of cable news coverage.
To put it mildly, as a country we’ve grown soft.
We’re all so sensitive to everyone else’s sensitivities that no one’s living on their own terms. Comedians are forced to apologize for speaking the truth, as Amy Schumer did when her jokes about the Kardashians hurt Khloe’s feelings. Musicians are coerced into making amends with their peers, as Taylor Swift did when Kanye sent her an extraordinary bouquet of flowers as a peace offering, years after stealing her mic at the MTV Video Music Awards. She not only forgave him, she declared her willingness to act as his running mate if he decides to run for president in 2020.
The kowtowing between celebrities today would never have happened in the ’80s, because artists — and hair bands especially — had no one to impress. The hair was a symbol of the carefree attitude people took back then.
Hair bands have been making a comeback since 2011, when Metallica, Anthrax, and Def Leppard started touring again, and fans have proven their loyalty with their wallets. Motley Crue played to a packed Staples Center to ring in the 2016 New Year in what was billed as their final performance. Fans showed up in droves to bid adieu to the band both in the stands and in-person. Websites saw tickets selling for over $450 ,while fans could also pony up $2,000 to have a meet-and-greet with the band before the show.
Guns N’ Roses, who haven’t performed together since 1993, is also commanding astronomical rates after front man Axl Rose and guitarist Slash recently decided to bury the hatchet on their beef. At a rumored $8 million booking fee, the touring run is expected to net $200 million. While that will translate to jaw-dropping ticket prices, there is no doubt fans will break out their wallets and pack the shows — leather, headbands, and all.
It is certainly ironic that the re-emergence of Guns N’ Roses and other bands is occurring with a Bush and a Clinton running for the White House. It’s déjà vu for many, and the bands have an odd kinship with the 2016 rebel of the day, Donald Trump. He’s brash, loud, not politically correct, unfathomably wealthy, and the hair — hair that says, I don’t care.
Fans are more than ready to take on that rebellious nature once more and take a swipe at the politically correct culture.
It is not about nostalgia. It’s about recapturing an era and shoving it in the face of all that is modern and proper. It’s about breaking free from the shackles of political correctness.
It is properly saying goodbye to the people who taught us that being rebellious and living a carefree lifestyle wasn’t just acceptable in the ’80s — it was the best way to live.
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