New Virgins on the Old Scene

Posted on 15. Feb, 2010 by Melanie in Entertainment

“It’s all the same, only the names will change, everyday it seems we’re wasting away…”  -Bon Jovi  “Wanted Dead or Alive.”

Monday nights at midnight on the Sunset Strip… Steel Panther:  http://www.myspace.com/steelpantherkicksass Decadence of a decade?  I started watching this band when they were called Metal Shop at the Viper Room.  The small club was bursting at the seams trying to contain the rapidly growing fans so the band moved to The Roxy under the new name of Metal Skool.  Many crazy fun nights of debauchery live on in my memory from 2004.  My boyfriend at the time, who lived in Huntington Beach, and I wouldn’t miss a single week, just like all the other familiar faces.  He had a killer chopper and we’d ride to Sunset Blvd. from my place in Santa Monica.  Or there were many nights where he’d rent a party bus http://www.partylounge.net with all his friends coming up from Huntington Beach and the excitement was too much to handle!  Music on board could be Metal Skool’s album “Hole Patrol” with everyone singing along.  It was so much fun to dress like a rocker slut while having a bodyguard.  My boyfriend was such a fan it was as if he wanted to be a groupie for the band!  He got his pilot license and would even fly to Vegas to see them.  There’s no way I would get in a plane with him the way he was partying with his friends.  Flying high!  Wild and raucous nights ensued, bringing the onslaught of the relationship’s demise, ending in a physical altercation, his arrest and a restraining order.  That’s Hollywood!  Once again, the growth moved Metal Skool to the Key Club. They hold the undisputed record of “selling out” every Monday night at midnight.  The experience was a quasi-cult following lovingly nicknamed “church.”  The congregation was like a newfangled religion with fanatical, dedicated worshipers.  Celebrities would come to see them!  An extensive list of big names got on stage with them.  One could expect “nothing but a good time” –Poison, when attending the congregation.  I guess you could say I’ve had my fill and haven’t been on the scene in a while.   I ventured out this past Monday night because their new venue is at the House of Blues, which I love.  I haven’t seen the band since their name change and wanted to check in.  Watching the crowd for the 3 songs that I stayed to watch, they were older and loving it, singing along and laughing, but in a tourist kind of way.  Not the same faces of the die-hard fan base I knew a few years ago although I didn’t stay long enough to find out.  When the curtain fell, Steel Panther opened with vivacious energy playing “Mr. Brownstone” –GNR .  The wardrobe has improved and the guys looked genuinely excited and I can’t blame them.  Their success has grown incredibly.  They have weekly gigs in Vegas and are now even playing in Europe?!  Word on the street is that these guys are making bank!  The next song was “Cherry Pie” –Warrant (yawn) and then (gasp) an “original” song called “Fuck All Night, Party All Day” to the tune of “Living on a Prayer” –Bon Jovi , while using the title structure of “Up All Night, Sleep All Day.” –Slaughter.  When the song was over they started the routine search for chics to come on stage to flash their tits and make out.  Just “new virgin(s) on the old scene” –Aerosmith “Ragdoll.”

I asked my friend Tim, founder of http://www.chopperheadmagazine.com if he would mind missing out on that high school teenage type humor.  The club was cold.  The back doors were open and I think the air conditioner was on!  I’d rather complain that I was overheating to the point of passing out because that’s what rock n roll is about.  Feeling the energy of the crowd as one, it’s a release to sweat it out!  I was actually freezing so I didn’t take off my leather jacket and rock out with my tits out like I wanted to.  I chose to hang out upstairs in the ever so mystical and magical Foundation Room and enjoy the scene up there.  I absolutely love the décor of the Foundation Room.  The intricate detail of all the unique and authentic artwork is overwhelming.  The DJ was great; I was happy to be enjoying the expansive view of the City of (fallen) Angels listening to 80’s rock.  I started jamming out to Bullet Boys, “Smooth Up in Ya.”  I haven’t heard that song in a while and it stayed in my mind for days.  It brought back Jersey memories of 1988.  Marq Torien of Bullet Boys, noticed I put the song on my myspace profile and wrote me telling me he’d put me on the guest list for the Whisky A Go Go on March 20.  Thanks Marq!  See you there!  I just love music!  I was an MTV addict since day one in 1981 at 6 years old.  One of my favorite bands and albums was and still is Van Halen’s “1984” album at 9 years old.   What is happening with the music of today that the best thing going on is reliving the past?   No matter, it’s all fun!  ROCK ON!!