You really can’t blame young men in metal bands for singing about what they want. With songs like “I Want Action” and “Talk Dirty to Me” Poison left little to the imagination in terms of what they want, and how they wanted it.
With their first album they immediately established their mastery of genre with balls out rock followed by a big power ballad du jour.
The bonus songs on the disk include two 7” singles of “I Want Action” and “I Won’t Forget You” which, honestly, I can’t tell the difference between this and the regular album cuts. There is also an electrified, hair metal cover of Jim Croce’s “Don’t Mess Around with Jim.”
In the 20 years that have passed between the release of Look What the Cat Dragged In and Open Up and Say…Ahh! the differences in those two albums have blurred significantly. I’ve been a fan of Poison since their first beats hit the Top 40, but I really can’t remember hearing Open Up and Say…Ahh! for the first time.
I remember quite fondly the heavy rotation of “Nothing But a Good Time” on MTV with its slave to the grind restraint dishwater beginning, but in my memory “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn” and “Mama Don’t Dance” were already big hits, and they were not released until afterwards.
This is it for me. This is the cream of hair metal. Give me Open Up and Say…Ah! along with Dr. Feelgood and you can put me on a deserted big hair island forever.
“Nothing But a Good Time” is cock rock at its finest. It’s sing-along party music and there aint nothing wrong with that. “Every Rose” is the greatest power ballad ever written, period. I mean, Brett Michaels has it tattooed on his arm, and he’d never do anything stupid.
In 9th grade, a long-haired chap pulled out his acoustic guitar and lip-synched himself a performance for drama class that left us all teary-eyed. You can’t do that with ”When the Children Cry.”
The disk’s bonus tracks include a previously unreleased track, “Living for the Minute,” and an interview with Brett Michaels.
Article comments
1 - LONO
Indeed, Poison remains valid today to me as well. I was admittedlyt into hair metal back then, and much of it doesn't stand the test. Cat Dragged in stands up. Though cheeky, the tunes stand up.. Another good thing up this tour is they have their main dudes. If Brett and CC weren't both involved, I wouldn't care. I can't stress enough to bands how bad an idea it is to jettison the dudes who got you famous. Journey is touring without Steve Perry. That is dumb, and should be illegal. If the promoter has enough since to sell $10 lawn seats, I'll see you there. Thing is, they won't. Then tickets don' sell and do 2 for 1 on show day. Sorry for the rambling content and bad spelling, I am in a hospital
2 - Connie Phillips
This article has been placed at the Advance.net websites, a site affiliated with about 12 newspapers.
One such site is here.
3 - DJRadiohead
Lono, while I agree with you that I would prefer bands remain together I have to correct you on something regarding Journey. They are currently touring on a co-headlining stint with Def Leppard and ticket sales have done very well. They sold out Starwood Amph. in Nashville (17,000+) and that is not the only stop on the tour that has sold out.
I would rather Perry have been there and there are a lot of examples where these "replacement" tours tank or play state fairs but Journey/Def Leppard has managed to put butts in seats.
4 - Mat Brewster
Lono, good to hear from you. Hospital?
I wouldn't take Journey with or without Steve Perry but I get your point. Some of these bands still touring off of their hits that are decades old is a little ridiculous. Although I must admit whenever the Grateful Dead, or whatever they're calling themselves, roll around I check them out even without Garcia.
DJ quit proving once again that you have no taste! And don't remind me that I mentioned my deep felt love for Journey's "Faithfully" or that I'd give my left pancreas to see Def Leppard.
Connie, thanks for boosting this up.
5 - DJRadiohead
Sir Brewster, I have fabulous taste. My shit is tight, dude.
I just wanted to use that phrase. It really applies to nothing.
I do have great taste, though.
6 - Mat Brewster
Just don't try to prove it with another Guster review.
7 - -E
Congrats! This article has been selected as one of this week’s Editors’ Picks.
8 - DJRadiohead
My Guster reviews are all the proof I need.
9 - Guppusmaximus
I would take Journey even with Gary Cherone at the mic over any Grateful Dead show...Period!
Anyways, screw this glam rock crap and go to an Iron Maiden show. Atleast they still write originals and their new album KICKS!!
10 - Mat Brewster
Journey over the Dead? Thems fighting words. Can't say I ever really got into the Maiden, other than on Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure that is.
11 - Guppusmaximus
"Huh...Oh Yeah, EXCELLENT!"
Dude, "Journey over the Dead" would be a cool tribute band. Or, we could use the name and start a Death Metal band... *Geerrrrooowwwll*
12 - Guppusmaximus
We could go from "Faithfully" right into "Touch of Grey"....LOL!!
13 - Mark Saleski
hey, guppus made a funny!
dang.
14 - Mat Brewster
How about a Wheel in the Sky->St Stephen->Drums?
That would be something.