14. Ted Nugent: Cat Scratch Fever
Detroit-rock legend, guitar virtuoso, wildman, hunter, right-wing mouthpiece, Ted Nugent has specialized in essentially the same approach since launching a solo career in 1975, several years after his first group, the psychedelic garage rock Amboy Dukes, broke up. All of his albums, recorded with a variety of lead vocalists (including Meat Loaf on his second album), showcase his guitarwork, which generally is a fast boogie with heavy metal overtones. Derek St. Holmes, who appeared on his first album, resumed vocal duties on his third, Cat Scratch Fever, which remains one of his biggest and best; the title track made the top-40, reaching #30, his biggest single ever. Nugent's albums would continue to chart in the top-20 through 1980; after that, he found his sales eroding, although he still has fiercely loyal fans in the midwest. Largely absent from solo recording since the late 80's, he has only released two albums since 1988; Craveman, the most recent, appeared in 2002. However, he did enjoy considerable success in the early 90's as a member of Damn Yankees, a supergroup that also included Tommy Shaw of Styx.
15. The Tubes: She's A Beauty
The Tubes never quite had the commercial success of the others on this list, but their theatrical stage presentations were purely arena rock in terms of sheer spectacle; towards the end of their run they also managed to chalk up a couple of hits as well. The band had its genesis in Phoenix, AZ at the end of the sixties, where guitarist Bill Spooner, keyboardist Vince Welnick and bassist Rick Anderson played in a garage band/barband called the Beans. The Beans relocated to San Francisco in the early 70's, where they added guitarist Roger Steen and drummer Prairie Prince; keyboardist Michael Cotten and roadie-turned-lead vocalist Fee Waybill completed the lineup of the newly rechristened Tubes, an unweildy septet. Their early shows became elaborate theater works, with plotlines and skits and Waybill taking on different characters and personas during the course of a performance. Much of it was X-rated adult humor, some of it was social commentary, some of it theater-group improv, some of it guerrila theater. Since their shows were the specatacle, and the albums secondary soundtracks, they seemed unlikely to ever hit big with the mainstream; their 1975 anthem "White Punks On Dope" bordered on glam-rock and was banned from a lot of radio markets. Their turning point was a label-change to EMI/Capitol in 1981; The Completion Backward Principle, their seventh album was given a radio friendly production job that had the band sounding almost as well-heeled as Toto (some of whom augment the lineup), despite some zany lyrical references. It and the followup, Outside Inside from 1983, made the top-40, and were almost by-the-numbers arena rock albums; "She's A Beauty", a glistening arena-pop tune from the latter, peaked at #10. Their next album Love Bomb, stiffed in 1985 and the group broke up. In 1992, Vince Welnick became keyboardist for the Grateful Dead, of all possible groups.
Article comments
1 - The Proprietor
Frampton's signature effect is called a talkbox, not a squack box. Frampton and most 70s guitarists enamored of the effect used the Heil Sound talkbox, although there were other models from Electro-Harmonix and Kustom that enjoyed some popularity at the time.
An interesting trivia bit about "More Than A Feeling" is that Tom Scholz has said that he was very influenced by the Left Banke classic "Walk Away Renee" when writing it.
2 - uao
Thanks for the correction and bit of trivia, Proprietor. I wasn't sure what to call that darned thing. I'll fixt it in the text.
Walk Away Renee? Somehow I can't hear it, although "More Than A Feeling" does contain the line "I See my Marianne walking away..."
3 - Guppusmaximus
Nice review of some great bands... Me personally, I would've listed ASIA instead of Loverboy because Loverboy were one hit wonders(my opinion).With tracks like "only time will tell" and "Heat of the moment"... ASIA was definately Arena Rock!!
4 - uao
Asia would have been an excellent inclusion. I'm not sure I'd bump Loverboy for them, since Loverboy represents something of a road-not-taken by arena rock. Maybe I'd toss the Tubes, who only made the list at the very last moment when my mind was drawing a blank.
5 - cathi
I love your list!!!!! these are songs that I would play as well on a lazy day. thanks
6 - Uncle Fiscus
Where's AC/DC?? These hacks stink!! Or Zepplin??
7 - uao
Uncle Fiscus: Led Zeppelin and AC/DC were left off because the term "arena rock" diminishes them; they both are primarily known as heavy metal or hard rock. As for the rest being hacks, isn't that what arena rock is all about? Read the article, and you'll understand.
8 - Bruiser
Three of the bands listed - Blue Oyster Cult, REO Speedwagon, and Heart - played at the first concert I ever attended: the 1981 Texxas Jamm at the Houston Astrodome. For the record, the other two bands that played were Foghat and the long-forgotten Rockets.
The last two studio records that Cheap Trick have released are among their finest.
9 - Sister Ray
Maybe you could substitute Bob Seger for the Tubes. He would be more familiar to fans of arena rock, and you hear him a lot on classic-rock radio.
Punk just didn't catch on in the Midwest as much as the critics hoped it would. MTV really knocked off the arena bands.
Drifting a bit, remember when early MTV played "closet classics" from the 60s? There was a clip of the Doors doing "Touch Me" and videos by Blue Cheer, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Donovan. Lots of swirling lights, etc.
10 - Paul Roy
Damn, I've seen nearly every one of these bands in concert. That must make me an arena rock lover. I guess there's worst things to love.
11 - uao
I did consider Bob Seger, but he already turned up in my 'Detroit Rock' playlist, and I'm saving him for a 'Heartland/Midwestern Rock' list as well.
However, his late 70's work definitely could qualify as 'arena rock' too.
12 - Linda
Enjoyed your reviews. However, you left out a very important chapter in Nuge Tune History. In 1990, Ted's band THE DAMN YANKEES, and self-titled CD,
spawned four smash AOR hits ("Runaway," "Coming Of Age," "High Enough" and "Come Again"); High Enough reached #3 on the Billboard Charts.
Additionally, in 2000, the Ted Nugent/KISS Tour made the Top 10 Grossing Tours of the year.
13 - uao
Thanks Linda, I should have said something about Damn Yankees (and added a bit after seeing your comment). It slipped my mind completely, but yes, that was a major chapter in his bio.
14 - godoggo
A defining characteristic of what I think of as arena rock is that it would seem absurdly incongruous if played in a small club, thus disqualifying not only Cheap Trick but also Aerosmith, but of which, not coincidentally, I like.
I also think that a lot of the characteristic mannerisms of arena rock were innovated by The Who, around the time they commenced sucking (I'm sure you all agree). For me the ultimate arena rock moment is "They're all wasted" which was obviously calculated to elicit the ultimate arena rock response: "Whoooooooo!"
15 - NashTrick
Cheap Trick remains a force today. A lot of "new" bands in rock point to them as a major influence....STP,Foo Fighters,etc...all recognize Cheap Trick as their roots. Quite a compliment by todays standards.
Give Cheap Trick's 2003 release "Special One" a whirl...great as ever!!! PEACE.
16 - Christine Foster
I agree with your listing of arena rock artists but I would have left off the Tubes and put Nazareth.Also as a Canadian I loved "Loverboy" but our greatest arena rock band here is the hard workin band "Trooper".
17 - Benatarlvr
Great review of Pat Benatar. However, she hit number #1 in 1981 with Precious Time. Not 1982. And Get Nervous was #4 in 1982 not 1983. Overall a great countdown.
18 - Trigaba
Why is everyone so reluctant to classify Rush as an Arena Rock band? Are they too progressive and conceptual to break the pop seal? Geddy Lee's high-pitched voice and abundance of keyboards makes me thing they definitely belong in this countdown.
19 - guppusmaximus
Ya know... Looking back on this review, I don't believe Pink Floyd could ever be classified as Arena rock along with RUSH. They were way too progressive and pioneering for their time to be lumped in with the comercially appealing rock of the 70's. I mean if you're going to overlook those qaulities, you may as well add ELO or YES to this list. But I do feel it was a great article and I do love alot of those bands....
20 - Ray Violette
Loverboy were hardly a one hit wonder as mentioned in the comments section, with a bunch of Top 40 hits. I saw them in 1981, and they were definitely arena rock then. I saw them in 2006, and they're still arena rock, although playing smaller venues, with all original members (save their bassist who passed away). Their latest album is actually quite good and is getting some surprising airplay.
21 - Kirt
Exactly. You hit the nail on the head with this one. I would only add these bands for consideration. April Wine, Cars, ZZ Top, Van Halen, Sammy Hagar, Scorpions, Judas Priest, Joe Walsh, Black Sabbath, Molly Hatchet, Fleetwood Mac. All huge arena bands when I graduated from HS back in 1982.
22 - Eye-roller
I don't even like .38 Special, but even I know ('84? Dallas Texxas Jam, watching MTV) that the dark-haired bearded guy (Don Barnes) sang "Hold On Loosely", and nearly all of their other hits. Always seemed like Donnie Van Zandt was just there to sprinkle on some of Skynyrd's "cachet", if one can call it that...
Also, according to the latest re-writing of the Boston foundation myth (in some schwag mag I picked up at '06 Austin NAMM), Scholz actually did go back to Boston and re-record everything with the ostensible band while the label-appointed "producer" stayed back in LA and ran interference.
23 - toocrass
Loverboy were not a one-hit wonder as mentioned, but if you want the epitome of a pre-packaged arena rock band that was a one-hit wonder look no further than Survivor. Saw 'em open for REO back in the day and they were beyond boring live. Unacceptable sin in the world of arena rock.