Before Coco, Spartacus, and VH1: Godsmack, Ice-T & Body Count, and RATT

"CRYIN' LIKE A BITCH"   GODSMACK

I saw Godsmack in concert when they opened for Metallica.   They definitely had the Zeppelin mixed with Alice In Chains sound complete with heavy riffs, layered drum solos, and a commanding vocalist but I wasn't blown away by them that night.    "Cry Like A Bitch" has a great UFC themed video to go with that awesome manly title.    This song comes from their 2010 CD, Saints & Sinners.

"THE WINNER LOSES" (rare)  ICE-T and BODY COUNT

This song lets lead guitarist, Eddie Martinez, shine but this is basically one of the few BALLADS by Body Count.    The song's theme to a user:  drugs will get you one way or another, you can't hide from it.   Inspired by Fugazi, Bad Brains, Dead Kennedys, Ice-T loved the hardcore L.A. punk scene and used this side project to get out some inner demons.   "Cop Killer" got the press but many intense classics like "There Goes The Neighborhood" and their title track made a mark on music history.   This is a rare video, I was surprised to find it online!

"BACK FOR MORE"     RATT

Steven Pearcy and Ratt were one of the first of the hair bands to explode onto MTV.   What makes Back For More so memorable is the first appearance of Tawny Kitaen.   This was before she was dating and married to Whitesnake's David Coverdale.   Tawny is so hot that she made guys reconsider their thoughts on redheads.    It's a classic MTV favorite complete with secret cameo at the end of the video!

    

I Love Tawny Kitaen: Whitesnake, Rancid, Pop Evil

"HERE I GO AGAIN"                         WHITESNAKE

One of the hottest videos of the 80's!   Tawny Kitaen dancing in lingerie on the hood of the car.    Tawny seductively kissing David Coverdale when he's driving.   Her sexy long red hair out of the window the car.    SEXY!   "Here I Go Again" was actually released in 1982 but it wasn't until 1987 and a radio-friendly remix (plus this video!) that the song went to #1.    It was voted on the Top 10 videos of the 80's by VH1.    Funny bit, the one line originally went:   "Like a hobo I was born to walk alone", Coverdale changed it since people would think he was saying like a "homo"    80's homophobia at its best!

"TROPICAL LONDON"                 RANCID

Tim Armstrong (Operation Ivy) heads up one of the best punk bands of the last 20 years.   Rancid is from Berkeley, California, so they were always competing with Green Day in the punk-revival scene.    Billie Joe and Tim have collaborated many times and Tim Armstrong also lead The Transplants which featured Travis Barker from Blink 182.   "Tropical London" is from their latest CD and it has the great line:  "If you lose me, you've lost a good thing!   And that's one thing I know for sure"   Love it!

"MONSTER YOU MADE"                    POP EVIL

Pop Evil's new CD this fall featured this amazing song.   "Monster You Made" is the lead single from their 2nd CD.   Pop Evil is from Michigan, big Wolverine football fans, and they wrote a song called "The Big House" all about their team.  The song is played before games to hype the 100,000+ crowds in Ann Arbor.   How cool is that!!!