Trixter

Why is it that most every time I see the band 'Trixter' mentioned in forums, people make fun of them?

Um...because they were pretty much godawful?

Wild guess.

Yeah, not to be snarky about it, but Trixter were the worst of the worst hair metal bands. They are the epitome of what was wrong with the music business in the late 80's/early 90's.

Other than the song "Give It To Me Good" which I like, the rest of their material is completely disposable IMO.

They actually wrote fairly catchy Pop Rock songs...they weren't Metal by any stretch of the imagination...but they knew how to write hooks. I can totally see why they get so much crap from people...but I don't always feel it's deserved.

Trixter were the worst of the hair metal bands, if people wanted to put out how artistically bankrupt the pop metal genre had become, Trixter was the band they pointed to.

Trixter wasn't trying to be artistic. They were trying to write catchy Rock songs...and they did.

Don't get me wrong, I've never owned a Trixter CD in my life...but I would not put them high on my list of bands who "suck". The singer had a decent voice, the hooks were catchy and they had fun...more power to them.

Record labels were signing any old thing back then especially if they thought the teenage girls would like 'em. They had that one hit and that was the last i heard of them until the 80's reunion stuff started up.

I just took a look at a couple of their videos and they definately were a fluffy arena band like Bon Jovi or Firehouse. Catchy but not great.

Troublezone wrote:

Catchy but not great.

Exactly. They were not a band that would have a 20 year career...but they filled a slot on a record company roster and sold a few records...their music was far from deep and meaningful...but if we're honest, how much of the Hair Band movement was?

I will say that Trixter were a much better live band than they ever were on record. As some of you guys know, they were from my home town (Paramus, NJ) so even though I was never a huge fan I always kinda rooted for 'em as they were local boys. The albums were rather generic sounding but they were a very good, tight live band.

Fat Freddy wrote:

I will say that Trixter were a much better live band than they ever were on record. As some of you guys know, they were from my home town (Paramus, NJ) so even though I was never a huge fan I always kinda rooted for 'em as they were local boys. The albums were rather generic sounding but they were a very good, tight live band.

I bet their covers were better than the originals live. The singer had a 70's party vibe to his voice so i imagine that they could pull off a cool version of say... Foghat or a band like that.

Troublezone wrote:

I bet their covers were better than the originals live. The singer had a 70's party vibe to his voice so i imagine that they could pull off a cool version of say... Foghat or a band like that.

They did do a covers album in the early 90s (it was their last release before their breakup) but if memory serves they did mostly oddball stuff like NIN's "Head Like A Hole" on it.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Troublezone wrote:

Catchy but not great.

Exactly. They were not a band that would have a 20 year career...but they filled a slot on a record company roster and sold a few records...their music was far from deep and meaningful...but if we're honest, how much of the Hair Band movement was?

Very true, Shawn, Poison were not exactly the Bob Dylan of hair metal nation. True Trixter where not a band that were destined to be around for the long haul but then I never imagined Poison would have a 20 plus years successful career.

manny wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Troublezone wrote:

Catchy but not great.

Exactly. They were not a band that would have a 20 year career...but they filled a slot on a record company roster and sold a few records...their music was far from deep and meaningful...but if we're honest, how much of the Hair Band movement was?

Very true, Shawn, Poison were not exactly the Bob Dylan of hair metal nation. True Trixter where not a band that were destined to be around for the long haul but then I never imagined Poison would have a 20 plus years successful career.

That's strictly a timing issue...had these 2 bands' debut albums release dates had been switched...we'd see Trixter on tour w/ Def Leppard and Cheap Trick right now...and, IMO, Steve Brown from Trixter destroys CC Deville (enter "that ain't hard to do" comment here)...

manny wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Troublezone wrote:

Catchy but not great.

Exactly. They were not a band that would have a 20 year career...but they filled a slot on a record company roster and sold a few records...their music was far from deep and meaningful...but if we're honest, how much of the Hair Band movement was?

Very true, Shawn, Poison were not exactly the Bob Dylan of hair metal nation. True Trixter where not a band that were destined to be around for the long haul but then I never imagined Poison would have a 20 plus years successful career.

And i think Trixter's singer is better than Brett Michaels. Somehow talent is not a factor in the scheme of things. I guess Poison just had a few more hits to live off of.

Troublezone wrote:

manny wrote:

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Troublezone wrote:

Catchy but not great.

Exactly. They were not a band that would have a 20 year career...but they filled a slot on a record company roster and sold a few records...their music was far from deep and meaningful...but if we're honest, how much of the Hair Band movement was?

Very true, Shawn, Poison were not exactly the Bob Dylan of hair metal nation. True Trixter where not a band that were destined to be around for the long haul but then I never imagined Poison would have a 20 plus years successful career.

And i think Trixter's singer is better than Brett Michaels. Somehow talent is not a factor in the scheme of things. I guess Poison just had a few more hits to live off of.

"90% of the music business is who you know..." - Jamie Rowe

The other 10% is timing...

I suppose that is true, but Poison may have not been better musicians but that they had alot more stage presence than Trixter IMO, and I suspect alot more money was put behind Poison.

As far as songs go, Poison did not write the greatest songs in the world (understatement of the year) but their songs were catchy, I can still remember 'Unskinny Bop' "Talk Dirty to Me' , where I find it very diffcult to remember any Trixter songs.

Quote :

where I find it very diffcult to remember any Trixter songs

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Because Poison had about 5 years of MTV push behind them by the time Trixter showed up...even if someone hated Poison at the time, they could hum the choruses just from sheer overexposure...

Quote :

Poison may have not been better musicians but that they had alot more stage presence than Trixter IMO

And eyeliner.

Poison was a party anthem band and they did it well. I Want Action, Talk Dirty to Me and Nothin' but a Good Time were very catchy anthems and radio staples.

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

Quote :

where I find it very diffcult to remember any Trixter songs

.

Because Poison had about 5 years of MTV push behind them by the time Trixter showed up...even if someone hated Poison at the time, they could hum the choruses just from sheer overexposure...

I did not have MTV at time, but I cannot deny you could not escape Poison, constant radio play, press coverage etc. Also I suppose it helps that cougars love the 'Rock Of Love' show which keeps the Poison out on the spotlight, sort of speak.

Didn't Trixter have a few radio hits before the whole movement died in the early 90's?

manny wrote:

Didn't Trixter have a few radio hits before the whole movement died in the early 90's?

"Give it to Me Good" was their main one and i think there was another from their next album too.

manny wrote:

Didn't Trixter have a few radio hits before the whole movement died in the early 90's?

"Give It To Me Good" from their debut was their big one... they also released "Surrender" off the same album and that didn't do quite as well...

By the time they released their second album (HEAR!) it was 1992 and everyone had changed the channel so to speak, so it sank like a rock.