Steelheart

So, recently I've sort of developed this thing for obscure 80s pop metal bands that dotted the oversaturated landscape of the 80s Metal scene. Many of these bands were lucky to have even minor hits, and even luckier if they had one giant hit before fading into obscurity.

Steelheart were one of those bands who gained attention just as the Hair Metal scene was on its dying breath. They were one of a group of Zepplin-esqe bands (such as Kingdom Come) that started to pop up on the radar at the very tailend of the 80s, before grunge took all the fun out of rock. They had only one major hit here in the States.....




As you can see, this band had one major difference from the other bands, and that was lead singer Michael Matijevic's astonishing vocal range. The above tune starts out like one of the saccarine, schloky power ballads that crowded the airwaves back then.....and suddenly, BOOM, Matijevic belts out the chorus with all the tenderness of a sledgehammer.

This of course was before I discovered Nitro, so I thought this guy was the pinnacle of insanely over-the-top singing.

Steelheart's really good, even now. Matijevic did a great job of updating the band's sound on Good 2B Alive. He's still got an amazing voice.

Hey, ya got an extra $75 laying around? They will play your kegger. THAT is true musical integrity. F Steelheart. There should be a whole special place in hell for those bands - where the chicks weigh no less than 3 bills and their boyfriends have had a sixer of PBR before showing up to their crap gig. Then they, Guns n Posers, Airkraft, Firehouse, John Waite, and Trixter can all get brave and have a slap-fight with the local rednecks down in AR-Kan-SAS.


Go ahead Freddy - Delete away.

PS - Mike F'N Tramp could take Steelheart by himself! And Life of Agony would find the whole thing hilarious [even though they wouldn't understand why].

And one more thing.......Cryptic F'in Slaughter.

So I figure Uncle don't dig what the rock has cookin' ?

James - You know me better than you will ever admit. So step up finally.

This band proves that merely a great singer does not a great band make ... despite public perceptions to the contrary.

Aside from a song or two, this album was completely dull and uninspired.

I like a lot of hair bands but this isn't one of them. Apart from having a good singer, I found this album to be a basic by-the-numbers, generic effort.

I have the debut and like it well enough. Michael Matijevic's vocals are phenomenal. Didn't he provide the singing voice for Mark Wahlberg in Rock Star ?

Isn't steelheart the band a few of the guys from rage of angles joined?

I may have to check the band out, but I don't like that the new song

007 wrote:

I have the debut and like it well enough. Michael Matijevic's vocals are phenomenal. Didn't he provide the singing voice for Mark Wahlberg in Rock Star ?

Yes.... And I think Jeff Scott Soto, unless he just did the other guys voice.

I thought Steelheart - ST was ok but it didnt really stand out, which is kinda hard given the amount of hair bands at the time.

UNCLE SAXON wrote:

Hey, ya got an extra $75 laying around? They will play your kegger. THAT is true musical integrity. F Steelheart. There should be a whole special place in hell for those bands - where the chicks weigh no less than 3 bills and their boyfriends have had a sixer of PBR before showing up to their crap gig. Then they, Guns n Posers, Airkraft, Firehouse, John Waite, and Trixter can all get brave and have a slap-fight with the local rednecks down in AR-Kan-SAS.


Go ahead Freddy - Delete away.

Why would I delete? I totally agree with everything you said. I never had any use for Steelheart, Trixter, nor John Waite either. (Didn't mind the first Firehouse and GNR's APPETITE album though.)

Awesome rant, Unc.

I actually like John Waite better then any of the bands listed, except GnR. You need to put down the crack pipe on that one.

So much hatred.

I hate Steelheart and hated even more when I find out that Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek hired the Steelheart vocalist to sing Doors songs on their last tour, that dude is not even worthy enough to sit on Jim Morrison's toliet let alone sing his songs !!!!

manny wrote:

I hate Steelheart and hated even more when I find out that Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek hired the Steelheart vocalist to sing Doors songs on their last tour, that dude is not even worthy enough to sit on Jim Morrison's toliet let alone sing his songs !!!!

I thought Ian from The Cult sang for them?

Temple of Blood wrote:

manny wrote:

I hate Steelheart and hated even more when I find out that Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek hired the Steelheart vocalist to sing Doors songs on their last tour, that dude is not even worthy enough to sit on Jim Morrison's toliet let alone sing his songs !!!!

I thought Ian from The Cult sang for them?

Ian sang for them from 2002 til 2007, then Bret Scallions (of Fuel) was with them from 2007-2010 and finally Mijenko Matijevi currently sings for them.

thejokeriv wrote:

Isn't steelheart the band a few of the guys from rage of angles joined?

True.

I love Steelheart, and the song "We All Die Young" from the "Rock Star" movie is an all time favorite.

Metal Misfit wrote:

Steelheart's really good, even now. Matijevic did a great job of updating the band's sound on Good 2B Alive. He's still got an amazing voice.

I agree. The new stuff is surprisingly good.

Eyesore wrote:

I agree. The new stuff is surprisingly good.

I knew I could count on you to accept and like something new.

I had the debut but it's didn't do much for me. I think it sold pretty well on ebay if I remember correctly though.

I have very vivid memories of a stripper dancing to that "I'll Never Let You Go" song though. Not an easy song to strip to either. Belive me, I've tried.

The new song does sound good. Matijevic sounds as good as ever.

Temple of Blood wrote:

This band proves that merely a great singer does not a great band make ... despite public perceptions to the contrary.

.

Wow - you said something I agree with!!!!!!!!

Of course, a crappy singer can ruin a good band or make a crappy band seem even worse!!!