Sleaze rock or Sleaze glam is a subgenre of glam metal. It first started to emerge in the mid 1980s, and took off fully in 1987. Bands in the genre primarily take influences from punk, blues and hard rock.
The genre is sometimes called sleaze metal also, and continues on today, especially in Scandinavia, though it still has some popularity in other parts of Europe and the United States.
The characteristics of
Sleaze rock bands are noted for having a raw, less produced sound, than many of the bands who are part of the glam metal genre. In some respects it is similar to the aesthetics of the pub rock movement, with emphasis on high energy live shows. The lyrics are often raunchier and more tongue in cheek than many other of their glam metal contemporaries. These bands were seen as the reaction to the supposedly overproduced bands whose image had become soft and poppy.
Influences
Sleaze rock bands are generally largely influenced by 70's punk rock combined with 70's hard rock, including the New York Dolls, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Sex Pistols, and The Damned. Hanoi Rocks are also particularly influential on the genre. Guns N' Roses' 1987 debut Appetite for Destruction is the most famous sleaze rock album released to date, often credited with changing the musicial direction of the late 1980s glam movement.
Movements
There were two distinct movements or scenes that emerged from the sleaze movement; America and the UK.
United States
In America on the Sunset Strip with bands such as Guns N' Roses, L.A. Guns and Faster Pussycat, who played from around 1983 onwards but became popular in the latter part of the decade (1987/88). These bands especially L.A. Guns, dressed in black leather jackets similar to what punks and bikers wore; a lot of the imagery (hairstyles aside) was derived from 70s punk rock and Finnish band Hanoi Rocks.
England
In the United Kingdom a similar movement was emerging, although compared to their U.S. contemporaries the sound was more influenced by Hanoi Rocks, Faces and Johnny Thunders. Hanoi Rocks had played in London during part of the 1980s at clubs such as the Marquee, this influenced the forming of bands such as Dogs D'Amour, London Quireboys, Soho Roses, Kill City Dragons, and others. Though the American bands had more commercial success, the bands from London retained a cult following.
Around this time British band The Cult had also moved their music away from their post-punk roots and began playing a more AC/DC Sleaze influenced sound and toured the United States with Guns N' Roses (who were then unknown).
Bands
When discussing "sleaze" rock it is important to remember that these subgenres weren't placed on these bands until the mid-1990s. The majority of the newer bands who make up the genre are from Scandinavia.
Stylistic origins: hard rock, punk rock, blues, glam rock, rock and roll, garage rockCultural origins:
United Kingdom, United StatesTypical instruments:
electric guitar, bass guitar, drumsMainstream popularity: Extremely popular during the latter part of 1980s, revival in Scandinavia and some popularity worldwide since.Sleaze rock or Sleaze glam is a subgenre of glam metal. It first started to emerge in the mid 1980s, and took off fully in 1987. Bands in the genre primarily take influences from punk, blues and hard rock.
The genre is sometimes called sleaze metal also, and continues on today, especially in Scandinavia, though it still has some popularity in other parts of Europe and the United States
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