The official thread for Eighties music fans

[MizzouRah]

Love 80's music. I'll have to check out new Loverboy album.

Remember White Lion?

[Ksyrup]

Check the first page - WL has a new album coming out, but the band is just Mike Tramp at this point (as far as original members).

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Check the first page - WL has a new album coming out, but the band is just Mike Tramp at this point (as far as original members).

Interesting... thanks!

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Remember White Lion?

Back in 88, while I was in the Air Force, to get off base during tech school, some guys would rent hotel rooms and you'd pretty much just hang out there and drink.

During one such weekend, the TV was on MTV and White Lion's "When the Children Cry" came on. Didn't think much of it at the time, but about halfway through the song I noticed some guy's eyes were starting to well up.

"You ok?"

"This song" *sob* "is just soooooooo" *full tears stream* "beauuuuuutiful"

To this day, I can't hear that song without laughing now.

[MizzouRah]

You know, when I was in the Marines and going to Motor T school, we would rent hotel rooms on the weekends and party too. Good ol Oceanside, CA.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

You know, when I was in the Marines and going to Motor T school, we would rent hotel rooms on the weekends and party too. Good ol Oceanside, CA.

When I was in college doing the beach scene, I would avoid O-side like the plague and go further down the coast. Now I remember why.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

When I was in college doing the beach scene, I would avoid O-side like the plague and go further down the coast. Now I remember why.

Yeah.. it was a hell hole, but when you're 18 and have money to blow.. Ocenside isn't that bad.

[Kodos]

WoooooOOOOT! I am listening to Def Leppard's Songs From The Sparkle Lounge right now for the first time. So far, so good.

[oliegirl]

They are actually going to be on Dancing With the Stars tonight, no doubt plugging their new album...should be interesting. I wonder how old Joe Elliot looks now...

[Kodos]

He hasn't aged well. Especially when his hair is short, he looks old. They're also on Ellen this afternoon and Jimmy Kimmel tomorrow night.

I've gone through the album twice now, and I have to say it is their best album in a long time. Probably the best since Slang from the mid 90s. It's a lot more rocky than X was. More in the vein of Yeah, their covers album from a year or two ago. And only one ballady song, so they broke with that formula, which is nice. Overall, pretty pleased with it early on.

[Ksyrup]

I'm sure there are a lot of people rejoicing about this one...



Phil Collins has announced that he is retiring from music.

Having completed a reunion tour with Genesis, the multi-instrumentalist has said in a newspaper interview that he has no plans to tour or make another album.

Collins told The Times that he will continue to write, simply because he does not know how to stop.

The interview quotes Collins as saying he is more interested in his collection of memorabilia from the Battle Of The Alamo than music.

Collins said: "It's not that unusual for a man of my age, who grew up reading Davy Crockett."

Collins was speaking ahead of his appearance on Sky Arts TV series 'Songbook'.

He re-ignited an old feud with Noel Gallagher. The Oasis man famously said ahead of the 2005 general election: "Vote Labour, if you don't and the Tories get in, (Collins) is threatening to come back from Switzerland, and none of us want that.

Collins said of the comment: "I don't care if he likes my music or not. I do care if he starts telling people I'm a wanker because of my politics. It's an opinion based on an old misunderstood quote."

http://www.nme.com/news/oasis/36215

[Kodos]

I've always liked PhilCo. Even though he lost his testicles somewhere along the way. He was always better as an artist when he was pissed off.

You scared me a moment when I read that as Phil Collen (the Def Leppard guitarist).

[Ksyrup]

Like many artists, he was really good up to a point. And then he lost interest or focus or went from cutting edge to Disney soundtrack and deserved the crap he got. Bryan Adams is another one who immediately comes to mind. Everything good he did early on is overshadowed by the massive amount of crap he's put out in the past almost 2 decades now.

[Ksyrup]

Sorry about the Phil Collins/Collen thing. Didn't even think of that!

[Kodos]

I actually think BA has returned to form on recent albums. But nobody listens to those. Except me.

Even I ignored his Tarzan soundtrack stuff. Disney is doom for music.

[Ksyrup]

BA did so much damage for about a decade that he doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt. He dueted with Streisand, for God sakes!

[Kodos]

Heh. I luckily missed that.

[Buccaneer]

The new Whitesnake album any good? It got a good review locally.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

The new Whitesnake album any good? It got a good review locally.

I haven't bought it yet, seemed sort of iffy based on the iTunes samples. Seemed more like a track-by-track thing for me than the whole project, although I might end up getting the whole thing at some point anyway.

edit to add: But that's definitely two cents worth based on my own likes/dislikes, which could be off the beaten path a little.

[Ksyrup]

So apparently Def Leppard lip synched last night. I didn't see it. I understand selling albums is business and this is big exposure, yadda yadda, but this news saddens me.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

So apparently Def Leppard lip synched last night. I didn't see it. I understand selling albums is business and this is big exposure, yadda yadda, but this news saddens me.

It was an odd scene. The guitarist looked like he hadn't aged a day since the 80's though.

Joe Elliot, not so much...

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

It was an odd scene. The guitarist looked like he hadn't aged a day since the 80's though.

Joe Elliot, not so much...

Why haven't you been keeping us up to date on DWtS happenings? I even created your very own thread for that purpose. I'm disappointed.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Why haven't you been keeping us up to date on DWtS happenings? I even created your very own thread for that purpose. I'm disappointed.

every time you post about dwts your manhood dies a little bit

[Ksyrup]

Says the guy who watched it last night.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Says the guy who watched it last night.

only the def leppard part


work with me here

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

So apparently Def Leppard lip synched last night. I didn't see it. I understand selling albums is business and this is big exposure, yadda yadda, but this news saddens me.

That was bizarre. They played for real on Ellen earlier, and later on Dancing With The Stars, Nine Lives was a live performance. So why was Pour Some Sugar On Me lip-synched? It was bizarre. I have to think that it was the producer's call. I may have to investigate on DefLeppard.com.

Edit: Turns out Nine Lives was lip-synched too. I was thrown off, because Tim McGraw sings on the regular version, and his parts were clearly sung by Joe. I guess they used a different studio version that doesn't feature McGraw.

[Kodos]

Alright. The whole forum is up in arms. Apparently Joe's been battling an upper respiratory infection. They actually have cancelled half a dozen shows recently because of it. I noticed he didn't sound great on Ellen earlier in the day, but didn't think much of it. They must have decided it was better to go with the lip-synching for DWTS.

With Nine Lives, I guess they used a studio version that doesn't include Tim McGraw's vocals from the regular version. Kinda sad that they had to go with the embarrassing lip-synched version, but I guess that is a better option than Joe singing when he can't really sing and sounding like crap. I dunno. Def Leppard seems so cursed. Even when they get a high-profile opportunity for some exposure, something goes wrong.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

It was an odd scene. The guitarist looked like he hadn't aged a day since the 80's though.

Joe Elliot, not so much...

Phil Collen is a vegetarian, doesn't drink, and does some kind of kickboxing stuff to stay in shape. Joe gave up smoking recently, which I guess explains why he looks fat. The rockstar life has definitely taken its toll on him appearance-wise.

[oliegirl]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

So apparently Def Leppard lip synched last night. I didn't see it. I understand selling albums is business and this is big exposure, yadda yadda, but this news saddens me.

They did and I was disappointed. They did Pour Some Sugar on Me as their 1st song, and it was SO obvious that it was straight off the CD. I mentioned it to my husband and he said he read on TMZ that they did really poorly in rehearsals so the band insisted on pre-recording it, which really sucks IMHO.

[Ksyrup]

That makes some sense, glad to hear there might be a legit reason for it. Especially since I'm pretty sure other acts have played live on DWtS. I know Jonas Brothers were even live (we taped it for our daughter, rkmsuf - in case you were ready to pounce).

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Phil Collen is a vegetarian, doesn't drink, and does some kind of kickboxing stuff to stay in shape. Joe gave up smoking recently, which I guess explains why he looks fat. The rockstar life has definitely taken its toll on him appearance-wise.

Joe had the whole all black, enourmous trench coat look with excessive smoke all around him.

"Look away, I'm hideous."

[Kodos]

But the shades still said "Yeah baby. I'm a rockstar!"


Disappointing night, but I guess things don't always go as planned.

[oliegirl]

My son was fascinated that Rick Allen only has one arm, we had to hit wiki during commercials so he could read more about how he drums with his feet. I felt really old telling him about how I remember when it happened, etc...seems SO long ago!

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by oliegirl

My son was fascinated that Rick Allen only has one arm, we had to hit wiki during commercials so he could read more about how he drums with his feet. I felt really old telling him about how I remember when it happened, etc...seems SO long ago!

It was.

[Kodos]

At this point, I think he's been without the arm longer than he had it.

[Kodos]

Well, the Jimmy Kimmel stuff was definitely live. Sounded okay. Joe is still kinda hoarse, but he did an okay job.

[dickysty]

I'm surprised you guys haven't mentioned Rush.

Rush is touring again this summer and the boys sound as good as they did back in the 80's.

No warmup band just 2 1/2 hours of new and old favorites. If you get a chance to see them go! You won't be disappointed.

[Mota]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

You know, the band I always used to get mixed up with Danger Danger back in 1988.

I used to really like these bands too. I just ripped my Trixter CD onto my Ipod and wonder what was wrong with me.

I still like a ton of 80's music, but that's not one of my faves.

[Kodos]

Trixter is one of the rare 80s bands that I never liked.

[Kodos]

hxxp://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080504/music_nm/leppard_dc_1

Here's an interview with Joe Elliott about DL's new album.

Def Leppard's Joe Elliott offers glimpse into "Lounge"

By Gary Graff
Sun May 4, 6:45 PM ET

DETROIT (Billboard) - The title of Def Leppard's latest album, "Songs From the Sparkle Lounge," spurs an obvious question: What's a Sparkle Lounge?

According to band frontman Joe Elliott, it was a special room with recording equipment set up backstage at each of the group's 2007 shows. He says as time went on, "the crew started having a bit of fun with it, putting in sparkly lights, candles, incense -- you name it. It turned into this very atmospheric little work space."

The Sparkle Lounge was the incubator for the songs on the group's new album -- its 14th studio effort and first of all-new material since 2002's "X." Final recording was done at Elliott's Joe's Garage studio in Dublin.

Most of the 11 tracks -- including first single "Nine Lives," a collaboration with Tim McGraw that is being played on National Basketball Association telecasts -- recall a vintage Def Leppard sound, which Elliott says was not an accident.

Q: "Sparkle Lounge" sounds like a kind of default Def Leppard album, something that's almost "easy" for the band to make.

Joe Elliott: Well, yeah, I suppose that's one way of putting it. There was a thought process behind it that we wanted to deliver a specific kind of record, but that specific kind of record was, if you like, a nonspecific kind of record. We weren't going to try to theme it to the point of "Pyromania," where it's got a drum sound that was definitive in 1983 ... (or) "Hysteria," when we had a definite, like, overall '80s sound.

With this one it was a case of, "Let's just hone in on the songwriting and we'll use 2008 production techniques, if you like, to make it sound more like a '70s record." It sounds very complicated, but it actually wasn't.

Q: Did doing a covers album (2005's "Yeah") before this have any impact on "Sparkle Lounge?"

Elliott: I think a lot of it is overspill from the "Yeah" album. When we went in to do the covers record we didn't have to worry at all about one word or one note from a writing point of view; all we did was ... record these songs that made us all, (at) the age of 10 or 11 or 12, plead for our first guitar.

So then when it came to this one, it was a case of, "Alright, let's try to sit down and write some songs that, if we were out buying records, they would be the kinds of songs we (would) want to buy." So we all just sat down and wrote what we thought were meaningful songs.

Q: Was the Sparkle Lounge on the road a place where songs were written or did you already have the ideas?

Elliott: Well, we're notoriously terrible at writing on the road. We just can't do it. You can't write a song like you can build a cabinet; the best idea is you lock yourself away in a room and you just do it, and it might take three or four days until it comes to a natural ending. What we did with (the Sparkle Lounge) was we took a lot of songs that were already half-written, and it was a lot easier. We'd go in and really work on these songs, and by the time we started recording them we knew them really well, and there was not that much of a learning process ... So it was probably the best recording situation for new music we've ever had.

Q: How did the Tim McGraw collaboration happen on "Nine Lives?"

Elliott: I'll try to make a long story short. (laughs) Sav's (bassist Rick Savage's) brother Robert is Tim's tour manager. We've kind of known Tim and Faith Hill are huge Leppard fans and have been for many years. When we played the Hollywood Bowl in 2006, Tim happened to be in L.A., so we invited him down; it was one of those, "Hey, man, you want to get up and do something?" So we did "Pour Some Sugar on Me," which went down really well.

We had a good laugh that night, and lo and behold, when we came through Nashville just a short while later, he came down to soundcheck and we ended up in the Sparkle Lounge, and that's where the song was conceived.

Q: And now everybody thinks Def Leppard is going country!

Elliott: (laughs) People have been bringing that question up: "You guys have gone country?" "No! Tim went rock!" And truth be known, that's really what he did. If you listen to the record, he goes off on his own kind of twangy tangent for the beginning part, but after that, even me and him could barely distinguish one from another.... So he really stepped up to the plate in the rock sense.

Q: What kind of commercial pressure do you feel when you put out a new Def Leppard album now?

Elliott: The commercial pressure actually comes after we've delivered a record. The fact of the matter is we don't allow anybody anywhere near us when we're making records -- it's what I call the Roger Waters syndrome; nobody's going to tell Roger Waters how to make a Pink Floyd album, and rightfully so. Same thing with us.... I know some people might think that someone shoved Tim McGraw in our face, but it wasn't like that at all. That was something we chose to do, and it caused a certain ripple in the media.

Q: Who is the Def Leppard audience these days?

Elliott: I think logic would say it's a continuation of the audience we've always had. But having said that, and without wanting to extend a cliche, 'cause I'm sure you hear from every band our age that "our audience seems to be getting younger" -- it really is in our case! (laughs) At the last few shows, even the casino gig we did, there were, like, 10-year-old kids, albeit with their parents.

I just think anybody that likes a great commercial pop-rock song, or a rock song, is potentially a Leppard fan.

We just have to get them on board, and in this day and age it's very hard. There's no MTV anymore. There's none of that kind of stuff. So getting the NBA to play our song for (telecasts) is great for a band like us. It's a little bit like the Who being on the "CSI" shows or when (Led) Zeppelin got the Cadillac ads. It's an extra bit that helps get the point across that we're still around and still good at doing it.

Reuters/Billboard

[Ksyrup]

Don't think this has been posted yet:


Billy Idol Joins Def Leppard Tour

(antiMusic) That "Rebel Yell" you just heard was the reaction of some 80s rock fans when they heard the news that Def Leppard have tapped Billy Idol to support them on a string of summer dates.


Def Leppard is in the midst of a world tour and have already crossed North America twice and they return this summer for another leg of the tour. This time in support of their new album "Songs from the Sparkle Lounge".

The good news is that Billy Idol will support them on seven of those dates. The bad news, at least for U.S. fans, is five of those dates are in Canada. But it may give diehards an excuse for a road trip. Support acts for the first two dates of the outing have not been announced yet, so there may still be hope.

They have also lined up one date with Styx/Reo Speedwagon. All of the dates are below:

Def Leppard have announced that they will receive support from Billy Idol some of their upcoming North American dates.

Def Leppard's North American dates include:
08/1 - Nashville, TN - Sommet Center
08/2 - Birmingham, AL - Verizon Wireless Center
08/6 - Hamilton, ON - Copps Coliseum (with Billy Idol)
08/7 - London, ON - John Labatt Centre (with Billy Idol)
08/9 - Quebec City, QC - Colisee Pepsi (with Billy Idol)
08/10 - Ottawa, ON - Scotiabank Place (with Billy Idol)
08/13 - Winnipeg, MB - MTS Centre (with Billy Idol)
08/15 - Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena (with Billy Idol)
08/20 - Ft. Wayne, IN - Memorial Coliseum (with Billy Idol)
08/23 - Detroit, MI - Joe Louis Arena (with Styx/Reo Speedwagon)

[st.cronin]

Maybe somebody in this thread can id this song:

There's some lines about a juke box, with a simple guitar riff at moderate tempo. The chorus goes something like:

"They don't write 'em like that anymore. They just don't write 'em like that anymore."

I have heard this song many times over the years, but I have no idea of the artist or the name of the song.

[Ksyrup]

Greg Kihn Band - The Breakup Song?

I don't remember any lyrics about a jukebox, though.

[Ksyrup]

Dola.

There is a quick reference to jukebox in that song, so that's gotta be it.

[st.cronin]

I think that's probably it, good job Ksyrup.

[Kodos]

Anyone listened to Whitesnake's new album yet?

[dickysty]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Anyone listened to Whitesnake's new album yet?

I've spun it a few times, sounds really good to me. Go to Amazon.com and checkout a few reviews, all seem pretty positive.

[Ksyrup]

EXTREME Make Much-Anticipated Return To The Stage In Support Of 'Saudades de Rock' - Their First Studio Album in 13 Years'

TAKE US ALIVE' World Tour Launches In Poughkeepsie, New York on July 29

All Tickets Go On Sale Nationally Weekend of May 16th


EXTREME will make their much-anticipated return to the stage this summer in support of Saudades de Rock (pronounced "sow-dodge"), their first studio album in thirteen years. The multi-platinum, Boston-bred band's 2008 'TAKE US ALIVE' world tour gets underway on July 29th at The Chance in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and will be anchored by a hometown gig two days later at the Bank of America Pavilion. In advance of the tour, EXTREME will be a co-headliner on July 11th at the five day Rocklahoma Festival in Pryor, OK.

The iconic rock foursome – vocalist GARY CHERONE, guitarist NUNO BETTENCOURT, bassist PAT BADGER and new drummer KEVIN FIGUEIREDO – will be supported by King's X on all North American dates. Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp will offer additional support .. dates.

Information on the groundbreaking new album Saudades de Rock-- which was produced by BETTENCOURT at L.A.'s NRG studios and is planned for release to coincide with the tour--is forthcoming. Fans can expect the same unwavering songcraft and diverse musical approach that made EXTREME legendary. Simply put, EXTREME's fifth studio offering– which boasts the infectious roar of "STAR," the groove-laden, swagger of "KING", a raw funk rock anthem called "LEARN TO LOVE", and the expressive ballad "GHOST"–just may be its finest hour yet.

As excited as the members of EXTREME are by their latest musical accomplishment, they can't wait to take it to the stage. "As much as we enjoy recording, for me, I've always loved playing live for the fans," CHERONE says. "We can't wait to get out there and play this music."

"We wanted to record as much of the new album as possible live in the studio," BETTENCOURT adds. "And because of it, these songs will translate easily to the stage. We're really looking forward to getting out on tour, putting on a show. That's really where the band shines."

"We always knew EXTREME was special," the guitarist says of the completion of EXTREME's long-awaited fifth album. "We always knew it was a matter of time."

The Grammy-nominated EXTREME have released four studio albums to date, plus a greatest hits set. Selling over 10 million records worldwide on the strength of multiple world tours, the group achieved a 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 1991 with "More Than Words". Culled from their 1990 multi-platinum album, EXTREME II: Pornograffitti, the disc also produced the Top 5 hit "Hole Hearted."

Although these two acoustic hits brought the band great mainstream success, they overshadowed the band's trademark sound: a mix of hard rock funk in the spirit and style of their predecessors in Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Queen and Van Halen. Fueled by BETTENCOURT's signature guitar flights and CHERONE's resonant vocals, the band's socially conscious lyrics set them apart from their peers. In 1992, the band was asked by Queen's Brian May to perform at the Freddie Mercury Tribute concert. As the world watched, the band earned considerable credibility within and beyond the hard rock fraternity.

Here are EXTREME's Confirmed 2008 Tour Dates:

DATE CITY/STATE VENUE

7/11/2008 Pryor, OK Rocklahoma

7/29/2008 Poughkeepsie, NY The Chance

7/31/2008 Boston, MA BOA Pavilion*

8/1/2008 Long Island, NY Brookhaven Amphitheater**

8/2/2008 Baltimore, MD Ram's Head*

8/4/2008 New York, NY The Fillmore East at Irving Plaza*

8/5/2008 Lancaster, PA Chameleon Club

8/6/2008 Cleveland, OH House of Blues*

8/8/2008 Detroit,MI Harpo's

8/9/2008 Chicago, IL House of Blues*

8/10/2008 Cincinnati, OH Union Center Blvd Bash

8/12/2008 Charlotte, NC TBA

8/13/2008 Atlanta, GA Center Stage*

8/15/2008 Orlando, FL House of Blues*

8/16/2008 Ft Lauderdale, FL Revolution

8/18/2008 New Orleans, LA House of Blues*

8/19/2008 Houston, TX Meridian

8/20/2008 Dallas, TX House of Blues*

8/22/2008 Phoenix, AZ The Marquee*

8/23/2008 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues*

8/25/2008 San Francisco, CA Fillmore*

8/26/2008 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues*



*Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp

**Living Colour

[Kodos]

Cool. I've liked Extreme for a long time. I think Waiting For The Punchline was their last album before the Van Halen debacle -- good stuff.

[Ksyrup]

Not specifically 80s, but close enough, This should be cool. I've seen The Story of Metal, it's quite good. Looking forward to A Headbanger's Journey - I've heard about it, but haven't seen it yet.

VH1 CLASSIC Celebrates Metal With A Memorial Day Weekend Marathon - May 20, 2008

This Memorial Day weekend VH1 Classic documents more than 30 years of one of music's most passionate genres with "Metal Weekend". Beginning on Friday, May 23 the network "for classic music lovers" sets the stage for a heavy metal marathon including some of the most memorable concerts, chilling documentaries, and all-access looks at the artists behind this powerful and often controversial music genre. Throughout the weekend metal fans everywhere can saturate themselves with music from KISS, METALLICA, JUDAS PRIEST, PANTERA and more. VH1Classic.com will also join the metal madness with extensive programming online. In addition to premiering "My Playlist: Judas Priest" simultaneously with the on-air premiere on Friday, May 23, the online home to all things classic music will offer a massive amount of metal playlists including "40 Greatest Metal Songs", "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock", "Box Set: Metalica", and "Box Set: Kiss". Additional video compilations, playlists and video content will rollout online at the beginning of the weekend. * "My Playlist: Judas Priest" Premieres on VH1 Classic and VH1Classic.com Friday, May 23 at 8:00 PM ET/PT VH1 Classic's "My Playlist: Judas Priest" features the band's top ten videos of all-time. In a new and exclusive interview, viewers will hear from the band about the videos they loved back in the day and the ones that still get them excited today. Videos that will be featured include "Rock You Like A Hurricane" by the SCORPIONS; "Practice What You Preach" by TESTAMENT; "Ace of Spades" by MOTÖRHEAD, and "Breaking the Law" by JUDAS PRIEST. * "Classic in Concert: Mötley Crüe - Carnival of Sins" Premieres on Friday, May 23 at 9:00 PM ET/PT The premiere of the newest installment of "Classic in Concert" captures the original CRÜE members Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars and Tommy Lee in 2005 in a stage show that sets a new standard. This "circus gone bad" concept takes place under a circus tent stage complete with demonic clowns and a fire-breathing midget, seductive aerialists and demonic clowns that will keep you roaring for more. The CRÜE prove themselves still more than capable, playing a mixture of old favorites and new songs to a crowd of equally mixed ages as the crowd goes wild for songs like "Dr. Feelgood" and "Girls, Girls, Girls". * "Behind The Music: Pantera" Airs on Saturday, May 24 at 10:00 PM ET/PT In the early '90s, when hair metal was being sheared from the charts by grunge and earnest hard-rockers like GUNS N' ROSES and PANTERA righteously flew the hard-edged heavy metal flag, almost single-handedly saving the genre from extinction. On the road, PANTERA's traveling show was legendary for its debauchery. Vinnie Paul and the late "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott were known to imbibe a cocktail or ten before, during and after gigs. "Behind the Music: Pantera" uncovers the true story of this resilient, hard-rocking band. * "VH1 Classic Rock Docs: Metal - A Headbanger's Journey" Airs on Sunday, May 25 at 9:00 PM ET/PT The film follows 30-year old anthropologist and avid metal music fan Sam Dunn's journey into the heart of heavy metal to study the plight of a different culture, one he has been a part of since he was a 12-year old: the culture of heavy metal. Dunn sets out on a global journey to find out why this music has been consistently stereotyped, dismissed and condemned and yet is loved so passionately by its millions of fans. Throughout the film, fans weigh in, as well as metal gods including RUSH's Geddy Lee, Ronnie James Dio, Alice Cooper, MOTÖRHEAD's Lemmy, musician and horror icon Rob Zombie, MÖTLEY CRÜE's Vince Neil and IRON MAIDEN's Bruce Dickinson about the stereotypes of heavy metal music and why this music genre is still loved so passionately by millions of fans. This documentary is the first of its kind. It is both a defense of a long-misunderstood art form and a window for the outsider into the spectacle that is heavy metal. * "Rock and Roll Picture Show: Metallica: Some Kind of Monster" Airs on Sunday, May 25 at 11:00 PM ET/PT Award-winning filmmakers Bruce Sinofsky and Joe Berlinger (of the "Paradise Lost" films on HBO) direct "Metallica: Some Kind of Monster", a documentary about rock stars in therapy. After 20 years of heavy metal, a few members of METALLICA decide to hire psychologist Phil Towle to work out some group tensions during the making of their album "St. Anger". Band members Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett work through the difficulties of the group's dynamics, personal demons and relationship issues. The film also features recording sessions, the recruitment of bassist Robert Trujillo, the much-publicized controversies of Internet file-sharing, and Hetfield's drug rehabilitation. * "Heavy: The Story of Metal" Airs on Monday, May 26 at 8:00 PM ET/PT What Ken Burns did for jazz, VH1 does for heavy metal — only a lot louder. "Heavy: The Story of Metal" traces the evolution of heavy metal music and culture, from its dark, grim beginnings in Birmingham, England to the worldwide force that it remains to this day. In a series of four chronological hours, "Heavy: The Story of Metal" explores four decades of music, each hour examining this powerful and often misunderstood genre, from metal's pioneers to its love of glam and excess; from the fight for metal's rebellious soul to its storied flirtation with the devil.