Aldo Nova peaked with his first single Fantasy. Given the leopard skin pimp outfit he’s wearing in the video, it’s not hard to see why.  But don’t call him a one hit wonder. He’s had plenty of hits over the last 30 years believe it or not. They were just recorded by other people. Clay Aiken’s # 1 hit in 2003 This Is The Night was written by Aldo Nova.

As for Fantasy, it hit #3 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Charts and #23 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1982. The video is standard early 80’s cheese, but the song is one a rock classic.

WATN? He released several more albums in the 80’s (my favorite was Twitch) and then tried to stage a comeback in the 90’s working with Jon Bon Jovi.

Trivia: Over the course of her career, Celine Dion has recorded 11 songs written by Aldo Nova. Others to collaborate with him include Bon Jovi, Michael Bolton, Faith Hill, Clay Aiken, and Blue Oyster Cult. Now that would make for a wacky music festival!

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Dokken released Back For The Attack on this day in 1987 and Burning Like a Flame was the highest charting single. The album reached #13 on the album charts and sold over 3 million copies. The video has some fun animation and a skeleton guitar that comes to life in a Tim Burton movie sort of way. Pay attention to the squid on Jeff Pilson’s base. It looks very similar to the corporate logo of Squidoo.

WATN? Dokken released Lightning Strikes Again in May of this year. The album was it’s highest charting CD since 1995.

Trivia: Current guitarist Jon Levin was the attorney for the band.

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Sure it took Axl 14 years to release Chinese Democracy, but it only took Pound Note 2 months to throw up a GNR video.  Slash once said he was trying to mimic a circus tune when he came up with the guitar intro to the song. Released in 1987, Sweet Child 0′ Mine was the band’s only #1 single.

WATN? After 14 years, they finally released their new album.

Trivia: The song was originally a poem written to Rose’s then girlfriend Erin Everly.

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Living on a Prayer was voted best song of the 80’s in an online poll by VH1.  The 2nd single from Slippery When Wet, it was released in late 1986. The song hit #1 on the U.S. charts in February of ‘87 and stayed there for 4 weeks.  The album spent 94 weeks on the Billboard album chart, including 8 weeks at #1.

Looking back, the video isn’t that remarkable. But, it’s a great look back at the hair band era from one of the few acts to actually survive and thrive post 80’s.  And yes, I did see this tour. Twice. Feels good getting that off my chest. Seriously though, Bon Jovi was a great show for the money (and probably still is) and that’s what Rock N Roll is all about.

WATN? Still making records and touring. They released Lost Highway last year.

Trivia: Jon Bon Jovi is co-owner of the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League.

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With album sales sagging in 1983, KISS decided to take off the make-up.  Lick it Up was the first album and video in which the band appeared without their trademark look. They keep you guessing for the first 40 seconds of the video, only showing the band from the waist down. It looks like the guy who shot all those annoying Dockers commercials was trying to sell ripped jeans and leather pants.

About 43 seconds into the video, you want them to put the make-up back on.The only member who benefited from the loss of the makeup was Vinnie Vincent (far right in the opening sequence) because he never embraced is KISS “alter ego.” Gene was the Demon. Ace was Space Ace. Peter was the Cat. Paul was Star Child. However, Vinnie never got over the guys calling his Kiss character Transgender Crack Whore. Of course, after this video was released, that’s what the rest of the world called him!

Lick it Up is another post apocalyptic videos that were popular in the early to mid 80’s (mostly with metal bands). I remember liking it when I was in high school, but let’s face it: I was pretty much an idiot then!

WATN? Catch Gene on A&E’s Simmons Family Jewels. I love that show!

Trivia: Eddie Van Halen wanted to join KISS after Ace Frehley left. Gene Simmons talked him out of it.

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The lads released their landmark documentary, This is Spinal Tap, in 1984, and the American “mockumentary” was born! This video was in regular rotation on MTV and many people didn’t realize they weren’t really a band! This team went on to create the comedy classics Waiting for Guffman, Might Wind, Best in Show, and For Your Consideration.

WATN? David St. Hubbins achieved immortality by uttering the following,

“Well, I don’t really think that the end can be assessed as of itself as being the end because what does the end feel like? It’s like saying when you try to extrapolate the end of the universe, you say, if the universe is indeed infinite, then how – what does that mean? How far is all the way, and then if it stops, what’s stopping it, and what’s behind what’s stopping it? So, what’s the end, you know, is my question to you.”

Trivia: The butler in the video is the same butler from Ratt’s Round and Round video.

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In 1983, Quiet Riot released a cover of Slade’s Cum On Feel the Noize and changed rock history. Although the band never had the love of the critics, the song became the first heavy metal single to reach the top 5 of the pop charts. The strength of the video/single took the album to #1 on the album charts, making Quiet Riot the first heavy metal band to have a top 5 hit and the #1 album in the same week. Their success paved the way for artists like Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, etc. to get regular rotation on MTV.  Thus, the hairband juggernaut can be traced to this quirky video with a guy in a Hannibal Lecter mask.

WATN? Lead singer Kevin Dubrow passed away this year, so don’t expect any new music from QR.

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Ground Breaking Video

This video gets 5 guitars if for no other reason than I said so! Round and Round is a classic 80’s rock/hairband/whatever you want to call it song. Ratt is often mislabeled as a one hit wonder, but they managed to release three subsequent albums that sold over a million copies each.

My one beef with the video is that the band is playing in the attic, but the album is called Out of the Cellar. Picky maybe, but it always bothered me.

WATN? After breakups, reunions, line-up changes, and the death of Robin Crosby, the band is back together and touring. Look for a new album in 2009.

Trivia: Comedian Milton Berle appears in the video. Warren DeMartini actually jumped through the ceiling himself. They couldn’t afford a stuntman.

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Yes, that Michael Bolton. Believe it or not, the Adult Contemperary punchline of the 90’s was actually a headbanger in his early days. His first band even opened for Ozzy Ozborne! Try to wrap your brain around that little nugget.

Trivia: The song was featured in the movie Back to School with Rodney Dangerfield.  Guitarist Bruce Kulic went on to play in KISS for 12 years.

WATN? Playing some lousy lounge act in Vegas I suppose. I really didn’t have the stomach to find out.

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This video has everything -Marylin Monroe, a catchy tune, chicks in a cage, and even the drummer has both arms.  Photograph was the breakthrough single for Def Leppard, reaching #1 on the rock charts in 1983.

An odd spotlight seems to be circling the stage in the performance scenes and is a little distracting. I’m thinking the roadie might have burned a fatty before the shoot and was fascinated by the pattern it made on the floor. Also, out of nowhere, some chicks in a cage appear to the right of the stage. They really don’t add anything to the video, but it’s nice to know that the lads were giving NOW something to bitch about all those years ago.

WATN? Def Leppard continues to tour and make music. They released Songs from the Sparkle Lounge earlier this year.

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