Bill M.'s definitions
Hard rock band formed in the mid-1970s by guitar virtuoso Ritchie Blackmore after leaving Deep Purple. Initially fronted by singer Ronnie James Dio who eventually left in 1979 to replace Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath. Rainbow incorporated medieval themes and classical-inspired guitar work into heavy metal.
Rainbow's big songs include "Man on the Silver Mountain", "Long Live Rock N' Roll", "Stargazer", "Since You've Been Gone", and "Stone Cold".
by Bill M. September 10, 2004
Get the Rainbowmug. (music) A bass guitar technique of hitting a string hard with the side of the thumb knuckle, producing a loud but brief snapping sound. Slapping is usually combined with popping, the act of pulling a string outward with the finger tip and letting it snap back. Invented by Larry Graham (Sly and the Family Stone, Graham Central Station).
Slap & pop bass sounds are very characteristic of disco and funk music, though around 1990 it got very popular again when bands like Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Primus, Infectious Grooves, and Faith No More hit the hard rock radio stations and Mtv.
Slap & pop bass sounds are very characteristic of disco and funk music, though around 1990 it got very popular again when bands like Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Primus, Infectious Grooves, and Faith No More hit the hard rock radio stations and Mtv.
Jazz players on upright bass (aka double bass) have a technique called "slapping", but it's a completely different technique that involves literally slapping the strings.
by Bill M. August 27, 2004
Get the slapmug. S.O.D. ("Stormtroopers of Death") - a heavy metal side-project band formed by two members of Anthrax (Charlie Benate - drums, Scott Ian - guitar), Anthrax's roadie Billy Milano on vocals, and Dan Lilker (originally a member of Anthrax, but better known from the band Nuclear Assult).
The band recorded the album "Speak English or Die" in 1985, during a gap in Anthrax's schedule. It was essentially meant to be a novelty record, with the band planned as being a one-time side project. The album was notorious for its few outright sexist and racist themes, blue humor, plus songs that were hilariously short (the last track being "Diamonds And Rust (extended version)", which is literally two seconds long). Billy Milano would eventually form M.O.D. (Method of Destruction) his own band in a similar metal novelty vein.
However, S.O.D. achieved an unexpected cult following, and many have cited the album as being a historical bridge between the genres of hardcore punk and speed metal. The band reunited in 1992 and again in 1997, before finally recording an album of new material in 1999.
The band recorded the album "Speak English or Die" in 1985, during a gap in Anthrax's schedule. It was essentially meant to be a novelty record, with the band planned as being a one-time side project. The album was notorious for its few outright sexist and racist themes, blue humor, plus songs that were hilariously short (the last track being "Diamonds And Rust (extended version)", which is literally two seconds long). Billy Milano would eventually form M.O.D. (Method of Destruction) his own band in a similar metal novelty vein.
However, S.O.D. achieved an unexpected cult following, and many have cited the album as being a historical bridge between the genres of hardcore punk and speed metal. The band reunited in 1992 and again in 1997, before finally recording an album of new material in 1999.
S.O.D. patches and t-shirts were not an uncommon site among metal fans in the 1980s, despite the fact that the band only had made one album at the time.
by Bill M. August 2, 2004
Get the SODmug. by Bill M. August 27, 2004
Get the Wendsdaymug. A band of the hard rock or heavy metal variety associated with the 1980s, even if from the early 90s (as was the case with Damn Yankees, Mr. Big, Nelson) "Hair metal" was a term not coined until well into the 90s, but roughly covers what was known in the 80s as "glam metal".
Self-proclaimed haters of hair metal try to define the genre as music with all focus on image, and contrast it with grunge. Yet in grunge, the lack of aesthetics became a trendy enforced look itself, and the scene never produced any virtuoso "musician's musicians". Many credit Nirvana and grunge with the "death" of hair metal, but this is historically inaccurate, as hair metal's loss of popularity was mainly due to 1) sudden denial by radio stations and Mtv of any airplay or promotion, and 2) unrelated pitfalls of many key bands in a very short time span: Ozzy Osbourne had announced retirement, inner conflict led to Guns n' Roses' break-up, too many years taken off in between some band's albums (Metallica, Alice Cooper, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Def Leppard), while other bands lost prominent members (Iron Maiden, Motley Crue, Poison).
Most hair metal bands in fact continued to put out albums and play small venues throughout the 1990s, finding promotion via the internet, college radio, and the work of loyal fans. Ironically, it then became a much more anti-corporate, "alternative" form of music than the 90s pop music that was still being called "alternative".
Self-proclaimed haters of hair metal try to define the genre as music with all focus on image, and contrast it with grunge. Yet in grunge, the lack of aesthetics became a trendy enforced look itself, and the scene never produced any virtuoso "musician's musicians". Many credit Nirvana and grunge with the "death" of hair metal, but this is historically inaccurate, as hair metal's loss of popularity was mainly due to 1) sudden denial by radio stations and Mtv of any airplay or promotion, and 2) unrelated pitfalls of many key bands in a very short time span: Ozzy Osbourne had announced retirement, inner conflict led to Guns n' Roses' break-up, too many years taken off in between some band's albums (Metallica, Alice Cooper, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Def Leppard), while other bands lost prominent members (Iron Maiden, Motley Crue, Poison).
Most hair metal bands in fact continued to put out albums and play small venues throughout the 1990s, finding promotion via the internet, college radio, and the work of loyal fans. Ironically, it then became a much more anti-corporate, "alternative" form of music than the 90s pop music that was still being called "alternative".
"Haha, look at all that hair metal. I hate anything that came out of the 80s."
"Wait a minute, didn't you just buy the latest CDs from Guns n' Roses, Aerosmith, and Metallica?"
"Yeah, but those bands don't count as hair metal because, um, you know. Er, uhhhh...hey what's on TV tonight?"
"Wait a minute, didn't you just buy the latest CDs from Guns n' Roses, Aerosmith, and Metallica?"
"Yeah, but those bands don't count as hair metal because, um, you know. Er, uhhhh...hey what's on TV tonight?"
by Bill M. July 23, 2004
Get the hair metalmug. One or more words created by rearranging all the letters of a given word or phrase. All the letters have to be used, and only used once. The resulting anagram will usually have nothing to do with the original word or phrase, but it's amusing when it does.
Anagrams are not to be confused with palindromes (though "straw" is both a palindrome and anagram of "warts"), spoonerisms, acronyms, or other word plays.
Anagrams are not to be confused with palindromes (though "straw" is both a palindrome and anagram of "warts"), spoonerisms, acronyms, or other word plays.
- "earth" is an anagram of "heart"
- An anagram for "Alice Cooper" is "A cool recipe"
- "General", "enlarge", and "Al Green" are all anagrams of each other
- "Axl Rose" is an anagram of "Oral Sex"
- "Dormitory" becomes "Dirty Room"
- "Santa" becomes "Satan"
- An anagram for "Alice Cooper" is "A cool recipe"
- "General", "enlarge", and "Al Green" are all anagrams of each other
- "Axl Rose" is an anagram of "Oral Sex"
- "Dormitory" becomes "Dirty Room"
- "Santa" becomes "Satan"
by Bill M. August 27, 2004
Get the anagrammug. Short for either the bass guitar (also known as the "electric" bass) or the upright bass (also known as "bass fiddle", "double bass", "contrabass", "string bass", or "acoustic bass"). Although different in design, both of these musical instruments essentially serve the same role: providing a low bottom-end to the music and a link between the rhythm and lead sections of a band. Though plenty of exceptional players have shown that the bass can additionally be a versatile lead instrument in its own right.
"At night I could hear the bass reverberate through the neighborhood. The guitars and drums were muffled, but the bass traveled everywhere. I loved that, and wanted to have the power to shake buildings. Also, the bass was big and manly; guitars were little and wimpy, with these thin little strings that looked like Velveeta cheese cutters." - Billy Sheehan
by Bill M. August 30, 2004
Get the bassmug.