210

Glamrock is dead, long live Glamrock, or rather not?! Okay, at least what's up to Munich tonight, it has come back alive a little bit. No, not quite alright, 'cause the slogan is Glam meets Punkrock. But I got some doubts about this mixture. And this time these doubts get underlined at least three times.

Although the "great response"!!!! has nothing to do with the slogan, but rather with the simple fact, that Munich's Rock'n'Roll Society hasn't got the nerv for Make up sparkling pink dressed Valentinos (sorry Alex, I don't mean that personally) . Or is the promotion for this show not done properly? But whatever speculations about this, it's too late anyway, and only about 100 fans of the glammer style have found their way to the Metropolis including our local Rockchicks and some spy's of the competition to check this mixture of Punk meets Glamrock.


Okay, the first two acts I dismissed, like often, when there are too many bands playing at once. But I'm here for Johnny Rotten's little brother a.k.a. Messerfocke and his Lustfingers to check out the spirit of the Ramones, the ToyDolls and the UK Subs or whatsoever. The only problem is just the fact, that all those Glamrock kids don't really get along with the hard simple beat of Punkmusic, or should I better say - don't want to.... And it makes him really feriously and tells the audiance , either you come to the front, or off we go. Bcause we loose the enthusiasm as well, when you don't have any. Okidok, Daddy has spoken a word, and some kiddies follow his call. But unfortunately only - some.....


Apart from the performance itselves, but I still can't understand, that people are so narrowminded with music. Okay, Punk ain't everyone's taste of music. But you could at least listen to it for a bit and then make your mind up to mayb support a band,who plays their ass off. .- But unfortunately it doesn't seem to work with Punk.  

However, in the end, Munich's punkrockband no.1 - Lustfinger can manage to push up the mood at least a little bit. But you can realize, that the hardcore fans of sleazerock constantly keep themselves in the back, and the acceptance for glammer rockis literatualy not existing. 
I personally waited for one song the whole time, I must admit. And I almost thought, it's not gonna happen. But in the end the boys play it - 'Honolulu Baby'. This is real killer that song and wakes up some memories, though in different ways as Messerfocke has worked out his anekdotes. Never mind, it's gotta do something with Hawaii. 
Lustfinger play pretty well, apart from some lack of sound. Oh, and before I forget, the man on the drums must feel really homely in this venue, playing' that often and soon again, as he does..... hello from Bonfire....
 

http://www.lustfinger.com

click Pic below for some more Live Shots

Nun denn, dem Punk ist last but not least dann noch Über- und fast Endlos-Genüge getan samt Glitzerkanone, die schon mal vorab für Funkel und Glamour sorgt. Aber ich muss gestehen, ich habe Lustfinger schon besser erlebt, wobei das aber mitnichten am Können liegt, sondern vielmehr an den gegebenen Umständen. Punkt um, nächstes Mal bitte wieder solo, ohne Glamrock, aber dafür Punk pur bei vollem Haus und guter Stimmung....


Glamrock - what is it actually? I did ask myself this very often in the past, and I always got to one answer, that this is nothing else than dirty straight american Rock'n'Roll. No I rather think, the word Glam stands for it's sparkling presentation, which gave the whole thing it's name - including spandex tights, highheel boots, sarkling make up etc. This style was born in the early seventies with T-Rex and orginally it comes from good old Britain and not from America. Marc Bolan is still known as the founder of the sleazerock era. It went down the drain after a while to live up in the middle of the eighties with many american rockbands, who gave the scene a new and fresh sparkle. Back down again in the nineties, and now it seems, the trend is gonna come back for a third time with some come backs of the like's of Mötley Cüe, Cincerelly, Slaughter, Ratt, Pretty Boy Floyd and Tuff. The last two mentioned groups mainly because of their frontmen Stevie Rachelle and Steve Summers. Both beyond thier 40s and probably not as wild and crazy as they used to be, more down to earth, more sensible, but still with a slight touch of exotic aura to reflect those golden years in the past. 

Steve Summers

Stevie Rachelle

That's one side, the other one is our Alexx, who is still dreaming this dream of the L.A. Glamrock throughout his entire life. And he still does. He goes there where the scene is to get some new and more connections. Connections which has brought him those two icons Stevie Rachelle and Steve Summers for his very personal project 'Shameless'. There is only a tiny problem about all this. And to repeat myself in a way, the average Glam Trend has dismissed the connetion for it's third spring this time, at least what's up to Europe. No clue what the current situation in California is right now. 
But Mötley Crüe went to point zero with their current Best of.... in Europe and only come along to appear at festivals or in a package. Bands like Cinderella and Slaughter prefer to stay at home and not take the risk for a trip over here, only maybe for a stint to Japan or so.  I presume what's up to our both Stevies here, they hopefully see this current trip to Europe rather as a nice change to their normal life's. Because there won't be too much money to be earned outta that, even the other venues have more than the double amount of guests compared to Munich. 

Okay, enough of all this philosophy about life and death of fire flies. The small audiance has woken up and waits curiously for whatever is gonna happen now. 
To make it short and painless, the best thing about the Shameless gig tonight is the pink jacket of Big Boss Alexx and the voice of Stevie Rachelle. - What a great voice he's still got!!!!!!! - compared to his buddy, who obviously has got some problems tonight. 


...whatever his problem is?????

Yeah, okay, in some ways I do remember the old times, when Pretty Boy Floyd and songs like „Your Mama won’t  know’, „Set The Nite On Fire“ or  Leather Boyz With Electric Toys got popular. These are good songs, no doubt about that, but in the end it's always the way of performance which makes the day. And when the voice gets lost, those tights look a bit funny and outta fashion and the singer looks, like he urgently needs a bathroom, then sorry my friends, - this all rather reminds me on a comedy. Plus all these technical problems, like broken mikes etc. which don't really help to make things become better. - At leat the outfit of Alexx is quite unique. Christian LaCroix is looking for a male model. That'll be the chance Alexx.....
Mötley Crüe's 'Live Wire' is trying to push up the kids here, but it still doesn't quite happen.


The one and only real good thing about the gig

First when Stevie Rachelle come on and Steve Summers leaves the stage, it's getting better. This man is a true talent, my god, although his appearance is much more down to earth than the other's here. But his voice, his aura and his body is just simply perfect. He's offering us some wellknown songs of Tuff, his baby, - only 'hairband' I miss. And just besides, I do luv this great version of '16 Tons', - not beeing performed tonight unfortunately. 
Alrighty, and of course there is a new album of Shameless, which is named 'Famous 4 Madness' and is the fifth album of the band. (more information hier
And this one wants to be promoted. 
But presented like this tonight, it won't have a big future in my opinion. And don't blame the Munich music freaks for that or the missing trend. Everything it only a matter of talent, the right promotion, the stage presence and marketing, and most of all lot's of routine. But all of these aspects lack in one or the other way what's up to Shameless. But because of the far distance - problem and the resulting financial gap is an almost unbearable handycap. Or am I wrong? 
And what's up to the Glam - Sleaze or whatsoever ... in the end it's only Rock'n'Roll And that one my friends of sparkling Glam, is still not dead.....
http://www.shamelessrock.com/


                                                                           For a few Aftershow snapshots click 
Diary

click Pic below for some more live shots