Excerpt from Sunday Old School

Love the BulletBoys. Hate the BulletBoys. Never heard of the BulletBoys. There are only three options here. MAYBE, a fourth option: being a fan of Marq Torien’s hair. Nah, if you were a fan of Torien’s hair then admit it: You loved the BulletBoys!

The band was formed in 1987 in Los Angeles. The original lineup included Marq Torien (vocals), Mick Sweda (guitar), Lonnie Vencent (bass), and Jimmy D’Anda (drums). Over the years it would be easier to list who was not part of the band then list former members. The group was strongly influenced by AC/DC and Van Halen (the latter to the point of Torien using the video medium to attempt to morph into David Lee Roth – more on this shortly).

In 1988 the group released their self titled debut album. The first single from the album was a cover of the O’Jays “For the Love of Money.” The video featured a lot of hair, twirling microphones, and the curious choice of one guitar player to wear only half a shirt (inside the pre-video dressing room: “You know what, I think I’ll just wear the half-shirt, yeah, that cool ass half-shit over there”). Their other single from the debut album, “Smooth Up In Ya” again showcased the glam template of big hair, tight pants, and half shirts. (Bonus: The use of the wall during the guitar playing.) “Smooth Up In Ya” was released at the height of the glam eighties. The video was an example of everything that was great during these years and also an example of why it had to come crashing down.

Read the full column HERE at MetalUnderground.com

David S. Grant is the author of "Blood: The New Red", follow David on twitter .david_s_grant