Looking for music that sounds like men in makeup.
September 22, 2014 4:35 AM Subscribe
I like T. Rex, Queen, and the rock-opera parts of the Rocky Horror soundtrack. What other music might I like, in the same vein? I am thinking of pick slides, female backup singers, and bombastic vocals. Should I be searching generally for glam? 70s vintage is a plus, but not required.
New York Dolls.
Also, I wonder if the search term "hair metal" might be interesting?
posted by bitslayer at 5:04 AM on September 22, 2014 [3 favorites]
Also, I wonder if the search term "hair metal" might be interesting?
posted by bitslayer at 5:04 AM on September 22, 2014 [3 favorites]
Meat Loaf (that particular video used to be shown right before Rocky Horror back in the day in my town), Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and anything written by Jim Steinman.
posted by jbickers at 5:10 AM on September 22, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by jbickers at 5:10 AM on September 22, 2014 [4 favorites]
Try the soundtrack for Shock Treatment! (The sequel to Rocky Horror, and with more music by the same people.)
posted by tomboko at 5:37 AM on September 22, 2014
posted by tomboko at 5:37 AM on September 22, 2014
Wild Beasts
Antony and the Johnsons
posted by greta simone at 5:59 AM on September 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
Antony and the Johnsons
posted by greta simone at 5:59 AM on September 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
Panic Station by Muse always sounded a bit like Queen to me (although I am not a Queen aficionado so apologies if I'm a bit off).
posted by EndsOfInvention at 6:04 AM on September 22, 2014
posted by EndsOfInvention at 6:04 AM on September 22, 2014
Klaus Nomi. He was a classically-trained operatic countertenor with a very wide vocal range. He adopted an alien/cabaret/demimonde stage presence and a pansexual lifestyle. So much talent, gone too soon.
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 6:06 AM on September 22, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 6:06 AM on September 22, 2014 [5 favorites]
Best answer: Yes, there is lots of other fantastic glam from this period without ever having to leave the sweet embrace of the 70s or compromise your morals by listening to Gary Glitter.
Slade, Sweet, Jobriath, Alvin Stardust, Pink Fairies, Bebop Deluxe, Hollywood Brats, Mick Ronson solo records.
Plus the US hard rock version which was a tad less well produced. but still awesome:
Mink Deville, Jayne County, Zolar X, Cherry Vanilla, and so on.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:09 AM on September 22, 2014 [3 favorites]
Slade, Sweet, Jobriath, Alvin Stardust, Pink Fairies, Bebop Deluxe, Hollywood Brats, Mick Ronson solo records.
Plus the US hard rock version which was a tad less well produced. but still awesome:
Mink Deville, Jayne County, Zolar X, Cherry Vanilla, and so on.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:09 AM on September 22, 2014 [3 favorites]
You've got ALL the pre-eighties Bowie, right?
posted by bonobothegreat at 6:15 AM on September 22, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by bonobothegreat at 6:15 AM on September 22, 2014 [3 favorites]
I think you might like The Make-Up (seriously). I haven't listened to them in ages, but this album is the kind of thing you're looking for.
Seconding Antony and the Johnsons.
posted by katie at 6:29 AM on September 22, 2014
Seconding Antony and the Johnsons.
posted by katie at 6:29 AM on September 22, 2014
What you need, x1000, is Sparks - Kimono My House.
posted by Beardman at 6:30 AM on September 22, 2014 [8 favorites]
posted by Beardman at 6:30 AM on September 22, 2014 [8 favorites]
It's a little bit of a detour, but I could see you totally loving the Replacements -- the sometimes sloppy, much beloved collision of punk rock, 70s glam, Midwestern angst, and tall hair. For thematic material, check out Androgynous
posted by elephantsvanish at 6:37 AM on September 22, 2014
posted by elephantsvanish at 6:37 AM on September 22, 2014
You definitely wanna know about the great 70s Brazilian glam band Secos e Molhados
posted by neroli at 6:52 AM on September 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by neroli at 6:52 AM on September 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
Came in to recommend the Velvet Goldmine soundtrack which, honestly, gets stuck in my head every once in a while.
Nthing Klaus Nomi.
posted by jbenben at 7:07 AM on September 22, 2014
Nthing Klaus Nomi.
posted by jbenben at 7:07 AM on September 22, 2014
Best answer: Run, do not walk, to Nightmare and the Cat, a new-ish band out of L.A./London. The guitarist and singer are the sons of Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) and Siobhan Fahey (Shakespears Sister/Bananarama). Skinny sexy boys with eyeliner and swagger to spare, and great female vox from Claire Acey.
posted by mykescipark at 7:28 AM on September 22, 2014
posted by mykescipark at 7:28 AM on September 22, 2014
Its recent but Megalithic Symphony by AWOL Nation is utterly bonkers in a glam / rock opera / concept album type way.
posted by Ness at 7:31 AM on September 22, 2014
posted by Ness at 7:31 AM on September 22, 2014
The new Broadway soundtrack of Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
posted by sockpuppetdirect at 7:44 AM on September 22, 2014
posted by sockpuppetdirect at 7:44 AM on September 22, 2014
Also, its musical quality is debatable, but My Chemical Romance's Black Parade album was a deliberate nod to operatic glam rock theme albums. It leans towards the bad sort of pop punk, in my opinion, but I think the 70s glam influences are there.
posted by codacorolla at 7:51 AM on September 22, 2014
posted by codacorolla at 7:51 AM on September 22, 2014
Best answer: I call this genre "melodramatic men on top of guitars".
Hello Hawksley Workman - especially the first couple of albums. Canadian guy who was set to go nova around 2001 but never made it big. Striptease is the big hit alongside with Jealous of Your Cigarette. However, "Paper Shoes" and "You, Me & the Weather" are both AMAZING Queen-esque, melodramatic gems (and I can't find good YT for either). Go, go, go explore.
Completely obscure but so good: Baal with Chronical Love Song
AND THEN you also have the whole early 1990s scene in Britain which culminated (in a way) with Velvet Goldmine. Suede did stomping Bowie-Bolan-esque tracks. We Are The Pigs (that guitar still gets me), The Killing of a Flashboy (my favourite), The Drowners and Metal Mickey are all fantastic. The first two Suede albums are best - the guitarist left after those two and it went downhill. If you liked those, Strangelove's Time for the Rest of Your Life might also work? Placebo (also found on VG soundtrack) has Nancy Boy among so many other tracks. .
Finally, some randoms:
James Hall - So Precious. Was touted as the next big thing along with Jeff Buckley(!) for a brief month in 1994. I still love that song.
I don't know much about them, but I had Ours - Fallen Souls as a constant soundtrack for a while.
posted by kariebookish at 7:52 AM on September 22, 2014
Hello Hawksley Workman - especially the first couple of albums. Canadian guy who was set to go nova around 2001 but never made it big. Striptease is the big hit alongside with Jealous of Your Cigarette. However, "Paper Shoes" and "You, Me & the Weather" are both AMAZING Queen-esque, melodramatic gems (and I can't find good YT for either). Go, go, go explore.
Completely obscure but so good: Baal with Chronical Love Song
AND THEN you also have the whole early 1990s scene in Britain which culminated (in a way) with Velvet Goldmine. Suede did stomping Bowie-Bolan-esque tracks. We Are The Pigs (that guitar still gets me), The Killing of a Flashboy (my favourite), The Drowners and Metal Mickey are all fantastic. The first two Suede albums are best - the guitarist left after those two and it went downhill. If you liked those, Strangelove's Time for the Rest of Your Life might also work? Placebo (also found on VG soundtrack) has Nancy Boy among so many other tracks. .
Finally, some randoms:
James Hall - So Precious. Was touted as the next big thing along with Jeff Buckley(!) for a brief month in 1994. I still love that song.
I don't know much about them, but I had Ours - Fallen Souls as a constant soundtrack for a while.
posted by kariebookish at 7:52 AM on September 22, 2014
Manic Street Preachers! Especially their first album, Generation Terrorists.
posted by capricorn at 8:07 AM on September 22, 2014
posted by capricorn at 8:07 AM on September 22, 2014
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Tommy; the motion picture soundtrack more so than the album based on your question.
posted by TedW at 8:40 AM on September 22, 2014
posted by TedW at 8:40 AM on September 22, 2014
I love Queen, they are my favorite band, and I also love T.Rex.
You might also like Uriah Heep.
posted by phunniemee at 9:52 AM on September 22, 2014 [2 favorites]
You might also like Uriah Heep.
posted by phunniemee at 9:52 AM on September 22, 2014 [2 favorites]
The first thing that came to mind reading your question was 'Vienna' by Ultravox.
Also: Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet. Apparently, both of these groups belonged to something called new romanticism that might be worth looking into.
posted by rjs at 10:24 AM on September 22, 2014
Also: Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet. Apparently, both of these groups belonged to something called new romanticism that might be worth looking into.
posted by rjs at 10:24 AM on September 22, 2014
Check out Marionette by Mott The Hoople. If that works, selected other songs by them will also work (I'm thinking The Golden Age of Rock and Roll and Roll Away The Stone.)
posted by wittgenstein at 11:08 AM on September 22, 2014
posted by wittgenstein at 11:08 AM on September 22, 2014
New Romanticism reminds me of Adam Ant
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 2:03 PM on September 22, 2014
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 2:03 PM on September 22, 2014
Surprised that nobody has yet mentioned Roxy Music. "Country Life" is a great choice from them. Seconding Sparks' "Kimono My House" and will add also their album "Propaganda." There was a recent major post about Sparks on the blue that you may wish to look for. If you go Mott the Hoople make sure it's just a best-of (in my opinion, Mott is very uneven.)
posted by blnkfrnk at 3:04 PM on September 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by blnkfrnk at 3:04 PM on September 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
Mika — he even sings about how he "tried a little Freddie" (Mercury).
posted by John Cohen at 6:37 PM on September 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by John Cohen at 6:37 PM on September 22, 2014 [1 favorite]
Maybe Styx? Grand Illusion or Paradise Theater. Peter Gabriel -era Genesis.
posted by persona au gratin at 12:28 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by persona au gratin at 12:28 AM on September 23, 2014 [1 favorite]
King Tuff just released a whole album of rhinestone gems.
posted by bendybendy at 10:29 AM on September 25, 2014
posted by bendybendy at 10:29 AM on September 25, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by lysimache at 4:52 AM on September 22, 2014 [5 favorites]