If you know and hang around me, most people could probably tell you what album I’ve listened to the most in the past 2 years. Yep, Steel Panther’s “Feel The Steel” would take the cake. Rude, raunchy, unapologetic and [...]]]>

"Balls Out" is more ballsy on the musical chops than the jokes.

If you know and hang around me, most people could probably tell you what album I’ve listened to the most in the past 2 years. Yep, Steel Panther’s “Feel The Steel” would take the cake. Rude, raunchy, unapologetic and musically stuck in a former era, the comedic hair metal band’s first offering was the most entertaining listen in years.

After really seeing the band come into their own while touring throughout 2010, the Panther has given fans something to cheer about: their sophomore album, “Balls Out”. If you loved “Feel The Steel”, “Balls Out” should have a familiar feel to it.

On the second album, Steel Panther may not hit the comedic heights of the first album, but the musicianship and chops far exceed the debut and actually make the band sound closer to the era they were honoring, or parodying- however you see it.

Plenty of the jokes are the same- drug jokes, sex jokes, but the band branches out into celebrity stories on the hilarious “Just Like Tiger Woods”, where the band gives tips to the golfer who destroyed his personal life with his escapades. The meat and potatoes of Steel Panther can be heard on cuts like the swinging “17 Girls in a Row” and “Tomorrow Night” (after listening to this one- good luck trying to get this one out of your head). Even Chad Kroeger of Nickleback can’t screw up a song like “It Won’t Suck Itself” and one tends to get the feeling the Nickelback singer would rather be in Steel Panther than kick out wussy ballads all day.

If the album does have a downside, the comedic bits just don’t hit as hard as on the debut. I think the jokes and punchlines on the debut were better, and songs like “Supersonic Sex Machine” and “I Like Drugs” seem a little tired. But what saves the album is the musicianship of all the band members. Listening to the music on the album makes you think the guys spent more time become a real tight hair metal tribute band than on the jokes- which might make some happy, some sad.

“Balls Out” may not be as gut busting funny as “Feel The Steel”, but the catchy and still humorous tracks should make the album feel welcomed with fans looking to get a laugh and a blazing guitar solo or two.

If you didn’t have a chance to check out Steel Panther in their debut trip to Detroit, you really missed out. The band’s highly humorous blend of original material, the occasional cover and their off [...]]]>

The Panther plans to give you some holiday cheer, or something far more gross on Wednesday night.

If you didn’t have a chance to check out Steel Panther in their debut trip to Detroit, you really missed out. The band’s highly humorous blend of original material, the occasional cover and their off color between song banter made for quite the evening. The band’s first date in Detroit came to Royal Oak, where they played in front of a near sold out Royal Oak Theater.

With the album “Feel The Steel” being something of a cult favorite among rock fans all around, the band has ventured away from its usual haunts such as Las Vegas and Los Angeles and has played some shows on the Midwest and east coast. To not bring songs like “Asian Hooker” and “The Shocker” to the masses would be a shame for everyone involved. But the band will be making their way back to Detroit as they once again come to the Royal Oak Theater this Wednesday, December 15^th.

One can’t be sure if it will be a holiday themed show, but with the holiday season in full swing, I am sure there will be a nod to the holidays in only a way Steel Panther could do it. Either way, you’re gonna get a raunchy time and one that makes you think and recall the height of the hair metal days.

2011 plans to be a busy year for the Panther, with the band already working on new songs and a possible Comedy Central pilot that may come to see the light of day. At the worst case, you can count on a time full of sex, drugs, comedy, rock and roll, and possibly a sexual transmitted disease- just be careful about that last part.

Steel Panther plays the Royal Oak Theater on Wednesday, December 15^th. Tickets are $15 and are available at www.tickets.com. Additional dates can be found at www.steelpantherrocks.com.

Even back in the glory days of 80s hair metal, most bands would have not named their songs “Asian Hooker” or “The Shocker”, but believe me- most of the lyrics of the songs would have probably alluded to it.

The whole era has to [...]]]>

You better "Feel The Steel" this Thursday in Royal Oak.

Even back in the glory days of 80s hair metal, most bands would have not named their songs “Asian Hooker” or “The Shocker”, but believe me- most of the lyrics of the songs would have probably alluded to it.

The whole era has to be looked at in a very tongue-in-cheek time period where mindless entertainment ruled and spandex and big hair ruled even more. As much as the Sunset Strip based band Steel Panther would like to tell you that they were part of that era of music (but really weren’t), the band is helping bring a bit of that energy back into the music world with the release of their album, Feel The Steel.

The album is a hilariously juvenile and entertaining 11 songs, that discusses the band’s love for drugs, drinking and girls- just like it was back in the late 80s. The album starts with “Death To All But Metal,” a blazing condemnation of the current music scene that ends with lyrics that let’s just say ends up with two famous rappers getting shot with a certain fluid. Don’t expect anything too serious on Feel The Steel- the album is meant to revel in the excesses of the hair metal era and not provide any insight on world issues. If you look at the album on that level, it’s a major success.

In 2009, there weren’t too many albums that found constant repeat listens to when driving- but Feel The Steel was on the short list of ones I did listen to a lot last year.

After usual residencies in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Steel Panther is making their way around the U.S. and play their first Detroit show on June 24^th, when the Panther hits the Royal Oak Theater. So, if you want to relive the hair metal days, then be prepared to Feel The Steel as Steel Panther makes you bang your head and laugh your ass off at the same time.

Steel Panther plays at the Royal Oak Theater on Thursday, June 24^th. Tickets are $10.11 and are available at www.tickets.com. Additional dates and band info can be found at www.steelpantherrocks.com.