Warrant quickly rose to fame during the hairband craze of the late 80s and just as quickly fell out of fashion with the advent of grunge. But during that brief period this California band led by Jani Lane racked up some 80s classics like "Down Boys" (#27), "Heaven" (#2), "Cherry Pie" (#10), and "I Saw Red" (#10). Jani Lane was a terribly under-appreciated songwriter, pigeon-holed for cock rock. But some lesser known tunes like "Uncle Tom's Cabin," "Bed Of Roses," and "Quicksand" showcased his talent. The band started on its downward spiral with their third album, an overly ambitious and confused effort called "Dog Eat Dog." Nothing from this record found its way onto the Top 100, but their cover of Queen's "We Will Rock You" for the Gladiator soundtrack landed at #83 in 1992, giving them one final entry. The band tried to give a nod to grunge with 1995's "Ultraphobic" and it's follow-up, "Belly To Belly, Vol. 1," alienating old fans and failing to win new ones. Lane would soon leave the band to attempt a solo career and work with other musicians, notably in Saints of the Underground. Warrant soldiered on and has endured tons of personnel changes over the years. Lane passed away from acute alcohol poisoning in 2011 at the age of 47. While "Ultraphobic" catered to the grunge fad, it contained some tracks reminiscent of the classic melodic rock that made Warrant famous. In addition to the excellent title track, check out "Undertow," "Crawl Space," and the acoustic ballad "Stronger Now."
The legendary band Queen, fronted by the unforgettable Freddie Mercury, scored a string of hits that included two #1's: "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" spent four weeks at the top and "Another One Bites The Dust" spent three weeks there. Another one of their classics, "Bohemian Rhapsody," made multiple appearances as new audiences discovered its unique awesomeness. It became the band's first top 10 hit in 1976 when it reached #9, but thanks to being featured in the movie Wayne's World in 1992, it roared back and peaked at #2. It returned once again in 2018-2019 to hit #33 after the movie of the same name was released. Queen had their biggest successes in the 70s and 80s, but still scored a handful of hits in the 90s thanks to "Bohemian Rhapsody" and a duet with George Michael, "Somebody To Love," that hit #30 in 1993. "We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions" also made a dual appearance - originally hitting #4 in 1977 and hitting #52 in 1992. Queen did not re-chart in the 2000s, but as mentioned, returned in the 2010s with "Bohemian Rhapsody." Who's to say whether we've heard the last of Queen on the charts? There's a lot of mastery in Queen's impressive catalogue, but I am particularly moved by their fourteenth record from 1991, "Innuendo." Mercury was succumbing to AIDS during its writing and recording, but he still delivers a stellar performance. One of the best is "Don't Try So Hard," on which Mercury offers some sage advice in (mostly) falsetto in a gentle ballad that contains bursts of trademark guitar from Brian May. Also don't overlook the video for "These Are The Days Of Our Lives," the final one Mercury completed before his death in late 1991 at age 45. His sincerity at the end when he whispers, "I still love you" will break you. We still love you, too, Freddie.
