We’re excited to welcome John Williamson, a long-time friend of Icon Vs. Icon, dedicated reader, and full-blown musical throwback enthusiast, for a new feature digging into some of the albums that helped make 1986 such a massive year for glam rock. Over the next few installments, John will revisit three records that had a huge impact on him and millions of other fans who still keep these songs in heavy rotation! Now, take it away, John!
I often listen to music when I’m at work, on long drives, or cooking. As I was beginning to cook one of my intricate dishes, I had my AirPods in and was listening to some music on shuffle. A good mix of new and old filled my ears when, all of a sudden, a song came on that I’ve probably heard a thousand times in the last 40 years.
The song in question was “Talk Dirty to Me” by Poison, off their debut album, “Look What the Cat Dragged In,” released in 1986 originally on Enigma Records. About a minute into the song, my head was banging and I was air-guitaring the squeals guitarist C.C. DeVille seemingly added after every verse.
Before I knew it, the song was over and I was definitely in a better mood. ’80s glam metal sprinkled in with nu metal, death metal, and the other various forms of brooding music is always welcome.
The next song that came on was “Bathroom Wall” by Faster Pussycat. The beating of the floor toms and snare drum in the intro again had my head banging. Another welcome song to my ears as I was getting ingredients together. The lead singer of Faster Pussycat, Taime Downe, has an amazing, sleazy growl that, if you close your eyes, you can almost envision yourself on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood circa 1986. The lyrics of this song tell the tale of using the bathroom at a club while seeing your favorite rock band.
Whilst in the stall of said bathroom, you notice the “For a good time call 281-7668” written on the wall. Running to the closest payphone and putting in a dime, a most sexy voice answered. The caller, our hero in the song, then explained he needed another dime, as her voice would have him calling every day. Such an underrated band with four amazing musicians that even made it into the music-related documentary “The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years” by Penelope Spheeris (available at this location and streaming for free via Shout Studios). “Bathroom Wall” is even included in that documentary, along with the band being interviewed at a venue in the early days. At the end of the song, our hero explains how happy he is that he didn’t use another stall.
Next was another brooding modern rock song, but afterward came the ominous sound of wind blowing and bells tolling.
Night Songs! — Cinderella is a part of my Mount Rushmore of ’80s glam bands. Ratt, Poison, and Mötley Crüe are the other three, in case the reader is wondering. Another extremely distinct voice, Tom Keifer, begins to sing over the dual-guitar whine of Jeff LaBar and himself. “Workin’ this job ain’t payin’ the bills, sick and tired rat race takin’ my thrills” goes the opening, and man does that hit home in 2026!
I quickly came to realize that these songs had been with me since I was 8 years old. Wait a minute… I was 8 years old in 1986. I just turned 48. Forty years?! How can it be?
As I stood there astounded, very familiar percussion, acoustic guitar, and keyboard music now filled my AirPods. “It’s all the same, only the names change, every day it seems we’re wasting away…” The infectious opening of Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive” began. “Slippery When Wet” was the first rock album I got for Christmas in 1986. We didn’t have cable on Preston Road in 1986, but there was a television show that came on Saturday afternoons that would show at least an hour of music videos. “Livin’ on a Prayer” was one that got featured prominently.
It didn’t hurt to have older brothers who also listened to this style of music. I was introduced early to bands like KISS, Queen, and Ratt that I still love to this day.
1986 — Forty years ago. Then it hit me just how important 1986 was to music, ’80s glam music to be specific. Poison, Cinderella, Ratt, Bon Jovi, W.A.S.P., Europe, Dokken, Stryper, and Tesla, to name a few, all released albums in 1986. Between “Slippery When Wet,” “Night Songs,” and “Look What the Cat Dragged In,” the three combined had sold 34 million albums as of 2018, with, I’m sure, more sold since. Keep in mind, accurate record sales weren’t even kept track of until 1991, so it could be way more. But I digress.
After I finished cooking, I made a playlist of “Slippery When Wet,” “Look What the Cat Dragged In,” and “Night Songs.” I reached out to Jason Price about the amazing coincidence of the year 1986 in glam music, right around the time of the 40th anniversary of Cinderella’s “Night Songs” post from Icon Vs. Icon.
And the rest is OUR rock history! — Keep an eye out as John takes a look back at some of the most influential glam rock albums of 1986, right here on Icon Vs. Icon!
