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"A WOMAN AND HER '80'S TRIBUTE BAND"
In the late 80’s I hung around with a cover band called the Bad Boyz. They were a product of the sudden “oldies” craze, a revival of rock music from the 1950’s and ‘60’s. It was a weird time for me. Hanging around with a band that played songs that were popular before I was born and either flirting my way into the clubs they played at or using the line, “I’m with the band”, to get in because I wasn’t anywhere even close to being 21 years old yet.
On the way to the shows I’d listen to the current hits that were, in all honesty, more my cup of tea. Motley Crue’s ‘Girls Girls Girls,’ Bon Jovi’s ‘You Give Love a Bad Name’ or Lita Ford’s ‘Kiss Me Deadly.’ For people who love music, the songs and bands that you listen to during your teen years are very impressionable upon the entire rest of your life. You’re at an age where you know you’re not a kid anymore, but you’ve got the freedom and the fire that allows you to believe you can take on the world as long as Guns n’ Roses, or one of your other favorites, is playing loudly in the background. And for us kids who grew up on that genre, call it "glam metal", "hair bands", "poser rock" or simply "80’s rock". All those bands and songs occupy a very tender part of our hearts.
Too many odd years later we’d witnessed the death of 80’s rock and then the rise and fall of grunge. During its heyday it was difficult for the hard core 80’s rockers to adjust to grunge. Everything just seemed so dark and dirty after we lived and thrived during a time where everything was glamorous, colorful, shiny, and yes, a bit overdone a lot of the time, but 80’s rock was always ‘fun’.
Today, I personally find myself somewhat excited about music again. Rock bands and fans have cleaner clothes and hair than they did during the grunge period and the songs that are topping the charts today don’t make me want to take a bottle of sleeping pills and wash them down with a pint of Jack Daniel's. But not only that, just like when I was flirting with bouncers to get in to see the Bad Boyz, a new revival began. One that’s centered around our beloved 80’s era.
Just about two years ago, the idea for an 80’s metal tribute band began to brew.
“I was in another cover band called Core”, said Jennifer Remis, keyboardist and vocalist of the band Hairbanger’s Ball, “and I wanted this band to learn [Skid Row’s] ‘Youth Gone Wild’ and [Twisted Sister’s] ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’. No one agreed so I thought, ‘screw it, I’ll start another band to do these songs”.
Though Core, a top 40/alternative cover band, a popular band with a huge following in the Chicago area, was doing quite well on the local band circuit, this idea for an 80’s tribute band just couldn’t be quieted. As the idea evolved into a reality, initial band name suggestions were ‘HairForce’, ‘Hair Supply’ and ‘Headbanger’s Ball’ after the MTV show we were all addicted to back then. But then Hairbanger’s Ball was suggested and magic began to happen.
Hairbanger’s Ball hit the circuit in May of 2001 and has done nothing but grown in popularity and outrageousness ever since. After just a couple personnel changes, current members include Jennifer Remis on keys and vocals, whose stage name, “Polly Pantz”, was inspired by an episode of South Park. ‘Vic Voxx’ singing lead vocals. Guitarist Jeff Klaproth who goes by “Jeff Jackson” in honor of his guitar of choice, was in the band Core with Polly. ‘Chris Crotch’, former Core vocalist, on bass and some vocals. ‘Zeek Zildjian’ on drums. And also on guitar, Frederick John Stahmer, known as “Freddy Fingers”. “Fingers on the guitar and women”, Freddy explains.
Most of the members of Hairbanger’s Ball, or HBB for short, have some 15 to 20+ years experience singing and playing their instruments and have played in both cover and original bands. Everything from rock to blues, top 40 to even country themed groups.
With over 65 songs ready to be incorporated into their set list for any given show, HBB performs Bon Jovi, Poison, Def Leppard, Van Halen, Kiss and many of the other acts of that era. Each with a precision and energy rivaled only by the bands themselves at the time that these songs were hits.
Energy and musical ability aren’t the only things noteworthy of this band. Visually, they’re a sight for sore eyes for those who miss Jon Bon Jovi in his spandex pants. Big hair, animal print spandex, feather boas and a collection of fan’s bras decorating the drums like freshly washed laundry in a backyard on a summer day. Did I mention big hair? “Appearance is a big part of the job”, remarks Polly.
Hairbanger’s Ball gives audience’s eyes just as many pleasures as they do the ears. And as Jeff adds, the best part of being in this band is, “being able to wear sweaty spandex without underwear in front of thousands of people”.
And what would 80’s metal be without explosions? In the venues where it’s deemed safe, Hairbanger’s Ball also has their own pyrotechnics worked into the show as well. If you’re standing close to the stage at a show that’s got the pyros working, you might want to consider not wearing as much hairspray as you used to in the 80’s. “I enjoy watching the pyros scare the audience and its a real treat when they scare one of us on stage”, said Polly mischievously.
Polly, being the only female member of HBB, occasionally deals with the gender stereotypes that plague women in rock. “There have been a few shows when people in the crowd made bets with each other that I am really a man. The first time it happened I wanted to run out and get a water bra", said Polly. “They never think I play an instrument. They assume I sing or dance half naked in a cage”.
But as Vic explains, “[Having a female in the band] definitely adds to the show. It gives the men something to look at and gives the show greater flexibility in song selection”.
Polly goes on, “Chicks in rock bands rule! I think there should be more girls out there in rock bands. I think it is everyone's secret dream to be in a rock band and more girls should go for it. I just practice more and strive to be better for myself. As long as I am doing my part the best I can, it doesn't matter if any boy is better than me”.
“I can't say I have a favorite [moment in this band], but one of the most notable was when Polly Pantz had too many shots and started crawling on the floor like a cat. Funny stuff!”, remarks Vic.
Since HBB has hit the scene, the response from club goers has been phenomenal. Having already played throughout the Midwest, HBB has also done shows as far away as Las Vegas and in late November, they will be playing a 10 day, 7 show tour in Puerto Rico and Honduras for the Armed Forces Entertainment, the company which supplies entertainment for U.S. troops. “All shows will be played for our troops and our main purpose is to provide them with a feeling of being close to home”, remarked HBB tour manager, Jeff Schwartz.
Schwartz, who met Polly, Freddy and Jeff while bartending and working sales in Greece a little over a year ago, was asked to come aboard after the company he was working for succumbed to the shaky economy. “They hired on a management company in April of this year and when the touring strategy started to kick in, having a tour manager became necessary”, explained Schwartz. “The timing was right and I am always looking for a great experience”. According to Schwartz, HBB is also working on a deal to tour the Mediterranean in the spring of 2003.
Though each member of HBB is aware of the fact that this 80’s renaissance will eventually come to an end, no one is too concerned about the ride coming to a halt just yet. Chris explains, “We have up to 1,000 people at shows and I'm traveling the world. I'd do that in a polka band if I had to. Someone attributed our roles of being in a cover band as Shakespearean actors. Everyone knows the story. They come for the performance. Now, I'm not saying 80's hair music compares directly to Shakespeare, but the roles we play do.”
“I don't worry about when it will die out”, says Jeff. “I enjoy every show that we do. It already has exceeded my expectations so at this point I can't be disappointed”.
Schwartz adds, “Obviously we would love for it to stand the test of time, but we do understand that the it could end at any point. That’s why we make sure to stand still once [in] a while and enjoy the ride. If it ends tomorrow, it will be remembered and appreciated by all of us”.
Extended family members of the HBB family would have to be the band’s crew of roadies/techs who, when immersed in the sea of HBB “Freekz” (as they’re referred to; a title each one of them seems to wear like a badge of honor), are just as much a part of the band as the band itself.
Sam Ruppert, who went from a fan to being the local drum tech for band, is just as enthusiastic about HBB as any fan. “When you go see HBB, you feel like you are back in 1985 in Giants Stadium watching Bon Jovi. Being as young as I am, I did not have the opportunities in the 80’s to see the bands like Poison, Whitesnake, Motley Crue, etc., let alone be in the front row. Hairbanger’s brings all the drive from those years and throws it at you full throttle. The greatest part about them is they play for the fans, for the people like me who could not fully experience these great bands. They appeal to everyone”.
Todd Mills, the guitar tech, known to the band as “Tekky”, notes that his favorite part of an HBB show is when, “…the FREEKZ chant ‘TEK-KY! TEK-KY! TEK-KY! TEK-KY!’”
“To me in some ways [being part of this project] is coming close to fulfilling my own dreams of getting on stage and playing rock star”, explains Mills, a guitarist himself of over 21 years. “My role with HBB gives me that extra kick in the butt to want to be out in the forefront myself. Seeing the adoration of the crowd makes me wish in some ways that I was standing where either Freddy or Jeff stand”.
“Our crew is unbelievable! They always go the extra mile and are always looking out for our best interest”, says Jeff. “Jim Morris [is an] amazing sound engineer [who] always brings out additional sound equipment to ensure we blow the roof off the clubs every night”.
“We don’t have a big crew, but they are very important to us. They all do a great job of helping us do our jobs and not have to worry about what goes on before, during or after", says Vic.
And Zeek adds of the band’s crew, “I love them like my brothers and trust them with my life”.
One more notable chapter to this Hairbanger’s Ball fairy tale is the fans. Granted, HBB is like a fun disease infecting new hordes of fans at every show they play, but there’s also a league of loyal diehards and not only in the Chicago area, but across the country.
Richard Boote, Tony Bakken and Harley Brook. All fans from the Chicago area are relentless HBB supporters who have gone to so many shows, both locally and on the road, that they’ve lost count.
“I liked the music before I'd ever heard of HBB. But many of the bands they represent on stage are either defunct or carrying on in lineups that have changed more often than Pam Anderson's bust size”, says Brook. “I know that when I see an HBB show that I get the sound and the spirit of the originals and that there's not an excess of ego because they're up there having fun”.
Boote, the self-proclaimed ‘President and Founding Member of the Polly Pantz Appreciation Society’, says, “I've dragged all of my friends to see [Hairbanger’s Ball]. Every one of them had a blast, including two who were staunchly opposed to cover bands”.
Bakken adds, “[They] play the music with a certain passion and energy that a lot of the bands from the 'hair band era' no longer have. You mix that with the people that attend the shows and it's just like one big party. I haven't met one person yet that had a bad time at one of their shows.”
“I love those guys. They're not only our fans but they have become our friends. I'm very thankful for all of our loyal fans. It's awesome to be able to share a piece of the 80's with other people who have lived it or wanted to live it”, replies Jeff.
Jessica Wagner from River Falls, Wisconsin has seen HBB in her home state, but traveled down to Illinois to catch them on their home turf as well. “I love the show that they put on [and] I love the Freekz. I do not know what I would do without them in my life. They have truly changed my life for the better”.
“When HBB comes to town, so does the party atmosphere. As soon as they start playing those great songs from the 80’s, it's almost like you're transported back to that time when there were less worries and more fun. It's just a blast to be there”, adds Laura Hawkins from Bloomington, Indiana.
“It’s been simply amazing that so many people have gotten so much enjoyment out of this. It’s equally astonishing that there has been a steady amount of fans that travel to our shows hundreds of miles away. I think that a majority of our fans missed out on the era and we’ve done a good job of recreating it so that when people see our show, they get a chance to actually feel the experience first hand”, says Vic of their fans.
So, what’s next for Hairbanger’s Ball?
Each of the members of the band has expressed an interest in working together on original material. “We have such great members in this band that it would be a crime to humanity if we did not write original music”, comments Jeff.
“I don’t see why not”, Zeek adds, “We have a great combination of musicians. [Writing original material] would be very interesting!”
Vic replies, “I would like to do another television appearance. But more importantly, I would like to play a stadium in front of 30,000 screaming fans!”
“Japan would be cool”, Freddy adds, “[And] being on Howard Stern would rock!”
"I’d love to do a half-time show at a professional sporting event”, says Zeek.
I, personally, don’t doubt for a second that all these wishes and countless other opportunities will come true for Hairbanger’s Ball. I don’t know what I can say that hasn’t already been said time and time again, even in this very write up on them, but their shows are HUGE in every aspect.
To check out their tour dates and other fun stuff, visit them on the web at www.hairbangersball.com.
And when they hit your town, make sure you go and become one of the “Freekz”. Band, crew and fans combined are some of the nicest and coolest people I’ve ever met. And anyone who does Bon Jovi covers is all right in my book!Contact: [email protected]
