80’s Flashback
By Jenna Croyle
Remember the style of tight leather jeans, spandex, headbands and most importantly, the power ballads of the 80’s
hard rock and heavy metal scene of superstar bands like Poison, Cinderella and Bon Jovi?
What if you could get a bunch of 80’s “Hair Metal” bands together under one roof, playing all the hits you know, love, and hear all the time, plus those great tunes that are not very common?
Get ready to step into a time machine, experience a fresh look back, and treat yourself to all the songs of the 80’s, the way they should be performed as this weekend’s featured band, French Kiss offers up the mega hits of the period with all the style and flamboyance of the original rockers we grew up listening to on the radio.
Originally formed in 1987, French Kiss is best known for their hit single “Teach Ya Howta Rock”, and is perhaps the most electrifying 80’s Glam Metal band playing out in Erie today.
The sounds from decades past can almost be heard from the street corners as this hard-hitting, in your face band performs every show with that classic rock till you drop, party all night long attitude that gives the same feel and frenzy that the superstars of the 80’s commanded from their audiences.
French Kiss is comprised of members David “Holly Wood” Dunn on Lead Guitar, Trevor “T-Rev” Vogt on Bass Guitar and Vocals, Josh “Roxxxie Love” Snider on Lead Guitar and Backup Vocals, Jeffrey “Pixie Styxxx” Snider on Drums, and Jim “Jimmy Zigzag” Sorrell on Lead Vocals.
French Kiss hits you hard and starts every show out right with supercharged covers of fantastic hits like “18 and Life” by Skid Row, “Pour Some Sugar On Me” by Def Leppard, “Vacation” by The Go-Go’s, “Love Is What I Got” by Sublime, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns ‘N Roses along with “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” and “Look What the Cat Dragged In”, both by Poison and many more hit tunes of the time.
The Lead Guitar work of David Dunn and Josh Snider is pure metal magic. The shredding solos, the catchy hooks and wicked guitar riffs along with the excellent harmonies of both guitars and their talent driven, hard rocking style makes Dunn and Snider two of the most amazing Metal Guitarists in town.
Trevor Vogt’s Base beats are stylistically fresh, while his technique is both classic and polished, playing slap and finger style well. His speed, precision, sense of rhythm, along with his ability to hold the ‘pocket’ and capacity to play odd time signatures is outstanding.
They say that Bassists are the glue that holds a band together, if that is true, our scene will be stuck on French Kiss for a long time to come.
Evocative of the senses, and keeping superb odd time signatures, with fantastic Blast Beats Josh Snider pounds out both melodic and dazzling beats that are rapid fire and always spot on, doing phenomenal justice to the music that he performs.
The voice of Jim “Jimmy Zigzag” Sorrell is without question, not only perfect for the Hair Band Lead Singer, but simply stellar for a vocalist of any musical genre. Jimmy Zigzag brings everything you might expect from a Metal band of this kind and so much more to the stage, delivering it all with that Rock star stage presence that overwhelms you with energy and pizzazz.
French Kiss always gives that true classic Glam Metal madness along with the best party in town everywhere they play. With powerful vocals, killer talent, raging rhythms and riffs, and a rock your world stage show, French Kiss is Erie’s original hard Rocking party band.
For more information on French Kiss and their show dates, please visit their Facebook Page
