Although many would like to forget the '80s glam rock movement, there's no denying that one of the genre's leaders, the oft-overlooked
Hanoi Rocks, were by far the best. Unlike other bands of the era whose influences were strictly heavy metal,
Hanoi had roots in punk rock (
Stooges,
Ramones) as well as hard rock. Their 1985 double live album,
All Those Wasted Years, shows that they were the real deal (as well as a major influence on future raunch-rockers
Guns N' Roses). Nearly all of the band's best tracks are included here, such as "Back to Mystery City," "Motorvatin'," "Mental Beat," and "Taxi Driver." Also included is a triple-shot encore of cover songs:
Alice Cooper's "Under My Wheels,"
the Stooges' "I Feel Alright" (aka "1970"), and the
Yardbirds/
Aerosmith standard "Train Kept A-Rollin'." The death of drummer Razzle a year after this concert was recorded proved a crippling blow for the band, and they splintered not long after -- which is sad, because
Hanoi Rocks had the talent to put all the other glam metal bands of the '80s to shame. ~ Greg Prato