Winger vs Warrant: A Tactical Analysis

The other day I was driving my oldest son home from the Blue Line El stop. He is a Junior in HS and he always has his headphones on listening to jams.  I asked him, "What're listening to, Winger?" He laughed. It was a familiar laugh, one of ridicule. My own son, dissing Winger!!!!!

Well then I took to Facebook and posted about it, and of course I get the classic music snobbery that Hair Metal gets in general, however someone brought up that they thought Warrant was better than Winger. I struggled with this, so I hit the books....

THE ERA

Both bands had their heyday from around 1988-1992 or so. This was the end of the Hair Metal era. Some people will tell you that Hair Metal is a derogatory term for that time period, and that may be so. I just think of it as another way to say "Pop songs played with metal type riffs"  My reason for pointing this out is that they both are perfect for comparison as they were peers of the time.

THE BANDS

Winger's front man was of course, the bass playing Kip Winger. His parents were jazz musicians, and he was classically trained. Guitarist Reb Beach was trained at the Berklee College of Music. CREDIBILITY!!!

Warrant's front man was Jamie Lane. He died of acute alcohol poisoning in 2011.  SYMPATHY!

THE HITS

Both bands basically had eight chart topping hits!
Winger-From the Lps "Winger", "In the Heart of the Young",  and "Pull"
1. Madalaine
2. Hungry
3. Seventeen (MASSIVE HIT) 26 on the charts!
4. Headed for a Heartbreak (MASSIVE HIT) 19 on the charts!
5. Can't Get Enuff (GOOD HIT) 42 on the charts!
6. Miles Away (MASSIVE HIT)  12 on the charts!!!!
7. Easy Come, Easy Go (MASSIVE HIT)  41 on the charts!
8. Down Incognito

Warrant-From the LPs "Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinkin' Rich", and "Cherry Pie"
1. Down Boys (MASSIVE HIT) 27 on the charts!!!
2. Heaven (MASSIVE HIT) 2 ON THE CHARTS!!!!
3. Big Talk
4. Sometimes She Cries (MASSIVE HIT) 20 on the charts!
5. Cherry Pie (MASSIVE HIT) 10 on the charts!
6. I Saw Red (MASSIVE HIT) 10 on the charts!
7. Uncle Tom's Cabin
8. Blind Faith

It looks pretty even, but Warrant had higher chart positions. Hmmmm....

THE ALBUMS

"Winger" is excellent with the aforementioned hits plus standouts "State of Emergency" and "Time to Surrender"
"In the Heart of the Young" is solid, but not groundbreaking but it does have "Rainbow in the Rose" and the virtuoso "Baptism by Fire"
"Pull" is pretty much the same as the last one, I like "Spell I'm Under" and "In for the Kill" but nothing to really defend on a mountain.

"Dirty Filthy Rotten Stinkin' Rich" is really nothing much after the hits. There is a lot of filler on this LP
"Cherry Pie", however, is EXCELLENT.  The title cut is the worst song on the album! Every cut, is solid! I was kind of taken aback by that actually.

THE MORALITY

You see, Warrant is unapologetic in labeling a woman a "Cherry Pie".  That won't fly in today's age!
In "Seventeen", Kip at least understands that she is too young.."Daddy says she's too young, but she's old enough for me" .  After careful consideration, he makes his choice. Winger has the courtesy to consult the father BEFORE banging his daughter...that's integrity...

METALLICA FRICTION!

Winger trades some barbs with Metallica after Lars Ulrich TASTELESSLY throws a dart at a pic of Kip Winger in their video "Nothing Else Matters", Winger correctly states that Metallica is incapable of playing with the technical proficiency of Winger, however replied, and I quote "And I'll challenge those chumps to that any day of the week, but we could play their music with our hands tied behind our back"
Awesome..because Metallica blows.

THE VERDICT

 Warrant has had more chart success.  Winger has technical chops. Warrant has the best overall album of the five talked about (Cherry Pie). Winger has the best song (Seventeen..check out the break after the solo!)
However, there is a tiebreaker...both Kip Winger and Reb Beach have played in Alice Cooper's band. (Kip before Winger, Reb, after Winger)
This is what breaks the tie of a tight race.

Your winner...by a .009 gauge guitar string....WINGER

Journey is good. This is a fact.

Journey is an easy target when people make fun of popular bands. They had a fuckload of hits, and they rose from the ashes of Santana...(even though Santana wasn't nearly done).  They basically owned the late 70s/early 80s...and for GOOD REASON!

Let's get the pre-popular stuff out of the way. The first three LPs

1. Journey
2. Look Into the Future
3. Next

These are all before Steve Perry. Their sound is not at all like you know them. It's really Prog-Rock (no problem with that!) and there are some selected cuts that please. (Of a Lifetime from Journey is quite good and the title cut from Look Into The Future is a straight up TABLE BUSTING JAM)  They also do an interesting version of the Beatles' "It's All Too Much".  You certainly can't go wrong if you like some good old fashioned, guitar/organ based rock.

I am hear to point out the big Lps and perhaps some tracks you may not hear on the radio.

Infinity-1978
It's got big ass hits:  Lights, Feeling That Way/Anytime, Wheel in the Sky
You may be someone who does not like "Lights".
You would be wrong.  Put headphones on, sit back, and think of a summer night about 75 degrees, with a slight breeze, and listen closely to the perfectly layered vocals. Understand the brilliance of Neal Schon's solo. It's okay...I'm right all the time.
What I really love about "Feeling That Way" is that it lulls you into a false sense of serene security with Greg Rollie's soothing voice...then THE KNIFE'S EDGE OF STEVE PERRY'S BRIDGE KICKS YOU IN THE BALLS!
Some other lesser known cuts: " La Do Da" (No, this is not the theme song of my friend Sara Sevigny) and
"Can Do" This album is great. You should own it.

Evolution-1979
This has a special place for me as it reminds me of graduating grade school.
Big Hits: Just the Same Way, Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'
"Just the Same Way" is a jam, the outro proves it, but I don't need proof...OTHER THAN MY SAY-SO!!!!
If you do not like "Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'", I am afraid that you are diagnosed with "Not Liking Any Music" There is a cure, but that's for another post.
Some great lesser known cuts: "Too Late" "City of the Angels" (this is basically the "Anytime" to "Lovin...."
"When You're Alone (It Ain't Easy)", "Lovin' You is Easy" "Lady Luck" Just get the Lp already!

Departure- 1980
Jams...pure and simple.
Big Hits: Any Way You Want It, Where Were You
This Lp is stem to stern SOLID. "Walks Like a Lady" is a complete bluesy/groovy jam! "I'm Cryin'" has screaming leads! "Someday Soon", "People and Places" Classic ballads!!!! This LP DOES NOT STOP.
Now these last three are enough to make my case...BUT THERE IS MORE!!!!

Single "The Party's Over-1981
This is off the Captured Live LP. It is in their top 5 songs, easy.

Escape-1981
Big, BIG hits!-Don't Stop Believing, Stone In Love, Who's Crying Now, Still They Ride, Open Arms
Yep, this is where the naysayers get going. Who hasn't heard Open Arms at their prom? I don't care. Stone in love is a jam! Still They Ride is their best song, and perhaps Neal Schon's best solo!
Other cuts: "Mother, Father" (ESSENTIAL JOURNEY TRACK), "Keep on Runnin'"(they don't like "G's" at the ends of words) "Escape"
You cannot go wrong with this lp.

Frontiers-1983
Big fucking hits!: Separate Ways (World's Apart), Send Her My Love, After the Fall, Faithfully
Don't even attempt to tell me that you don't bang on shit when Separate Ways kicks in. DON'T LIE TO ME!!! (Starts to turn into the Hulk, but stops)
Other jams: "Chain Reaction" "Troubled Child"
SOMEDAY, LOVE WILL FIND YOU....

Single "Only the Young"-1985
Great song, from the Visionquest soundtrack. I have news for you. Visionquest is one of the greatest films of the 80s. Do not argue. You will lose. There's a story about a teenage Journey fan dying of cancer who wrote to them and they brought this song to him fresh from mastering the tape so he could be the first person ever to hear it. Journey cares.

Raised on Radio-1986
This is where we will end. I don't consider this Essential Journey, but the hits are pleasant enough
Big Hits: Girl Can't Help It, I'll Be Alright Without You, and Be Good To Yourself

I believe that I have given MORE than enough proof, that Journey is good.  You may disagree, that is OK, Charles Manson disagreed...What?!?!!?!
 

The Guitars of OKen Part VII/ The Current Crop

I have six of them. Here they are from oldest to newest...

51. American Special Stratocaster.
I wanted a Strat with three single coil pickups. The previous ones I have owned had a humbucker at the bridge. I wanted a traditional set up. I love it. It stays in tune, it sounds amazing, it's dependable as Bolivian Mule carrying shitloads of gold dust up a mountain. I have used this in many gigs and it is a workhorse.

52. Gibson SG Standard 2013
The last great year of the SG, I had a professional refile the nut so the G does not go out of tune the second you pluck it. It is the best neck I have ever played on. It is the most comfortable guitar I have ever played. It is beautiful and sounds incredible. This will never leave, ever.

53. Fender Stratacoustic
I wanted another acoustic. I want a thin shell. I like the neck. It's for an easy carry to a vocal rehearsal.

54. Gretsch 5622CBT Electromatic Centerblock
Love. Love. Love. Love the three pickups, love the look, love the sound. Put a compressor on this and it melts icecaps.  I have not gigged with this as of yet, but rest assured, and the next gig, I will!

55. Gretsch G5623 Bono Red Signature Electromatic.
Yes, I hate signature guitars, but this one is so cool and sounds so great, AND I got if for almost HALF the price!!! I love, love love. my Gretsch guitars. Nothing else sounds like them.

56. Squire Affinity Telecaster
Che-hee-heep, but effective. This is my "Leave it at where we rehearse" guitar. Serviceable. Did I mention cheap? You can't go wrong with some of these Squire brand guitars!

There you have it...all 56! If anything changes, I will keep you updated!

The Guitars of OKen Part VI/Epiphone

Holy shit, did I have a lot of Epiphones. They are the budget version of Gibson, and they put out a quality product. I have to say that of the 19...yep 19 that I have owned, I only had one clunker. I currently have none at the moment, and upon reflection, I didn't gig with a lot of them. This is where most of my OCD lies...

34. Red SG with weird ass headstock
This is a late 90s model. Cheap as fuck, rehearsed with it, but never played out.

35. White SG with EMG pickups
EMGs are active pickups, meaning that you need to power them with a 9-volt. Different sound for sure but not for me

36. Firebird Studio
Should have kept this one, it sounded great!

37. ES-175
Got it CHEAP. Looked and played great, but I needed to purge and thin out the herd at that point, so it was a sacrificial lamb.

38. Les Paul Limited Edition Silverburst
Looked great, but the pickups were meh, so I dropped in some Seymour Duncans and it sang! This was a victim of my great purge.

Damn! It was a looker! I should have kept that one too!!!

39. Les Paul Ultra II
It had a special pickup to make it sound like an acoustic when you flip a switch. It sounded like crap, but the guitar itself was pretty goddamn spectacular. I DID gig out with this one.

40. Les Paul Goth
Cheap, and I dropped a DiMarzio Super Distortion at the bridge...looked cool.

41. Les Paul Standard
 It was a B-stock and I had it for a month

42. Les Paul Traditional Pro
Had this for 3 weeks..used it to trade for something better

43. Les Paul Tribute Plus
Another one I had for less than a month. It had Gibson 57 pickups in it, but it did not quite sound like it, plus it was kind of ugly.

44. ES-339 Pro
U.G.L.Y. I honestly don't know what I was thinking when I got this. It sounded decent enough, but it's a small scale guitar with a shape used on a larger guitar.

45. Casino
The first one. I used it as a prop in a play I wrote, then got rid of it because it really had no distinctive sound.

46. Casino...again
Nope, not the same pic. I was in a full on Beatles mood and I traded for it, but then reality set in. I had it for 5 weeks I think.

47. Dot Studio
Dirt Cheap...never played out once. Changed the bridge pickup. Sold it.

48. Dot
This was my "Frankenstein's Monster" guitar. I changed almost everything about this. New pickups, locking tuners, a Bigsby tremolo, new volume/tone dials. I used this one quite a bit. The frets started to go and I don't do fret jobs, and didn't want to pay. I was actually able to trade this one in.

49. ES-335
Looks just like the Dot but way better sounding. I should have kept this one.

50. Dot...again...
Yep, I did it again, I bought an exact one that I got rid of. This was the only clunker.  I had this for less than 2 weeks and brought it back to get my money back. The fretboard was fucked up! The frets had many dead spots...yuck!

Wow! That was a long one! I have one more! I KNOW YOU CAN'T WAIT!!!! The last chapter will be The Current Guitars of OKen!!!!

The Guitars of OKen Part V/Fender

Fenders always stay in tune. The 6 tuning pegs on one side, angled so that the string goes straight from bridge to neck makes it so. The issue here  is that with Stratocasters (Strats) there is always a floating bridge, or tremolo and if you bust a string during a song, you are fucked. I open up the back and tighten the screws connected to the springs that hold the bridge in place, thus flattening it so it doesn't float. My kingdom for a hard tail Strat! (they do have them...it costs money) Telecaster (Tele) don't have this. I used to hate Teles, but now I love them...and I love you...
Also, there are American made Fenders, Mexican made ones (MIM) and Japanese ones (MIJ)

27. Highway One Stratocaster
This probably should have been in my first post because I used this one quite a bit as well. I LOVE the big 70s headstock and that's all I want on my Strats henceforth...(I said "henceforth")

28. MIM Satin Strat
Cheap, never played it out. This is when I had 13 or so guitars at once...oops.

29. Fender Road Worn Stratocaster
It was like 300 bucks off, so I couldn't pass it up. Turns out, I should have. I hate fake relic'd guitars. I had this for less than a month

30. Fender Modern Player Jazzmaster
My only Jazzmaster, I liked it enough. Looked beautiful, nice humbuckers,  perhaps I should have kept it. I liked that vibrato.

31. MIM Telecaster, red
Returned it in less than a month.

32. MIM Telecaster, Black
Need the Undo button on this one. Yes, they are all the same model, but some play different than others. This sounded great and I should never have gotten rid of this one. This is one that you have forever, unless you are me and have a condition...

33. MIM Telecaser, Sunburst
Jesus, it's like I need to go to some type of Purchaser's Anonymous. (it was a trade, no money exchanged)
This never sounded as good as the black one. Never.

OK! We are in home stretch! Next up is a big one...EPIPHONE!!!!!!

The Guitars of OKen Part IV/Gibson

Gibson guitars are goddamned expensive...the soup is fucking ten dollars...The most I have ever spent on a guitar has been a Gibson. I've only ever had Les Pauls and SGs. I have detailed a few of them earlier. Here are the rest...

22. Gibson Les Paul Studio (Burgundy)
Gold Hardware (Yuck) 490R and 498T pickups(sounded good) My hand kept getting stuck up and down the neck when it got hot.  I never really bonded with it.

23. Les Paul Jr.
Got in in a trade, I discovered that I don't like p90 pickups (goddamn HUM) plus I noticed it had a repaired neck crack (which I found out they knew that at the Sam Ash I got it from...fuckers!)

24. SG special 60s Tribute
P90s again...sometimes it only takes me 36 times to learn...

25. 2014 SGJ(J is for Jr)
Good knock around guitar, the anniversary logo on the 12th fret is stupid, but it was only 400 bucks! I sold this one for 300 cash. (Forrest Gump enters) ..and that's all I have to say about that...

26. 2013 SG Standard
Gorgeous...WOULD NOT FUCKING EVER STAY IN FUCKING TUNE! There is an inherent problem with Gibsons, especially SGs. The angled headstock, coupled with the 3 x 3 nature of the tuning pegs causes the strings to take an unnatural bend, especially the D and G strings. With the G being unwound and less stable, AND the inferior nuts Gibson puts on their guitars(I mean, Jesus Christ! We're paying a shitload, put a good freaking nut on ALL OF THEM), this causes that tuning instability, thus making it virtually unplayable.
Didn't want to get rid of it, but it drove me nuts (and clearly to walk up short ladders) THANKS OBAMA!!!

Next up...FENDER!!!!

The Guitars of OKen Part III/Basses and Smaller Brands

Most of my guitars were either Gibsons, Fenders, or Epiphones. I did, however, dabble in some other brands, and owned some Basses, because I'm all about that...(gets kicked by teenagers)...ow...

14. Fender Precision Bass
It's the one you get when you don't know what you should get. Had it for so long it became unplayable.

15. Squire Jazz Bass
Squire is the budget version of Fender. This bass was $199 and it was great. Jazz basses have thinner necks so they are great for assholes with small hands like me! Wish I kept this one...

16. Ibanez RG 220B
My metal/shred guitar...except, I don't shred. GREAT neck! This was the only guitar I had with a Floyd Rose tremelo (those should be called vibratos but I digress) I had 400 bucks from various birthday gifts and I went and bought it. I liked it fine, but changing strings on a Floyd Rose is a pain in my ass!

17. Paul Reed Smith SE
DAMN IT! I got rid of this one and they don't make these types anymore. A very simple, well built guitar I could play anything with! STUPID OKEN for trading this one in. I HATED every PRS I have played since!

18. PRS SE Custom 24
Looked cool, hated it...had it for less than a month

19. PRS SE Santana
HATED this guitar! HATED it! Never stayed in tune and it was SOULLESS! It was a pleasure to trade in!

20. Gretsch G5120 Electromatic
I love Gretschs. I currently own two (more on the my present ones later) This one was beautiful! It was the best piece of ass I ever had..and I had 'em all over the world!!!!!! Wait..got carried away there. It was a looker but I did not like the non secured bridge. It was a reluctant trade, but the right move

21. Gretsch 5124T Electromatic
The big brother of the last one. Better pickups, looked a little slicker, and I got that plus a case on a trade in that exchanged zero dollars, so I pulled the trigger...then got rid of it 2 months later, because I have issues...

Goddamn! Are you ready for my Gibsons?  Be on the lookout for The Guitars of OKen Part IV/Gibsons!