When you think about the greatest rock bands in the world, you probably think about the likes of UK artists including Queen, The Beatles, and Led Zeppelin. However, there are plenty of bands out of California that deserve their place amongst the greats. There are plenty of artists stemming back from the rock and roll days of the 80s, which saw nights full of raucous partying in Los Angeles, most of which are still around today. Carry on reading to discover the fantastic talent to spawn from California corey taylor mask.
Mötley Crüe
It only seems right to start our list with Mötley Crüe. Kickstarting their careers in 1981, these Los Angeles party animals were the most boisterous boys on the strip. Their shows were full of wild glam rock sets and their after-parties were even crazier. Unfortunately, their wild antics came with a nasty side of drug addiction and scrapes with the law, including singer Vince Neil being convicted of manslaughter. If you want to dive deeper into their lives, you should watch the Netflix biopic The Dirt and read Nikki Sixx’s extremely moving biography The Heroin Diaries”.
After exploring these legends, you may find yourself feeling inspired. If that’s the case, you should head down to your local PIRATE Los Angeles mix recording studio. You will have 24/7 access and can borrow essential equipment.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
In 1983, the Red Hot Chili Peppers began bringing their unique sound of hard rock, reggae, and funk onto their scene. They have sold over 80 million records worldwide and have several Grammy Awards under their belt. Now, they are recognized as one of the best alternative artists ever. Their most revered album, “Californication”, sold over 16 million copies. Throughout their sound, it is the skill of their bassist Flea that slaps the hardest.
The Offspring
The Offspring are another notable punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California. They were originally formed in 1984 by guitarist/vocalist Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman and drummer Greg Kriesel. The group fell apart in 1994 but reformed again in 1997 without the original lead singer, Dexter Holland, who had left to pursue a solo career. They found success with their third studio album Smash (1994), which produced some of their best-known hits like “Come Out and Play” and “Self Esteem”. Alongside Green Day, they are responsible for helping to revive the punk scene.
Metallica
Formed in 1981, and still going strong today, Metallica is another metal powerhouse coming out of Los Angeles. These days, they are amongst the “great four” alongside Anthrax, Megadeath, and Slayer. Their first commercially successful album was Master of Puppets, which became extremely influential. Since then, they have had many albums hit the number one Billboard spot. They have headlined festivals, sold out arenas, and got inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame.
Guns N’ Roses
Going back to 1985, Guns N’ Roses were birthed in Los Angeles. Straight from the off, their notorious hard rock sound wowed crowds and built enormous momentum. Their debut album, Appetite for Destruction, skyrocketed straight to number one, with their classic hit “Sweet Child o’ Mine” leading the charge. Ever since the 80s and through the 90s, Axl Rose and Slash maneuvered the band towards global success. Now, they are deemed to be one of the greatest rock bands of all time and still bring thunder to the stage.
Avenged Sevenfold
Bursting onto the scene in 1999, the Huntington Beach metalheads took the rock world by storm. Avenged Sevenfold are well known for their unique sounds covering a large range of rock sounds. Their debut metalcore album Sounding the Seventh Trumpet sparked a local “Deathbat” frenzy. This only burned brighter through their second outing. By the time they recorded their third studio album, City of Evil, Avenged Sevenfold was slowly becoming one of the most influential rock bands. The band went on to sell out arenas and headline festivals, with fans tattooing their extravagant artwork onto their bodies. Unfortunately, just after the release of their self-titled album, their drummer, Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan, passed away. Despite this, after some downtime, the band moved forward and released the extremely emotional Nightmare, which deals heavily with the loss.
Blink-182
Coming out of Southern California in 1992, they started with members Tom Delonge and Mark Hoppus. Typically, their most popular lineup includes drummer Travis Barker. Notoriously, Blink-182 are known for their satirical pop-punk anthems, with their work making it into the American Pie franchise. The band was so influential that the likes of Good Charlotte and Simple Plan followed similar routes and simply added to the pop-punk genre.
They continued to see success until 2005 when the band took an open-ended hiatus. This only lasted three years, with the band reforming in 2009 to instant success. Initially, Delonge, Hoppus, and Barker formed the band, until Delonge’s exit in 2009. However, that didn’t stop the band from thriving, with Matt Skiba taking up the mantel.
Green Day
Hailing from Berkeley in 1987, Green Day holds the torch for the punk revival. Initially, the band comprised Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and John Kiffmeyer (later replaced by Tré Cool). Despite having two albums under their belt, it wasn’t until their third entry Dookie hit the shelves that they found lucrative success after it sold over 10 million copies. As well as making killer music, they’re known for their incredible stage presence and even helped craft a stage musical. If you want to catch the next year, you should head to the hugely anticipated Rock for People 2022 in Prague, which sees them bring their Hella Mega tour to the Saturday night headline spot.
There you have it, eight fantastic rock bands hailing from California. The current music scene may not be as archaic as the 80s, when Mötley Crüe tore up the City of Angels, but we can safely say that the state has churned out some absolute bangers.
