A typical night for Chris Weber in the early 1980s involved stopping off at the Rainbow Bar & Grill on Sunset Boulevard, in the heart of West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip, where he frequently found himself among the throngs of people congregating out front and in the parking lot.
While Hudson and his bands pursued their dreams, Canter supported them however he could, whether it was with transportation to gigs, funding for magazine advertisements, food, or simply driving Hudson to see an amp he liked.
Von Johnson’s ascent to prominence began in 2010 when he joined the storied Los Angeles hard rock act Faster Pussycat, playing alongside iconic and charismatic frontman Taime Downe for the next decade. Von Johnson subsequently joined L.A. Guns in 2018, where he continues to showcase his captivating stage presence and serve as the quintessential complement to revered six-stringer Tracii Guns.
In the minds of many, the 1980s will forever be remembered as a decade characterized by innovation, overindulgence, and transcendent music. While some of the Sunset Strip faithful have since moved on from the days of big hair and excess, preserving the essence of their decade, the 80s hard rock genre has enjoyed a staying power unique to its era.
Some of the players listed hardly required an introduction, while others may have rekindled awareness to bands and guitarists that time has all but forgotten. Though impassioned discourse is imminent, and welcomed, it’s important to keep one thing in mind – the is no right or wrong submissions. Just endless optionality. Cheers.
