Simon Rushworth
Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee might not get the joke but one of the men at the forefront of the hair metal revival has nothing but praise for spoof stars Steel Panther.
Speaking to rushonrock ahead of tonight’s Glasgow show, Reckless Love frontman Olli Herman revealed the two bands hooked up in LA earlier this year.
And Herman insisted: “Michael Starr is one of the very best frontmen in the business. He’s a superb singer and he’s a huge fan of the music he’s sending up.
“Steel Panther are a great band. We went to see them in LA when we shot the video for Hot and they invited us up onstage where we did a version of Van Halen’s Panama with them.
“It doesn’t bother me that they’re making a joke of the music we love. Of course it’s a question in the back of everyone’s mind – on the one hand they’re opening up for Def Leppard and Motley Crue and yet on the other side of the coin they’re mocking the whole genre.
“But I prefer to look at it in terms of imitation being the most sincere form of flattery. Michael’s a great guy and he works very hard to keep that music alive. It would be different if Steel Panther weren’t any good as a band – but they rock!”
Reckless Love play Hard Rock Hell V this weekend and look out for a full interview with Olli Herman here soon.