My introduction to Warrant came the same way little brothers get their hands on music, by stealing it from their big brothers. The 80's had ended and this strange thing called The 90's was just beginning. Something radically different was just on the musical horizon, but for the time being, Glam Rock still ruled the day. MTV still played music videos.

That's when I discovered Warrant. Another glam-clone in a long line of similar music acts, Warrant consisted of men with teased hair singing about sex. Their breakthrough album, Cherry Pie, featured a clothed waitress on roller skates and a strategically placed slice of cherry pie, slang for you know what. However, Warrant was deeper than just singing about love, lust and hot women. On the track. Love in Stereo, for example, the lyrics are about bangin two chicks at the same time!

Getting their start in the same vein as almost every other glam act, Warrant spent time slaving away in the Los Angeles club scene. By September 1986, Warrant was beginning to reel in fans and, more importantly, groupies. By 1987, the bad had finalized its line up and had recorded a demo. However, their first break would not come until 1988, when two semi-stoner metal heads had one most excellent adventure, one so excellent it required a soundtrack. Warrant was there to supply one song, which appeared in the movie, but not on the soundtrack. Unfazed, Warrant pushed on.

Towards the middle of 88, they had penned a deal with Columbia records. They immediately set to work on Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, even though they weren't even close yet. DRFSR did not fair well on he charts initially. It wasn't until MTV got its hands on their second single, a power ballad called Heaven, that interest in the band was sparked. Warrant hit the road, supporting D'Mols Band and Brittany Fox. By the time DRFSR went platinum in 1989, Warrant was opening for the Bad Boys of Glam, Motley Crue.

After this year and a half of touring, Warrant hit the studio to start writing and recording their follow-up to Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich. In six months, Warrant cranked out Cherry Pie, a sex laden disc that actually contained some good songs. The first single was the title track, which I've already talked about. However, the second single released was Uncle Tom's Cabin, which had nothing to do with slavery, racism, or the south, let alone the book of the same name. Instead, the track was an acoustic rocker about witnessing a murder, and seeing the sheriff dump the body in a lake, next to Uncle Tom's Cabin. On the b-side to this single was a cover of Queen's We Will Rock You, which rocked the hell out of me, until I realized it wasn't their song. The last song on the album is an Ode to Tipper Gore. I originally liked this song as it is nothing more than blatant vulgarity, which is cool as hell when you're a 9 year old boy ("hehe, he said fuck, giggle giggle"). Of course, at that age I knew nothing of Dee Snider, Frank Zappa, Tipper Gore and the PMRC.

Warrant would ride the success of Cherry Pie by touring with the best, and I mean absofantatasticly amazing, glam rock band ever, Poison. Unfortunately, like little girls, the two bands broke their friendship, and tour, after a fight ensued over a dressing room. A DRESSING ROOM! Do they wonder why we questioned their manhood? Warrant did not loose a step, by opening for David Lee Roth, sans Van Halen. Things we're going well until Jani Lane, Warrant's lead singer, fell through the stage and broke some of his ribs. Say it with me now, "D'ohhh."

After taking two months off to recover, Warrant hit the road again, this time headlining their first tour, Blood, Sweat and Beers. The tour saw Trixter and Fire House open for Warrant. By November of 1991, Cherry Pie had sold almost 3 million copies. A Month later they started writing their third album, Dog Eat Dog.

Unfortunately for the cock-rock quintet, this is also the time two bands, Metallica and Nirvana, hit the mainstream and completely changed the idea of what was rock and roll. Within a matter of hours, nothing was more uncool than Glam, save maybe Disco. Unfazed, they pressed forward and recorded Dog Eat Dog, an album they tried to give a heavier edge to. Even though the album shipped gold, and Warrant opened for British metal legends Iron Maiden (EXCELLENT!) Dog Eat Dog failed to perform as well as their previous albums. This was the signal fire that not all was well in the Warrant camp. In February of 1993 Jani Lane decided to split the group and head off to start a solo project. One month later, Columbia dropped Warrant as glam was officially dead. Four months later, Jani Lane would come back and propose another Warrant album.

1994 saw Warrant shuffle around a few members as Joey Allen and Steven Sweet both left the band to pursue other interests. A few months later, they signed with CMC Records as well as Japanese label Pony Canyon Records. By November, recording had started on Ultraphobic, their fourth studio offering. Warrant would tour across Europe and Japan while grunge reigned supreme across The States. In 1996, Warrant released Belly to Belly, which disappointed wrestling fans everywhere as it had nothing to do with the suplex of the same name. The following year saw a compilation of live songs collected over the years, and more line-up changes. 1999 saw the release of a greatest hits album, Greatest and Latest, and even more line-up changes.

In the new millennium, Warrant hit the road again, this time with Ratt and L.A. Guns, making their way across the states during a weird 80's revival. Several other 80's bands also made their own tours across the states, including Poison, Motley Crue, Winger, etc. In 2001, Warrant covered Hellion/Electric Eyes for a Judas Priest tribute disc, and later, they'd contribute to a Bon Jovi tribute cd. They also released their most recent studio album, Under The Influence, which is mostly a cd of cover songs, except for two new tracks shoved on at the end.


Sources:
http://www.warrantweb.net/history.html
http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/bio.asp?oid=2509
http://www.warrant2k.com/pages/frames.html