Blabbermouth.net - 80's Rocker Jani Lane Dead At 47 (Warrant)

[Gracelander]

According to TMZ.com former WARRANT singer Jani Lane was found dead at a hotel in Los Angeles Thursday evening (August 11). He was 47 years old.

Lane's body was discovered at the Comfort Inn hotel in Woodland Hills, California. So far, no official cause of death has been released.

In February, Lane canceled all of his previously announced solo tour dates two days before the first show was due to take place. No explanation was offered for the cancelation.

Lane was scheduled to be joined on all dates by returning keyboardist Shawn Zavodney, guitarist Patrick Kennison and former WARRANT guitarist Billy Morris.

WARRANT announced in September 2008 that it was splitting with Jani Lane six months after the band first reunited with the troubled vocalist. He has since been replaced by Robert Mason (LYNCH MOB, CRY OF LOVE, BIG ****).

On July 19, 2010, Lane pled no contest to DUI stemming from his most recent arrest back in May 2010 — and was ordered to serve 120 days in jail. In addition, Lane lost his license for three years and had to complete a 30-month alcohol-education program.

Lane originally left WARRANT in 2002 to pursue a solo career. He released a solo album, "Back Down to One", in 2003, but shortly after was admitted to a rehab center for alcohol and drug-related exhaustion. He also appeared on VH1's reality series "Celebrity Fit Club".

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=161881

[Spaceman Spiff]

This is the guy who sang Cherry Pie? I remember seeing him say how that song ruined his life or something, he despised it cause thats all he felt he was known for.

[Riggo-toni]

Looks like Rogaine and alcohol don't mix well....

[War Paint]

I saw Warrant twice in concert. Once at their peak, when they opened up for Motley Crue in an arena. The second time was in a club, a couple of years after grunge took over and Warrant lost popularity. Man, I've never seen anything like that second concert, and I mean that in a bad way. You could tell that Jani and the band was not handling the fall of 80's rock well. They would start a song and play 20 seconds of it, then quit it. Then they would just stand on stage talking to themselves while sulking. They didn't give a crap. It was like a garage band not even really practicing, but just goofing off drinking beer and being bummed out. I'm surprised they weren't booed off the stage, but there wasn't a lot of people there. Overall, you could tell that they were in the process of a crash and burn with their careers. It was kind of sad to see that in person.

[UltimateSkins]

Jani had been a mess for a long time. It was clear that he'd been struggling with substance abuse and he never really found a way to get over it. I'm a big fan of 80's glam metal and it's sad that he had to go out this way.

[War Paint]

Jani had been a mess for a long time. It was clear that he'd been struggling with substance abuse and he never really found a way to get over it. I'm a big fan of 80's glam metal and it's sad that he had to go out this way.

I was also a fan of 80's rock. Another death that I thought was tragic was the guitar player Robbin Crosby from Ratt. He had one of the most tragic downfalls I saw from a rock musician. It was real sad.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I was also a fan of 80's rock. Another death that I thought was tragic was the guitar player Robbin Crosby from Ratt. He had one of the most tragic downfalls I saw from a rock musician. It was real sad.

Is he the one who was HIV positive? Heavy metal is one of my cultural blindspots.

I do remember Warrant quite well though. "Heaven" was played at every high school dance I ever attended, I believe. It's kind of a shame that Cherry Pie is the song they will be remembered for because it's practically a novely single. "Heaven" was cheesy but it may have been the best of those metal power ballads that everyone had to write.

Here is a question: In another lifetime could Jani Lane have been someone like Adam Schleisenger (Fountains of Wayne frontman, wrote the music for "That Thing You Do," and won a Tony for Cry Baby)?

He seems to have had a knack for songwriting, but Cherry Pie being literally the last glam metal hit before grunge took over pretty much killed his credibility. If he had come along five years later, he might have been in a pop rock band like Weezer and then become a songwriter for - I don't know - Pink or someone.

When you think about it, there is no difference in the stupidity of the music between Poison and Warrant. But Poison will be a pretty successful touring act for the rest of their lives because they had more time in the spotlight. Warrant got started about three years later, had a smaller window, and released the single dumbest song in a genre filled with dumb songs. So, they ended up faced with a lifetime of playing places like that club in Springfield.

[War Paint]

Is he the one who was HIV positive? Heavy metal is one of my cultural blindspots.

I do remember Warrant quite well though. "Heaven" was played at every high school dance I ever attended' date=' I believe. It's kind of a shame that Cherry Pie is the song they will be remembered for because it's practically a novely single. "Heaven" was cheesy but it may have been the best of those metal power ballads that everyone had to write.

Here is a question: In another lifetime could Jani Lane have been someone like Adam Schleisenger (Fountains of Wayne frontman, wrote the music for "That Thing You Do," and won a Tony for Cry Baby)?

He seems to have had a knack for songwriting, but Cherry Pie being literally the last glam metal hit before grunge took over pretty much killed his credibility. If he had come along five years later, he might have been in a pop rock band like Weezer and then become a songwriter for - I don't know - Pink or someone.

When you think about it, there is no difference in the stupidity of the music between Poison and Warrant. But Poison will be a pretty successful touring act for the rest of their lives because they had more time in the spotlight. Warrant got started about three years later, had a smaller window, and released the single dumbest song in a genre filled with dumb songs. So, they ended up faced with a lifetime of playing places like that club in Springfield.[/quote']

Yeah, Robbin Crosby got AIDS from sharing needles. He had a bad heroin addiction. Before he died, he ballooned up to 400 lbs because his pancreas was pretty much shot and his metabolism was all jacked up from his health complications. From what I understand, he didn't die from AIDS. He died from a heroin overdose.

Like someone mentioned earlier, Jani Lane seemed to really beat himself up over the song "Cherry Pie". I don't know why. It wasn't a song that was supposed to be taken seriously. He should've had a good sense of humor about it. "Cherry Pie" or any of their songs are not supposed to be taken seriously. It was party music. There's nothing wrong with party music if you are in the mood to party. It has it's place. I'd rather see a girl pole dancing to "Cherry Pie" than I would seeing her dance to Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

[Captain Wiggles]

Like someone mentioned earlier, Jani Lane seemed to really beat himself up over the song "Cherry Pie". I don't know why. It wasn't a song that was supposed to be taken seriously. He should've had a good sense of humor about it. "Cherry Pie" or any of their songs are not supposed to be taken seriously. It was party music. There's nothing wrong with party music if you are in the mood to party. It has it's place. I'd rather see a girl pole dancing to "Cherry Pie" than I would seeing her dance to Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

But that was the main problem in his mind. He wrote what he thought was a great album in "Uncle Toms Cabin". The record company didn't hear a hit so he wrote Cherry Pie. Not the first or last time something like that has happened. He should have just blown the whole thing off and moved on. Plenty of others from that period had no problem moving on and eventually reviving their careers.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Yeah, Robbin Crosby got AIDS from sharing needles. He had a bad heroin addiction. Before he died, he ballooned up to 400 lbs because his pancreas was pretty much shot and his metabolism was all jacked up from his health complications. From what I understand, he didn't die from AIDS. He died from a heroin overdose.

Like someone mentioned earlier, Jani Lane seemed to really beat himself up over the song "Cherry Pie". I don't know why. It wasn't a song that was supposed to be taken seriously. He should've had a good sense of humor about it. "Cherry Pie" or any of their songs are not supposed to be taken seriously. It was party music. There's nothing wrong with party music if you are in the mood to party. It has it's place. I'd rather see a girl pole dancing to "Cherry Pie" than I would seeing her dance to Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

Warrant seemed to retroactively become a one-hit wonder, which is weird, because they had a fair number of hits. Most bands would kill for a hit like "Heaven" or "Down Boys" or "I Saw Red."

And Cherry Pie is just overwhelmingly stupid. It's not metal. It's barely a song; there's no melody outside the chorus and the chorus is so dumb it melts the brain. It has a video that is closer to a heavy metal parody than anything Spinal Tap did. And it's the last thing they left the music world with.

One thing that has never made sense to me is why 80s glam metal seems to have no life on the nostalgia circuit outisde of Motley Crue and Poison. Night Ranger a) sucked and had maybe two hits. And I guaran-damn-tee you that a version of Night Ranger is playing Merriweather Post over the next two summers. It's probably because so many of these bands (Warrant, Winger) had too many female fans. Women don't seem to develop music nostalgia the way men do.

[GibbsFactor]

Warrant has been called the straw that broke the Big Haired Camel's back. Grunge loves Warrant!

They had a few songs I liked, 18 and Life and I Remember you. Down boys sucked and Cherry Pie was only good for the eye candy.

He was on the Ultimate Band VH1 reality show. He was the prototypical front man, completely unselfaware... RIP.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

But that was the main problem in his mind. He wrote what he thought was a great album in "Uncle Toms Cabin". The record company didn't hear a hit so he wrote Cherry Pie. Not the first or last time something like that has happened. He should have just blown the whole thing off and moved on. Plenty of others from that period had no problem moving on and eventually reviving their careers.

The fascinating thing is that he was able to write a huge hit on demand like that. That's what makes me wonder if he was more talented than he was given credit for. I mean, Tommy Lee wrote some huge hits, but I'm not sure he could sit down and write a smash in a few hours on demand.

---------- Post added August-12th-2011 at 01:37 PM ----------

Warrant has been called the straw that broke the Big Haired Camel's back. Grunge loves Warrant!

They had a few songs I liked, 18 and Life and I Remember you. Down boys sucked and Cherry Pie was only good for the eye candy.

He was on the Ultimate Band VH1 reality show. He was the prototypical front man, completely unselfaware... RIP.

I think you are confusing them with Skid Row.

In retrospect, Skid Row may have actually been good. Sebastian Bach could certainly sing, which was unique since the criteria for being a lead singer in that genre seemed to revolve around which dude was the best looking of the four.

[Dan T.]

I must have mentally blocked the 80s hair band era from my mind. I have no recollection of Cherry Pie or Heaven, even after YouTubing both and listening. I do remember Tawny Kittaen writhing around on the hood of a car while some big haired guy sang a power ballad though. Which band was that?

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I must have mentally blocked the 80s hair band era from my mind. I have no recollection of Cherry Pie or Heaven, even after YouTubing both and listening. I do remember Tawny Kittaen writhing around on the hood of a car while some big haired guy sang a power ballad though. Which band was that?

Whitesnake. Not to be confused with Great White or White Lion.

What year did you go to high school?

[Captain Wiggles]

I must have mentally blocked the 80s hair band era from my mind. I have no recollection of Cherry Pie or Heaven, even after YouTubing both and listening. I do remember Tawny Kittaen writhing around on the hood of a car while some big haired guy sang a power ballad though. Which band was that?

Whitesnake. I even owned the tape at the time, Embarrassing.

In retrospect' date=' Skid Row may have actually been good. Sebastian Bach could certainly sing, which was unique since the criteria for being a lead singer in that genre seemed to revolve around which dude was the best looking of the four.[/quote']

Skid Row had two good albums IMO. Slave to the Grind and their self titled album.

[GibbsFactor]

The fascinating thing is that he was able to write a huge hit on demand like that. That's what makes me wonder if he was more talented than he was given credit for. I mean' date=' Tommy Lee wrote some huge hits, but I'm not sure he could sit down and write a smash in a few hours on demand.

---------- Post added August-12th-2011 at 01:37 PM ----------

I think you are confusing them with Skid Row.

In retrospect, Skid Row may have actually been good. Sebastian Bach could certainly sing, which was unique since the criteria for being a lead singer in that genre seemed to revolve around which dude was the best looking of the four.

Ah, you are right, I am was confusing the two.

[Fan since a Fetus]

I think you are confusing them with Skid Row.

In retrospect' date=' Skid Row may have actually been good. Sebastian Bach could certainly sing, which was unique since the criteria for being a lead singer in that genre seemed to revolve around which dude was the best looking of the four.[/quote']

I never considered Skid Row a hair band. They had too much attitude and were actually pretty good. Sebastian is a heck of a screamer. The only thing I don't like about Sebastian is his mascara.

Whitesnake. I even owned the tape at the time, Embarrassing.

Not a fan of Whitesnake, but David Coverdale can sing quite well.

[zoony]

By the time I was in 8th grade anyone who listened to glam rock was heckled mercilously. I can understand why Henry is so bitter about it to this day (jus jokes Henry)

In that respect I think MTV was way behind the times... there was a period of a couple years there where they were playing cheeseball glam rock 24/7 and kids had already moved on a long time ago.

When MTV showed Metallica's "One" video, it was received as MTV finally starting to get it, not as groundbreaking.

---------- Post added August-12th-2011 at 03:05 PM ----------

I never considered Skid Row a hair band. They had too much attitude and were actually pretty good.

:hysterical:

tell another one!

[Mickalino]

Whitesnake. I even owned the tape at the time, Embarrassing.

Not a fan of Whitesnake, but David Coverdale can sing quite well.

Yea, it's not fair to call Whitesnake a hair band, even though they fit the literal description.

Their music far exceeded hair band music, and their power ballads that everyone else was doing in the 80's, should not discount their quality, heavy rock stuff that everyone chooses to completely ignore. Another case of people stereotyping a band based on one song, and their ignorance of every practically every other song they produced.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

By the time I was in 8th grade anyone who listened to glam rock was heckled mercilously. I can understand why Henry is so bitter about it to this day (jus jokes Henry)

In that respect I think MTV was way behind the times... there was a period of a couple years there where they were playing cheeseball glam rock 24/7 and kids had already moved on a long time ago.

When MTV showed Metallica's "One" video, it was received as MTV finally starting to get it, not as groundbreaking.

---------- Post added August-12th-2011 at 03:05 PM ----------

:hysterical:

tell another one!

Early 90s metal gets a little muddled. There were always Metallica and Slayer fans in my high school. (I actually suspect that Slayer was more popular at the time). Those guys wore black jeans, smoked behind the building, and dealt "caffeine pills." In West Virginia in 1990, this was a significant portion of the student body.

I do think mainstream metal was going slightly darker in the early 90s. Skid Row was huge and they weren't exactly singing about strippers and Jack Daniels. And there were those metal bands that became "grunge" bands without doing anything - like Alice in Chains.

Then again, Guns N Roses were the darkest of the glam metal bands in the 80s and by '91, Axl was writing 10 minute long piano ballads and using orchestras. So, who the hell knows?

I do think the whole metal to grunge transition is not as simple as everyone makes it out to be. The obvious reason is that Nirvana and Pearl Jam have nothing in common musically. Honestly, I think what killed glam metal is that teenage girls stopped buying it.

---------- Post added August-12th-2011 at 02:22 PM ----------

Yea, it's not fair to call Whitesnake a hair band, even though they fit the literal description.

I tend to classify music based on their fan bases, not their actual product.

Whitesnake made millions of dollars because metal dudes bought their albums because their girlfriends could tolerate the ballads. And because they wanted to bang Tawny Kitaen.

Since women liked the music, they are glam metal.

To this day, I've yet to meet a female Metallica fan, hence they are "heavy" metal.

Skid Row falls into the glam metal category because girls wanted to french braid Sebastain Bach's hair - though I do feel like they were closer musically to Metallica than to Warrant. In all honesty, there is not that huge a difference between Skid Row and Pearl Jam though they are now considered to be from different solar systems.

What probably ultimately killed Warrant is that Cherry Pie made them a "pop" band, not a metal band. Same thing happened to Extreme with "More Than Words."

[War Paint]

By the time I was in 8th grade anyone who listened to glam rock was heckled mercilously. I can understand why Henry is so bitter about it to this day (jus jokes Henry)

In that respect I think MTV was way behind the times... there was a period of a couple years there where they were playing cheeseball glam rock 24/7 and kids had already moved on a long time ago.

When MTV showed Metallica's "One" video, it was received as MTV finally starting to get it, not as groundbreaking.

---------- Post added August-12th-2011 at 03:05 PM ----------

:hysterical:

tell another one!

Really? You are around my age and glam rock was extremely popular throughout my high school years. It really didn't go out of style until around 1993-94. Even the preps listened to it at my high school.

---------- Post added August-12th-2011 at 04:06 PM ----------

But that was the main problem in his mind. He wrote what he thought was a great album in "Uncle Toms Cabin". The record company didn't hear a hit so he wrote Cherry Pie. Not the first or last time something like that has happened. He should have just blown the whole thing off and moved on. Plenty of others from that period had no problem moving on and eventually reviving their careers.

Yeah, "Uncle Tom's Cabin" was a pretty rockin song. I can understand why he may have been frustrated that some of his better songs were over-shadowed by a song he wrote in 10 min. as a joke. Many artists hate some of their own work that their fans really like. However, he seemed to have an extremely deep depression develop over that song. Hell, I would be proud to this day if I wrote "Cherry Pie." I would have the attitude that I had fun, made a lot of money and banged a ton of hot girls at the time. I guess somewhere along the line he lost his sense of humor and took things way too seriously.

[Kilmer17]

Extremes problem was they followed up a ***** ballad with a ***** rock song. More than words is lame, so we'll release WHOLE HEARTED! That'll show how hard we are.

They sucked.

[blitzpackage]

RIP Jani. A lot of nostalgia for 80's glam though my musical tastes have changed as I've gotten older obviously. Sometimes I can't listen to this stuff the emotion is too raw, slideshows from my childhood come back. And I had a great childhood! This music is the soundtrack to "Why The World Sucks When You're Older" feature length film.

Oh man I just hate it for all those people who may have either purposely or inadvertently got a Poison tattoo

[Mickalino]

Extremes problem was they followed up a ***** ballad with a ***** rock song. More than words is lame, so we'll release WHOLE HEARTED! That'll show how hard we are.

They sucked.

Chicks dig More Than Words.

If you wanted to get laid, you either sang or played More Than Words.

If you didn't like that song, I supposed you didn't like this mirror image of a song, either

5QD5n98R_nk

[Kilmer17]

For the love of god, make it stop!!!!!