So I didn't really give these guys much respect back in the day. They passed by in my listening cycle very quickly for a couple of good reasons (the first album was just okay, the second album was clouded with one of the worst songs and videos to be produced in that time period "Cherry Pie," and then that was it— they disappeared with the grunge wave. The Cherry Pie album had some great songs like "Mr. Rainmaker", "Song and Dance Man", "& Uncle Tom's Cabin" are great rocking tunes. And "Blind Faith" is probably Lane's greatest song ever written. "I saw Red" is good too, but sad and personally overplayed for me.
Warrant's 1992 album Dog Eat Dog is probably their best effort, though it was lost in the shadows of grunge. "April 2031" is a great song, and not just because we're almost there in time! It's got the beat, the haunting chorus, and the meaningful lyrics.
Jani Lane wrote every single song in the catalogue. Jani Lane was Warrant. He was a songwriting master. It's too bad he didn't get to go on and evolve. He needed a second chance. His last band work of covers in 2001 shows there could've been something more. His 2004 solo album Back Down to One shows a change in voice and direction. It's not a great album but it has it's moments and really could've been a prologue to something new. The final two songs are eerily "Six Feet Under" and "Sick". I have no interest in his former band going on with a karaoke version for profit. End it like The Doors did. Have some respect.
This was a guy who fit right into the scene at the time. He rode out the good wave, but he suffered greatly, as an artist, but also as a victim of apparent abuse. In the end he couldn't cope. It broke him. It's a lousy ending.
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