Michael Monroe
In a perfect world, Michael Monroe would have been one of the leading front… Read Full Bio ↴In a perfect world, Michael Monroe would have been one of the leading frontmen of the ‘80s glam metal movement -- leaving most of his unbearable contemporaries in the dust. Born Matti Fagerholm on June 17, 1960, in Helsinki, Finland, Monroe played saxophone with a variety of Finnish bands throughout the late ‘70s before eventually switching to vocals, and helping co-form Hanoi Rocks in 1980. Preceding Mötley Crüe by several years, Hanoi Rocks was one of the first groups in several years to adopt the glam look (something that would become commonplace on L.A.'s Sunset Strip in only a few years) -- heavy on the make-up and hair spray, flashy outfits, etc. -- but unlike their future offspring, Hanoi Rocks' roots weren't in heavy metal, but rather punk and garage rock (the Stooges, early Alice Cooper, New York Dolls, Dead Boys).
After some lineup tweaking, the "classic" Hanoi Rocks lineup was put in place, consisting of Monroe, guitarists Andy McCoy and Nasty Suicide, bassist Sam Yaffa, and drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley. On the strength of several Euro-only indie releases (1981's Bangkok Shocks, 1982's Self Destruction Blues and Oriental Beat, plus 1983's Back to Mystery City), and European tours (as well as visits to such exotic locales as Israel and Japan), a buzz began to build. Hanoi Rocks was signed to Columbia Records soon after, as U.S. success appeared to be just around the corner -- especially after the release of 1984's Two Steps from the Move. Then came a much-publicized car accident that killed Dingley (behind the wheel was an inebriated Vince Neil) in December of 1984. Despite Monroe and company attempting to carry on with replacements, the promising Hanoi was laid to rest later the next year.
Relocating to New York City, Monroe began to pick up the pieces and embarked on a solo career. His first solo release was 1987's Nights Are so Long (a Scandinavia-/Japan-only release), which was quite Dead Boys-influenced (Monroe had befriended Stiv Bators and covered one of his solo songs, while guitarist Jimmy Zero contributed a pair of songs). An appearance in the star-studded Sun City video followed, as did a worldwide solo deal with Polygram Records. An initial plan of reissuing Nights failed to pan out, resulting in 1989's Not Fakin' It being the first domestically issued solo Monroe release. The album would go on to become Monroe's most successful stateside release (and the only one to appear on the Billboard charts), while all of Hanoi Rocks' albums were reissued on Guns N' Roses' short-lived Uzi Suicide label (Monroe also appeared on GN'R's Use Your Illusion releases and The Spaghetti Incident? ).
Many assumed that Monroe would obtain ever-elusive breakthrough success this second time around, but once more, it was not to be. A planned collaboration with ex-Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens failed to pan out, as it looked like Monroe had vanished. This proved not to be the case, and he continued to issue lower-profile solo releases (1992's Jerusalem Slim, 1996's Peace of Mind, 1999's Life Gets You Dirty, 2002's Take Them and Break Them, and 2003's Whatcha Want). Monroe has also sporadically reunited with his ex-Hanoi bandmates, including Yaffa, under the name Demolition 23 (1995's Demolition 23), and with McCoy as Hanoi Rocks, resulting in the releases Twelve Shots on the Rocks (2002), Another Hostile Takeover (2005), and Street Poetry (2007). In 2010 Monroe issued his first ever live solo LP, Another Night In the Sun: Live in Helsinki via Spinefarm Records, with a new studio album, Sensory Overdrive, dropping the following year. Horns and Halos, his ninth solo long player, arrived in 2013, followed by Blackout States in 2015.
Theres another artist who uses the name Michael Monroe is from Minnesota, USA. His music is a mix of acoustic folk, jazz and reggae. He is not merely 'using' the name Michael Monroe but was born with that name in 1952. He has toured professionally with his music and his own/real name since 1970. There was no internet to check when Matti Fagerholm assumed the 'Michael Monroe' name for his band many years later. Most of MN/USA's Acoustic Michael Monroe's original music and CDs have been listed on the LAST FM web as written and performed by heavy metal Michael Monroe and that is not the case. Michael Monroe/MN/USA/Acoustic's albums are: Summer Rain, Twice In One Day, As Far As I Can See, Abandin My Own Mind, IF, Chased By The Light, Simple Life, Wintersong, Michael Monroe "LIVE" At The Cedar he performs vocals and on hand made guitars from the Gunflint Trail, bamboo/crystal flutes and harmonica using his 'live' looping technique. His web site is listed on this page MichaelMonroeMusic as a source for this information.
Biography by Greg Prato
After some lineup tweaking, the "classic" Hanoi Rocks lineup was put in place, consisting of Monroe, guitarists Andy McCoy and Nasty Suicide, bassist Sam Yaffa, and drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley. On the strength of several Euro-only indie releases (1981's Bangkok Shocks, 1982's Self Destruction Blues and Oriental Beat, plus 1983's Back to Mystery City), and European tours (as well as visits to such exotic locales as Israel and Japan), a buzz began to build. Hanoi Rocks was signed to Columbia Records soon after, as U.S. success appeared to be just around the corner -- especially after the release of 1984's Two Steps from the Move. Then came a much-publicized car accident that killed Dingley (behind the wheel was an inebriated Vince Neil) in December of 1984. Despite Monroe and company attempting to carry on with replacements, the promising Hanoi was laid to rest later the next year.
Relocating to New York City, Monroe began to pick up the pieces and embarked on a solo career. His first solo release was 1987's Nights Are so Long (a Scandinavia-/Japan-only release), which was quite Dead Boys-influenced (Monroe had befriended Stiv Bators and covered one of his solo songs, while guitarist Jimmy Zero contributed a pair of songs). An appearance in the star-studded Sun City video followed, as did a worldwide solo deal with Polygram Records. An initial plan of reissuing Nights failed to pan out, resulting in 1989's Not Fakin' It being the first domestically issued solo Monroe release. The album would go on to become Monroe's most successful stateside release (and the only one to appear on the Billboard charts), while all of Hanoi Rocks' albums were reissued on Guns N' Roses' short-lived Uzi Suicide label (Monroe also appeared on GN'R's Use Your Illusion releases and The Spaghetti Incident? ).
Many assumed that Monroe would obtain ever-elusive breakthrough success this second time around, but once more, it was not to be. A planned collaboration with ex-Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens failed to pan out, as it looked like Monroe had vanished. This proved not to be the case, and he continued to issue lower-profile solo releases (1992's Jerusalem Slim, 1996's Peace of Mind, 1999's Life Gets You Dirty, 2002's Take Them and Break Them, and 2003's Whatcha Want). Monroe has also sporadically reunited with his ex-Hanoi bandmates, including Yaffa, under the name Demolition 23 (1995's Demolition 23), and with McCoy as Hanoi Rocks, resulting in the releases Twelve Shots on the Rocks (2002), Another Hostile Takeover (2005), and Street Poetry (2007). In 2010 Monroe issued his first ever live solo LP, Another Night In the Sun: Live in Helsinki via Spinefarm Records, with a new studio album, Sensory Overdrive, dropping the following year. Horns and Halos, his ninth solo long player, arrived in 2013, followed by Blackout States in 2015.
Theres another artist who uses the name Michael Monroe is from Minnesota, USA. His music is a mix of acoustic folk, jazz and reggae. He is not merely 'using' the name Michael Monroe but was born with that name in 1952. He has toured professionally with his music and his own/real name since 1970. There was no internet to check when Matti Fagerholm assumed the 'Michael Monroe' name for his band many years later. Most of MN/USA's Acoustic Michael Monroe's original music and CDs have been listed on the LAST FM web as written and performed by heavy metal Michael Monroe and that is not the case. Michael Monroe/MN/USA/Acoustic's albums are: Summer Rain, Twice In One Day, As Far As I Can See, Abandin My Own Mind, IF, Chased By The Light, Simple Life, Wintersong, Michael Monroe "LIVE" At The Cedar he performs vocals and on hand made guitars from the Gunflint Trail, bamboo/crystal flutes and harmonica using his 'live' looping technique. His web site is listed on this page MichaelMonroeMusic as a source for this information.
Biography by Greg Prato
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Michael Monroe Lyrics
'78 (Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!) Time has come to pass It's time to…
All Kinds of Music Well I love all kinds of music But I don't do…
All Night With The Lights On Scared straight from my heart The way you fake your love…
All You Need From the start I was a smart ass kid Nothin' much…
Always Never Again A victim of something Unimaginable I was so young And it …
Always Right I don't get too low When everything goes wrong I don't get…
Another Night In The Sun Another day is in the bag Our daily chores are such…
Ballad Of The Lower East Side Things are different today, back in New York I lived down…
Bombs Away Born in Mid-America, a shiny little pearl Passed around wit…
Calling There's a light on the horizon, and it's calling out…
Can We Learn to Love I've been looking for a mother I've been looking for a…
Can't Go Home Again There used to be a place I could call my home It…
Center Of Your Heart You think you know me so terribly well A friend or…
Dead Jail or Rock 'n' Roll When I was a kid all I wanted to be Was…
Debauchery As A Fine Art My body's been like an abusement park Debauchery turned int…
Disappointed in You I feel so lucky to be alive I had so many…
Do Anything You Wanna Do I'm gonna break out of this city Leave the people here…
Eighteen Angels Coulda been, woulda been, shoulda been dead Eighteen angels …
Follow Your Happiness Follow your happiness Follow your happiness If there's one…
Forever Young May the good lord be with you Down every road you…
Germfree Adolescents I know you're antiseptic Your deodorant smells nice I'd li…
Get On All things happen to me Half of them I don't even…
Go Hard Nobody gave me the license to win All hard work and…
Goin' Down With The Ship See the storm comin′ in, a cold front, a tail…
Gone Baby Gone I've been window shoppin' for heaven And now i'm gettin' cr…
Goodbye I loved you in the morning Our kisses deep and warm Your…
Got Blood? You get in the way by causing error to develop Like…
HAMMERSMITH PALAIS Do you want to hear the story of my life Got…
HEAVEN’S DRIVE Well it's a nightmare of a daydream When you dream your life…
Here Now I don't think about insurance except to drive my car I…
Hey I loved you in the morning Our kisses deep and warm Your…
Hey That's No Way to Say Goodbye I loved you in the morning Our kisses deep and warm Your…
High School Well come on! Well the kids want a little action The kids…
I Send You Back You always tell me only just what I cannot do I…
I Won't Lie Down and Die Just got hit by a ton of bricks but I…
Identity *Identity Is the crisis Can't you see Identity Identity …
If If i were perfect i'd be done If i were human…
If the World Don't Want Me You need a real good memory to be a liar Your…
It Jolly Ollie was a stool pigeon On the payroll of the…
It's a Lie It's a lie when you told me what you said It's…
Jimmy Brown I wish I was born in Lebensborn Then all the other…
Just Because You're Paranoid I sit outside, feel no connection with the outside world I…
Keep It Up Well Judas swore to Jesus "Man, I could never turn you…
Kick Out the Jams Well i feel pretty good An' i guess that i could…
Kiwi Fruit Ever Since We've been together I can think about just one…
Later Won´t Wait I'm here watching the circus That I often find between …
Life Gets You Dirty All things happen to me Half of them I don't even…
Life Is A Mystery I try to talk, but I know you're not listening. Our…
Life's a Bitch and Then You Live Not one person ever lived without hurtin' Somewhat, somewher…
Little Troublemaker Little Troublemaker Always on the run Why do you come arou…
Loneliness Loves Me More Don't you think it's amazing That i even function in this…
Love and Light Whatcha gonna tell me I don't already know? Whatcha gonna …
Love Is Thicker Than Blood Wild child, bored and sad Daddy's little angel grew up bad …
Machine Gun Etiquette I remember what you said Second time around Don't you wish…
Make It Go Away So sad my little one Why always so sad Such sorrow in…
Man With No Eyes Stalemate In the city, all alone I'm an orphan of the world …
Modern Day Miracle A sea of information, I'm drowning in the noise So many…
Nights Are So Long Misery marches next to you Corrupting all the things you do…
No Means No Too many scars left deep inside We're all wounded, victimiz…
Not Anymore Walking down another cold dark street I'm waiting for the d…
Not Bad for a White Boy Shit M.F. walking down the street Shit M.F. looking for a…
Not Fakin' It Jolly Ollie was a stool pigeon On the payroll of the…
Nothin's Alright Born in the age of altamont Mommy was a hippie and…
Nowhere I'm up I'm down I'm wandering all around Things change I c…
One Foot Outta The Grave When the A side′s over and the needle's up Did you…
One Stupid Question What am i doing here? what are we doing here? That's…
Peace of Mind Playin' it safe They're playin' it safe Ouch! ooh! I... i…
R.L.F. Hey, tonight I′m gonna set my brain on fire Get overloaded…
Relationshipwrecked Just when i thought it was safe Found out i could…
Rent Free Why did you come here Who let you in Whatever the motive …
Ritual Tryin' to paint my masterpiece With no patron's golden fleec…
Saturday Night Special I woke up on a sidewalk in the sunday rain still…
Self Destruction Blues It was a Monday morning When the Blues came fallin' on…
Shake Some Action I will find a way to get to you some…
Shakedown Turn it up Throw it down Make it loud Look around Feel it up…
Shattered Smile Life smiles, some people say My whole life has been one…
She Well she looks too young to know right from wrong She…
She's No Angel Well she looks too young to know right from wrong She…
Simply Love Yes, I said I love you but I won't try…
Since When Did You Care? I feel so weary Kinda weird, wary, wasted and wired Most sin…
Skating Away Meanwhile back in the year one When you believed in no…
Smoke Screen Look around get a real scare I see a mess beyond…
Stained Glass Heart I feel as life is like some cheap hotel Check out,…
Stranded So you finally ditched me last night Something just don't s…
Superpowered Superfly Community sleeps, tough it needs no release It likes to dis…
Swim The only reason that it's scary getting old Is people treat…
Telephone Bill's All Mine Wachington D.C. Call you anywhere London to New York Is a…
Thrill Me I got new shoes I'm walking new ground I had old friends But…
TNT Diet Chaos, panic and disorder, your work here is done. Ambivalen…
Trick Of The Wrist I had a nasty habit It didn't work for me I shook…
Twice In One Day Twice in one day I find myself in that twilight Between sl…
Under The Northern Lights Drivin′ up north, under the northern lights Went straight th…
What I Needed Most I didn't know what I needed I only know I needed…
What If I had a dream i was dancing by the fire I…
What Love Is I don't need none of your bedroom bruised sweet box An'…
What's With the World? Universal sadness Madness and regret Things are so much simp…
Where's the Fire John? End of the millenium is coming down dark Technology is buyi…
While You Were Looking At Me While you were looking at me The world passed you by You…
You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory Feel so restless, I am Beat my head against the pole Try…
You Crucified Me While you were looking at me The world passed you by You…
You're Next Somebody cooked your golden goose Soon you'll be hangin' on…