Roxx Gang were a glam metal band formed in Largo, Florida in 1985.

T… Read Full Bio ↴Roxx Gang were a glam metal band formed in Largo, Florida in 1985.

They were fronted by Kevin Steele, who formed the band along with guitarist Eric Carrol. After going through several lineup changes, the band garnered record company attention in 1987 with their Love 'Em and Leave 'Em demo. The band recorded their debut album Things You've Never Done Before with their lineup now consisting of Steele, Jeff Taylor (guitar), Wade Hays (guitar), Roby "Strychnine" Strine (bass), and David James Blackshire (drums). It was produced by Beau Hill and went on to sell a quarter million copies worldwide. The band broke up in 1991 due to infighting and record company issues. Steele then formed a new version of the band, releasing several albums in the late '90s. This new line up featured Allen Brooks on bass guitar, Stacey Blades and Jeff Vitolo on guitars and Tommy Wedder on drums.

Discography
Things You've Never Done Before (1988)
The Voodoo You Love (1995)
Love'Em And Leave'Em (1997)
Old, New, Borrowed, And Blue (1998)
Drinkin' T.N.T. And Smoking' Dynamite (available both as a Roxx Gang album and a Mojo Gurus album) (2000)
Bodacious Ta Tas (2001)
Roxx Gang was a sleaze metal band fronted and guided by front man and band visionary Kevin Steele. The group managed some fringe success with their debut album, but like so many in their genre, they were pushed aside with the changing of musical tastes.

Formed in Florida by Kevin Steele and guitarist Eric Carrol in 1985, the Roxx Gang went through several line-up changes in their formative years. Many demos were recorded and shopped around, however it would be 1987's Love 'Em And Leave 'Em (officially released some ten years after) that got record company attention. With the band now consisting of Steele, Jeff Taylor (guitar), Wade Hays (guitar), Roby "Strychnine" Strine (bass) and David James Blackshire (drums) they set out on recording the debut album, Things You've Never Done Before. Produced by Beau Hill, the album went on to sell a quarter of a million copies worldwide thanks to singles such as "Scratch My Back" and "No Easy Way Out".

The good times were short-lived however, as the band disintegrated in 1991 due to infighting and record company shuffles. Steele was left alone, so he formed a new version of the band with Stacey Blades (guitar), Dorian Sage (bass) and Tommy Weder (drums) and released The Voodoo You Love. Of course, by the time this follow-up was released, few people seemed to care about the exceptional glam rock of the 80's.

The band decided to change direction with the release of Mojo Gurus, adding Jeff Vitolo on guitar and Vinnie Granese on bass, for a sound that alienated some of the hard-core fans. Drinkin' T.N.T and Smokin' Dynamite was a return to the classic Roxx Gang sound, but it seems as if Steele is slowly moving away from his roots and spending more time with the experimental Mojo Gurus.

You Really Got a Hold on Me
Roxx Gang Lyrics

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So easily I fell
Underneath your spell
You really got a hold on me
Imagine my surprise
When I saw through your disguise
You really got a hold on me
Tell me what can I do
Know that you've ripped my heart in two

You really got a hold on me
It's my fate, can't resist
Sealed with a judas kiss
You really got a hold on me
I'm beggin' you please won't you set me free
Cause you really, really got a hold on me

I see you in my dreams
Plotting dirty little schemes
You really got a hold on me
It wracks me with a pain
That I'm desperate to explain
You really got a hold on me
From shadows in the night
Come whispers of delight
You really got a hold on me
That disolve into lies
Before my very eyes
You really got a hold on me
I'm in way too deep but I can't let it be
'Cause you really, really got a hold on me

You gotta hold on me
Like you wouldn't believe
Hold on me
So tight I can't breathe
Hold on me
Oh girl can't you see
That you really, really got a hold on me

Tell me what can I do
Now that you've ripped my heart in two
You really got a hold on me
It's my fate I can't resist
Sealed with a judas kiss
You really got a hold on me
I'm beggin' you please won't you set me free
'Cause you really, really got a hold on me

You got a hold on me
You got a hold on me

You got hold on me
You got a hold on me

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of the song - "So easily I fell, underneath your spell, you really got a hold on me" highlights the vulnerability of the singer who has fallen deeply in love and is completely under the mesmerizing spell of his love interest. He is acknowledging that his lover has a power over him that is almost hypnotic, and he is helpless to resist their charm. As the song progresses, the singer realizes the ill intentions of his lover and acknowledges that he has been blinded by love. He explains how he is haunted by the pain of this realization and describes how he is desperate to explain the sorrow that he is feeling.

He goes on to describe how he is in too deep and cannot let go of his love interest despite the betrayal he has experienced. The phrase, "sealed with a Judas kiss" alludes to Christ's betrayal by Judas with a kiss, thereby accentuating the depth of betrayal experienced by the singer. The final verse reiterates the plea of the singer to be set free from the hold that his lover has over him.

One can interpret the lyrics of "You Really Got a Hold on Me" as a cautionary tale of falling for someone who has ulterior motives. The singer realizes too late that his emotions and feelings have been manipulated, leaving him in a state of vulnerability and dismay.

Line by Line Meaning

So easily I fell
I fell for you easily and quickly

Underneath your spell
I am under the influence of your magic/magnetism