The 90s Bubbleglam – Hollywood’s Most Obscure Underground Scene
Have you ever heard of the so-called Bubbleglam – Glampunk music scene that originated in Hollywood during the 90s? There isn’t much information about this vibrantly obscure underground scene on the internet, so we decided to gather as much information as possible for anyone who would love to discover more about it.
The Bubbleglam glampunk scene emerged in the late 1980s in Hollywood, California, during the waning days of the glam metal era. Influenced by bands like Poison, Pretty Boy Floyd, and others who incorporated elements of bubblegum pop into their glam metal sound, Bubbleglam took this fusion to new extremes.
Characterized by its flamboyant and theatrical aesthetic, Bubbleglam bands often featured members with brightly colored hair, extravagant makeup, and elaborate costumes reminiscent of glam metal icons. However, their music leaned more heavily into the pop sensibilities of bubblegum pop, with catchy melodies, upbeat rhythms, and lyrics often centered around themes of youth, rebellion, and romance.
Despite their energetic performances and infectious hooks, Bubbleglam bands struggled to gain traction in the mainstream music scene. Their eccentric style and unconventional sound proved to be a niche taste, with most Bubbleglam acts remaining underground and relatively unknown outside of their local music scenes.
- Definition: A catchy and upbeat style of punk rock music mixed with glam metal sound and aesthetics. Primarily characterized by a glam punk sound, some bands also incorporated elements of traditional hard rock, goth rock, or even more obscure styles like deathrock and horror rock.
- Influences: Musically, it is mostly in the style of Poison and Pretty Boy Floyd, blending glam metal with the punk-rock ethos of bands like the New York Dolls and the Ramones. There is a significant DIY component in the music if these bands too.
- Aesthetics: Flamboyant, theatrical, cartoonish, gender-bending, with lots of extravagant makeup and costumes. A mix of Poison, Hanoi Rocks, New York Dolls, David Bowie, and early Motley Crue. Multicolor costumes and make-up can probably be linked to Twisted Sister influences and even further with KISS.
- Origins: Los Angeles – Hollywood Sunset Strip in the late 80s and throughout the 90s. Clubs like the Coconut Teazser with its “Glitter and Glam Night” and the Whiskey A Go Go’s “No Bozo Jam” nights were instrumental in shaping the scene.
- Notable bands: Heart Throb Mob, Glamour Punks, Peppermint Creeps, The Zeros, Bang Bang Babies, Terror Toys, Foxxy Roxx, Glamvestite Vampirez, Guttersluts, Quenny Blast Bop, Tryx, Revlon Red, Hollywood Teasze, Stars From Mars, Krayola Kids and many more…
Many Bubbleglam bands only released demos or limited-run singles, and few achieved significant commercial success. However, the scene fostered a sense of camaraderie among its members, with musicians often collaborating and sharing members between bands.
As the 1990s dawned, the popularity of glam metal waned further, and with it, the Bubbleglam scene began to fade into obscurity. By the mid to late 1990s, most Bubbleglam glampunk bands had disbanded or moved on to other musical endeavors, leaving behind a small but dedicated fanbase and a legacy of colorful, quirky, and unabashedly fun music.
Though largely forgotten by mainstream audiences, the Bubbleglam scene continues to hold a special place in the hearts of fans of glam metal, punk rock, and pop music alike. Its influence can be heard in the music of subsequent generations of artists who have drawn inspiration from its playful spirit and unapologetic embrace of eccentricity.
Even though most of the bands from this scene have disbanded, there are still some that are alive and rocking, such as Foxxy Roxx, Peppermint Creeps, and The Zeros, who consistently play at the Whiskey A Go Go. Alongside them, we’ve seen the return of the kings of the scene – Glamour Punks – with both their albums emerging on Spotify in 2023. They are set to play at the Viper Room on the bill with another 90s Sunset Strip sleaze rock legends, Blackboard Jungle and Swingin’ Thing.
If you are interested in hearing music from these band, we recommend channels that have vast collection of bands from this scene:
Hazy, Lazy, Crazy Days Of Summer
Or you can check them on Last FM’s list – here
