Most bands don’t reach the top in the beginning — there are ups and downs and difficulties they may face throughout their career. In Steel Panther’s case, there was a critical decision the band members made at some point to save the band. Speaking to Rock Antenne, Michael Starr revealed how Steel Panther’s fate changed.
Steel Panther started to gain a following in 2000 on the Sunset Strip as Metal Skool, playing covers of hair metal hits that they were influenced. The band later released their self-produced debut EP’ Hole Patrol,’ and performed some of their original songs during TV shows. However, they still weren’t signed to a record label.
In 2008, Metal Skool changed their name to Steel Panther and signed a record deal with Republic Records, a label owned by Universal Music Group. The band then entered the studio to record their first album ‘Feel the Steel.’ However, according to Michael Starr, getting to that point wasn’t that easy for them.
When asked whether they got tired of being a rock band parody, the frontman said that playing for an audience who liked their music was his dream. Starr then recalled that no record label signed them before Universal. According to the singer, they later decided it was best to play what they wanted, and this got them signed right away by Universal.
Here is what Michael Starr said:
“I love playing heavy metal. It’s the most exciting job in the world for me. I’ve always dreamed about doing this — being on stage, going all over the world with my buddies, and playing for people who like our music. It’s really cool.
Before we got signed by Universal, we were writing songs, and they were going, ‘No. No. No.’ They never signed us. And then finally we were, like, ‘You know what? F*ck it! We’re going to sing about what we want to sing about. We’re going to sing about what we’re thinking.’
And once we did that, we got signed right away, and we put out ‘Death to All but Metal,’ and the rest is history. So, I don’t care if people think it’s a joke, a parody, or whatever — who f*cking cares? It’s Steel Panther at the end of the day. No, I’m not bored. I love it.”
So, Michael Starr thinks singing in their own style and playing what they really wanted to was the thing that helped Steel Panther secure a record deal with Universal. The singer then made it clear that he doesn’t care what people think of them because he loves playing with Steel Panther.
