When I first started doing this I said these would be 80's metal videos and I wasn't going to post anything from bands who "made it". Only a month or so in and I'm already breaking both of those declarations.

I want to preface this by saying forget every single thing you think you know about Warrant. The cheesy videos, the giant hair, "Cherry Pie" - I'll go to my grave saying Jani Lane is one of the greatest songwriters I've ever had the pleasure of coming across. It just took a few years, one less major label deal and a whole lot of living for it to finally come through.

Don't believe me? Take the word of a guy who knows a thing or two about writing a damn fine tune:

By 1996 Warrant was either completely forgotten or completely ridiculed. They'd also just released 2 of the best albums of the 90's. If Jani had just come along 10 years earlier or 10 years later he'd be looked at with the same respect as Robin Zander or even Elliot Smith. He was that fucking talented. Unfortunately the climate of 1989 required him to dress like a clown and write odes to misogyny (many of which he'd later disown) and underage sex.

Like so many other completely misunderstood talents Jani wasn't meant to last forever. Instead of being praised for his longevity and genius he died drunk and practically penniless in a cheap motel. If only the 3 million people who bought their first 2 records had taken the time to listen to their last 2 it might've ended so much differently. That's the biggest shame of all.

"Nothing's perfect except God and a California sunset..."