BULLETBOYS – “SMOOTH UP IN YA” 1988 SONG & VIDEO REVISITED!
BULLETBOYS – On September 20, 1988, the debut and self titled album BULLETBOYS was released on Warner Bros. Records. I bought the cassette and later down the Metal road… CD of BULLETBOYS. My favorite song from this album and from this band’s career is – Smooth Up In Ya. Man, does this song bring back some fine memories… of hanging out and doin’ just nuthin’ at all besides having a good time. I saw Bulletboys live, on two Metal occasions. I saw these guys with Slaughter and Poison at Lake Compounce Amusement Park in Bristol, (expensive) Connecticut. I later saw them with Cinderella and Winger at the Springfield Civic Center in Springfield, Mass. My girlfriend that was with me at both Bulletboys shows is now my wife. We had a good time seeing Bulletboys (and all the other bands named, of course) live… you betcha!
Marq Torien was quite the flamboyant front man, when I saw Bulletboys live. He always reminded me of someone who looked up to David Lee Roth… not a bad influence to have if your fronting a late 1980’s Hair Metal or Hard Rock Band, in my Metal opinion. Shoot The Preacher Down from this very same debut album is another favorite of mine from Bulletboys. This song strays away from the Hair Metal stylistics and just flat out Rocks for me.
I always got a kick out of the music video for Smooth Up In Ya. The funny, cartoon illustrations that keep flashing throughout this video are a Metal hoot. This video of the Bulletboys does scream 1988 Hair Metal and rightfully so. Bulletboys always was and forever will be a cool and heavy listen for me. Check out the video for Smooth Up In Ya below… hopefully you like this song as much as I do, if so, crank it up loud mutha!!
BULLETBOYS as they appeared on their 1988 debut/self titled album:
Marq Torien – lead vocals
Mick Sweda – guitar
Lonnie Vencent – bass
Jimmy D’Anda – Drums
* BULLETBOYS was produced by Ted Templeman, (Van Halen & Doobie Brothers fame).
LONG LIVE BULLETBOYS!
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
March 3, 2010 at 4:17 pm
The Bulletboys are playing in Cincinnati on Saturday night. Guess where I will be?!
March 3, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Um… you are going to see the Cincinnati High Choir, perform on the steps of the State Capital?
Uh, you are going to be playing in the Ohio State University – “Scrabble World Tournament”?
Gee… oh. LUCKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a head bangin’ blast Rob!
March 3, 2010 at 10:36 pm
I saw the Bulletboys w/ Winger & Cinderella also, in Pelham, AL. It just so happened I was working at MUSICLAND at the time and my boss gave me 2 cassttes he had gotten as promos from a show he attended. Bulletboys was one and Wingers debut was the other. I really liked the Winger tape and enjoyed the Bulletboys. It is a solid album as was the follow-up “Freaksow”. You’re right… that singer really digs Diamond Dave. Marq is a fantastic frontman and a much better singer than Roth in my opinion. BTW: the best promo I ever got from MUSICLAND was POWERMAD’s “The Madness Begins…”. AWESOME!!! \m/
March 4, 2010 at 1:47 am
Musicland was a very cool store, (if it’s the franchise chain I’m thinking of), from back “then”. Every interview I heard/saw of Marq, he exhibited similar mannerisms and talk like – Diamond Dave himself. I don’t think Marq was trying to copy though… especially seeing both David Lee and Marq live, there still are differences. But still, there seems to be that adulation Marq “may” have for Roth’s style.
The power “went off” at the Springfield Civic Center during Cinderella’s set… the place went maddeningly dark! All I could hear was dead silence when it happened. It lasted about 2 minutes or so. When the power went back on, Tom Kiefer exclaimed very loudly… WTF? No one panicked when all of this happened… it could have been worse!
Winger is just a great band then and now. Kip. Unreal song writer and musician period.
Stone
March 4, 2010 at 2:36 am
That was a great show dude!! If I am not mistaken I thought the power went out twice? Bumper Stickers Rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 4, 2010 at 2:56 am
Oh yes… Best Metal Buddy Scott was at this show with me too. He even caught a drum stick from… I forget which band! I’m sure he will remind me what band/drummer with a comment here.
Best Metal Buddy Scott “chased down” some FM Radio mini van at a mall parking lot… I nervously looked on… he then proceeded to get a “bumper sticker” from a radio rep (advertising that FM station) to “stick” onto my 1982 Cutlass Supreme bumper. It was all good, for doing so we both received a free ticket to the Cinderella, Bulletboys & Winger Concert. Cool.
Plus, as a Metal bonus, once we got back to Scott’s house, well, Scott “quit” his job so he could go see this great night of Heavy Metal! I was there when he verbally quit via phone… Scott was holding the phone, telling his boss, to paraphrase it, well, it went like this: “I quit”. “I’m going to Central Connecticut, I’m moving on… I’m going places and I’m going to see Cinderella tonight”. He also ranted and raved about having a “future” and all… amazing stuff.
The funny part of this whole story is… Best Metal Buddy Scott really did turn out o.k. after all. He really did HAVE a future! I could not be more proud of him then, when he quit that golf course restaurant job in the name of METAL. I could not be more proud of him now too… he is at the top of his damn game in life.
Who ever said us 80’s Metalheads would never make it anyways?
Stone
March 4, 2010 at 2:10 pm
i think i will stab my eyes and ears out again! haha
March 4, 2010 at 3:36 pm
Dude… your gonna run out of forks at the rate I’m goin’ with these bands! Hee, Hee, Ho!
I’ve been on thin Metal ground lately with The Metal Files… gee Metal whiz. It’s all Metal good though. Hey, wait a minute… you never mentioned stabbing your “ears” out with Steelheart though, only your eyes!
March 4, 2010 at 5:02 pm
both bands make me want to be blind and deaf. haha
March 5, 2010 at 4:03 am
You mean, like the great Blackie Lawless sings… “I’m Blind In Texas’!!!
Or, like the also great Lemmy sings… “Stone Deaf Forever”!
Man… that may be getting a bit corn dog on my part.