Steel Panther is a tough pill to swallow in these modern times. Despite being an uber-talented band that can play circles around both modern bands and the legacy acts that they parody, their politically incorrect lyrics are their most-definable characteristic. I can’t even imagine where the line is drawn between fans that are in on the joke and recognize the satire, versus those that actually relate to their misogynistic lyrics. I hope it skews toward the former, but my lack of faith in humanity makes me fear the latter.
‘On the Prowl,’ like all Steel Panther records, contains some pretty offensive stuff—Some often hilariously pretty offensive stuff. The synth intro to “It’s Never Too Late (To Get Some Pussy Tonight)” teases a softer AOR sound before the band launches into an 80s rocker thick with bad puns and bad-ass guitar licks. Elsewhere, self-deprecating dick jokes abound in the glam send-ups “Is My Dick Enough” and “One Pump Chump,” and how can one resist the charms of “Pornstar” with lines like “you could turn a cock-loving woman gay with that magical vah-jay.”
Proving that they’re not completely stuck in the 80s, “On Your Instagram” is a syrupy minor-key earworm ballad that pokes fun at dating in the twenties. If Steel Panther lyrics generally fall into 2 categories (dumb and dumber), this one is clever enough to fall into the former. “Like Michaelangelo with nothing to do, so he painted you, but I soon found out that it wasn’t true. Why can’t you look like you do on your Instagram? The girl that I want to screw on your Instagram.” Pure “poetry.”
Elsewhere, one must admire the almost Andy Kaufman levels of commitment to the joke on display in a tune like the ultra-raunchy “Friends with Benefits.” Unlike Kaufman, the band members break character once in a while in the press to remind us that they’re mostly teetotalers, vegetarians, gym freaks with functional romantic relationships, and “mostly” not the out-of-touch monsters that they portray. However, on a truly tasteless tune like “Friends with Benefits,” parody aside, it’s hard to give them the benefit of the doubt. And speaking of “hard,” “Friends with Benefits” is one of several tunes that goes harder musically than the band has gone in the past. Heavy riffage, double kick, and a standout solo are reminders of the band’s pedigree—guitarist Satchel’s time spent in Rob Halford’s Fight in particular.
The late record anthem “Ain’t Dead Yet” tackles the weird connection between 80s glam-metal and cowboys. In a perfect world, it would be a hit on contemporary country radio. It would fit perfectly in between “Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy” and whatever red-neck, horse-crap Kid Rock is peddling these days. I legitimately think this could be a potential path forward. Nashville could definitely use the kick in the bootcut Wranglers, and Steel Panther just might be the ones to “Put [Their] Money Where Your Mouth Is.” Brilliant.
Leadoff’s single “1987,” a super catchy mid-tempo tune that conjures up warm and fuzzy feelings of nostalgia for those of us that lived through it, hints at what a slightly less offensive Steel Panther might sound like. Whereas contemporaries like The Darkness stuck to a more “tongue in cheek” shtick, Steel Panther have always abided by a more “tongue in [insert orifice]” shtick, and that’s pretty limiting. However, like The Darkness, “1987” and ‘On the Prowl’ are proof that they know their way around a song, have chops for days, and underneath all the kitsch are true disciples of hard rock.
Their shtick isn’t for everyone and it’s a bit played out, but musically Steel Panther remains a top-notch hard rock band.