Love/Hate was formed in 1985, when Jizzy Pearl (real name Jim Wilkinson) joined Jon E. Love, Skid Rose, and Joey Gold, in a 1980s influenced electronica band called Dataclan, after their previous lead singer walked out while playing in Japan. They lived together in a Los Angeles warehouse called SoulHouse, and in the first year put out a four track EP and played a short and not very well received tour of Mexico. At this time the band had a ‘glam’ look, wearing make up.
In 1986, the band renamed themselves as Love/Hate, from a song they played at the time called Love and Hate. They also changed their look and style to a more gothic image, having been influenced by the release of the album Love by The Cult. For the next couple of years they tried various styles of music, and were pitched to many record companies in an attempt to get signed.
In 1987, the band settled on the rock genre, and had some limited success, when one of their songs was used on the soundtrack for Critters 2 and an early version of “She’s an Angel” featured in the movie A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master. Around this time they briefly employed guitarist Tracy G, who would later play in Dio. After seeing a video of a drunken performance, lead singer Jizzy resolved to turn himself around.
In early 1988, Skid wrote a new collection of songs, which would later form the bulk of the album Blackout in the Red Room. They began performing regularly at the free Monday night ‘No Bozo Jam’ at Sunset Strip’s Whisky a Go Go. This freed them from self-promotion of one off gigs and they began to collaborate as a band to improve their repertoire of songs. However, the band felt much frustration as at that time many other Sunset Strip bands were being signed by record companies, with glam metal at its height, but Love/Hate were repeatedly overlooked.
The band then put together a four track demo engineered by guitarist Jon E. Love, and in December 1988 finally got a record deal with Columbia. – WIKIPEDIA
Nighttime, shooting star
The sun started to rain
Trees lost branches, gurus trances
Black-brassiered dancers, little dears
Showdown’s coming, it’s no joke
Mouth is running, it’s a stroke
That’s what I think when I’m so fucked up
I can’t even find the door
Why do you think they call it dope?
(Whoa, whoa)
Why do you think they call it dope?
(Whoa, whoa)
When your heart beats fast, you’re so broke
In your car with the red lights flashing
Look sincere, smell like beer
Roach in the ashtray, going to the pokey
Thirty days later, ten bucks left
Hands are shaking, looking for a dime bag
Why do you think they call it dope?
(Whoa, whoa)
Why do you think they call it dope?
(Whoa, whoa)
Dirty little dopers on dope so bad
Dirty little dopers on dope so bad
Ooh
When two and two turns into five
You’ll probably see it my way
When bad is good, like it should
Things turn upside down
Some people say its hip to say no
My town it’s green light go
For party rockin’ anglels now it’s trigger happy
Slang-bang-pow
Why do you think they call it dope?
(Whoa, whoa)
Why do you think they call it dope?
(Whoa, whoa)
Why do you think they call it dope?
(Whoa, whoa)
Why do you think they call it dope?
(Whoa, whoa)