Harrisburg Area's 'Lead Foot' Keeps 80s Hairband Rock Alive

80s rock and roll was all about loud guitars, hair and girls. That's exactly what music is still about for one Harrisburg-area tribute band.

Lead Foot lead vocalist James Thomas explains that not only are the greatest rock hits of the 80s dished out, but also the band is all about putting on a good show.

"We are entertainers first, musicians second," he explained of a typical Lead Foot show. "...it's like in your face 80s mania. It's hard-driving, good time rock and roll. And, the more girls the better."

Thomas explains that he and his band not only emulate 80s rockers with a five-part harmony that includes all the "oohs, ahs and heys", but also with stage antics.

"There is a lot of motion on stage. The lead singer changes outfits a lot, that's me. I jump off stage, walk into the crowd..." he explained, adding that he tosses in a lot of his own musical influences into the show.

"20% of my show is (David Lee Roth)," he said, explaining how he is into martial arts.

In fact, any singer that moved around on stage was a big influence for Thomas.

80s hair band music is a genre with arguably some of the most recognizable songs of the decade, perhaps why many of these songs are still jukebox favorites. Thomas explained that when people hear certain songs, the music takes them back to the period when they first heard that song. Perhaps it was a high school dance, a rockin' summer road trip or a first kiss.

"These songs bring back memories; they open up doors to the past and it feels good if we can do that for other people," he explained.

Rock music has certainly evolved into something very different from the 80s. Thomas says that music today seems to bit a bit angrier, more aggressive.

"80s rock was just all about getting the girl, and I love girls," Thomas said. He continued that as a whole, 80s music was just all about having a good time. "It's not about the money, it's about having a good time."

While it's hard to narrow down a favorite song or artist to play, Thomas throws out a few of his top picks.

"Motley Crue. The crowd loves Motely Crue. Oh, Van Halen... anything jumpy. It's all good. My personal favorites are the crowd favorites. There's Poison, oh I could go on and on," he said of a seemingly endless set list of favorites.

Thomas says he and the guys are looking forward to the show at Nightcaps. They played the venue before and had a great response.

"The fans were awesome last time and a lot said they'd be back," he said. "Just be ready to have a good time."

And incase you are wondering. The 80s hair is genuine as their love of the music they play.

"All our hair is real," said Thomas.