1) The band Steel Panther exemplifies postmodernism through their parody of the 1980s hair metal scene in both their music and over-the-top image that mocks the sexism and excess of that era. 2) Their music video for "Party like Tomorrow is the End of the World" directly parodies and pastiches iconic scenes from bands like Motley Crue and Poison through exaggerated depictions of sex and drug use. 3) By replicating the style of 1980s hair metal, but with crude lyrics and videos that push boundaries, Steel Panther both appeals to nostalgia while challenging conventions, embodying postmodern traits of parody, pastiche, and challenging authority.

1. MEDIA G325. Brett Moore
Postmodernism in Party like Tomorrow is the End of the World – Steel Panther.
Steel Panther are quintessentially a postmodernist metal band, conforming to the
conventions of postmodernist behaviour in almost everything they do. Postmodernism
refers to the portrayal of something completely different from traditional narrative
expression. The band their selves are the prime example of this, mocking the 1980’s
Hair metal scene by wearing makeup, spandex trousers, and elaborately forcing their
anarchic image onto the music scene. This is shown perfectly in their 2014 music video,
Party like Tomorrow is the End of the World.
Postmodernism is ironic. It is an assumption at first that an audiences knows one thing
about a cultural product but then says another. Steel Panther is the perfect example. The
denotations of the band are that they are just another anarchic hair metal band from
Los Angeles, that on the outside depict exactly what audiences expect to see from a band
of this genre. However it is exactly that that makes the band so postmodern. This is
because the connotations of the band are that they are indeed reflecting the pastiche of
the 1980’s hair metal scene but in a way that opposes the morals of many bands during
this time period, with the apparent reoccurring notions of sex, drugs and rock and roll
becoming a strong mocking point for Steel Panther in their music.
Steel Panther are much like The Darkness, a band who also played with pastiche. The
Darkness had four main stylistic features that constituted to the postmodernist style
that evoked the bands popularity. These were; revolting against authority and
signification; pastiche and parody; performance rather than product; the simulacrum.
Steel Panther share these features and express them in the Party like Tomorrow is the
End of the World video…
To wish to be like 1980’s hair metal bands isn’t seen to be especially fashionable or
mainstream, however Steel Panther use this to their advantage and have been able to
establish a strong following of fans. Not only do they go against the mainstream
expectation simply through their style, but also in their agenda. Most of their songs use
incessant expletives and sexual references, in a way of seemingly rebelling against the
restrictions and authorities surrounding the music scene that had been profound since
the rock ‘n’ roll era of the 1950’s with acts such as Little Richard and Elvis Presley. The
video for Party like Tomorrow is the End of the World does this by depicting blonde
‘bimbo’ like characters topless at a pool party whilst the band perform the crude song.
This also conforms to the notion of ‘performance over product’ as no matter what may
be ensuing around the band their sole focus is bringing back a once thought to be
dormant genre of music. Furthermore the lyrics of the song itself exemplify post
modernity through the use of profanities and extreme sexual references such as ‘f**k
every female of the species you see’. Pastiche and parody is potentially the most
influential feature of the post modernity created by Steel Panther. Pastiche is a work of
art which incorporates several different styles borrowed from several different eras in
order to make a new product. To which is exactly what Steel Panther are. In the video
parody is used through the use of clichéd scenes, on in particular shows a rock star
snorting cocaine, before trying to light a cigarette on a gas cooker, whilst a female in a
bikini performs in a sexual act upon him. This shows both pastiche and parody as it uses

2. MEDIA G325. Brett Moore
borrowed depictions of a rock star whilst depicting one in a way that mocks the
intelligence of rock stars. The way they dress also adds a sense of deliberate nostalgia
that appeals to the target audience. Steel Panther have made such a name for
themselves that Jean Baudrillard’s theory of the simulacrum, where he states that the
copies are becoming as good if not better than the originals is seemingly important in
the case of Party like Tomorrow is the End of the World in particular, as Steel Panther
manage to incorporate multiple different iconic bands in one video including; Motley
Crue, Poison, Van Halen and Iron Maiden. Steel Panther, much like the aforementioned
The Darkness, frequently use ‘semiotic raids’ on existing products with Steel Panther
frequently using names and previous events within the genre to fuel their music such as
in the song ‘Death to All but Metal’.
To conclude, Steel Panthers, ‘Party like Tomorrow is the End of the World’ exhibits the
post modernity synonymous with the band in general, through the use of four key
features to which ultimately result in a music video that entirely opposes the structured
and generic mainstream music videos in a true expression of post modernity.