It may not be as historic an occasion as that time, back in September 1983, when Kiss first appeared in public without their costumes and makeup, but it's not far off.
Michael Monroe, the Hanoi Rocks frontman who famously never leaves the house without full makeup and stage leathers, has made a video in which he sports neither. The reason for this drastic departure from normality is Monroe's new single, Rockin' Horse, which includes the lines, "Yeah, I look this way when I wake up, wake up / Shut the fuck up about the makeup, makeup."
Rockin' Horse, a typically boisturous affair with a greasy guitar riff and more all-around excitement than the fall of the Berlin Wall, is the first track to emerge from Monroe's upcoming 11th solo studio album, Outerstellar (tracklist below), which is scheduled to arrive on Planet Earth on February 20.
"Rockin’ Horse is a cool, rockin’ song that we made a great fun video for with the fantastic director Leigh Brooks," says Monroe. "We got into different characters on the so-called Waking Up With Michael Monroe TV morning show, with me as the host. And it’s the first time ever you can see me without makeup (!). Great fun and good times. Hope you enjoy it!"
We certainly did, Michael. Or, as his people put it, "From loud crashing guitars to harmonicas, to gorgeous acoustic moments, you’ll sing, you’ll dance, you’ll shiver, you’ll shake, and you’ll smell this wonderful exhilarating record in all its weathered biker jacket incense-coated glory and you’ll also realize that whatever the hell is going on in the world right now, when you put this album on, it’s an instant escape to carefree days and an emancipation from worries, fears and woes."
To celebrate this momentous release, Monroe and his band will be embarking on a co-headline tour of the UK with US rockers Buckcherry. Full dates below.
Outerstellar is available to pre-order now.
Michael Monroe & Buckcherry UK tour 2026
Feb 24: Southampton The 1865
Feb 25: Manchester O2 Ritz
Feb 27: Wolverhampton KK’s Steel Mill
Feb 28: Newcastle Northumbria Institute
Mar 01: Glasgow SWG3
Mar 03: Cardiff Tramshed
Mar 04: Torquay The Foundry
Mar 06: Nottingham Rock City
Mar 07: London O2 Forum Kentish Town
Mar 08: Brighton Chalk
Michael Monroe: Outerstellar tracklist
1. Rockin' Horse
2. Shinola
3. Black Cadillac
4. When the Apocalypse Comes 5. Painless
6. Newtro Bombs
7. Disconnected
8. Precious
9. Pushin' Me Back 10. Glitter & Dust
11. Rode To Ruin
12. One More Sunrise
