THE BEAST

Winger guitarist Reb Beach opens up about the band's dramatic fall in the early '90s and why they’re officially retiring in 2025.

Winger, the glam metal band once topping charts and filling arenas, is saying goodbye in 2025 after a rollercoaster ride that saw them rise to fame and fall just as fast. In a candid interview with Badass Network, guitarist Reb Beach recalled the band's sudden collapse in the wake of grunge, Beavis and Butt-Head, and a brutal diss from Metallica.

“Metallica threw darts at a poster of Kip Winger. We were on tour—and then it all just stopped,” Beach said.

Winger’s Rapid Rise and Fall in the ’80s and ’90s

Winger launched their career with a bang. Their 1988 self-titled debut album went platinum, as did their 1990 follow-up In the Heart of the Young. With radio hits like Seventeen and Headed for a Heartbreak, the band seemed poised for a long and successful run in the hard rock and glam metal scene.

But as the early '90s ushered in a new wave of music, particularly grunge bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, the hair metal era quickly fell out of favor.

“I thought it would go on forever,” said Beach. “If Winger had come out in 1986, I’d be a rich man.”

The Metallica Incident and Beavis and Butt-Head Fallout

Beach pointed to two major pop culture moments that accelerated Winger’s downfall: MTV’s Beavis and Butt-Head and a moment in Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters video where the band threw darts at a poster of Kip Winger.

“The shows were canceled. People stopped buying tickets overnight. Tour was canceled. Ticket sales ended the day Beavis and Butt-Head came out. Like a week later—done. No one would be caught dead at a Winger concert.”

This public mockery, combined with changing musical trends, devastated the band’s momentum.

Financial Collapse After “Pull” Album Flopped

The band’s third album Pull (1993) was critically well-received but commercially bombed. Beach had just bought a home in Florida, counting on a $300,000 advance that never arrived.

“I had to sell my house, my guitars… I lived on selling 20 guitars for a year until I got the Alice Cooper gig. Kip had to lend me $500 just to fly to the audition.”

Why Winger Is Retiring in 2025

After a surprising comeback with their 2023 album Seven, Winger announced a farewell tour for 2025. According to Reb Beach, it’s mostly frontman Kip Winger’s decision to step away from rock.

“Kip doesn’t want to sing ‘Seventeen’ anymore. It’s hard for him to hit those notes, and he’s tired of the pressure. Plus, his heart’s in classical music now—he’s actually having real success with it.”

Reb Beach on the End of Winger

Although Beach is proud of Winger’s legacy, he admits the decision to disband is bittersweet.

“This is my band. I wrote the songs, the riffs. It’s like an old pair of jeans. But I’ll survive—I’ve already had calls from other bands.”

Key Takeaways:

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  Winger’s career collapsed rapidly in the early '90s due to the rise of grunge, mockery from Beavis and Butt-Head, and ridicule from Metallica.

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  Reb Beach sold his home and guitars to survive after Winger's career stalled.

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  The band will officially retire in 2025 following one last farewell tour.

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  Kip Winger is focusing on classical music, where he’s recently found success.

Why This Story Still Matters

Winger’s rise and fall is more than just a footnote in rock history—it’s a cautionary tale about how quickly the music industry can turn. As they prepare to take their final bow, the band’s journey reminds us that even platinum success isn’t bulletproof.