Late pledges are open for Hair Band - a dice placement, engine-building, and resource management game where you form an upstart ’80s glam metal band in Hollywood and compete to become the most awesome new act on the Sunset Strip.
Write songs, play shows, post flyers, and party your way to rock stardom. Be the first band to earn a record deal to win!
🎸 Limited Kickstarter content available while supplies last.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Rocking Dice Tower West / Meet The Clowns
about 1 month ago
– Tue, Mar 17, 2026 at 11:22:20 AM
Hey Rockers! First off, another heartfelt thanks for being part of this project and for helping to make Hair Band happen. The project is now 200% FUNDED and rapidly approaching 500 backers. I'm so humbled and so grateful. Seriously, dudes - thank you!
Dice Tower West 2026
I spent this past weekend demoing Hair Band at Dice Tower West in Las Vegas, and it was a freaking blast. I met so many great people - some were already backers, and many became backers after playing! We swapped stories about our favorite '80s rock bands and concerts, and about how awesome it was to grow up with this music. Many of you know hair metal better than I do, so I even learned a thing or two. It was also great seeing how much fun everyone had identifying the easter eggs in the game. Such a great time - thanks to everyone who stopped by!
Just a few of the awesome people who totally kicked ass with us at Dice Tower West 2026. Some were even brave enough to rock the wigs we brought.
Something a little different in the spotlight this week. Thought you might dig learning a little more about the 2 clowns primarily responsible for this crazy game. Let's kick it off with a brief Thwapped Magazine interview with game designer and Frown Clown #1, Dickie Chapin.
1999 vs. now. I miss that purple pinstripe suit..
Thwapped: So tell us about yourself and how you got into game design.
Dickie: Sure! I'm a Gen X guy raised on pizza, movies, and MTV. I grew up in the Midwest, moved to Chicago after college, and now live in the Los Angeles area with my awesome wife and two amazing daughters.
As an artistic only child, I occupied my time creating games I could play by myself, including many dice-based sports sims. I spent thousands of hours playing out entire baseball and football seasons in my room. Fast forward to 2018, when I discovered modern board games and the TTS/Discord game design community. I went down the rabbit hole and never looked back. I started Frown Clowns Games in 2021, and Hair Band will be our third self-release. I've also signed several designs with other publishers, most of which will be coming out over the next few years. The design community is full of awesome people, and I'm loving every day of this journey.
Thwapped: Why did you design a game about hair metal bands? Were you in one?
Dickie: Having grown up on MTV and Headbangers Ball, hair metal was one of the first themes I knew I wanted to design a game around. Being a teenager in the '80s was the BEST, and these bands were everywhere at the time. They inspired me to grow my hair, learn to play drums, and pursue a music career. By the time I was in college and started playing in bands, hair metal was no longer cool - but we all secretly still loved it, and glam and guitars became the foundation for all my future bands.
Thwapped: Where did you turn for inspiration/research when creating Hair Band?
Dickie: I had a good deal of general knowledge of the genre from seeing it on TV, along with plenty of personal experience from playing in rock bands for two decades. I read (or re-read) books like Nothin' But A Good Timeand Motley Crue's The Dirt, and re-watched movies like Decline Of Western Civilization Pt II: The Metal Years, Heavy Metal Parking Lot, and of course This Is Spinal Tap. I even got together with several ex-bandmates to brainstorm Drama card scenarios, which was a total riot. A lot of those stories made it into the final game.
Thwapped: For those of us who know the genre, are there any references or easter eggs in the game we might recognize?
Dickie:Hair Band is FULL of them! Almost every component is a tribute to, and/or spoof of, actual hair metal lore: the titles on the Song cards, the venue names, Drama card scenarios, and even the Rockers themselves. I packed in as much nostalgia as possible. In fact, I recommend adding this house rule: whenever an easter egg comes up, the first player to identify the source gets an Awesome point.
Thwapped: What does the future look like for Hair Band? Are you planning any expansions?
Dickie: We're already working on new Content Packs (in addition to the Afterparty pack we're currently offering). Each will include a set of new Drama cards, along with one or two other elements to enhance and expand gameplay. One will even include a solo mode (by popular demand!). In fact, our illustrator Bambang is already working on new Rocker illustrations for the Divas & Dregs pack.
Thwapped: Do you have anything else on the horizon we can look forward to?
Dickie: I designed a beefed up, more gamer-focused version of my first game, Joystick Heroes, that got picked up by one of my favorite publishers (set for release in 2027). I also have a few more titles with other excellent publishers coming out over the next year or two. On the Frown Clowns front, we'll be crowdfunding a bundle of card games later this year. And I'm especially excited to announce another '80s arcade-themed co-design with my good friend Nate Heater (Garage Rock), coming to Kickstarter next spring.
Bambang is the artistic genius behind Hair Band's incredible illustrations. Also known online as B.A.W or Matatridatu, he says:
"My basic drawing skills are self-taught, so my techniques are sometimes different. I enjoy working with pencil, watercolor, oils, and creating digital art. As an art director at an advertising agency by day, I also make videos and films. In addition to commercial illustrations, I also love creating character artwork for comics and games, both locally and internationally. I am very proud and appreciative of being part of the team behind Hair Band!"
When I came across Bambang’s work in a Facebook group, I reached out and asked if he was familiar with '80s glam metal. He replied with an enthusiastic “YES!” and immediately rattled off a bunch of obscure bands I’d barely heard of. Starting in 2018 and continuing over the next few years, he pumped out Rocker after Rocker until we had more than 75 unbelievable illustrations. I still can’t believe my luck in finding this incredibly talented artist, and I’m convinced there’s no one better on the planet for Hair Band.
Here's a short video showing Bambang's process:
DDR Rocks
I also want to quickly thank my friends at DDR Music Group for providing the music featured in the Hair Band trailer and our social media ads. Be sure to check them out - there are so many great bands you might remember if you were on the Strip back in the day, along with some new ones. DDR’s artists provide the perfect soundtrack for your Hair Band sessions.
Fav Guitarist?
Lastly, tell me in the comments below - who was your favorite guitarist from the '80s hair metal / hard rock scene?
Mine was Vito Bratta (White Lion). Zakk Wylde said his solo in Wait was one of the best he’d ever heard. And here’s a fun one - KISS once asked him to replace Ace Frehley, but he declined. Go back and listen to his solos - they’re bonkers.
As always, please keep spreading the word! As a small indie publisher, every backer matters. There are only 8 days left in the campaign, so let’s finish with a bang!
You Screamed, We Listened! 🎤
about 2 months ago
– Wed, Mar 04, 2026 at 03:14:15 PM
Hey Rockers, we're 1 week into the campaign! Thank you again for being part of the show. Some fun stuff to share in this update, but first the big news...
Expanded Shipping!
After receiving messages from disappointed gamers in regions of the world where we didn't plan to ship Hair Band, I'm thrilled to announce that we've partnered with a new fulfillment company that allows us to open the doors a little wider. Australia, New Zealand China, Japan, and several others... you're IN! Check the updated Shipping chart on the campaign page for full details.
This leads us to some good news / bad news for those who backed the All Access Pledge that includes our 5 Wards game. Bad news first. Since 5 Wards is already manufactured and warehoused with a different partner here in the U.S., we'll need to ship it to you separately. The good news? It'll now ship immediately after the pledge manager closes! So you'll get your copy of 5 Wards several months earlier than expected. Since your pledge will now require 2 packages, I'm eating a chunk of the shipping cost.
Future Hair Band Goodies?
You: Hey, Frown Clowns! The base game is cool, and the Afterparty Content Pack gives me extra stuff... but do you plan to expand Hair Band in the future? Us: YES, and you can help!Join the Hair Band Facebook group now and participate in our poll to let us know what you'd like to see added to the game. With your support we can't wait to give you more mayhem to play with.
Hair Band's Show cards represent the venues where your band can perform. Their parody names pay tribute to 6 of Hollywood's most famous rock clubs from the 80s. How many can you identify? Answer in the comments!
Best Concert Experience?
Lastly, I want to hear about one of your most memorable concert experiences. I'll start:
Blind Melon at Bogart's in Cincinnati, early 90's. The band was unexpectedly amazing and the venue was jam packed. We were pressed so hard against the stage that when my petite friend had to pee we just formed a little circle around her and she went in the floor (she never would've made it out OR back in). She squealed with laughter till the last drop. Glad we weren't barefoot like the band was.
Auditions / Name That Tune
about 2 months ago
– Thu, Feb 26, 2026 at 04:34:30 PM
Hey Rockers! I'm so pumped to have you here for this journey and I'm incredibly grateful for your support and enthusiasm about Hair Band. It's only Day 3 and it has already been a blast talking with so many of you about our favorite 80's glam metal bands and the memories they gave us. Keep those comments coming!
Over the course of the campaign I'll be sending updates like this, showcasing various parts of the game and giving you a peek backstage at what went into designing and developing Hair Band. Kind of like a newsletter of sorts to share my passion for this game.
Remember... as a backer this is YOUR GAME now, too. Let's totally make it kick ass.
The first thing you do after setting up Hair Band is hold Auditions. There are 56 Rockers to choose from (plus 4 more if you're backing this campaign!). Draw 2 singer cards, 2 guitar players, 2 bass players, and 2 drummers. Then pick one of each to keep and boot the others back to the streets.
There are a few things to look for when auditioning Rockers.
First, check their stats. Every Rocker has ratings for Rock (how good they are onstage), Hotness (sex appeal), and Songwriting. You'll total those to serve as your overall band ratings, which come into play throughout the game.
Next, Rockers with poor stats can still be useful! If a Rocker's ratings suck, they'll come with a Talent card, which gives your band a valuable special ability. If they really suck, they'll also give you an asset like fans or a piece of gear (hey, sometimes you had to jam with the dude with the sweet P.A. system even though he couldn't carry a tune).
So you get to choose your band's strengths and weaknesses. Will you be a kick ass live band, or expert songwriters? Maybe you'll just rely on being HOT to get a record deal (hey, it happened!). Or maybe you suck at everything and just party hard and pass out flyers. There are multiple paths to victory in Hair Band, so try them all!
Hair Band comes with 72 double-sided Song cards (144 total songs) in 3 types - Anthems (blue), Scorchers (yellow), and Power Ballads (pink). Did you know that all titles are spoofs of actual 80s metal tunes? How many of these 6 can you identify?Answer in the comments!
Lastly, I wanted to share some new quotes from fellow game designers. I'm honored to call these talented gentlemen my friends.
So what can you do to help? Please keep sharing the campaign with friends, enemies, family, co-workers, and random strangers. Join our social channels and share our posts. We can't wait to hear about your epic Hair Band game nights and all the trouble you caused on your way to rock stardom.
🎉 We’re Funded! Thank You. 🎉
about 2 months ago
– Tue, Feb 24, 2026 at 07:51:12 PM
Hair Band is officially funded — and that’s entirely because of you.
Hair Band has been my passion project for the last 7 years. It went through 6 major versions, thousands of gameplay and design tweaks, and hundreds of play tests.
You saw it and said: “Yeah. Let’s make that exist.”
That means more than I can possibly put into words. I genuinely can’t thank you enough for backing, sharing, commenting, pushing it over the line. It's incredibly humbling.
This is a huge milestone - but we’re not done yet.
Here’s how you can help keep the momentum going:
1. Share the campaign. A quick post, text, or email to a friend who loves board games or 80’s rock makes a real difference.
2. Drop a comment. Engagement boosts visibility on Kickstarter, and I read every single one.
3. Keep the energy up. The stronger this campaign finishes, the better position we’re in for production and beyond.
Over the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing more updates, a few fun surprises, and details about the design process and what the road to manufacturing looks like.
For now, just know that I’m incredibly grateful. This is YOUR project now and I'm thrilled to be rocking the stage with you.
- Dickie 🤘 Frown Clowns
Oh, and here are a few more of those Drama cards I told you about.
To the 93% Still in the Balcony… 👀🔥
about 2 months ago
– Tue, Feb 24, 2026 at 05:07:02 PM
We’re 90% funded!
That means we’re this close to dropping that big "FUNDED" banner like a pyro explosion.
Over 2,200 of you hit “Notify me on launch” (thank you 🤘), but only about 7% have jumped in so far.
If you’ve been planning to back but haven't yet, this is your chance to be the hero.
There’s something legendary about being part of the surge that pushes it over the line. Let’s crank this thing to 100% (or to 11 even).
To incentivize you, here's a sneak peek at a couple of my personal favorite Drama cards (you're going to love this part of the game - 80 of these suckers!).
And when we hit our mark I’ll reveal some more completely unhinged cards that absolutely should not exist... but do.
