'80s Metal History (February 24th)

February 1984: Stocking up at the "Heavy Metal Sale" at Licorice Pizza in Southern California... Mötley Crüe's "Shout At The Devil" only $6.99, DIO "Holy Diver" and Black Sabbath "Born Again" just $5.99 each. I'll take them all... food was overrated 🤑

February 24, 1984: Promoting their new album "Balls To The Wall" released in January, Accept began a North American tour opening for KISS that ran through the end of March that year.

February 24, 1984: One week after the release of their debut album "Out Of The Cellar", RATT with openers Alcatrazz and Sound Barrier played L.A.'s Hollywood Palladium, a free show presented by local rock radio station KLOS.

February 1984: Canadian rocker Lee Aaron released her second studio album "Metal Queen" in Canada (August '84 in the UK) featuring the very metal title track. At age 15 she was asked to join a rock group called "Lee Aaron" and never went back to her real name, Karen Greening. Release informaton source: [Canada] Kerrang! - January 26, 1984; [UK] Music Week - August 4, 1984.

February 24, 2003: Two years after Jason Newsted resigned, Robert Trujillo began playing bass for Metallica. Lars Ulrich told him they wanted him to be "a real member of this band, not just a hired hand" and offered him "a million dollars to join our band right now."

DIO released their second live album "Inferno: Last In Live" in North America and as "DIO's Inferno - The Last In Live" in Europe with two different covers in 1998. It was recorded on the band's 1996/97 "Angry Machines" Tour.

W.A.S.P. released their second live album "Double Live Assassins" in 1998. In an era where Marilyn Manson was now seen as the demonic Anti-Christ, Blackie Lawless amped up his stage show as if to say "remember me?"

February 24, 2016: Iron Maiden launched "The Book Of Souls" World Tour in Sunrise, Florida. Six tracks were played from the new album, but there were still plenty of classics: "Children Of The Damned" "The Trooper" "Powerslave" and more.

February 24, 1986: In the UK, Raven released a cover of the Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'" as a single from their fifth studio album "The Pack Is Back". Release date source: Kerrang! - February 20, 1986.

Remembering Lizzy Borden guitarist Alex Nelson, who would have celebrated a birthday today (February 24, 1963). Alex died in 2004. R.I.P.

February 24, 1988: Alice Cooper announced he is running for Governor of the state of Arizona as a member of the "Wild" party. Looking to replace impeached governor Evan Mecham, Cooper's slogan was "A troubled man for troubled times."

February 1986: Twister Sister's Dee Snider was on the cover of Italy's H/M (Heavy Metal & Hard Rock) Magazine.