'80s Metal History (February 3rd)

February 1984: Scorpions released "Rock You Like A Hurricane" in North America (late January '84 in the UK) as the lead single from their forthcoming album "Love At First Sting". One of the top hard rock songs in history, it reached No. 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Release information source: [US] R&R radio trade publication 'AOR Tracks Most Added' - February 24, 1984; [UK] Kerrang! ad - January 26, 1984.

Scorpions had a budget of £50,000 to film the "Rock You Like A Hurricane" music video which featured more than 250 female extras. "The band, it seems, find themselves transported through time and space to a planet where women rule and men are kept in chains. The climax comes when the Scorps play live inside a cage, causing a riot amongst the attendant gals, before returning to their point of departure - with a number of females in tow, of course!" -Kerrang! (March 8, 1984)

February 3, 1984: Metallica began their first major European tour "Seven Dates Of Hell" in Zürich, supporting Raven, Venom and Twisted Sister.

February 1987: Robert Sweet and Blackie Lawless were on the cover of Hit Parader Magazine with the headline, "Heaven and Hell... Stryper vs. W.A.S.P." "It's designed to shock people, but it's never demonic." -Blackie Lawless

February 3, 1987: W.A.S.P. played the Cleveland Music Hall in Cleveland with Slayer "Plus A Special Guest To Be Announced"... that turned out to be Raven.

February 3, 1986: Opening for Twisted Sister, Dokken rolled into Bloomington, Minnesota for a show at the Met Center. The band was starting to experience some real success as their latest album "Under Lock And Key" was now in the Top 40 of the US Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. Lead single "The Hunter" was a Top 25 rock hit and the follow up "In My Dreams" would be released before the end of the month.

February 3, 2017: Judas Priest released the 30th Anniversary Edition of "Turbo", a three-album set that features a live recording from the 1986 "Fuel For Life" Tour, including "Locked In" from Turbo that was omitted from 1987's "Priest…Live!".

February 3, 1990: Skid Row peaked at No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with "I Remember You". The song was also a Top 20 hit worldwide, including No. 2 in New Zealand.

February 1981: Accept released "Burning" as the first single from their forthcoming third studio album "Breaker". The original recording of the song was a fake live performance with crowd noise mixed in post-production.

February 3, 1986: Fastway released their third studio album "Waiting For The Roar" in the UK, a slight departure from their driving bluesy-metal, but they re-established themselves as hard-hitting rockers with the "Trick Or Treat" Soundtrack later that year. Release date source: Kerrang! - December 26, 1985.

February 1981: Featuring John Sykes as second guitarist, who would later join Thin Lizzy, Tygers Of Pan Tang released the single "Hellbound" in the UK. Release information source: Debuted Official Singles chart on February 14, 1981.

February 3, 1983: Sound Barrier released their debut album "Total Control" in North America. All four original members are African American, which gained the band significant publicity in the metal world, but commercial success eluded them. Sound Barrier's second album was issued on Metal Blade three years later. Release date source: [US] FMQB radio trade publication - January 28, 1983.

Happy Birthday to former Racer X guitarist Bruce Bouillet (February 3, 1965). After meeting in the mid '80s, Racer X guitarist Paul Gilbert taught him how to play and Bruce was added as a second guitarist in 1986.

February 1986: With "The Ultimate Sin" about to be released in Europe, Ozzy Osbourne was on the cover of Germany's Metal Hammer Magazine.