'80s Metal History (March 14th)

March 14, 1982: "The Young Metal Attack" Metallica performed their very first show in Anaheim, California. About 200 lucky people watched James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Dave Mustaine and Ron McGovney jam a set of mostly cover tunes, and James just sang, no guitar yet. Mustaine broke a string during the first song, so the band had to stop the show for about 10 minutes 😬

March 14, 1980: Def Leppard released their debut album "On Through The Night" in the UK (two weeks later in North America), featuring singles "Wasted" "Hello America" and "Rock Brigade". Bassist Rick Savage has said the band would "get drunk every night and still try to record... young kids playing at being musicians."

Def Leppard "On Through The Night" release information source: [UK] Music Week front page ad - March 15, 1980; [US] Billboard Magazine review - April 5, 1980.

March 14, 1983: Saxon released their fifth studio album "Power & The Glory" in the UK (May '83 in North America) their first with new drummer Nigel Glockler and one of their most successful (No. 1 in four countries and their first to enter the US Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart in June that year).

Saxon "Power & The Glory" release information source: [UK] rock magazine ad; Kerrang! ad 'Out Now' - March 24, 1983[US] Debuted Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart on June 18, 1983.

March 14, 1980: Saxon released the title track as the lead single from their forthcoming album "Wheels Of Steel" in the UK (Summer '80 in North America). Guitarist Graham Oliver has said it was inspired by Ted Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever". Release information source: Debuted UK Official singles chart on March 22, 1980.

March 14, 1988: Ahead of the release of their seventh album "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son", Iron Maiden released lead single "Can I Play With Madness" in the UK (late March in North America). The song was originally a ballad called "On The Wings Of Eagles" written by guitarist Adrian Smith. The track was reissued March 28th in Compact Disc format in the UK, the first time a Maiden single had been given the full CD treatment. Release date source: [UK] Kerrang! ad - March 19, 1988; [US] The Hard Report ad - April 1, 1988.

Except for a brief magazine spread, the band does not appear in the music video for "Can I Play With Madness". Instead it features the late Monty Python star Graham Chapman as a cantankerous teacher in charge of a group of art students. (In 2021, Metal Hammer readers voted it the best heavy metal video of all time).

March 14, 1985: Iron Maiden played the first of four nights at Long Beach Arena in Southern California with one of those concerts (most likely March 17th) recorded and used for the "Live After Death" album released the following year.

March 14, 1984: Metallica finished recording their second studio album "Ride The Lightning" and they did it quickly (three weeks) because of European shows scheduled 29 days after entering the studio. It cost just over $30K USD to make the record.

Remembering Motörhead lead guitarist [1984-2015] Phil Campbell who died March 14, 2026 at age 64. R.I.P.

March 14, 1986: King Diamond released their debut album "Fatal Portrait" in the UK. Guitarist Andy LaRocque joined the recording sessions at the last minute as the band's second guitarist "wasn't working out". He then stuck around for a while 🤘 Release date source: Kerrang! ad - March 20, 1986.

March 1986: Canadian thrashers Exciter released their fourth studio album "Unveiling The Wicked" in the UK, their first without original guitarist John Ricci, who was replaced by Brian McPhee. Release information source: Kerrang! ad - March 20, 1986.

March 14, 1986: KISS brought the "Asylum" Tour to Jamestown, North Dakota. Some of the shows were opened by Black 'N Blue featuring future and most recent KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer, who made an impression on Gene Simmons.

March 14, 1991: Saxon were scheduled to launch the "Solid Ball Of Rock" Tour with two shows in Bradford, England, but forced to postpone when the band was "detained in France and Germany on promotional duties for the 'Solid Ball Of Rock Tour' opus, which is about to go gold in both territories!" -Kerrang!

March 14, 1989: With members from Norway and Iceland and featuring the song "Another Return To Church Hill", Artch released their debut album "Another Return" on Metal Blade in North America (October '88 in the UK). The LP went on to be a Top 10 hit on US metal and college radio stations. Release information source: [US] Billboard Magazine - March 4, 1989; [UK] Kerrang! ad - October 22, 1988.

Produced by Lemmy of Motörhead and completed in late 1985, Warfare had planned to release their second studio album "Metal Anarchy" in December that year, but a printing issue delayed it until March '86. Release information source: Kerrang! ad - March 20, 1986.

March 14, 1992: Queensrÿche's most commercially successful album "Empire" still had legs in North America a year and a half after its release with fifth single "Anybody Listening?" peaking at No. 16 on the US Billboard Rock chart.

Happy Birthday to Suicidal Tendencies founder, frontman and only remaining original member of the band, Mike Muir (March 14, 1963).

March 14, 1985: I was just a young long-hair gearing up to see Triumph for the first time. The price was torn off the ticket, but probably no more than $15. Wish I still had this shirt. The Canadian rockers always put on a great show. -Rich Rock

March 14, 1988: All aboard the Snaketrain! The Whitesnake Spring Break Express, a six-car frat house on wheels heading for South Florida, was the prize in MTV's contest won by 30 or so University of Maryland students. The band played Chattanooga, Tennessee the night before and boarded the train in Charleston, South Carolina. Later, David Coverdale walked the aisles handing out Whitesnake tour T-shirts ("only for the ladies") and souvenir programs, and when told that one girl was in tears because she had missed his autograph, he reappeared to appease her. -The Washington Post

March 14, 2003: Set to replace Jason Newsted in Metallica, bassist Robert Trujillo performed his last concert with Ozzy Osbourne at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. After the show, Ozzy threw Robert a farewell party. Sharon Osbourne collapsed from heat exhaustion during the event and was rushed to the hospital.