'80s Metal History (March 22nd)

March 22, 1982: Iron Maiden released their third studio album "The Number Of The Beast" in North America (March 29th in the UK) and our lives were changed forever. Their first LP with singer Bruce Dickinson, it topped the UK Official Album chart and reached the Top 40 on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart.

Iron Maiden "The Number Of The Beast" release date source: [US] FMQB radio trade publication - March 19, 1982; [UK] Record Business - March 22, 1982; BPI Certified; LP debuted at No. 1 on the Official Charts on April 10, 1982.

March 22, 1982: Krokus released their sixth studio album "One Vice At A Time" in North America (one month earlier in the UK). Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson provided backing vocals on "I'm On The Run". The British press condemned Krokus as AC/DC copycats.

Krokus "One Vice At A Time" release date source: [US] FMQB radio trade publication ad - March 12, 1982;[UK] Kerrang! ad - February 11, 1982.

March 22, 2019: Netflix premiered "The Dirt", the "unbelievable story of the world’s most notorious band, Mötley Crüe." Critics hated it, fans loved it. Sounds about right.

March 22, 1982: Motörhead were five dates into the "Iron Fist" Tour when they played the first of three shows at Newcastle City Hall with "their juvenile delinquent brothers" Tank. Backstage antics were captured by Kerrang!

Savatage release their first EP "The Dungeons Are Calling" in North America in 1984 (April 4, 1985 in the UK). Recorded the same day as the "Sirens" album released a year earlier, all were meant to be a full-length debut but divided because of limited space on vinyl. Release information source: [UK] Kerrang! - April 4, 1985.

March 2003: Axl Rose sent a cease and desist letter to The Offspring after they announced their new album title "Chinese Democrazy (You Snooze You Lose)", a spoof on "Chinese Democracy" the name of the long-awaited Guns N’ Roses album that would finally arrive five years later.

March 22, 1985: British metal band Rogue Male released their debut album "First Visit" in the UK (May '85 in North America) featuring single "All Over You". Hailed by Kerrang! at the time as "the next big thing" they unfortunately never broke through and disbanded two years later. Release date source: Kerrang! - March 7, 1985.

March 1985: Venom released their fourth studio album "Possessed", their last with guitarist Jeffrey Dunn before his first departure the following year. The title track was ranked No. 14 on the Parents Music Resource Center's "Filthy Fifteen". Release information source: Kerrang! ad - March 21, 1985.

March 1993: With former RATT frontman Stephen Pearcy and Cinderella drummer Fred Coury, glam metal supergroup Arcade released "Nothin' To Lose" in North America as the lead single from their forthcoming self-titled debut studio album. Release information source: HITS radio trade publication ad - March 22, 1993

Happy Birthday to Chastain lead singer Leather Leone (March 22, 1959).

March 22, 1990: Predating Pantera's "Cowboys From Hell" by four months, groove metal pioneers Prong released their second studio album "Beg To Differ" in North America (April 14th in the UK). Part of the song "Lost And Found" was used for commercial breaks on MTV Headbangers Ball. Release date source: [US] The Hard Report radio trade publication - March 2, 1990; The Hard Report spotlight - March 23, 1990; [UK] Kerrang! - April 14, 1990.

March 22, 1984: "Who would have thought that Grim Reaper had it in 'em to lay down a decent piece of vinyl?" -Kerrang!

March 1984: With "Pyromania" blasting near everywhere, what a year it was for Def Leppard and Joe Elliott, who got the cover of Hit Parader Magazine.

In 2004, Ozzy Osbourne was voted by Yahoo users as the best person to welcome aliens to planet Earth if they should ever come. 😔