'80s Metal History (March 27th)

March 1981: Ozzy Osbourne released his debut album "Blizzard Of Ozz" in North America (September 1980 in the UK). The first single "Crazy Train" received little radio airplay upon its initial release in the UK, but American radio had it on almost immediately.

Ozzy Osbourne "Blizzard Of Ozz" release information source: [US] Billboard Magazine ad - April 4, 1981; FMQB radio trade publication ad - March 27, 1981.

March 27, 1982: Metallica opened for Saxon at the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, California. One day earlier, it was RATT opening two shows for Saxon, but the second night was open. "Whiskey" management wanted a tape to hear what Metallica sounded like, so the band borrowed a four track recorder, and as they only had one song of their own material ("Hit The Lights"), they recorded covers of "Killing Time" (Sweet Savage) and "Let It Loose" (Savage). Whiskey management liked the tape and had no idea two of the tracks were covers. Biff Byford has shared that Metallica asked to use his electric fan during their show, but Saxon management said no. "They didn't talk to us for a long, long time because of that [Laughs]."

March 27, 1984: Metallica made their UK live debut at the famous Marquee in London.

March 27, 1986: Metallica launched the "Damage, Inc." Tour in Park City, Kansas opening for Ozzy Osbourne, their last tour as a supporting act. Roadie John Marshall played rhythm guitar for two months when James Hetfield broke his arm skateboarding.

March 27, 1985: Anthrax, Anvil and T.T. Quick played Studio 54 in New York. A week earlier, Venom, Slayer and Exodus were postponed to April 3rd where Tokyo Blade, Trouble and Fates Warning were already scheduled. This is all a mind-blowing amount of '80s Metal 🙃 🤘

March 27, 1979: Two+ weeks after releasing their new album "Overkill", Motörhead were in Scotland for a show in Edinburgh, then the following day in Glasgow as part of their UK tour with opener Girlschool.

March 1987: RATT released "Slip Of The Lip" in North America as a single from the album "Dancing Undercover". The music video features character Kitty Galore who is sent to a RATT concert to spy on the band for the fictional "Spy Magazine" but ends up making out with Stephen Pearcy. Release information source: [US] FMQB radio trade publication ad - March 27, 1987.

March 27, 1987: Discovered by Ronnie James Dio in the mid-'80s, Hellion released their debut album "Screams In The Night" in the UK. The music video for the song "Bad Attitude" aired on the very first episode of Headbangers Ball in the US (April 18, 1987) and marked the first time a female-fronted metal band was featured on MTV. Release date source: Kerrang! - March 5, 1987.

March 27, 1991: Lynch Mob brought the "Mad At The World" Tour in support of their debut album "Wicked Sensation" to Pittsburgh with opener KingOfTheHill.

Los Angeles speed metal band Bloodlust, one of five US metal bands (that we know of) with that name, released their only full-length album "Guilty As Sin" featuring the song "Chainsaw" in 1986 on Metal Blade.

Late March 1986: Alice Cooper released "Teenage Frankenstein" as the second single from the album "Constrictor" in the UK. The song was written to be featured as part of the soundtrack to the horror film "Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives". Release information source: Kerrang! ad - April 2, 1987.

You may see many posts on social media that RATT released their debut album "Out Of The Cellar" on March 27, 1984. This is NOT CORRECT. An Internet search shows that date, but that date was retrieved originally from Wikipedia (not a good source for release dates). The correct release date is February 17, 1984 in North America Source: US radio trade magazine CMJ New Music Report - February 13, 1984. More importantly, the LP debuted on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart on March 24, 1984. As the Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart is a sales chart, it would be impossible for "Out Of The Cellar" to come out after March 24th as an album needs at least 7-10 days of sales to register on the American charts.

March 1984: Looking for heavy metal fame, Portland rockers Black 'N Blue made the move to Los Angeles a year earlier and were signed within eight months of their arrival to Geffen. -Kerrang! Their self-titled debut album was released in July '84.

March 1990: "Clean N' Mean" Dave Mustaine was sober and on the cover of Metal Forces Magazine as Megadeth were looking to get back on track with new guitarist Marty Friedman and drummer Nick Menza.