'80s Metal History (April 28th)

April 1985: Judas Priest's Rob Halford was on the cover of Metal Hammer Magazine. After concluding the "Metal Conqueror" World Tour at the end of 1984 the band was on their first-ever extended hiatus. Recording of the "Turbo" album began in the summer of '85.

April 28, 1988: Billed as Charlotte & the Harlots, Iron Maiden launched the "Seventh Tour Of A Seventh Tour" with two warm up shows at Empire Theater, a small club in Cologne, Germany. They played another warm up gig at L'Amour in Brooklyn two weeks later before returning to arena shows in Canada. For the next seven months after, Maiden performed for more than two million people worldwide, plus headlined "Monsters Of Rock" in Europe for the first time. -Kerrang!

The first single from W.A.S.P. "Animal (F**k Like A Beast)" was due for release in the UK in April 1984, but the band's record label Capitol, got cold feet at the last minute... "They were advised that 'the lyric of the song is about pure animal sex without any emotion or passion whatsoever'. They were further informed that the record could be held to be corrupting to young people and that one of the Thorn EMI directors could be jailed if the record was prosecuted." -Sounds magazine (April 28, 1984).

April 28, 1987: While traveling from Miami to Boston, Ozzy Osbourne learned there were returning spring breakers on his flight, so he bought rounds of drinks for everyone. Later he sang "Crazy Plane" over the PA system 🙃 If only we had today's phones back then to capture that on video.

April 28, 2009: Heaven & Hell (aka Black Sabbath) released the album "The Devil You Know" in North America (April 24th in Japan), their only LP under the Heaven & Hell name and Ronnie James Dio's final studio appearance before his death in May 2010. Release date source: Blabbermouth.net - April 5, 2009.

April 1980: Motörhead released EP "The Golden Years", their first live recording. UK radio would not play it because of poor production, but the band still managed to secure an appearance on the BBC TV show "Top Of The Pops". Release information source: [UK] Debuted Official Singles Chart on May 3, 1980.

April 1989: After a lengthy search for the right man, DIO recruited 17-year-old English guitarist Rowan Robertson (recommended by Whitesnake keyboardist Don Airey) to replace Craig Goldie.

Happy Birthday to singer Göran Edman [Yngwie Malmsteen] (April 28, 1956).

Happy Birthday to Girlschool co-founder and former bassist Enid Williams (April 28, 1960).

April 1992: Lynch Mob released their second studio album "Lynch Mob" in North America (May 4th in the UK), the first with vocalist Robert Mason following the departure of Oni Logan, and featuring singles "Tangled In The Web" and "Dream Until Tomorrow". Release information source: [US} The Hard Report radio trade publication ad for lead single "Tangled In The Web" - April 17, 1992; Debuted Billboard 200 album chart on May 16, 1992; [UK] Kerrang! - May 9, 1992.

April 1992: Featuring Journey guitarist Neal Schon, Hardline released their debut album "Double Eclipse" in North America (May 5th in the UK). Singles "Hot Cherie" and "Takin' Me Down" were Top 40 hits on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. Release information source: [US] The Hard Report radio trade publication spotlight - May 1, 1992; [UK] Kerrang! ad - May 9, 1992.

April 28, 1988: On the road with Warlock and Sanctuary, Megadeth brought the "So Far, So Good... So What" Tour to the Palace Theatre in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

April 28, 1990: Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose married Erin Everly at Cupid’s Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas. They started dating four years earlier, but the marriage lasted only 27 days and they were divorced nine months later.