'80s Metal History (April 7th)

April 7, 1983: Following the departure of Ronnie James Dio, Black Sabbath announced their new vocalist as former Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan. Robert Plant and David Coverdale were also considered. The band even received an audition tape from Michael Bolton 😯

April 7, 1987: One of Iron Maiden's favorite bars in the US was Hammerjacks in Baltimore, Maryland (find it on the "Somewhere In Time" album cover art) and while in town for a concert at Baltimore Arena, they were welcomed by an old friend.

April 7, 1983: After receiving a phone call from his manager to get to New York for an audition, guitarist Kirk Hammett made the trip and impressed Metallica to get the offer. His first show with the band was on April 16th in Dover, New Jersey.

April 7, 1984: Keel made their live debut at Perkins Palace In Pasadena, California. Openers were Max Havoc, Witch and Stryper.

April 7, 1975: Ritchie Blackmore left Deep Purple to form Rainbow with Ronnie James Dio. He rejoined Deep Purple in 1984 before the "Perfect Strangers" LP release but left permanently in 1993.

April 1985: KISS' Paul Stanley was on the cover of Rock Fever Magazine, featuring tantalizing articles such as "Rock 'N' Ratt On A Sexy Roll" and "Dokken The Godfather Of Metal"... Wait, what!? Dokken only had two albums then. 🤔

April 7, 1990: Guns N' Roses played their last show with drummer Steven Adler at Farm Aid IV in Indianapolis. Substance abuse was a problem, but the band had not rehearsed despite not playing in front of an audience since the previous fall.

April 7, 1990: Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee suffered a mild concussion when he fell from the scaffolding above his elevated drum kit and smashed heads with a person in the audience before hitting the ground head-first at a show in New Haven, Connecticut.

April 7, 1988: At London's Wembley Arena, Alice Cooper nearly died of asphyxiation after a safety rope broke during a concert stunt where he pretends to hang himself. If the wire had "caught my chin it would have been a different result."

British rockers Wildlife released their self-titled debut album in 1983. The band included future Ozzy Osbourne bassist Phil Soussan who had written a demo of "Shot In The Dark" with Wildlife, later reworked and recorded for Ozzy's "The Ultimate Sin" album (1986).

April 1984: Heavily influenced by Accept, German metal band Grave Digger released their debut album "Heavy Metal Breakdown" in 1984 on Noise Records (Megaforce in North America).

April 7, 1986: Krokus released their ninth studio album "Change Of Address" in North America (late April in the UK) featuring singles "Burning Up The Night" and a cover of Alice Cooper's "School’s Out". Release information source: [US] Billboard Magazine - April 5, 1986; [UK] Music Week - April 19, 1986.

Remembering Frehley's Comet bassist [1984-88] John Regan, who died April 7, 2023 at age 71. R.I.P.

April 7, 1980: After opening the "World Invasion" Tour in Victoria, British Columbia, Van Halen returned to Western Canada for four shows that began in Calgary.

April 7, 1986: Twisted Sister were scheduled to play Osnabruck in Germany, but the show was canceled, as were quite a few dates near the end of the "Come Out And Play" Tour. In May 2021, the band posted on social media..."Sadly, this is the only known live footage from the Come Out & Play Tour."

 

April 1984: DIO had "just begun work on their second album, tentatively titled 'Last In Line', at Caribou Ranch in Denver... It's being produced by Ronnie James Dio himself." -Kerrang!