'80s Metal History (June 23rd)

June 23, 1983: W.A.S.P. drew blood with three shows at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. Blackie Lawless decided to use the American Red Cross to help promote the shows. Anyone who donated a pint of blood got in for half price!

June 23, 1985: With only eight shows left on the exhausting "World Slavery Tour", Iron Maiden headlined "The Champions Of Rock" with RATT, Accept and Mama's Boys at the Trout Air Amphitheater in Columbus, Minnesota.

June 23, 1984: It was a "Dance Concert" at the Spectrum in Philadelphia with disco freaks Judas Priest and Great White 🙃

Happy Birthday to Testament singer Chuck Billy (June 23, 1962).

Happy Birthday to former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes (June 23, 1958).

Happy Birthday to Lizzy Borden [Gregory Charles Harges] (June 23, 1960).

Happy Birthday to Danzig frontman Glenn Danzig (June 23, 1955).

Happy Birthday to bassist Phil Soussan [Ozzy Osbourne, Vince Neil] (June 23, 1961). With Ozzy, Phil played on the 1986 album "The Ultimate Sin" and co-wrote hit single "Shot In The Dark."

Remembering original Megadeth drummer Lee Rausch, who died June 23, 2023 at age 58. R.I.P. Dave Mustaine, David Ellefson and Rausch recorded the first Megadeth demo "Last Rites" in 1984. Rausch left the band later that year due to internal conflict and was replaced by Gar Samuelson.

Late-June 1977: AC/DC released their fourth studio album "Let There Be Rock" in North America (October '77 in the UK). In late 1976, their label Atlantic didn't like the "Dirty Deeds" album and threatened to drop the band. They were pissed, but that lit a fire. Release information source: Billboard Magazine 'recommended' - July 9, 1977; Cashbox Magazine review - July 16, 1977.