'80s Metal History (June 25th)

June 1983: With Ronnie James Dio's first solo album "Holy Diver" just released in the US, Hit Parader Magazine ran a feature on his former band, Black Sabbath... "It became a difficult situation," Geezer (Butler) stated. "We were in the studio mixing 'Live Evil', and Ronnie really started to take over. He would listen to a song mix and inevitably say, 'I think the vocals should be more up front.' Now, Sabbath has always been a guitar band, even though I'm sure Ozzy or Ronnie would never want to admit that. Tony and I said we'd be damned if we'd make the vocals more prominent than the guitar. When Ronnie couldn't put up with that, we knew we had reached an impasse that could only be resolved one way."

Late-June 1984: "Stay Hungry", the new album from Twisted Sister, was available in North America (June 8th in the UK). The band had just returned to the States after playing a few dates in Europe and the North American tour would launch July 13th in Hartford, Connecticut.

Twisted Sister "Stay Hungry" release information source: [US] Cashbox Magazine "forthcoming release" - June 16, 1984 and Billboard Magazine Radio Rock Albums survey chart debut - June 23, 1984 (The latter is not a sales chart, only what American radio was playing a week earlier). Finally, the June 2, 1984 issue of Billboard notes a July 1, 1984 ship date for "Stay Hungry". However, with the LP debuting on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart on July 7, 1984 and normally a minimum of 7-10 days of sales needed to chart, it was most likely in US record stores the latter half of June '84; [UK] Record-Mirror - June 2, 1984.

June 25, 1983: KISS played their final show in makeup at Estádio do Morumbi in São Paulo, Brazil and would not put it back on until the '96 reunion tour with Ace Frehley and Peter Criss.

June 25, 1980: Exactly one month after launching the North American leg of the "British Steel" tour, Judas Priest performed in Denver for the first time. The show was recorded and bootlegged as "Somewhere Under The Rainbow".

June 25, 1980: Black Sabbath brought the "Heaven And Hell" tour to the Gaumont Theatre in Southampton, England.

US Rock radio was all over the new AC/DC song "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)" in November 1981, but the single was officially released June 25, 1982 in the UK and included a live version of "Let There Be Rock" on the B-side, recorded in December 1981. Release date source: Record Mirror - June 19 1982.

June 25, 1983: "'Aardshock' is the Dutch word for earthquake" and the Aardshock Festival shook the ground in Zwolle, Netherlands with Accept, Raven, Vandenberg, Trance and Mercyful Fate. -Kerrang!

June 1991: Anthrax "Attack Of The Killer B's", a compilation album of B-sides, covers and rarities, was issued by Megaforce. Singer Joey Belladonna was replaced by Armored Saint's John Bush the following year. Release information source: Kerrang! review - June 22, 1991.

June 25, 2002: Halford released their second studio album "Crucible" in North America (one day earlier in Europe), their last until 2009's "Halford III: Winter Songs" as Rob Halford returned to Judas Priest in July 2003. Release date source: Blabbermouth.net - April 21, 2002.

June 25, 2013: Queensrÿche released their 13th studio album "Queensrÿche" in North America (June 24th in Europe), their first with new singer Todd La Torre. Release date source: Blabbermouth.net - June 17, 2013.

Killerwatts!