'80s Metal History (June 28th)

June 28, 1985: AC/DC released their tenth studio album "Fly On The Wall" in North America (July 1st in the UK, July 9th in Canada). The band hoped to capture the rawness and simplicity of their early work in a time when pop-oriented glam metal had become popular. Reviews were mixed, but US gossip magazine "People" named it best album of '85.

AC/DC "Fly On The Wall" release information source: [US] Kerrang! - June 13, 1985; Billboard Magazine spotlight - July 6, 1985; Billboard ad - July 13, 1985 [UK] Record Mirror - June 29, 1985; Music Week ad - July 6, 1985; [Canada] RPM radio trade publication ad - July 13, 1985.

Late-June 1980: Gearing up to tour the US in a few days, the new album from Black Sabbath "Heaven And Hell" with new singer Ronnie James Dio was being played, sold and heard most everywhere. Billboard Magazine ad - June 28, 1980

June 28, 1983: Iron Maiden played their first sell out show in the US at the Seattle Center Coliseum in Seattle, Washington on the "World Piece Tour". Almost 40 years later they played Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena and of course... sold out!

June 28, 1986: Megadeth played Chuck Landis' Country Club in Reseda, California. The "Killing For A Living Tour" morphed into the "Wakeup Dead Tour" at the start of '86 with a short break in February/March to record the "Peace Sells" album, released in September that year.

Happy Birthday to Metal Church co-founder and guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof (June 28, 1961).

Late-June 1987: Pretty Maids made a big jump from No. 6 to No. 1 on hard rock and metal radio station playlists across North America with the title track from their second studio album "Future World". The Hard Report radio trade publication ad - June 1987

June 1984: Di'Anno released their self-titled debut album (titled "Two Swimmers & A Bag Of Jockeys" in Japan), a short-lived solo project for former Iron Maiden singer Paul Di'Anno. The group disbanded after a short tour.

June 28, 1992: Iron Maiden were on the road in North America and brought the "Fear Of The Dark" tour to Salt Lake City. Meanwhile, rock radio stations in the US were jumping on the latest single "Wasting Love". The Hard Report radio trade publication ad - June 26, 1992

June 1986: Kerrang! reported that Slayer had completed recording the "Reign In Blood" album. It was released in North America in October that year (April 1987 in the UK).

June 28, 1986: An ad appeared in Billboard Magazine in the US promoting the new compilation album "Slave To The Metal" on Priority Records, a solid collection featuring W.A.S.P., Scorpions, Accept, Judas Priest, DIO and more, but the first track from Twisted Sister, a ballad 😏

1989: We used to wait and kids today will never understand the anticipation of getting the latest "Hard 'N Heavy" video magazine IN THE MAIL... VHS tapes with interviews and clips of many of our favorite metal and hard rock bands 🤘