'80s Metal History (July 3rd)

Happy Birthday to RATT founder, singer, songwriter and sole remaining original member, Stephen Pearcy (July 3, 1959).

Back in the day, North America had to wait. Ozzy Osbourne's debut album "Blizzard Of Ozz" didn't reach the new world until six months after its release in the UK and the first single "Crazy Train" finally hit American radio in the summer of 1981. Release information source: R&R radio trade publication ad - July 3, 1981.

July 3, 1982: "The Explosive Power Of Metallica" invaded the Concert Factory in Costa Mesa, California, where they performed "Seek & Destroy" live for the first time. Metal Blade's "Metal Massacre" album was released a few weeks earlier.

July 3, 1982: With their latest LP "The Number Of The Beast" a huge seller in the USA, Iron Maiden played "Summer Jam" in Buffalo, New York, opening for Ted Nugent, Loverboy and Foreigner. Promoters were still trying to figure out the metal thing back then.

July 3, 1985: "Exciter With Special Guest Megadeth 'Featuring Dave Mustaine formerly of Metallica'" (and he wouldn't let us forget about it 😁), performed in St. Louis.

July 3, 1981: Girlschool released "C'Mon Let's Go" as the second single from the album "Hit And Run". The LP reached No. 5 on the UK Official album chart and 24 years later, the song was featured in the Gemini Award winning documentary film "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey". Release information source: Debuted on the UK Official singles chart on July 11, 1981.

July 3, 1990: Suicidal Tendencies released their fifth studio album "Lights...Camera...Revolution!" in North America (July 9th in the UK), their first with future Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo and last with drummer R.J. Herrera. The music video for single "You Can't Bring Me Down" received much MTV airplay, and was largely responsible for the success of the album. Release date source: [US] The Hard Report radio trade publication - May 25, 1990; [UK] Kerrang! - July 7, 1990.

July 1989: Recorded the previous December at Waters Club in San Pedro, California, Anvil released their first live album "Past And Present - Live In Concert".

July 3, 1987: Twisted Sister released their fifth studio album "Love Is For Suckers" in North America, their last before breaking up. Glam influenced to "fit in with every other hair metal band out there at that time", single "Hot Love" was a Top 40 rock hit. Release date source: [US] Billboard Magazine - July 4, 1987; [UK] Kerrang! spotlight - July 9, 1987.

July 3, 1983: With their new album "You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll" finally issued in North America a week earlier, Twisted Sister blew up a Sunday evening in New Jersey with a show at the Fountain Casino.

July 3, 1981: Van Halen brought the "Fair Warning" tour to Cobo Arena in Detroit for the first of three sold out shows that translated to 50,000 fans between ages 15 and 25, "with tremendous amounts of emotion given when the band had arrived on stage" to which a review in the Windsor Star described the VH entrance "as if they appeared in a blaze of flashing light," adding that he thought Armageddon had arrived.

July 3, 1980: Judas Priest "British Steel" Tour, performing at the Convention Hall in Asbury Park, New Jersey.