'80s Metal History (August 4th)

August 1975: With tensions in Deep Purple, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore began recording with singer Ronnie James Dio and his band Elf, and the result was "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow" featuring single "Man On The Silver Mountain". Release information source: [US] R&R radio trade publication ad - August 8, 1975; Billboard Magazine 'Top Album Picks' - August 16, 1975.

August 1984: After their debut "Show No Mercy" became Metal Blade's highest-selling album, producer Brian Slagel wanted to release an EP from Slayer... "Haunting The Chapel" revealed drummer Dave Lombardo playing a double bass for the first time. Release information source: [US] Concert ad "Watch For 'Haunting The Chapel'" - June 21, 1984; Billboard Magazine - "Released eight months ago..." - April 27, 1985.

August 4, 1979: Iron Maiden placed an ad in a local newspaper looking for a second guitarist. Dave Murray asked childhood friend Adrian Smith of Urchin to join Maiden that year, but he declined and Dennis Stratton was hired instead.

Remembering Ratt guitarist Robbin Crosby, who would have celebrated a birthday today (August 4, 1959). Robbin died in 2002. R.I.P.

August 4, 1984: Lita Ford's second studio album "“Dancin’ On The Edge" debuted on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart. Music videos for singles "Gotta Let Go" and "Dressed To Kill" were in heavy rotation on MTV and the LP was nominated for a Grammy.

Metallica opened for Sound Barrier and Steeler at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California, because it was 1982. The history of this venue... Three nights later, RATT performed with opener Dante Fox (aka Great White).

From Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville in Quebec, Canadian metal band Sword released their debut album "Metalized" in Canada in 1986. Word of the LP had spread almost instantly to the metal-loving UK, with a review appearing in the August 7, 1986 issue of Kerrang! Magazine, plus an ad geared toward record distributors to get the album in UK record shops. "Metalized" wouldn't receive an official release in the US until May 1987. The band toured with Motörhead and Alice Cooper, as well as Metallica on the '86 "Damage, Inc." tour.

Happy Birthday to former Accept drummer [1979-94] Stefan Kaufmann (August 4, 1960).

Remembering Kick Axe guitarist and co-founder Larry Gillstrom who died August 4, 2025.

August 4, 1990: Countdown to Queensrÿche... the new album was due September 4th in North America. The label provided record stores peel away countdown to "Empire" calendars.

August 1984: Scorpions were in Nagoya for the first of six shows in Japan. The "Love At First Sting" tour would then return to the US and Canada for some makeup dates before concluding in Europe. "Still Loving You" was a Hot 100 hit in the US that summer and "I'm Leaving You" was being played on American rock radio stations. Billboard Magazine ad - August 4, 1984

August 4, 1979: The UK's Music Week Magazine reported "Motörhead, which headlined at this year's Punkarock Festival (in Helsinki), were asked to leave Finland by the Ministry of the Interior, following incidents in which hotel rooms were smashed up and damage caused to a trailer and a stack of amplifiers. Prior to leaving the country, the group was kept in Vantaa-Helsinki police station for two days so that a full check on the cost of the damage could be made. The band says it will make full restitution."