'80s Metal History (September 27th)

Remembering Metallica bassist Cliff Burton who died September 27, 1986 at age 24. R.I.P.

September 1992: Rob Halford's split with Judas Priest went public when he blamed the band's longtime record label, Columbia, for suggesting he would have to quit the group via official letter when execs refused to allow him the freedom to pursue outside projects (Fight). "They've not only prevented me from making the record with what I feel will become a fantastically large band," he told MTV, "they've literally forced the breakup of Priest." -Kerrang!

September 27, 1985: Megadeth played The Ritz in New York City opening for Slayer. The next day was an appearance at Jonny Z's "Rock n' Roll Heaven" in Clark, New Jersey before a return show at L'Amour: Rock Capital of Brooklyn.

September 1984: The music video for RATT's next single "Back For More", with cameos from Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee, was getting played on MTV in the US. The UK was excited too... "It's done the Yanks a power of good." -Kerrang! In the Year of the RATT, the band's debut album "Out Of The Cellar" had just gone platinum.

September 27, 1985: AC/DC brought the "Fly On The Wall" World Tour to Indianapolis with special guest Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force. Fan Memory from the AC/DC website: "The thing that sticks out most about this show over the other times I saw AC/DC back then wasn't an AC/DC moment. It was an Yngwie Malmsteen (the SPECIAL guest) moment. In the middle of his set, he was twurling his guitar around a lot and he threw it up in the air once and DROPPED it hard on stage! It sounded like he blew out every amp and loudspeaker at Market Square Arena. He started stepping on footpedals trying to get the reverb to stop when all the lights went out. Finally after about 30 seconds the noise stopped and a few minutes later the house lights came on. He never came back out on stage. Then I remember it took an outstandingly long time before AC/DC came on to play."

September 27, 1975: Black Sabbath's sixth studio album "Sabotage", featuring "Symptom Of The Universe", debuted on the UK album chart (August 23, 1975 in the US), the title a reflection of the band's ongoing legal woes with their former manager.

September 27, 1994: Slayer released their sixth studio album "Divine Intervention" in North America (October 3rd in the UK), the band's first to feature Paul Bostaph, who replaced original drummer Dave Lombardo. Release date source: [US] CMJ New Music Report - September 26, 1994; [UK] Kerrang! - September 24, 1994.

September 27, 2010: Rob Halford was back with Judas Priest, but still had some solo work in him with the release of "Halford IV: Made Of Metal" in Europe (one day later in North America, October 13th in Japan), produced by Roy Z who also worked with Bruce Dickinson on his solo albums. Release date source: Blabbermouth.net - September 3, 2010.

September 27, 2011: Sebastian Bach released his second solo studio album since leaving Skid Row "Kicking & Screaming" in North America (September 21st in Japan, 23rd in Europe). Release date source: Blabbermouth.net - August 22, 2011.

September 27, 1992: Megadeth launched a comprehensive tour of the UK at Birmingham NEC Arena with support from Texan power metallers Pantera. "It's gonna be a powerful show, a strong production, but obviously we ain't gonna come out sliding down fire-poles or anything goofy like that!" -Dave Mustaine as told to Kerrang!

September 27, 1985: KISS' Gene Simmons guest starred on "Miami Vice" playing a drug dealer. A year earlier, he was the villan in the Tom Selleck movie "Runaway" and in 1987, a terrorist in "Wanted: Dead Or Alive". Seems "The Demon" was typecast 🤔

September 1990: Metalshop "The Only Magazine With Teeth" had Steve Vai on the cover asking "The Man Who Saved Whitesnake?", Metallica "The Last From Lars?" plus Warrant was having "Trouble With Success". We needed to know.