'80s Metal History (September 6th)

September 6, 1989: Mötley Crüe released their fifth studio album "Dr. Feelgood" in North America (one day earlier in the UK). Fueled by the title track, "Kickstart My Heart" and "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)", the LP reached No. 1 in the US for two weeks. It took the band a year to write and six months to record the album in Vancouver... "There's not a whole lot to do in Vancouver, but there are more strip clubs than you could shake a stick at." -Nikki Sixx

Mötley Crüe "Dr. Feelgood" release date source: [US] Billboard Magazine ad - August 26, 1989; [UK] Kerrang! - August 19, 1989.

From his forthcoming album "“No More Tears", Ozzy Osbourne released the title track as the lead single the first week of September 1991 in North America (September 16th in the UK). As stated in the "Prince Of Darkness" liner notes, Ozzy considers the song to be "a gift from God". The music video would hit MTV in the US in early October. Release information source: [US] R&R radio trade publication 'Most Added' - September 13, 1991; [UK] Kerrang! ad - September 14, 1991.

September 1974: Judas Priest released their debut album "Rocka Rolla", recorded entirely live in studio, but with technical problems that resulted in poor sound quality and a hiss through the LP. They got it together on the next record.

September 6, 1986: Released 10 days earlier, Iron Maiden's "Wasted Years", the lead single from their forthcoming album "Somewhere In Time", debuted on the UK Singles Chart. The only song on the LP played with no synthesizers, it would rise to become a Top 20 hit.

September 6, 1985: Promoting their entire catalog through the "Hell Awaits" album, Slayer returned for a show at an old haunt, Chuck Landis' Country Club in Reseda, California. Fourth months later they began recording the "Reign In Blood" LP.

September 6, 1988: Suicidal Tendencies released their third studio album "How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today" in North America (one day earlier in the UK) featuring hit single "Trip At The Brain". Future Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo joined the band a year later. Release information source: [US] The Hard Report radio trade publication 'LP is just being released' - September 2, 1988; [UK] Kerrang! - September 10, 1988.

Happy Birthday to Judas Priest and former Racer X drummer Scott Travis (September 6, 1961).

Happy Birthday to Saxon bassist Timothy "Nibbs" Carter (September 6, 1966).

September 6, 1989: Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil punched Izzy Stradlin from Guns N’ Roses backstage at the MTV Video Music Awards. Vince was mad because Izzy allegedly assaulted Vince’s wife at Hollywood's Cathouse club several weeks earlier.

September 6, 1980: Sounds Magazine in the UK published a photo of Iron Maiden posing with British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. This would have been three months after the release of "Sanctuary", the band's second single from their debut album. The controversial single cover art depicts Eddie wielding a knife while crouching over the corpse of Thatcher 😬 The following month, Maiden issued a cover of Australian band Skyhooks' "Women In Uniform" as a single, again with Thatcher on the cover, but this time she has a Sterling submachine gun, preparing to attack mascot Eddie as he walks the streets with two young women. According to the band, the cover was a joke in reference to the "Sanctuary" artwork, which was meant to ask whether her motive was through jealousy or revenge? This managed to cause further controversy as, according to the Liverpool Daily Post, a group of "screaming, chanting, banner-carrying feminists" led a demonstration during Iron Maiden's show at Leeds University on 22 November 1980.

September 6, 1984: W.A.S.P. were close to launching their first world tour in Belfast to support their debut album released in mid-August, but first they needed a woman. But not just any woman. No, the band needed a woman "to tie to their rack live on stage throughout their forthcoming UK tour, who will be ceremonially 'tortured' by frontman/bassist Blackie Lawless." -Kerrang!