'80s Metal History (December 19th)

With their new album 'Defenders Of The Faith" due in January, Judas Priest were ready to conquer the metal world again, and that got Rob Halford the cover of the December 1983 issue of Hit Parader Magazine (US).

Providing some of the best television since Watergate, the PMRC hearings in September 1985 included testimony by Twisted Sister's frontman... "Dee Snider showed America that metal has some brains." -Rolling Stone Magazine (December 19, 1985)

Was Don Dokken going solo? Have the remaining members decided to regroup and call themselves Lynch Mob? Had Dokken really broken up? The band said "No, no and no" at the time, but the truth was sadly, yes. Kerrang! (December 1988)

Remembering DIO and Rainbow bassist Jimmy Bain, who would have celebrated a birthday today (December 19, 1947). Jimmy died in 2016. R.I.P.

December 19, 1981: AC/DC's eighth studio album "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)" was issued in Japan. Meanwhile, in the US, the first single "Let's Get It Up" just hit the Billboard Rock chart. Singer Brian Johnson called the song "Filth, pure filth. We're a filthy band." 🤭

December 1983: Recently signed to EMI, still-metal Great White were in the studio with producer Michael Wagener recording their debut album, due out the first week of February 1984.

Fronted by singer and guitarist David Feinstein, a cousin of Ronnie James Dio, The Rods released "The Rods - Live" in 1983, recorded at various concerts in the US that year.

December 19, 1983: Ozzy Osbourne with opener Y&T, brought the "Bark At The Moon" Tour to Ludwigshafen, West Germany. Carmine Appice played drums on the European dates, but was fired before the American tour and replaced by Tommy Aldridge. Though he had a good relationship with Carmine, Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon detested him, and the decision to fire Appice was strictly hers.

December 1985: "OH COME all ye painful, drunken and outrageous...", Kerrang! featured '80s Metal "Tinsel Titans!" Motörhead, Venom and RATT celebrating the season 🎄🥳 Happy Holidays from METAL SHOP 🤘