'80s Metal History (December 20th)

December 20, 1984: Metallica concluded their first European tour with a headline gig at the Lyceum in London. "Here's our tour single for ya now! This is called 'Creeping Death'! James Hetfield had finally got me well and truly hooked!... If only all encores sounded this way..!" -Kerrang review (January 24, 1985)

December 20, 1980: AC/DC's "Back In Black" the song entered the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Written as a tribute to Bon Scott who died in February that year, Brian Johnson recalled the band asking him to write a lyric for the song, "they said, 'it can't be morbid – it has to be for Bon and it has to be a celebration.'" He added: "I thought, 'Well no pressure there, then' (laughs). I just wrote what came into my head, which at the time seemed like mumbo, jumbo. 'Nine lives. Cats eyes. Abusing every one of them and running wild.' The boys got it though. They saw Bon's life in that lyric."

Season's Greetings from Iron Maiden... "For Donington, a No. 1 album and a great British tour, thanks!!!!!" -Kerrang! (December 1988)

December 1980: Motörhead drummer Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor broke his neck after being lifted above the head of a friend in a test of strength and dropped on his head 😯 Phil played drums with the aid of a neck brace. 🤘

December 20, 1985: King Diamond made their live debut at Saga Rockteater in their hometown of Copenhagen, Denmark, which was panned by Kerrang!... "this here KD gig was an abject failure, an utter disaster!" The band's "more comprehensible" debut album would be released in early 1986 and "King promises far better things to come (and I believe he is a man of his word)."

December 1986: Japan loves Queensrÿche, but didn't get their second studio album "Rage For Order" until almost six months after its release in North America. Despite the band's emphasis on keyboards and digital technology, the LP was recorded and mixed in analog.

Formed in 1976 under the name "Granite Heart", German metal band Running Wild released their debut album "Gates To Purgatory" in 1984, featuring mostly satanic lyrics. They went with the pirate theme a few years later.

Happy Birthday to former KISS drummer Peter Criss (December 20, 1945).

December 20, 1982: Ozzy Osbourne closed out the UK leg of the "Talk Of The Devil" Tour in Liverpool, the last show with bassist Pete Way (who temporarily replaced Rudy Sarzo after he left to join Quiet Riot) and guitarist Brad Gillis (later replaced by Jake E. Lee).

December 20, 1985: Guns N' Roses played the Music Machine in West Los Angeles, where they performed "Nightrain" for the first time.

December 20, 1989: Mötley Crüe played their last show of the year on the "Dr. Feelgood" Tour in Pittsburgh. After returning home to Los Angeles for the holidays, they were greeted by a huge billboard that read "Have a Mötley Christmas and a Happy Crüe Year!"

December 1983: Michael Schenker was dreaming of a new "Flying V" guitar and Santa delivered it by the fireplace "Armed and Ready" -Kerrang!

December 1985: KISS' Paul Stanley was on the cover of Hit Parader Magazine, which was cool, but you also got to read up on Mötley Crüe, W.A.S.P., Scorpions, Judas Priest, Dokken and more.