'80s Metal History (December 21st)

December 1987: Hit Parader issued "Power Metal" Magazine with the provocative headline "Metallica vs. Megadeth". The nerve! C'mon, which of your children do you love more? Sitting this one out. 😏

December 21, 1980: Iron Maiden concluded their first headlining tour with a show at London's Rainbow Theatre that was recorded and issued a year later on video as "Live At The Rainbow". It includes an early version of "Killers" with lyrics that differ from the album version. Paul Di'Anno later admitted writing the lyrics five minutes before going on stage that night.

December 21, 1985: Lee Aaron and Warlock featuring Doro Pesch celebrated the holidays in Hamburg, Germany as headliners of the "Heavy Metal Christmas Festival".

December 21, 1981: Ozzy Osbourne's second studio album "Diary Of A Madman" was now available in Japan. Ozzy would perform there for the first time as a solo artist during the summer of 1982.

December 1982: Ace Frehley was no longer in KISS, we just didn't know it yet. That is why his face is on the cover of the "Creatures Of The Night" album, even though Vinnie Vincent had taken his place. It was all business. We also learned that Ace had been in a bad car accident a few months earlier and completely totalled his Porsche. Paul Stanley said at the time, "Ace is lucky to be alive."

December 1984: Dokken's "Into The Fire" from the "Tooth And Nail" album was issued as a single in Japan (September 1984 in North America). The band would make their first trip to the Land of the Rising Sun in November 1985, following the release of their next album "Under Lock And Key".

Happy Birthday to Nasty Savage singer "Nasty" Ronnie Galetti (December 21, 1961).

December 21, 1981: Playing anywhere and everywhere, Motörhead brought the "No Sleep 'Til Christmas" Tour to Ireland that concluded two days later in Belfast, Northern Ireland. In January 1982, the band began recording the "Iron Fist" album.

December 21, 1987: Black Sabbath were scheduled to headline Le Zénith in Paris, but canceled. They were replaced by Girlschool and along with Cro-Mags and Finc, opened for Motörhead.

December 21, 1985: Mötley Crüe concluded the US leg of the "Theatre Of Pain" Tour at Hollywood Sportatorium in Pembroke Pines, Florida. With some time off before the start of a European tour in January 1986, Vince Neil spent the holidays in the Cayman Islands where he met up with Jon Bon Jovi and Pat Travers and jammed every night at a local pub.

December 21, 1991: Britain's Kerrang! Magazine revealed "the year's best gobsmackers from those very nice people who make that luvverly loud music wot we all listen to." Highlights included: "America might have invented rock 'n' roll, but Britain invented Heavy Metal." -Rob Halford, "As a solo artist, I don't think I've sung one f**king Satan song." -Ozzy Osbourne and "Hey! I bet I'm the only guy who trusts both of them at the same time!" -Sebastian Bach (Skid Row) on being friends with both Guns N' Roses and Mötley Crüe.