'80s Metal History (December 29th)

December 1983: Kerrang! reported that Metallica were on the look-out for a "rowdy, raw 'n' gutsy" frontman. The band ended up offering the job to Armored Saint singer John Bush, but he turned it down 😲 28 years later, Metallica offered fans a look at what an alternate universe with Bush in the band might have looked and sounded like by bringing him out for a performance of "The Four Horsemen" at one of their 30th anniversary concerts in San Francisco. "I always just laugh, going, I'll never live this down. It's going to be with me for the rest of my life. I was telling somebody, it's like, my kids are going to get shit for it. They're going to be like, 'Your dad's an idiot! He didn't join Metallica!?'" 🙃

Judas Priest were close to releasing their next studio album "Defenders Of The Faith", having completed recording the LP a month earlier. Kerrang! - December 29, 1983

December 29, 1991: Skid Row and Pantera played Atlanta. "They were the craziest. I warm up my voice doing scales, all this boring vocal stuff, and they would warm up by doing 14 shots of Crown Royal. 'We're ready! Let's go!'" -Sebastian Bach

December 29, 1982: KISS launched the "Creatures Of The Night/10th Anniversary" Tour in Bismarck, North Dakota, their first show with new guitarist Vinnie Vincent who replaced Ace Frehley.

Remembering Barry Clayton, who narrated the intro to Iron Maiden's "The Number Of The Beast". Barry died December 29, 2011 at age 80. R.I.P.

Remembering drummer Cozy Powell [Rainbow, MSG, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath], who would have celebrated a birthday today (December 29, 1947). Cozy died in 1998. R.I.P.

Happy Birthday to Kix guitarist Ronnie "10/10" Younkins (December 29, 1958).

TNT released their self-titled debut album in Norway in 1982 ('83 in Europe), their only LP sung entirely in Norwegian. Two years later, the first half of the album was re-recorded in English and released as an EP.

December 1984: Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx was on the cover of Japan's Burrn! Magazine. The "Shout At The Devil" Tour wrapped a month earlier and the band was getting ready to head into the studio to record "Theatre Of Pain".