By: Michael Drukarsh - Any headbanger worth their weight in denim and leather would agree that from 1980 to around 1986, some of the most influential heavy metal/hard rock albums were released. It was a moment in a time where record company money flowed as freely as the cocaine, and bands were being signed in droves. Sometimes based on talent, oftentimes based solely on looks.
Genres such as black metal and hair/glam metal were born in the eighties. Although polar opposites, bands such as Venom and Poison shared the same shelf space, often lumped together in the “heavy metal” section of the local record store. Along with the music, these genres introduced the uniforms worn by youth across the globe that identified them as "rockers".
Judas Priest’s Rob Halford is credited as being the first to bring the leather look to the masses. It wasn’t until years later that people would discover that, while emulating the Metal God, they were unknowingly dressing in bondage gear used by a certain cultural group. Slayer’s Kerry King wore a nail studded, spiked arm band that went from wrist to elbow. W.A.S.P.’s Blackie Lawless took things to the next level by donning a jockstrap adorned with a bloody chop saw blade. The heavy metal look was so defining that in 1981, Saxon, leaders in the NWOBHM movement, released “Denim and Leather” a call to arms to all those who proudly wore their battle gear.
On the other side of the coin, you had bands like Poison, Warrant, Cinderella, and Twisted Sister who somehow convinced millions of boys that dressing up in lipstick, makeup, neon colours, fishnets, and spandex was tuff. Based on the amount of groupies these bands attracted, they did seem to know something!
The early eighties also brought with it a phoenix-like resurgence of bands and musicians who were, for a variety of reasons, thought to be left at the curb. Ozzy Osbourne was drowning his sorrows with alcohol after leaving Black Sabbath, a career he thought he could never replicate. 1980’s Blizzard of Ozz not only brought him back from the dead, it led to a career spanning 44 years and counting. After Bon Scott's unexpected death on February 19th, 1980, AC/DC was left without its iconic frontman. Rather than calling it a day, the Young brothers brought in ex Geordie singer Brian Johnson and released arguably the biggest metal album of all time, Back in Black in July of the same year.
In 1981 Iron Maiden replaced singer Paul Di’Anno, the voice heard on the first two Maiden studio albums with Samson singer Bruce Dickinson, and the band sky rocketed to success with the release of Number of the Beast in 1982. Even KISS, the biggest hard rock band of the 70s had a major comeback after nearly falling into the abyss following 1979’s disco influenced Dynasty and the completely ill conceived The Elder released in 1981. Taking off the make-up and introducing new members, Vinnie Vincent (lead guitar) and Eric Carr (drums), KISS rose from the ashes and thrived in the 80s.
Speaking of Vinnie Vincent, a shredder that brought new life to KISS with his guitar skills and writing abilities, the 80s saw the birth of the guitar gods! Randy Rhoads, a somewhat unknown Los Angeles based guitarist who formed the band Quiet Riot rose to super star status when introduced to the world on Ozzy’s Blizzard of Oz. Eddie Van Halen of Van Halen, although already regarding as an innovator by his peers, didn’t reach guitar god status until the mid 80s when MTV and MuchMusic started showcasing his skills on their video channels. The “faster is better” guitar club was also born in the early 80s with shredders such as Steve Vai, Joe Satrriani, Michael Angelo, and Yngwie Malmsteen battling it out for fastest and most complicated licks. Along with the shredders, bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden introduced the twin guitar attack, doubling the assault with Glen Tippton and K.K. Downing (Priest) and Dave Murry and Adrien Smith (Maiden) blowing out our eardrums at every concert.
While the music didn’t die, and many bands have carried the torch for heavy metal into the 2000s, there will never be a repeat of the groundbreaking movement that started in 1980. The music, the fashion, the total debauchery that accompanied the heavy metal lifestyle would never fly in the “woke” world of today. Which, to be honest, is quite alright. After all, if you were lucky enough to live it, and even luckier enough to survive it, you probably don’t want to do it again! Thankfully though, you can go back and enjoy it, anytime you want and feel that special connection to all the other headbangers that joined you on that highway to hell!
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