Hair Band History (January 9th)

January 9, 1984: Van Halen released their sixth studio album "1984" featuring singles "Jump", "Panama", "I'll Wait" and "Hot For Teacher". The LP peaked at No. 2 on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart... Stuck behind "Thriller". Release information source: Billboard Magazine ads - January 7, 1984.

Happy Birthday to L.A. Guns singer Phil Lewis (January 9, 1957).

January 1987: America was falling for Europe as "The Final Countdown" song was getting heavy play on radio and the music video on MTV. It would reach the Top 10 in late March and the band began touring the US in mid-April.

January 9, 1993: Def Leppard's "Stand Up (Kick Love Into Motion)", the fourth single from the album "Adrenalize" reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart.

January 9, 1987: Opening with "Looking For Love" and "One Good Lover" from their latest album "Dancing Undercover", RATT with special guests Poison, played Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Backstage before the show, RATT frontman Stephen Pearcy posed for a portrait.

January 9, 1991: Cinderella launched a tour of the UK in Liverpool with special guest Slaughter that culminated 10 days later with two shows at London's Hammersmith Odeon.

January 9, 1993: Touring North America with Jackyl, Damn Yankees played Viking Hall in Bristol, Tennessee.

January 1990: With Hurricane already on the scene, a name change was in order and Minnesota rockers Hericane Alice released their only album "Tear The House Down" featuring singles "Wild Young And Crazy" and "Too Late". Release information source: [US] FMQB radio trade publication spotlight - January 5, 1990.

Remembering Kingdom Come and Scorpions drummer James Kottak, who died January 9, 2024 at age 61. R.I.P.

January 9, 1988: Whitesnake bassist Rudy Sarzo was featured in British magazine My Guy.

January 1988: KISS' Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley were on the cover of Hit Parader Magazine teasing the "Secrets Of Their Success". That's great, but you know you bought this issue for the Bon Jovi Centerfold 😉

Stars Of Album Covers… As They Look Today: Van Halen "1984" Though it’s a painting of a smoking angel-baby created by Margo Z. Nahas, the cover is actually based on a photograph of four-year-old Carter Helm (not a picture of David Lee Roth as a baby, as many people often think). So where is that smoking baby today? Well, as of 2012, he's 37 years old, lives in San Francisco and works as an ocean cargo and inland marine insurance writer. "It was not until I was in third grade when it kind of hit me that being on that cover was something special." -NME