Hair Band History (March 14th)

March 14, 1980: Def Leppard released their debut album "On Through The Night" in the UK (two weeks later in North America), featuring "Wasted" "Hello America" and "Rock Brigade". Bassist Rick Savage has said the band would "get drunk every night and still try to record... young kids playing at being musicians."

Def Leppard "On Through The Night" release information source: [UK] Music Week front page ad - March 15, 1980; [US] Billboard Magazine review - April 5, 1980.

About this time in 1983, Jon Bon Jovi formed the band "Bon Jovi" after the first recording of "Runaway" (done with studio musicians a year earlier) was included on a New York City radio station compilation album and became a hit.

The original "Runaway" featured Tim Pierce, who played all the guitars on the track, but was passed over for Richie Sambora. Since then, Tim has performed on albums by acts like Michael Jackson, Phil Collins and others. Read More

March 1995: Just issued as the second single from the album "Balance", Van Halen's "Can’t Stop Lovin’ You", written by all VH members, pays homage to Ray Charles' song "I Can't Stop Loving You" - "Hey Ray, what you said is true..." -Sammy Hagar. HITS radio trade publication ad - March 10, 1995.

March 14, 1988: All aboard the Snaketrain! The Whitesnake Spring Break Express, a six-car frat house on wheels heading for South Florida, was the prize in MTV's contest won by 30 or so University of Maryland students. The band played Chattanooga, Tennessee the night before and boarded the train in Charleston, South Carolina. Later, David Coverdale walked the aisles handing out Whitesnake tour T-shirts ("only for the ladies") and souvenir programs, and when told that one girl was in tears because she had missed his autograph, he reappeared to appease her. -The Washington Post

Europe released their self-titled debut album in their home country in 1983. Originally called "Force" when formed by vocalist Joey Tempest and guitarist John Norum in 1979, they changed their name to "Europe" in 1982 after winning a Sweden national talent contest. After their success abroad, the LP was released for the first time (with a different cover) in North America on February 10, 1989 (Source: Billboard Magazine - February 4, 1989).

March 1989: Produced by Beau Hill (RATT, Winger, Warrant), glam rockers Roxx Gang released their debut album "Things You've Never Done Before" in North America (April '89 in the UK), featuring singles "No Easy Way Out" and "Scratch My Back". Release information source: Billboard & Cashbox Magazine spotlight - March 18, 1989.

March 14, 1986: KISS brought the "Asylum" Tour to Jamestown, North Dakota. Some of the shows were opened by Black 'N Blue featuring future and most recent KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer, who made an impression on Gene Simmons.

March 14, 1989: Described as glam metal, funk-metal, and just hard rock, Extreme released their debut album in North America (late March in the UK) featuring lead single "Kid Ego", a song that Gary Cherone would later admit made him cringe. Release information source: [US] CMJ New Music Report - March 10, 1989; [UK] Kerrang! ad - April 1, 1989.

After what turned out to be the last Damn Yankees album, Jack Blades and Tommy Shaw formed Shaw/Blades and released the album "Hallucination" in 1995 that included singles "My Hallucination" and "I'll Always Be With You", the former featured in the movie "Tommy Boy" later that year. There have been rumors of a Damn Yankees reunion over the years, but Shaw and Blades have remained with their original bands, Styx and Night Ranger.

Poison released the album "Crack A Smile....And More" in 2000. Work on this actually began in 1994, but brought to an abrupt halt when Bret Michaels lost control of his Ferrari and suffered a broken nose, ribs, jaw, fingers, and lost four teeth.

Remember to set your clocks ahead this weekend ⌚️