Hair Band History (March 27th)

March 27, 1986: Three days after releasing their new album "5150", Van Halen launched their first tour with new singer Sammy Hagar in Shreveport, Louisiana. The setlist was light on David Lee Roth era VH songs and biggest hit "Jump" was omitted or sung by the audience.

March 27, 1985: Many sources have this as the release date for Bon Jovi's second album "7800° Fahrenheit" but it actually arrived a month later and debuted on the US Billboard Top Pop Albums chart on May 18th. Maybe Japan got it early? Different cover.

March 1987: RATT released "Slip Of The Lip" in North America as a single from the album "Dancing Undercover". The music video features character Kitty Galore who is sent to a RATT concert to spy on the band for the fictional "Spy Magazine" but ends up making out with Stephen Pearcy. Release information source: [US] FMQB radio trade publication ad - March 27, 1987.

March 27, 1991: Lynch Mob brought the "Mad At The World" Tour in support of their debut album "Wicked Sensation" to Pittsburgh with opener KingOfTheHill.

March 1981: Ozzy Osbourne released his debut album "Blizzard Of Ozz" in North America (September 1980 in the UK). The first single "Crazy Train" received little radio airplay upon its initial release in the UK, but American radio had it on almost immediately.

Ozzy Osbourne "Blizzard Of Ozz" release information source: [US] Billboard Magazine ad - April 4, 1981; FMQB radio trade publication ad - March 27, 1981.

Late March 1986: Alice Cooper released "Teenage Frankenstein" as the second single from the album "Constrictor" in the UK. The song was written to be featured as part of the soundtrack to the horror film "Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives". Release information source: Kerrang! ad - April 2, 1987.

March 1984: Looking for heavy rock fame, Portland rockers Black 'N Blue made the move to Los Angeles a year earlier and were signed within eight months of their arrival to Geffen. -Kerrang! Their self-titled debut was released in July '84.

You may see many posts on social media that RATT released their debut album "Out Of The Cellar" on March 27, 1984. This is NOT CORRECT. An Internet search shows that date, but that date was retrieved originally from Wikipedia (not a good source for release dates). The correct release date is February 17, 1984 in North America Source: US radio trade magazine CMJ New Music Report - February 13, 1984. More importantly, the LP debuted on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart on March 24, 1984. As the Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart is a sales chart, it would be impossible for "Out Of The Cellar" to come out after March 24th as an album needs at least 7-10 days of sales to register on the American charts.