Hair Band History (March 4th)

March 4, 1989: Def Leppard's "Rocket", the seventh single from the "Hysteria" album, debuted at No. 61 on the US Billboard Hot 100. By the end of April '89, it would reach No. 12 and with that success, there was talk of releasing "Love And Affection" as the eighth single from "Hysteria", but that didn't happen. Guitarist Phil Collen told Goldmine magazine in 2013: "I don’t know why that was not a hit, because it was a really good contender that never really happened. Everyone I speak to says, 'Why didn’t you release that as a single?' We had two record labels — it was the same label, but there was the English version and the American version. The English side of the label didn’t want to release the same songs that the American label was releasing; we kind of had a little thing going on. We were releasing track after track off of it, and this one just never saw the light of day, which is a real drag. I think it would have been a huge song. This one should have had a shot, too. We already had seven singles off the album, so I guess you have to draw the line somewhere."

March 4, 1983: Over a month after its North American release, Def Leppard's third album "Pyromania" was issued in the band's native UK. Thomas Dolby played keyboards under an alias as he was unable to use his name for contractual reasons. The band finished touring the UK the same day the LP hit stores with a show at London's Hammersmith Odeon. UK release date source: Kerrang! - January 27, 1983 (release date noted as February 25th, but delayed until March 4th - see ad).

March 4, 1989: Bon Jovi's third single from the "New Jersey" album, power ballad "I'll Be There for You", debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. It would become their fourth and final number one single, hitting the top spot in May that year.

March 4, 1989: Warrant's debut album "Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich" debuted at No. 123 on the US Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. It would reach the Top 10 by September because their brand of heavy guitars and melodic catchy choruses were irresistible 😊

March 4, 1991: "You rescued me just in the nick of time"... Ahead of a UK tour supporting Deep Purple, Vixen released "Not A Minute Too Soon" as the third single from the album "Rev It Up". Release date source: Kerrang! - February 23, 1991.

March 4, 1988: David Lee Roth launched the "Skyscraper" Tour in Lakeland, Florida. North American dates went through mid-August before heading off to Europe, Japan and Australia. Original opener Guns N' Roses were replaced by Faster Pussycat.

March 4, 1988: Def Leppard began the second European leg of the "Hysteria" Tour in Stockholm with opener McAuley Schenker Group. Joe Elliott has said that Def Leppard sold more tickets for this show than ABBA did in the '70s 😯

March 1986: The music video for Twisted Sister's new single "Be Chrool To Your Scuel" featuring a guest appearance by Alice Cooper was banned by MTV. "They told us that the zombie content was 'too gross' for MTV and absolutely no amount of editing would fix it. What? It was no worse than Michael Jackson's 14-minute, MTV Award-winning zombie opus for 'Thriller,' but ours was unairable?" -Dee Snider. Read More

March 4, 1989: Ad for Sweatpants Tracksuit Bottoms in the UK's Kerrang! Magazine. Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, Iron Maiden on your backside for only £19.50... Yes Please! 🤗💜