Hair Band History (April 17th)

April 1990: "Up All Night", the first single from Slaughter's debut album was a US Top 25 rock hit and now aiming for the Hot 100 with the song's release to Top 40 radio, where it debuted on April 28th and peaked at No. 27 in June that year.

April 1988: "What a smoker!", Poison's new song "Nothin' But A Good Time", the lead single from their forthcoming album "Open Up And Say... Ahh!", was all over the radio as this industry ad proclaims, and on its way to becoming a massive hit... "It's a good, fun, kick ass tune!" The Hard Report US radio trade publication ad - April 15, 1988

April 17, 1986: Nearly a year after it was recorded, the music video for "Stars" from Hear 'N Aid, the metal charity record for famine relief in Africa, premiered on MTV in the US. It was delayed because of contractual issues with the different artists' record labels.

April 1987: Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx and Vince Neil were on the cover of Faces Magazine. With the "Girls, Girls, Girls" album set to be released a month later, the headline asked "Do They Still Have That Motley Magic?"

April 17, 1989: "I'll Be There For You", Bon Jovi's third single from the "New Jersey" album was on its way to No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the power ballad was just released in the UK. Release information source: Kerrang! ad - April 22, 1989.

April 17, 1989: Sounding a little less like Led Zeppelin, Kingdom Come released their second studio album "In Your Face" in North America (May 2, 1989 in the UK) featuring singles "Do You Like It" and "Overrated". The band was booked to tour the UK with W.A.S.P., but split up shortly after the release of the second single. Release date source: [US] Billboard Magazine - April 1, 1989; [UK] Kerrang! - April 22, 1989.

April 17, 1990: Yngwie Malmsteen released his fifth studio album "Eclipse" in the UK (late April in North America) with another new singer Göran Edman and featuring the single "Making Love". Release information source: [UK] Kerrang! - April 7, 1990; [US] Debuted on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart on May 26, 1990.

April 17, 1991: Available only in Europe since March 1990, the debut album from English hard rockers Thunder, "Backstreet Symphony" featuring power ballad "Love Walked In", was finally released in North America with a different cover. Release date source: CMJ New Music Report - April 13, 1991.

April 1992: With Vixen having disbanded, drummer Roxy Petrucci reunited with members of her first band Madam X, including her sister Maxine and singer Lenita Erickson, calling themselves "Hell's Belles". They weren't able to secure a record deal though and Vixen reformed in 1997. The moniker "Hell's Belles" was later picked up by a now world famous all-female AC/DC tribute band.

April 17, 1990: Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson released his debut solo single in the UK, the title track from his forthcoming album "Tattooed Millionaire". The song about "celebrity tabloid rockers" reached No. 18 on the Official UK Singles Chart. Release date source: Kerrang! - April 14, 1990.

Cinderella released video compilation "Tales From The Gypsy Road" in 1990 featuring four promo music videos from the "Long Cold Winter" album plus two live medleys, the second of which contained a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama".

April 1992: Lynch Mob released "Tangled In The Web" as the lead single from their forthcoming second album "Lynch Mob", featuring new singer Robert Mason, who replaced Oni Logan. Release information source: [US] The Hard Report radio trade publication ad - April 17, 1992.

April 1987: Doro and Warlock were in the studio in New York City recording their next album "Triumph And Agony" with a new guitarist, 21-year-old New Yorker Tommy Bolin, who replaced Pete Szigeti. - Kerrang!