Hair Band History (May 22nd)

May 22, 2001: The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band, a collaborative autobiography of Mötley Crüe, was available in US book stores. The New York Times Bestseller became the unflinching biopic on Netflix in 2019.

May 22, 2001: Bon Jovi released their first live album "One Wild Night Live 1985–2001" in North America (May 14th in Europe). The '85 performances of "Runaway" and "In And Out Of Love" were recorded in Tokyo. Release date source: [US] Billboard Magazine - June 2, 2001; [Europe] Music & Media Magazine Ad - April 28, 2001.

May 1991: Scorpions released "Wind Of Change" in North America and the UK as the third single from the album "Crazy World" that went on to become one of the best-selling singles of all time. The lyrics were composed by singer Klaus Meine following the band's visit to the Soviet Union at the height of perestroika. Release information source: [US] HITS radio trade publication ad - May 13, 1991; [UK] Kerrang! ad - May 25, 1991.

May 22, 1990: Former David Lee Roth and Whitesnake guitarist Steve Vai released his second studio album "Passion And Warfare" in North America (one day earlier in the UK). Whitesnake's David Coverdale has some spoken parts on the LP while Adrian Vandenberg and Rudy Sarzo are credited with backing vocals. Release information source: [US] CMJ New Music Report and The Hard Report radio trade publications ad - May 25, 1990; [UK] Kerrang! - April 28, 1990.

May 1988: After leaving the band Europe two years earlier, guitarist John Norum went solo and released his first album "Total Control" in North America (October '87 in the UK). Single "Back On The Streets" was co-written by Vinnie Vincent. Release information source" The Hard Report radio trade publication ad - May 20, 1988.

May 22, 1990: Released a week earlier, the debut single from Nelson, "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection", was the most added new song at American Top 40 radio and the music video Top 10 Most Requested on MTV after only two days. Written about having a crush on Cindy Crawford, the track would hit No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on September 29, 1990. Image: The Gavin Report radio trade publication ad

Originally formed in 1978 as a punk rock band in California, TSOL varied their sound over the next decade and by the time of their fifth studio album "Hit And Run", featuring single "Name Is Love" released in 1987, had gone more glam.

May 1988: "Filtering the essence of their funkiest moments through the boom-thwack beat of the hair-metal '80s" (Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic), Aerosmith released "Rag Doll" in North America as the third and final single from the album "Permanent Vacation". Release information source: [US] R&R radio trade publication ad - May 20, 1988.

May 22, 1992: The film "Encino Man" starring Brendan Fraser opened in theatres and the soundtrack featured Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil's "You're Invited But Your Friend Can't Come", which also appeared on his debut solo album released a year later. The Scream and Steve Vai also had songs on the soundtrack. The Hard Report radio trade publication ad - May 22, 1992

May 1989: "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" and "The World's Horniest Band", Warrant snuck into the US Top 40 with their debut album "Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich" featuring singles "Down Boys", "Heaven", "Big Talk" and "Sometimes She Cries"... "A crucial piece of the jigsaw to any '80s rock fan's disc collection. Fun and frolics without being disposable, transparent, throwaway or talentless image, it's the culmination of five years of club dates, redder-than-hell bank accounts and buckets of sweat." -Kerrang!