Hair Band History (August 8th)

Happy Birthday to Poison drummer Rikki Rockett (August 8, 1961).

The first week of August 1992, Def Leppard released power ballad "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad" in North America as the third single from the album "Adrenalize". It went on to reach No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Surprisingly the band has rarely played it live since the mid-90's. Release information source: HITS Magazine radio trade publication ad - August 10, 1992.

August 8, 1985: Kix released their third studio album "Midnite Dynamite" in North America featuring singles "Cold Shower" and the title track. The LP was produced by Beau Hill (RATT, Warrant) and Kip Winger is credited on the song "Bang Bang (Balls Of Fire)". Release date source: FMQB radio trade publication - August 2, 1985.

August 8, 1987: KISS filmed the video for "Crazy, Crazy Nights" at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Wait times during a music video shoot can be long, so the band played a mini concert for fans attending.

August 8, 1989: Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens released his first studio album "Atomic Playboys" in North America. It was only meant to be a one-album effort and he would connect with Mötley Crüe's Vince Neil for his first solo album a few years later. Release information source: Billboard Magazine ad - August 12, 1989; The Hard Report radio trade publication ad for lead single - July 21, 1989.

Happy Birthday to drummer Anton Fig (August 8, 1952) who played on Ace Frehley's solo albums.

August 1987: Ahead of the release of their new album "Wild In The Streets", Canadian rockers Helix released the title track as the lead single in the US. Release information source: The Hard Report radio trade publication ad - August 7, 1987.

King Kobra's "Hunger" released in 1985 was written by members of Kick Axe, who a year later chose to record the song themselves for "The Transformers: The Movie" soundtrack, under the alias Spectre General.

August 8, 1985: Cats were running scared in Baton Rouge, Louisiana as RATT brought the "World Infestation" Tour, with opener Bon Jovi, to the Riverside Centroplex.

August 8, 1986: Poison and Cinderella opened for Loudness at the Arcadia Theatre in Dallas... "The heat wave that has gripped the state of Texas these past few weeks was no match for the triple shot of rock the bands produced." -Kerrang!

August 8, 1992: Guns N' Roses and Metallica brought their co-headlining tour to Montreal and chaos ensued with James Hetfield suffering serious burns from a pyro accident and GnR cutting their set short leading to a riot.