Hair Band History (September 26th)

September 26, 1986: Originally titled "A Fine Mess" but changed when a movie opened that year with the same title, RATT released their third studio album "Dancing Undercover" in North America (October 10th in the UK), featuring singles "Dance", "Body Talk" and "Slip Of The Lip", that put the LP in the Top 30 on the US Billboard Top Pop Albums chart.

RATT "Dancing Undercover" release date source: [US] Billboard Magazine "Hot Album Releases" - September 6, 1986; [UK] Kerrang! - October 16, 1986; [Note] There is some evidence the US release was delayed until early October, possibly because of a music industry divide over audiocassette packaging... The record labels wanted tapes in a 4-by-12-inch cassette box, while record stores feared losing precious shelf space..

September 26, 1983: Mötley Crüe released their second studio album "Shout At The Devil" in North America (October 7th in the UK). Featuring "Looks That Kill" and "Too Young To Fall In Love", the LP was a breakthrough success, selling 200,000 copies in its first two weeks.

Mötley Crüe "Shout At The Devil" release date source: [US] CMJ New Music Report - September 26, 1983; [UK] Music Week 'New Albums' - October 1, 1983.

September 26, 1986: With guitarist Steve Vai, bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Gregg Bissonette, David Lee Roth brought the "Eat 'Em And Smile" tour to Detroit for the first of two shows at Cobo Arena.

September 1987: Sammy Hagar released "Eagles Fly" as the second single from the album "I Never Said Goodbye", originally suggested by Hagar to Van Halen when recording the "5150" album, but it was rejected as being too folksy. Release information source: [US] R&R radio trade publication ad - September 25, 1987.

Happy Birthday to Femme Fatale and former Vixen singer Lorraine Lewis (September 26, 1963).

Happy Birthday to guitarist Al Pitrelli [Alice Cooper 89-91 and many more acts] (September 26, 1962).

September 26, 1987: Released in June, White Lion's second studio album "Pride", debuted at No. 196 on the US Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. A slow build, smash hit singles "Wait" and "When The Children Cry" wouldn't hit the Top 10 until a year later.

September 26, 1988: Night Ranger released their fifth studio album "Man In Motion" in North America. Keyboardist Alan Fitzgerald left the band during recording of the LP and singer/bassist Jack Blades would leave after the tour to join super-group Damn Yankees. Release date source: [US] The Gavin Report radio trade publication ad - September 9, 1988.

September 26, 1990: Whitesnake concluded the "Liquor & Poker" World Tour at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, with "Still Of The Night" the last song played before David Coverdale put the band on hold, largely due to exhaustion and being in the middle of divorce proceedings with Tawny Kitaen. Coverdale resurfaced in 1993, when he and Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page released an album together.

September 26, 1989: Over a year after the release of their debut album, "Highly approved bonk rockers" BulletBoys concluded their first tour of the UK with a show at London's Marquee Club before heading off to Germany. -Kerrang!

Record World magazine (September 26, 1981) 😏

September 1989: Metal Edge Magazine was loaded with "26 Screamin' Color Photos" you just had to have with White Lion, Mötley Crüe and "Partyin' On Record & The Road!", Poison.