80s Metal

[Swartz, John A.]

Ah, 80s hair metal (which I get to listen to more these days than ever
on XM Radio's "The Boneyard" channel).  I never saw Dio in concert
(with or without Black Sabbath), but my first Iron Maiden concert was
on the "Piece of Mind" tour (also with Fastway, but not Saxon).  I love
most of the stuff off the first 2 Dio albums - and at the time they
came out thought that maybe people who said Dio was saving his best
stuff for his solo career once he split from Sabbath had a legit point.
Funny, looking back on it, I probably prefer the stuff on Black
Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell" and "The Mob Rules" album to the first 2
Dio albums.  Jimmy Bain's a great bassist (with great metal tone), but
he really can't compare with the legendary Geezer Butler (or Steve
Harris of Iron Maiden*).  Tony Iommi and Vivian Campbell are apples and
oranges - both great in their own rights.

 

* Speaking of Steve Harris, when I now listen to "Die Young" on
Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell" album, I can't help wonder if Geezer had
started listening to what Iron Maiden was doing - that bassline sounds
more like a Steve Harris creation...

 

Other metal bands that I got into include Ozzy, Motley Crue (saw them
open for Ozzy in 1984 just before they got huge), Quiet Riot (oh, it
was good fun - you know it was!), Y&T, Twisted Sister (more good fun).
I also got to see Black Sabbath fronted by Ian Gillian on the "Born
Again" tour - not to everyone's taste (and sacrilege to some Sabbath
fans), but it was good stuff.

 

And I blame my 80s metal obsession on the fact that BOC was starting
their commercial slide...

 

John