Vehicle
Aging Metalhead
1981 in music - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Year That Was 1981
The Police Botter
April 20 – The Mamas & the Papas' John Phillips is sentenced to five years in jail after pleading guilty to drug possession charges.
Phillips' sentence would be suspended after thirty days in exchange for 250 hours of community service.
Health and Wellness
January 24 – Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler is injured in a motorcycle crash that leaves him hospitalized for two months
March 14 – Suffering from bleeding ulcers, Eric Clapton is admitted to United Hospital in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Clapton's 60-city tour of the US is cancelled,and he remains in hospital for a month.
April 22 – Eric Clapton is taken to the hospital suffering from bruised ribs and a lacerated shin following a car accident in Seattle, Washington.
(wow. It was hard being Eric Clapton in 1981)
August 1 – MTV debuts on cable television in the United States, playing music videos 24 hours a day.
(a great idea gone very, very wrong)
April 18 – Yes announce that they are breaking up. (They would reunite frequently in years to come).
The really big shoooo..
September 19 – Simon & Garfunkel perform a free reunion concert in New York City's Central Park attended by over 500,000 fans
September 25 – The Rolling Stones open their US tour in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
October 26 - Iron Maiden plays its first show with Bruce Dickinson as the new lead singer in Bologna, Italy.
Comings And Goings
Brad Whitford leaves Aerosmith and is replaced by Rick Dufay.
February 14 – Billy Idol leaves the band Generation X to begin a solo career
April 11 – Van Halen's lead guitarist Eddie Van Halen marries actress Valerie Bertinelli.
Bands Born
10,000 Maniacs
Anthrax
Culture Club
The Honeydrippers
The Lords of the New Church
Metallica
Mötley Crüe
Queensrÿche
Slayer
Sonic Youth
Wham!
Bands that called it a (in some cases, a very brief) career:
Bay City Rollers
Generation X
The Knack
Starland Vocal Band
Steely Dan
Sam & Dave
Paul McCartney & Wings
Who we lost:
February 9 – Bill Haley, rock and roll pioneer, 55 (heart attack)
May 11 – Bob Marley, reggae musician, 36 (cancer)
July 16 – Harry Chapin, US singer-songwriter, 38 (car crash)
WTF??
Ozzy Osbourne bites the head off a dove at a record label gathering.
Alice Cooper drastically changes his appearance, leaving behind his trademark make-up and donning a military uniform
May 15 – A riot breaks out at The Ritz rock club in New York when Public Image Ltd plays behind a videoscreen while completely different music plays over the club's speakers
October 31 - Punk band Fear makes a memorable appearance on Saturday Night Live. A group of fans storm the stage and damage TV equipment while moshing, resulting in the show cutting to commercial.
The Year That Was 1981
The Police Botter
April 20 – The Mamas & the Papas' John Phillips is sentenced to five years in jail after pleading guilty to drug possession charges.
Phillips' sentence would be suspended after thirty days in exchange for 250 hours of community service.
Health and Wellness
January 24 – Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler is injured in a motorcycle crash that leaves him hospitalized for two months
March 14 – Suffering from bleeding ulcers, Eric Clapton is admitted to United Hospital in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Clapton's 60-city tour of the US is cancelled,and he remains in hospital for a month.
April 22 – Eric Clapton is taken to the hospital suffering from bruised ribs and a lacerated shin following a car accident in Seattle, Washington.
(wow. It was hard being Eric Clapton in 1981)
August 1 – MTV debuts on cable television in the United States, playing music videos 24 hours a day.
(a great idea gone very, very wrong)
April 18 – Yes announce that they are breaking up. (They would reunite frequently in years to come).
The really big shoooo..
September 19 – Simon & Garfunkel perform a free reunion concert in New York City's Central Park attended by over 500,000 fans
September 25 – The Rolling Stones open their US tour in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
October 26 - Iron Maiden plays its first show with Bruce Dickinson as the new lead singer in Bologna, Italy.
Comings And Goings
Brad Whitford leaves Aerosmith and is replaced by Rick Dufay.
February 14 – Billy Idol leaves the band Generation X to begin a solo career
April 11 – Van Halen's lead guitarist Eddie Van Halen marries actress Valerie Bertinelli.
Bands Born
10,000 Maniacs
Anthrax
Culture Club
The Honeydrippers
The Lords of the New Church
Metallica
Mötley Crüe
Queensrÿche
Slayer
Sonic Youth
Wham!
Bands that called it a (in some cases, a very brief) career:
Bay City Rollers
Generation X
The Knack
Starland Vocal Band
Steely Dan
Sam & Dave
Paul McCartney & Wings
Who we lost:
February 9 – Bill Haley, rock and roll pioneer, 55 (heart attack)
May 11 – Bob Marley, reggae musician, 36 (cancer)
July 16 – Harry Chapin, US singer-songwriter, 38 (car crash)
WTF??
Ozzy Osbourne bites the head off a dove at a record label gathering.
Alice Cooper drastically changes his appearance, leaving behind his trademark make-up and donning a military uniform
May 15 – A riot breaks out at The Ritz rock club in New York when Public Image Ltd plays behind a videoscreen while completely different music plays over the club's speakers
October 31 - Punk band Fear makes a memorable appearance on Saturday Night Live. A group of fans storm the stage and damage TV equipment while moshing, resulting in the show cutting to commercial.
