The Headbangers Ball Tour was a North American tour presented by

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

Headbangers Ball ''Headbangers Ball'' is a music television program that consisted of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV and its global affiliates. The show began on MTV on April 18, 1987, playing heavy metal music videos from both well-known and more obs ...

, which took place in April and May 1989. It was headlined by American thrash metal band

Anthrax Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium ''Bacillus anthracis''. It can occur in four forms: skin, lungs, intestinal, and injection. Symptom onset occurs between one day and more than two months after the infection is contracted. The sk ...

, and supported by

Exodus Exodus or the Exodus may refer to: Religion * Book of Exodus, second book of the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Bible * The Exodus, the biblical story of the migration of the ancient Israelites from Egypt into Canaan Historical events * Ex ...

and

Helloween Helloween is a German power metal band founded in 1984 in Hamburg by members of bands Iron Fist, Gentry, Second Hell and Powerfool. Its first lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Kai Hansen, bassist Markus Grosskopf, guitarist Michael Weik ...

History

The tour began on April 3, 1989 in Seattle, and ended on May 12, 1989 in Poughkeepsie. Anthrax was promoting their platinum-selling album ''

State of Euphoria ''State of Euphoria'' is the fourth studio album by the American heavy metal band Anthrax. It was released on September 19, 1988, through Megaforce/ Island Records. Album information ''State of Euphoria'' was produced by Anthrax and Mark Dods ...

'', while Exodus and Helloween were promoting their respective albums ''

Fabulous Disaster ''Fabulous Disaster'' is the third studio album by American thrash metal band Exodus. It was released on January 30, 1989 on the UK label Music for Nations, while the US version was released on Combat/Relativity Records. In 1999, Century Media ...

'' and ''

Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 2 ''Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part II'' is the third studio album by German power metal band Helloween, released in 1988. The album sold well, and success bloomed all over Europe, Asia, and even the United States. The album went gold in Germany and ...

''. The Headbangers Ball Tour is notable for being Exodus' last tour with drummer

Tom Hunting Thomas Hunting (born April 10, 1965) is an American musician. He is the drummer and only remaining original member of the thrash metal band Exodus. Career Hunting is the only original member of Exodus left, although he departed from the ban ...

, until he rejoined the band in 1997. Due to health problems, Hunting left the band in the middle of the tour and was temporarily replaced by

Vio-lence Vio-lence is an American thrash metal band formed in 1985 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Throughout its existence, they released demo tapes, one EP and three studio albums. Vio-lence is best-known for their association with the 1980s Bay Area ...

drummer Perry Strickland and then permanently by

John Tempesta John Tempesta (born September 26, 1964) is an American drummer known for his work in hard rock and heavy metal. He has been a member of the Cult since 2006. Biography Previously, Tempesta played with several bands including Exodus, Testament ...

, who was a drum tech for Anthrax and would remain in Exodus until their breakup in 1993.Archived a
Ghostarchive
and th
Wayback Machine
MTV and Island Records paired up for a Headbangers Ball Tour contest. The winner was Lori Gutman who lived in Kinnelon, NJ. Members of Anthrax and Exodus taped a spot for Headbangers Ball at the winner's home. It aired later that year. The grand prize was a 1989 Jeep Wrangler, $1,000, and some Headbangers Ball swag.

Tour dates

Personnel

: *

Joey Belladonna Joey Belladonna (born Joseph Bellardini; October 13, 1960) is an American singer, best known as the vocalist for thrash metal band Anthrax. He is also the vocalist and drummer of the cover band Chief Big Way. Belladonna has six Grammy Award nom ...

– vocals *

Dan Spitz Daniel Alan Spitz (born January 28, 1963) is an American musician best known for his work as the lead guitarist of the thrash metal band Anthrax from 1983 to 1995 and from 2005 to 2008. Spitz also founded the Christian music group Red Lamb, w ...

– lead guitar *

Scott Ian Scott Ian (born Scott Ian Rosenfeld, December 31, 1963) is an American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the thrash metal band Anthrax. Ian is the guitarist and a founding member of the crossover thrash band Stormtroo ...

– rhythm guitar *

Frank Bello Frank Bello (born July 9, 1965) is an American musician who plays bass for the thrash metal band Anthrax. Early life Bello is the nephew of Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante. He had a younger brother Anthony, who was murdered in the Bronx, New Yo ...

– bass *

Charlie Benante Charles Lee Benante (born November 27, 1962) is an American musician best known as the drummer for thrash metal band Anthrax, and crossover thrash band Stormtroopers of Death. Alongside rhythm guitarist and band leader Scott Ian, Benante has co ...

– drums

: *

Steve "Zetro" Souza Steve "Zetro" Souza (born March 24, 1964) is an American musician, best known for his work as lead vocalist with thrash metal band Exodus from 1986 to 1994, and again from 2002 to 2004. He rejoined Exodus for a third time in 2014. Souza is one ...

– vocals * Gary Holt – guitars * Rick Hunolt – guitars * Rob McKillop – bass *

– drums (April 3–10 shows) * Perry Strickland – drums (filling in for Hunting on select dates) *

– drums (filling in for Hunting on select dates)

: *

Michael Kiske Michael Kiske (born January 24, 1968) is a German singer and lead vocalist for the German power metal band Helloween. Kiske has released four solo albums, two albums with the hard rock band Unisonic, has participated on various metal and rock ...

– vocals *

Michael Weikath Michael Ingo Joachim "Weiki" Weikath (born 7 August 1962) is a German musician, best known as a founding member and one of the guitarists of pioneering power metal band Helloween. Biography Weikath was born in Hamburg and was musical from a ...

– lead guitar *

Roland Grapow Roland Grapow (born 30 August 1959 in Hamburg) is a German professional guitarist and music producer. Grapow is best known for his time in the power metal band Helloween, with which he played for 12 years after replacing founding member Kai Hans ...

– rhythm guitar *

Markus Grosskopf Markus Grosskopf (born 21 September 1965) is a German musician who is the bass guitarist, backing vocalist and a founding member of the power metal band Helloween. Biography Grosskopf started playing bass at the age of 15 when he became friend ...

– bass *

Ingo Schwichtenberg Ingo "Mr. Smile" Schwichtenberg (18 May 1965 – 8 March 1995) was a German drummer and one of the founding members of the power metal band Helloween. Biography Helloween guitarist Roland Grapow said about Schwichtenberg in an interview 1999: ...

– drums

References

1989 concert tours Anthrax (American band) concert tours Exodus (American band) concert tours Helloween concert tours Heavy metal concerts {{metal-music-stub