1986 Metal Mix Tape

When I started this new site format, one of the things I intended on doing was putting a few more personal kinds of posts on here.  Ones that have some sort of relevance to the site.  That’s what this is.   A non Sabbath post that I thought would be of interest.

Anyway, tonight I was doing a bit of spring cleaning, and dug into a box I haven’t messed with in years.  In it was an old cassette tape I made back in 1986.  I used to make yearly “Best of Metal” tapes for myself.  None of them survived, except this one from 1986.  Those of you who were around in 86, and listening to the (then) current metal at the time should recognize most of these.  

The cassette tape still worked – my truck has a cassette player in the factory equipment, but I never use it, I do all CD’s and satellite radio.  Anyway, I drove around listening to some of this tonight, and I thought I’d pass it on for shits & giggles.   Here’s a picture of the tape shell, and I’ll detail the songs below.  One of them I couldn’t remember myself (Dirty Secrets).  I had to look it up – it’s by Giuffria.

Side 1

  1. Who Made Who – AC/DC
  2. Walk in the Shadows – Queensryche
  3. Goin’ Crazy – David Lee Roth
  4. The Final Frontier – Keel
  5. The Wild & The Young – Quiet Riot
  6. Heart Like a Wheel – Black Sabbath
  7. Dirty Secrets – Giuffria
  8. Master of Puppets – Metallica
  9. Stars – Hear ‘n Aid

Side 2

  1. You Give Love A Bad Name – Bon Jovi
  2. Time to Burn – Dio
  3. Turbo Lover – Judas Priest
  4. Somebody’s Out There – Triumph
  5. Boys Wanna Rock – The Vinnie Vincent Invasion
  6. Why Can’t This Be Love – Van Halen
  7. Caught Somewhere in Time – Iron Maiden
  8. Inside the Electric Circus – W.A.S.P.
  9. Silhouettes in Disguise – Kansas
  10. Shot in the Dark – Ozzy Osbourne

Most of this holds up well 26 years later.  A few haven’t aged well.  Still, it’s an interesting slice into what I was listening to at the time back in 1986 (when I was 21).   For anyone listening to metal back in 86, what would you have put on here?  Remember it has to be FROM 1986.   Leave a comment below with your thoughts.

 

 

Comments

  1. Teijo Raety says

    Not so long list, not all metal and I guess they are more 1984-85 stuff, but anyway…

    1. Some Heads Are Gonna Roll – Judas Priest –
    2. Sink Your Teeth into That – Talas
    3. This Means War – Tank
    4. SS Giro – Fist –
    5. Knocking at Your Back Door – Deep Purple
    6. Satisfied Man – Molly Hatchet
    7. Lipstick and Leather – Y&T
    8. One Known Soldier – Allen Collins Band

  2. Well, I haven’t exactly been around in ’86 (I was only born three years later ;) ), but one of my absolutely favourite ’86 releases and albums in general is Flotsam and Jetsam’s Doomsday for the Deceiver. One of the best Speed Metal LPs around.

  3. Ben Gonzales says

    Joe,

    I turned 21 in June of 1986, very early in the year Ozzy and Sabbath (Tony) released Ultimate Sin and Seventh Star. I had such bias that of course, these were the ones I played the most. I don’t recall purchasing a whole lot of music that year. That was the year that station KNAC out of Long Beach California changed their format from punk/reggae to heavy metal. My friends and I listened mostly to the radio then and it was a great time. In review of your cassette (on a TDK), my picks would be the same bands, however, the cuts may differ. I would add or switch out a few with the following:

    Let it go – Loudness
    Danger zone – Black Sabbath
    Never know why – Ozzy Osbourne
    Deaf forever – Motorhead
    Nobodys fool – Cinderella
    Shy Boy – David Lee Roth

  4. Frank DeHaven says

    I never really did mix tapes, I would listen to albums mostly. In the mid 80’s it was Sabbath, Dio, King Diamond and Pentagram.
    If you aren’t familiar with Pentagram check this out from the ’85 album “Relentless”:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1x_UZ6_Crs&feature=related

    cheers!

  5. Frank DeHaven says

    Oops. That Pentagram was from ’87’s Day of Reckoning, sorry. Too much of the ol’ sweet leaf in the morning hahaha.

  6. This was fun – I used to work in a record store (in Norway) in the late 80s. I made mix-tapes all the time. I guess mine could sound something like this:

    Iron Maiden – Stranger In A Strange Land
    AC/DC – Who Made Who
    Megadeth – Peace Sells
    Motörhead – Doctor Rock
    W.A.S.P. – 9.5.N.A.S.T.Y.
    Ozzy Osbourne – Thank God For The Bomb
    King Diamond – The Candle
    Cinderella – Shake Me
    Accept – Monsterman
    Bon Jovi – Livin` On a Prayer

  7. If I had to make a mix tape of Hard Rock and Metal,it would be mostly Ozzy,Sabbath(actually it was to be a Tony Iommi solo album),Twisted Sister,WASP,Metallica,Megadeth,St. Vitus,Candlemass,Dio,Slayer(before I was Muslim),Lita Ford,Whitesnake,Judas Priest,Queen,Geezer Butler Band(if it was released at the time),Keel,Robert Plant(solo),Deep Purple,AC/DC,Motorhead,Rainbow,Stryper,and David Lee Roth?I would try to avoid as much hair band garbage as possible(except a few).So,down below would be part of my list!

    (1.)To Hell With The Devil-Stryper
    (2.)Shot In The Dark-Ozzy Osbourne
    (3.)No Stranger To Love-Black Sabbath(Tony Iommi and Glen Hughes,in reality)!
    (4.)Born Too Late-St. Vitus
    (5.)Master Of Puppets-Metallica
    (6.)Yankee Rose-David Lee Roth
    (7.)Turbo Lover-Judas Priest
    (8.)Who Made Who?-AC/DC
    (9.)Criminally Insane-Slayer
    (10.)Peace Sells-Megadeth
    (11.)Pentagram(Sign Of the Wolf)-Pentagram
    (12.)Computer God-Geezer Butler Band(if it was released)
    (13.)Walk This Way-Run DMC and Aerosmith
    (14.)Fight For Your Right(To Party)-Beastie Boys
    (15.)Just Like Paradise-David Lee Roth

    • Larry Hanlock says

      I have to admit, this recreates 1986 for me! Metallica, Megadeth with Aerosmith/RunDmc and Beastie boys says it all!

  8. this is from an old mix tape i made…
    Metallica- Battery & Creeping Death
    Slayer- Angel of Death & Hell Awaits
    Motorhead- Ace, Capricorn & Iron Horse from “No Sleep til…”
    Exciter- Long Live the Loud
    Mercyful Fate- A Dangerous Meeting, Come to the Sabbath, Black Funeral
    Black Sabbath- A Nat’l Acrobat, Hand of Doom, Megalomania
    that’s just one tape…

  9. Bruce Dalton says

    Never-Ozzy / Battery-Metallica / In for the Kill-Black Sabbath / Shy Boy-D.L. Roth / Fury Y.J. Malmsteen / Get up-Van Halen / Ton of Bricks-Metal Church / Wake up Dead-Megadeth / Reckless-Judas Priest / Time to Burn-Dio / Ashes in the Sky-Loudness / Orgasmatron-Motorhead / Wasted Years-Iron Maiden / Body Talk-Ratt / Angel of Death-Slayer / To Hell with the Devil-Stryper ………..1986. Joe, you neeed to post your metal songs for every year!

  10. i have to think about my list and ill post later but i had forgotten about giuffria — and while i never got into them i did see them open for deep purple in 85 on the perfect strangers tour ( first concert ever) in fact the exact date was roughly around feb 15 1985 in chicago at the uic pavillion 2 shows sold out in under 3 hours and tickets were ( face value) about $15 this included the service charge — since this is a sabbath site ironically my 2nd show i ever saw was ozzy with metallica also at the pavillion in 86 (around april 8th)

    how times have changed lol

  11. Will 1986 another great metal year. :-)
    Out in the Cold – Judas priest
    Welcome home- Metallica
    Rain in blood – slayer
    Indians – anthrax
    Killer of giants – ozzy
    Alexander the great – maiden
    Aiming High – accept
    Piece sells – megadeth
    The whisper – queensryche
    In for the kill – sabbath
    Who made Who – acdc
    Dreams – van halen
    Orgasmatron – motörhead

  12. Back in ’86 I’d put Black Sabbath – Zero The Hero, Hellhammer – Messiah, Venom – Possessed, Grave Digger – Tyrant, Van Halen – Loss Of Control, Warrant (German thrash band, not the US glam) – Condemned Forever, Whitesnake – Come An’ Get It, Iron Angel – The Metallian, Possessed – Pentagram, Slayer – Hardening The Arteries, Dio – Holy Diver, Judas Priest – Love Bites and Iron Maiden – Murders In The Rue Morgue.

  13. I have mix tapes I made like this even being born in 1988. But it must have been so much cooler when this stuff was just being released. I’d like to know if Joe takes the view that these glory days of metal are gone or that if you know where to look you can find some comparable material even today.

  14. Richard F. says

    Back at that time I wasn’t listening to too much Metal, I was just starting out slowly so it took me awhile before I got into a lot more Metal bands. I was mostly a HUGE KISS fan and was listening to mostly their 80s stuff back in 1986. I got into more Metal acts after 1986, I mostly got into a few of them late,but enjoyed their music videos and songs on the radio when I heard it. I’d say if I had to put a Metal Mix tape of Metal from 1986 I’d go for these songs:

    Who Made Who-AC/DC

    In For The Kill-Black Sabbath

    You Give Love A Bad Name-Bon Jovi

    Shake Me-Cinderella

    Yankee Rose-David Lee Roth

    Hide In The Rainbow-DIO

    Trick Or Treat-Fastway

    Iron Eagle (Never Say Die)-King Kobra

    The Thing That Should Not Be-Metallica

    Gonna Get Close To You-Queensryche

    I Want Action-Posion

    Honestly-Stryper

    Why Can’t This Be Love-Van Halen

    Back On The Streets-Vinnie Vincet Invasion

    9.5.-N.A.S.T.Y- W.A.S.P.

    The Final Countdown-Europe

  15. My mix tapes weren’t specific to a particular year….but in 1986 I was wearing out the tapes of these albums:
    Rage for Order
    Ultimate Sin
    Seventh Star
    Mechanical Resonance

  16. Larry Hanlock says

    1. Damage Inc. Metallica
    2. Peace Sells Megadeth
    3. Deaf Forever Motorhead
    4. Turbo Lover Priest
    5. The Ultimate Sin Ozzy
    6. Reign in Blood Slayer
    7. Dance Ratt
    8. Shake Me Cindarella
    9. Summer Nights VH
    10. Fury Yngwie Malmsteen

    Put this on your itunes playlist and I am sure you will be sporting wood!

  17. TomOzzy123 says

    I used to make a lot of compilation cassette tapes in the 70’s and 80’s. I also did some recordings on 8-track back in the day, which was quite interesting. My dual cassette deck in my stereo system doesn’t even work well anymore because of lack of use. The same goes for my turntable, which I like better. My young son likes to mess around with those two separate components for some reason. I do some compilations still, but I do them on CD. However, I do have fond or not so fond memories of cassette generation loss and tape getting caught in the tape decks. My son just ruined an Eternal Idol cassette yesterday. Thank God I replaced it on CD years ago.

    • TomOzzy123 says

      If memory serves me right, 1986 was my 2nd year in college, but I did have front row seats for the Seventh Star tour in Cleveland with Glenn Hughes. I did some cassette compilations of that album with other Sab tunes, but I was also grooving to old CCR, Boston’s Third Stage, Ywngie Malmsteen’s Rising Force, David Lee Roth’s Eat ‘Em and Smile, Van Halen 5150, and Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet. What a range of bands I liked and still like. Black Sabbath was always my all-time favorite band back then and now.

  18. This brings back a few memories.
    1986 I turned 12 and discovered quite a lot of bands. Memories can be a bit sketchy and I suspect that a few of all the 1986 albums I liked, I might have discovered them in 1987. I am pretty sure I found Candlemass after their 1897 release Nightfall. Anyway here goes:

    Ton of Bricks – Metal Church
    Guardians – Helloween (of the 1986 Judas e.p.)
    A sourcerers pledge – Candlemass
    Peace sells – Megadeth
    Battery – Metallica
    The loneliness of the long distance runner – Iron Maiden
    Fury – Yngwie Malmsteen
    Empire in the sky – Tony McAlpine
    Killer of Giants – Ozzy
    Out in the cold – Judas Priest
    Indians – Anthrax
    Spotlight Kid – Rainbow (of the Finyl Vinyl double)
    Inside the electric circus – WASP
    Not of this earth – Joe Satriani

    Out of all these I rarely listen to Turbo or Ultimate sin. The electric Circus album by WASP lost its magic quickly but back then I played it a lot. Although being a major Maiden fanatic Somewhere in time is one of the least played albums. The Tony McAlpine album I probably have not listend to since the 80ies! The impact of the Guitar heroes faded quite fast for me. But pretty much everything else is still played every now and then. In 1986 I did not really like Slayer, Motörhead or King Diamond but I eventually started to like them too.

    There was a show on Swedish national radio called Rock Box and most of the songs in the list above I heard them first there and then I or a friend of mine bought the album. Ask any swedish metal fan round my age and they will surely mention Rock Box. Both Guardians and Spotlight Kid are such examples. Helloweens Guardians I confused for a Judas Priest song (must have been becasue the presenter mentioned “Judas” and the same thing happend to a friend of mine!) :-) It took a few months before I found out it was not Judas Priest but Helloween.

  19. Here’s my two cents…..for 1986

    Angel of Death – Slayer
    Battery – Metallica
    Deja Vu – Iron Maiden
    Ashes in the Sky – Loudness
    Surgical Strike – Queensryche
    Armed & Dangerous – Anthrax ’85
    The Dark – Metal Church
    Comin’ Atcha Live – Tesla

    There you go, great music! However in my opinion ’80 – ’83 was better.

    • Jeff Tweeter says

      I agree that ’80 – ’83 was better! I actually find myself having conversations about this quite often lately. In ’84 – ’85 synthesizers took on a larger role in the whole scheme of things and drum sounds became so bloated and fake. There are always exceptions (I never deal in absolutes when it comes to this stuff). But yeah – Mob Rules, Diary Of A Madman, Fair Warning, For Those About To Rock… I could go on and on… btw this list thing is extremely interesting. Joe – you should have some more of this on here! Love the new site too!

  20. Paul Hill says

    I was 13 that year! I was also jamming all those and I had Stryper and Motley Crue in there!lol

    And yes even Poison!

  21. Here is a mix tape and joke sort of thing-1986

    (1.)We Are Only In It For The Money And Fame-Bon Jovi
    (2.)We Can’t Decide If We Want To Be A Metal Or Punk Band,So We Did Both-Metallica
    (3.) I Am Going To F— Your Girlfriend-David Lee Roth
    (4.)We Sound Like Sabbath And Dress In 70’s Clothes-St Vitus
    (5.) We Sound Like Sabbath And We Are From Sweden-Candlemass
    (6.) Shout At The Devil Was Our Last Good Album-Motley Crue
    (7.)Someday I Am Going To Do Country-Ron Keel
    (8.) Why Won’t Any Label Promote Us?-Geezer Butler Band
    (9.) I Am Upset Because People LIke What I Did With Zeppelin Better-Robert Plant
    (10.) I Am Converting To Christianity And Blasting Heavy Metal-Jeff Fenholt
    (11.) I Sing Like A Soul Singer Who Is African American-Glen Hughes(Not a bad thing-Dylan)
    (12.) I Spend 5 Hours In The Mirror Daily-David Coverdale
    (13.) We Need To Go Back To Hard Rock-Queen
    (14.) The Guys Want To Be With Me(Except Rob Halford And Freddie Mercury)-Lita Ford(Babe)
    (15.)I Look Like A Feminite Gay Man-Dave Donato(Nothing against gay people-Dylan)
    (16.) We Are Recording Our Best Album In Years-Aerosmith
    (17.)Too Bad Ozzy And I Can’t Get Along-Ronnie James Dio
    (18.) I Am Better With Deep Purple-Ian Gillan
    (19.) Why Did We Take Our Make Up Off?-Kiss
    (20.) On The Next Album I Am Going Less Pop-Ozzy Osbourne Band

  22. 1986 in a nutshell for me means these 5 albums that changed the course of extreme music and that i haven’t stopped listening to since then

    1) Slayer – Reign In Blood
    2) Dark Angel – Darkness Descends
    3) Kreator – Pleasure To Kill
    4) Bathory – Under The Sign Of The Black Mark
    5) Dirty Rotten Imbeciles – Crossover

    If I had to make a compilation with 1 or 2 songs per band I would pick older stuff, probably classic Acdc, Sabbath, Priest, etc.
    I am more into full albums cos of the organic flow of each song. Besides i usually am in a mood where I only listen to a certain band so I would never mix Acdc with Slayer, even though I love both bands just as much

  23. Hold On – Yes
    Left Turn On A Red Light – Blackfoot
    Because The Night – Keel
    Girl Can’t Help It – Journey
    Love Walks In – Van Halen
    Run Away – Great White
    Neue Regel – Queensryche
    Little Boy Blues – Triumph
    Lonely Soul – Mama’s Boys
    ‘Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers – Jeff Beck
    What About Love – Til Tuesday
    It’s Hard To Find A Way – Accept
    Angry Heart – Black Sabbath

    I know a lot of it didn’t come out in ’86 but it was stuff i had discovered then, and it ended up on my annual “Best Of …” cassette. I’m looking at the cover of “Seventh Star” and “Rage For Order” right now and feeling like I’m 18 again.

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