Music History

New York, 16 May 1991: just before “Use Your Illusion”, Guns N’ Roses played the small Ritz Theatre – shot on 35mm film and officially released in 4K in 2022.

• Concert: 16 May 1991, Ritz Theatre, New York
• One of four warm-up shows before the “Use Your Illusion” tour
• Shot on 35mm film, transferred to 4K in 2022

Video: YouTube · GunsNRosesVEVO

12 December 1982, Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis: Judas Priest on the “Screaming for Vengeance” tour – playing “Metal Gods”, the song that gave Rob Halford his nickname.

• Recorded 12 December 1982, Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis (Tennessee)
• Directed by Mick Anger; first released on VHS in 1983 as “Judas Priest Live”
• “Metal Gods”: song 4 of 17 in the concert film

Video: YouTube · JudasPriestVEVO

Heavy riffs and fury at warmongers: Black Sabbath’s official channel presents “War Pigs” in a historic live recording – the opener of their 1970 classic “Paranoid”.

• Working title: “Walpurgis” – renamed because it sounded too Satanic
• Opener of “Paranoid”, released 18 September 1970 (Vertigo)
• Album version length: 7:57

Video: YouTube · Black Sabbath

December 1968, a TV studio near London, 5:30 in the morning: the Stones play “Sympathy For The Devil” live for the first time – with Brian Jones, months before his death.

• First-ever live performance of “Sympathy For The Devil”, December 1968
• Filmed at Intertel Studios, Wembley (London); directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg
• Last performance of the original Stones line-up with Brian Jones

Video: YouTube · ABKCOVEVO

London, 30 January 1969: on the roof of Apple Corps at 3 Savile Row, the Beatles gave their last public performance – with "Don't Let Me Down" and Billy Preston on electric piano.

• Date: 30 January 1969, Apple Corps roof, 3 Savile Row, London
• Length: 42 minutes, nine takes of five songs
• Guest: Billy Preston (electric piano)

Video: YouTube · TheBeatlesVEVO

Summer 1987: with "Animal", the first single from "Hysteria", Def Leppard appeared on the BBC's Top of the Pops – the song climbed to No. 6 in the UK.

• "Animal": UK release on 20 July 1987
• TV performances on Top of the Pops (BBC) and The Roxy (ITV) in July/August 1987
• UK peak No. 6 on 22 August 1987 – the band's first Top 10 hit

Video: YouTube · DefLeppardVEVO

New Haven, 27 August 1986: on the 5150 tour, their first with Sammy Hagar, Van Halen played "Best of Both Worlds" – captured in the concert film "Live Without a Net".

• Filmed: 27 August 1986, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, New Haven (Connecticut)
• 5150 tour – the first tour with Sammy Hagar
• Line-up: Hagar, Eddie and Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony

Video: YouTube · Van Halen

Filmed on 13 July 1979 for the Dutch music show “Countdown”, two weeks before the album came out: AC/DC pulled the rare clip from the vaults in 2019 for the 40th anniversary.

• Recorded: 13 July 1979 for “Countdown” (Dutch TV), Rijnhal, Arnhem
• Line-up: Bon Scott, Angus Young, Malcolm Young, Cliff Williams, Phil Rudd
• Album “Highway to Hell”: released 27 July 1979, produced by Mutt Lange

Video: YouTube · acdcVEVO

Lemmy, Phil Campbell and Mikkey Dee at the University of East Anglia on 18 October 1998: the concert footage only surfaced in 2021 – for Lemmy’s 76th birthday on the official channel.

• Concert: 18 October 1998, University of East Anglia, Norwich (England)
• Tour for the album “Snake Bite Love” (March 1998)
• Line-up: Lemmy Kilmister, Phil Campbell, Mikkey Dee

Video: YouTube · Motörhead Official

The opener from the concert film “Come Hell or High Water”: Deep Purple’s classic Mark II line-up, filmed on 9 November 1993 at the NEC Birmingham – days before Blackmore walked out.

• Recorded: 9 November 1993, NEC Birmingham (England)
• Tour: “The Battle Rages On”, Mark II reunion
• Line-up: Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, Roger Glover, Ian Paice

Video: YouTube · DeepPurpleVEVO

At the peak of their career, Scorpions played the “Super Rock ’84 in Japan” festival in August 1984 – the band has released the full recording on its official YouTube channel.

• Festival: Super Rock ’84 in Japan, 4–12 August 1984
• With Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, Michael Schenker Group, Anvil
• Line-up: Meine, Schenker, Jabs, Buchholz, Rarebell

Video: YouTube · Scorpions