RETROSPECTIVE – Monsters of Rock

2010 marks thirty years since Castle Donington was first transformed into the legendary Monsters of Rock. Almost every year for over a decade, thousands of metal fans would make their way to Donington Park in Leicestershire for a day of some of the loudest and most acclaimed rock groups of all time. Eventually coming to an end in 1996, the event would later be succeeded by Download, but its place in rock history has been cemented. The first Monsters of Rock took place on August 16 1980, with Rainbow headlining, having recently toured the UK to promote their hit single Since You Been Gone. Setting the standard for what was to come; the line-up for the event would boast several major names, including Judas Priest, Saxon and Scorpions, all of which had recently released new albums. The remaining acts on the bill would be Riot, Touch and the long-forgotten April Wine.

The event was considered a success and thought was soon given to hosting another festival the following year. Once again the stage would be filled with a variety of popular and respected artists; AC/DC, Whitesnake, Blue Oyster Cult, Slade, Blackfoot and More. Each year the event became more successful, with 1982 marking the debut appearance of DJ Tommy Vance, who would become a regular fixture of Monsters of Rock. That year would see Status Quo headlining, with support from Gillan, Saxon (making their second appearance), Hawkwind, Uriah Heep and Anvil. 1983 would see the BBC recording portions of the event, which Vance would broadcast on his popular Friday Rock Show on Radio 1. Whitesnake would once again return, this time as headliners, whilst the other acts on the bill would include Meat Loaf, ZZ Top, Twisted Sister, Dio and Diamond Head.

The BBC would also record some of the following year, which would be headlined by AC/DC. Support would come from a variety of American groups, such as Van Halen, Mötley Crüe and Y&T, whilst British metal legend Ozzy Osbourne, Irish guitarist Gary Moore and German group Accept would also appear. 1985′s event would be predominantly American, featuring performances from Bon Jovi, Metallica, Ratt and headliners ZZ Top (although British groups Marillion and Magnum would also appear). 1986 would mark the triumphant return of Def Leppard after the near fatal car crash that had resulted in the drummer losing an arm. With Ozzy Osbourne as headliner, Scorpions would return to the event for the first time since the original festival, whilst Motörhead, Warlock and Bad News performed earlier in the day.

By 1987 hair metal had engulfed the industry and this was represented in the Monsters of Rock line-up, with W.A.S.P. and Cinderella and headliners Bon Jovi making an appearance. Both Dio and Metallica would return to the event, whilst thrash metal band Anthrax would also perform. The following year was arguably the most controversial of all, when two people in the crowd were crushed to death during a performance by Guns N’ Roses. British legends Iron Maiden would headline, whilst other acts on the bill would include KISS, David Lee Roth, Megadeth and Helloween. Out of respect the event would be cancelled in 1989, whilst the media attempted to attempted to blame Guns N’ Roses for the tragedy, who by that time were becoming one of the most successful rock bands in the world.

The event would finally return in 1990, with Whitesnake once again headlining and Vance back as DJ. The BBC would broadcast the event live on Radio 1, which would cause minor controversy after Poison singer Bret Micheals repeatedly swore during their set. The first two acts on the bill, Thunder and The Quireboys, had begun to make a name for themselves in Britain, whilst Aerosmith would finally take to the stage. AC/DC would headline again in 1991, with their performance released on home video. Both Metallica and Mötley Crüe would also make a return, with Queensrÿche and The Black Crowes being the only new acts on the bill. Iron Maiden would also film their headline performance the following year and release it on home video, whilst W.A.S.P. and Thunder would make their second appearance. Other acts to appear that year were Skid Row, Slayer and The Almighty.

The event would be put on hiatus once again in 1993, with Aerosmith as headliners. This would be the first time that the festival would host two stages; with Extreme, Sepultura, Pantera, Therapy? and Pride & Glory taking to the Main Stage and The Wildhearts, Terrorvision, Skin, Biohazard (who would be removed before finishing their set), Cry of Love and Headswim appearing on the second. Metallica would headline in 1995, ten years after their first appearance at the festival, whilst Skid Row and Slayer would also make a return. The line-up, which would see a further shift into modern metal, would be rounded off with Slash’s Snakepit, White Zombie, Machine Head, Warrior Soul and Corrosion of Conformity. 1996 would mark the first and only time that two acts would share the top spot; KISS and Ozzy Osbourne. Sepultura and Biohazard had both previously appeared at the festival, whilst Dog Eat Dog, Paradise Lost and Fear Factory would make their debuts. The accompanying Kerrang! stage would include performances from Korn, Type O Negative, Everclear, 3 Colours Red, Honeycrack and Cecil.

Initially there had been plans for a Monsters of Rock in 1997 but sadly it never came to pass. 1996 would mark the last time the event would be held at Donington Park, with the festival briefly returning in 2006, although this time it would take place at the Milton Keynes Bowl. The acts to appear would include Alice Cooper, Journey, Thunder, Queensrÿche, Ted Nugent and Roadstar, whilst Deep Purple would headline. A touring Monsters of Rock had taken place but the event itself had come to an end, with Donington instead becoming home to Download. At present there are no plans to resurrect Monsters of Rock.