Headbangers Ball: The Rise & Fall of MTV's Heavy Metal Show & Riki Rachtman

[@rnrtruestories]

What other MTV shows should I cover the history of? Here's the history of MTV's 120 Minutes I Just did kzbin.info/www/bejne/hX_Ki3yrjL99ibs

[@mattkurtz8549]

MTV's the oddities was cool. I was 14 in 92 , this part of the state had no cable channels, we got direct TV that year and most definitely headbanger's ball was on every Saturday night .

[@TheTickingClocks]

Bootleg MTV We actually named our rock band "Bootleg" after this show. In 1989 and throughout the early 90s, all the guys in our band were students at Texas A&I University. We played mostly covers but always stuck in originals between every 3 to 4 songs we'd play. We had a blast. We were very young; but, we were broke ALL. THE. TIME. It was tough to do much to market ourselves other than gig as much as possible all over south and central Texas. Gigs didn't pay much either, so sadly a lot of our "big" opportunities didn't come with big checks but rather "big" exposure, which helped but that mostly just got us to the next "big" gig that pretty much paid the same and the cycle repeated itself over and over until I left the band after graduating with my masters degree and was engaged. One of the things I remember most about those years was answering people's question about our band name and I'd always say "Bootleg MTV." Good times. - Manny of The Ticking Clocks

[@sethzielasko6898]

Rock N' Roll True Stories I think it would be great if you did a story on Kurt loder and Downtown Julie Brown. When I was a kid that's where I got my news from Kurt loder. I was thinking you could do a story on those two alone just because of how long they were there and what type of impact they both had on MTV and MTV News. 👍

[@jeffreekoch9298]

120 Minutes (indie, alternative, punk), Alternative Nation (like 120 Minutes), The Cutting Edge (like 120 Minutes and college rock), Yo! MTV Raps (rap), etc. Gen X stuff ! Lol

[@annetteslife]

The British Invasion!

[@d.christophertatum2936]

For me, the magic was gone when they started playing more “alternative” artists. I’m not talking about the crossover stuff like Faith No More or Alice In Chains, which was fine, but I remember Blind Melon’s “No Rain” getting significant play near the end.

[@supernothing77]

They started playing the same stuff they played during the day. The popular grunge alternative songs

[@stever5478]

Blind Melon got beat to death on their airwaves.

[@raygunromance772]

Nailed it. It was downhill from there...

[@randallreid424]

Yea some of what they call alternative for me leans more towards soft rock than anything you would think you might hear and see on headbanger’s ball which is why I never liked it, it was too soft too be called hbb

[@offtherealm5438]

Fucking A, agreed 1,000%

[@kenterminateddq5311]

Headbanger's Ball and 120 Minutes are the best indie and mainstream rock shows on MTV.

[@rochskier]

Headbangers and 120 were an unbelievable 1-2 weekend punch for years. We will never be blessed with their like again.

[@felipecavalera8729]

@@rochskierwhy not? Its possible

[@atomfallen2409]

They were.the glory days

[@SuperStrik9]

Agreed. Both were great.

[@itsalwayssomething7490]

I used to have a Headbangers Ball T shirt. It had a bleach stain on it and I had to use a black Sharpie to color in the white spot after every wash. Anyway, I wore it to a Tower Records Pantera signing in Manhattan when Far Beyond Driven came out. When I finally got up there and was in front of Dime, he points to my shirt and him and Vinnie have a conversation about Headbangers Ball. And I was able to stay in front of them the whole time they were commenting on my shirt, which held up the line a bit. But, Dime was super nice to me and he signed a few things because of the extra time I had. It was a memorable experience I never forgot and it was because of Headbangers Ball.

[@gsxerwhite]

That's fucking awesome man.

[@gentelmanjunkie542]

sweet dude

[@peterj.fallon4327]

Just listening to MMPC w/ Bill Burr talking about how he met Vinnie & Phuket a few times as they’re big comedy fans & how down to earth, friendly, & cool they always were

[@MsBlueRyan]

I still have my headbangers ball t shirt..lots of holes, but much cherished item. 😎

[@MetalPersonJ]

Those two are no longer with us. 😥

[@nynaevemandragoran3053]

I remember waiting for midnights on Saturdays for Headbangers Ball. Best 3 hours on MTV! I still love metal and always will!

[@AvecPoesie]

I am obsessed with watching old Headbanger's Ball clips on KZbin...especially, the hilarious Alice in Chains episodes. 🖤

[@dromeus21]

welcome to the madhouse

[@phillipweber6059]

AIC at the water park is an All Timer!

[@jangles1839]

Definitely good days & times then!

[@flowerchild89]

Great show! I miss it!!!

[@debanhivirgen6970]

Especially AIC at the water park

[@dwade6322]

In the late 80's,the only reason my teenager friends and i stopped drinking beer at field parties at midnight on a Saturday,was to get home and watch Headbangers Ball on M-TV. 🤟

[@frankez99]

Yup, I would sneak my friends into my house to watch Headbangers and freakin Beavis and Butthead 😂

[@tyson1fan487]

I loved Headbangers Ball!!! I still watch classic MTV on Friday when they show metal videos!!! I really wish we'd get the actual episodes again!! MTV is trash these days.

[@Cameroo]

"One foot in the gutter. One fist in the gold." Man, MTV was so essential to my music tastes in that era. 120 minutes, alternative nation and of course Headbangers ball. Yo! MTV raps was also one I very fondly remembered too. Was such a sea change when they focused more and more on reality TV and lost more and more of me and my friends interest. Switching out stuff for Gen X interests to early millennials. I don't begrudge them that much as I did back in the mid 2000's but it was sad to lose what was a pillar of my fading adolescence I suppose.

[@joatrashfx2969]

You should have covered Vanessa Warwick's run of the European version. She was awesome- professional, knowledgeable about the bands she interviewed and took it all very seriously.

[@tacticorememes]

Met her at The Dynamo in '93 while I was stationed in Germany. She's a really nice woman. She was shocked when I spoke to her in German. Why? Well, I went to a foreign county, and...to respect the traditions and culture of said country, I not only learned their language and became fluent, I also embraced the German Metal Culture and Underground they have over there. Dynamic interactions with Local Nationals I now call family. Ain't that somethin'......

[@shorerocks]

@@tacticorememes Cool. Cheers from Germany!

[@RichardLainegard]

For me, she WAS Headbanger’s Ball, can’t even recall seeing the other dudes covered in this video 🫣😳

[@shorerocks]

@@RichardLainegard Yes. I didn't even realize that there is a different US version with different moderation.

[@saintlyknight3186]

I have her autograph from a gig by phantom blue at rock city in Nottingham

[@Wizardboots]

Me and my friends, we all worked fast food at the mall in the 80s, we'd all go to one guy's apartment Saturday nights after work to drink wildly and watch Headbangers Ball....and then play Dungeons & Dragons all day Sunday 🎉 88 was the best era for sure 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@johnhoneck2973]

88 was a year, not an "era". But I feel you.

[@johnhoneck2973]

There was something "in the water" in 88. A magical year for hard rock. Seems like everyone was in their prime or breaking out to greatness. I was 17 in February 88 and saw an early GNR show and an at their peak Aerosmith, both within just a few days of each other. WTF.@kevinmichael9482

[@JT_Corpse]

Sounds like my exact same friends group where I lived! Work at the lousy local grocery store, steal beers, watch the Ball, and play D&D! XD

[@boomer9341]

It was the glam era. It will return again and annihilate all modern fake music!

[@therealwilfreddierkes9980]

Your so right. 1988 was the best year of my life. 🤘🏼

[@alexmanne]

I loved Headbangers Ball in the early 90s when Riki Rachtman was the host. I watched every week and would record episodes on VHS. Great memories. Thanks.

[@carriesimons]

I recorded videos too

[@Tasha_75]

Same

[@s.porter8646]

I was recording head bangers ball vids on VHS, my brother recorded over is, douche

[@bakstabbath]

The stuff Rachtman did with Alice in Chains is classic

[@SuperStrik9]

Also Riki and Dave Mustaine always had interesting interactions lol.

[@ikaikaf.6822]

Rachtman-era haedbangers ball and 120 minutes were great for showing us kids that were cut off from the "underground" music scene that there was something more than the top 40 pop music plaguing the airwaves at the time.

[@timsacco6g694]

I have fond memories of the Headbangers Ball as a young father and homeowner in the early nineties, my ball and chain would be at work, I'd put the kids to bed and blaze one up just before the show started, it was my brief escape from the monotony of my life at that time!

[@Plan9-3127]

Brings back lots of good memories... Staying up late as a kid, maybe spending the night at a friend's house and watching the show... I remember how exciting it was to get to see all the bands Mtv wouldn't normally play during the daytime. Good times...!

[@Cheddar_Curtain]

Most people that weren't teenagers during the MTV golden era (lets say 1985-1995) have no idea how much cultural pull it had with the youth of America. MTV was basically the only channel I watched from age 12-16. Many of my friends were the same.

[@SuperStrik9]

Yep. It was MASSIVE. Same with Much Music in Canada.

[@jeremybrunk9576]

I went through puberty at a early age which introduced me to the outstanding world of depression. When my friends finally started going through it and were all interested in girls, I was trying to figure out wtf happened and wtf was wrong with me? Obviously today I know, but back in this days I had head bangers ball. It was the show for outcasts and helped me discover new music and while other kids were out partying I had friends that would stay the night and watch Headbangers Ball. We've all went down different paths, but still remain very close to this day. Shout-out to MTV. It had a major impact on my life and got me through some shit. Everyone has a place. Sometimes it's not where you want, but where you least expect and in time you'll realize that you wouldn't want it any other way.

[@bobowens3687]

Look at the bright side you probably were the first of your friends to grow a beard becoming the underage designated beer run guy getting you a free ride at all the parties.

[@DiogoD75]

The UK version with Vanessa Warwick really rocked! I still have some old VHS tapes with recordings of some of the most memorable shows, the coverage of music festivals was really good - can't forget the Dynamo Open Air 95 one!! 🤘

[@rnrtruestories]

there's some great clips of the European one on KZbin

[@justinharvey1355]

The European version was far superior as those guys catered more to Extreme Metal over there than the US -which was too mainstream oriented for my taste.

[@SuperStrik9]

UK version was awesome for sure. Dynamo! Legendary festival. Love the Donington Monsters Of Rock episodes as well. In Canada on our MTV equivalent Much Music we had The Power Hour. Great show. 🤘Though I recall it was possible to get American MTV in Canada if you had a satellite. 🤔📡📺

[@DanteRising]

The UK version ran until 95' or 96' Me and my mates always used to swoon over the host Vanessa Warwick. The Monsters Of Rock Festival coverage was always spot on

[@rnrtruestories]

what ended up happening to her?

[@DanteRising]

@rnrtruestories After MTV she left journalism and went into property development. She has a KZbin channel, its not that big. You see in the comments of her videos about how much she is missed. Every now and again she will dye her hair pink as a bit of a hark back to the old days.

[@garylagstrom3864]

I was in College and a bunch of us guys and gals got together in the dorm to watch The Headbanger’s Ball! Later we would watch Liquid Television!

[@matsrecordcollection]

Riki Rachtman was on a panel talking about the documentary "The decline of Western Civilization II" in which he appeared. He said it was the `"best time of his life" then he lowered his head and said "I wish it was still here" man, I felt that.

[@analoguecity3454]

I was 15 when "the ball" started,watched it every Saturday night till 4 in the morning! Also there was "metal shop" on the local college radio station on Friday and Saturday night 12am to 4am, I bought a many a blank cassette sitting up recording on my usually high end tape deck! I miss it, recording music at home now ain't no fun anymore!

[@shawndidstuffbeforehehadki806]

Headbanger's Ball was my first exposure to Pantera. Incredible. What an amazing time.

[@tyson1fan487]

The 80's was something truly special. Probably the early 90s like '90 '91! But the music was changing and the music I loved wasn't the same but I still listen to Crue METALLICA Dokken White Lion Cinderella GNR and so on in the 80's which was the absolute best from the band's.

[@aaronlawrence666]

Much Music in Canada had something akin to this called “Power Hour” and I used to love it so I can understand the appeal of Headbangers Ball. Great times and great music in the 80s.

[@algojeff]

Yassir, and in Quebec, we had Solidrock on MusiquePlus (same owners / producers). We discovered so many great local, national and international bands back then…

[@stevenmillan9220]

It is extremely sad upon how many of the MTV clones(such as VH1 and Much Music) got trampled over as they switched their 24 hour music video formats to 24 hours of reality televison shows.

[@SuperStrik9]

I loved the Power Hour. I remember it sadly got reduced to the Power 30. Both were great while they lasted though.

[@mikerohlfs2836]

One of my absolute favorite memories was spending the night t my friends house,and watching Bangers Ball.

[@Rex_Rizzor]

I loved the headbangers Ball... I remember when it was new, and amazing..

[@NickyHC]

I use to watch headbangers ball with my dad in the 90's I was 4/5 years old at the time. I remembered it like it was yesterday! I wish they would bring it back! I'd definitely watch it!

[@Jason_Maier]

Headbanger's Ball was Saturday nights 11pm-1am Eastern; 120 Minutes was Sundays Midnight-1:30 am. I especially enjoyed the road trips on HB: Alice in Chains to Action Park, Oktoberfest with Danzig, Skydiving with Megadeth, etc.

[@napesdrk1174]

My brother and i always watched Headbanges Ball. A channel on KZbin is uploading a lot of the shows. So awsome to them again.

[@Plan9-3127]

I always loved it when Dave Mustain would give Ricky a hard time! Danzig gave him the business a few times too. 😂😂

[@rubaidaallen2764]

They saw the poseur in him 😂😂😂😂😂

[@karynsheer4304]

I LOVED that show!!! From 1989-1995, I used to have a "date" with my TV on Saturday night.

[@tleeg74]

I loved Headbanger's Ball. Watched it EVERY Saturday with a blank tape in my VCR ready to record as soon as I hit the "RECORD" button when a great video came on.

[@charliereese1002]

Same here

[@richharris9489]

I did the same thing. Mtv is terrible now.

[@tleeg74]

@@richharris9489 yea...it's been a joke for at least 2 decades.

[@richharris9489]

@tleeg74 true its nothing but shows .no music 🎶

[@Deleted11222]

Thanks for this, I grew up watching this and this show gave me such exciting Saturday nights after my Grandparents went to sleep. I did not have cable at home, but I used to spend time with my Grandparents and they had MTV so I would watch it there. Happy happy times!

[@irishspagetti6565]

I was much too young to appreciate the original Headbangers ball but I was around 13-14 when the revival came out with Jamie jasta, it was absolutely great to discover newer bands coming out along the new wave of american metal becoming big

[@josuerodriguez1165]

I didn't had a social life for years on saturdays because of Headbanger's Ball and it was greeeeeeat!!!!

[@SquareTableDegenerates]

I had Riki Rachtman on my show a while back, still have the fondest memories of this show.

[@flashanddancedj]

I worked with Rikki back in April on his speaking tour… It was awesome to hear the stories and discuss with him about the show… It was just dumb luck he got the show… The Rob Zombie episodes were the best… I enjoyed the show as a whole..

[@SuperStrik9]

Man, your comment just reminded me of an episode of Headbangers Ball where Rob was painting/doing art on the walls of the studio. I think it may have even been consecutive episodes. Man, haven't thought of that in years! I could be wrong but I think this happened lol. 🤔

[@StonerCreek74]

I was 13 in 1987 and totally wrapped up in MTV and all the new music coming out. Seeing it change from the early 80s to early 90s was amazing. Rock, hard rock and all the other music was great. Good times.

[@SolamenteVees]

"Metal" was quite a spectrum in the 80's/90s. Some people considered Poison metal, while others thought Judas Priest was heavy metal. I watched Headbanger's Ball to see Slayer, Anthrax and the like. I was always pissed when "soft" bands got a lot of airplay on HB.

[@offtherealm5438]

We Metalheads.....and musicians got screwed royally. The 90s sucked. It was hard to even find fellow musicians to jive with. Then even to see HBB canceled.

[@graemeparrington2841]

UK was bad as well, Radio 1 Rock Show of a Friday night when every one was in the pub. No commercial radio got involved until late 90's/2000. It was only magazines with CD compilations/giveaways on occasions that kept the flames alive, with the rock/metal clubs doing their thing.

[@annetteslife]

@graemeparrington2841 We had it the same in Canada with the downfall of MuchMusic

[@mountbrocken]

It pissed me off too!

[@offtherealm5438]

It was very disheartening to see MTV push cRap and bands like Blind Melon. Look...I just got out of the Army with 3 years in Europe...seeing bands live all the time like Anthrax, Megadeth and Metallica....so I was WTF is going on?????!

[@dannagle2319]

Headbangers ball introduced me to Helloween, Metal Church, and Overkill. I had already been getting into Metallica and Iron Maiden prior to the show but it turned me on to so many great bands that I could have missed out on back in the day.

[@hasanmir]

I love your videos because they remind me of the 90s when I was a teen and a young adult. The best times ever!

[@rnrtruestories]

Thanks!

[@justsomedudeyouknow8372]

What killed mtv for me was when all the videos started to be rock ballads about love and whatnot. Its headbangers ball, not drown my tears in beer cuz im in love/lost love ball.

[@jondubb35]

Say what you will about Rachtman, but the dude was legit. He wasn’t a wannabe metal poser, like Adam Curry was. 1990-95, Rachtman’s era was by far the best. Wish we could get the entire archive of shows officially released on DVD, Blu-ray, and/or digital download. I’d buy those in a heartbeat.

[@b8akaratn]

Wow that was amazing, ty. New respect for Rachtman, truly.❤

[@Ghost-um2jw]

I spent my teen years watching it. Loved it. But then the Seattle scene took over, which i also loved. I still love metal and am a grunge kid at 50 years old. Ill blast metal and grunge all day long!!

[@davej.meister5421]

STP weren't from Seattle. They came from San Diego.

[@michaelaker1621]

Headbanger’s Ball from 1992-1995 got me into Fight, Infectious Grooves, Dream Theater, Queensryche, and many more. Rachtman was much more comfortable by then. There was a final episode, Rikki announced it and then the next month Super Rock.That show had like a 70s vibe and more alternative. Jackie Farry is cool. She created the F**K Cancer thing being a survivor of a rare form.

[@GlassThirdEye]

This show changed my life

[@uachtair]

I only ever saw MTV Europe Headbangers Ball. The show was hosted by Vanessa Warwick and for 15 year old me, that show was religious viewing. They played so many great metal bands and cool interviews. Max Cavalera was a guest host when they covered a couple of European metal festivals. Ah, those were the days... 🤘😁

[@randallreid424]

My favorite MTV show was the midnight classic closet capsule it introduced me spill the wine and war what an amazing group they were, I’d love to see you cover them I still don’t know a whole lot about them

[@Gmanrushfan]

I loved HBB and I have stacks of VHS tapes in storage from where I’d record it almost every Saturday and re-watch my favorite videos. Riki Rachtman was cool… When I finally saw Metallica live for the first time in 2018, for whatever reason, Riki Rachtman was there and participated in some of the pre-show shenanigans on stage. That was a bonus, full circle moment for me.

[@THRASHMETALFUNRIFFS]

Lemme get them tapes and digitize them!

[@donmcclure6702]

I have the VHS tapes too...great show HBB

[@amrakarmaMisophoniac]

My Saturdays as a child. I still live by Riki's motto...'Keep one foot in the gutter, one fist in the gold'. \m/

[@Matt-yj1lz]

I found alot of great bands from watching headbangers ball ( the jamie jasta hosted era ). Killswitch engage, lamb of god, from autumn to ashes, poison the well, bleeding through, E town concrete, god forbid etc. It introduced me to a whole new wave of metal genres i didnt know existed. I even bought the headbangers ball album.

[@mountbrocken]

The bands you mentioned is what got me back into hard music and metal. It died in the 90's and its revival was BEAUTIFUL!

[@starkillerclub3755]

S.O.D.'s March of the S.O.D. as Headbangers ball's intro was the best part of the show

[@yvettevitacaponigro]

I miss it, my kids grew up watching MTV and Headbangers Ball! 🤘🏻👍🏻✌🏼😊

[@michaelcooper4986]

When MTV actually played some music in South Africa we had Headbangers ball on a Monday night at 11 pm thank goodness for vcr's

[@misfitwookiee3177]

I managed to record a couple of HBB episodes, started using them to snag albums like Leeway's "Despeeate Measures", Death Angel's "Frolic Through The Park"... it was a huge influence on my teenage purchases! Thanks for this, and how about a combined story on White Trash/Hash? Edit: Riki Rachtman-era was absolutely the best. Jamey Jasta second, definitely.

[@IraSiegel]

That Leeway album is awesome. All hail the kingpin!

[@misfitwookiee3177]

@@IraSiegel Absolutely! Just had to replace my old copy with one that also had a live show from Amsterdam. Truly underrated band and album!

[@carriesimons]

Headbangers ball was my favorite. I even have a letter and signed autograph from Rikki still in the original envelope.

[@sethzielasko6898]

Rock N' Roll True Stories fantastic video Sydd. I'm pretty sure it all ended when Ricky sent out that letter and it came back return to sender. I'm pretty sure that letter basically said he wasn't the one picking the videos and the videos they're playing he doesn't even like.

[@rnrtruestories]

thanks. Yeah, it seemed like the higher ups at MTV were looking for any reason to fire him.

[@graemeparrington2841]

There was a rundown show in the UK every Saturday morning & every 3 weeks they had the top 10 metal singles. The Chart Show. Without a presenter for its run but it eventually ended.

[@llongone2]

After Z-Rock left my local radio station selection (around 1987), Headbangers Ball became crucial for discovering new metal bands. I watched it whenever I could.

[@TheTickingClocks]

As a teenager in the 80s, MTV had one job... Keep ROCK AliVe!! They did pretty well for a while...and then they didn't. MTV lost sight of why people watched their channel and truly went blind and deaf to serving music lovers when they played less and less music videos and more reality shows like "The Real World" and "Road Rules." It's one of those cases where they failed to listen to the fans, in their case, their customers. Sigh. - Manny of The Ticking Clocks

[@Shreadington]

Every Saturday night my brothers and I were glued to the TV for Headbangers Ball. Megadeth's video "Go to Hell" was one of our favorites. Along with Pantera's "Walk" video.

[@bobowens3687]

Riki rachtman was a glam rocker a thrash metal guy a alt rocker a grunge rocker a punk rocker and a tough guy biker all in one decade.i think he was in the middle of an identity crisis.i hope he eventually worked that out.

[@sergioromanomunoz8155]

The MTV Latino was also great. One could find lots of heavier, underground bands like Amorphis, Mercyful Fate, Morbid Angel, Carcass and Eyehategod alongside Machine Head, Type O Negative, Fear Factory and Bruce Dickinson going solo.

[@jennifersamples2518]

Ricky really wanted to be a rockstar himself. He was in bands, one call Virgin. I saw them at the Whisky in 1988 they really weren’t that bad. he was a decent singer.

[@abunchahooey]

If you were hanging out on the Strip in the 80’s, I bet you have some cool stories to tell. 😊

[@alanomie]

Before headbanger's ball, we had the Heavy Metal half hour, right after school. I would run home hoping to find something worth buying. Wow, I miss those days

[@amberfashing1136]

Headbangers ball, alternative nation, super rock, and 120 minutes were my go to mtv programs aside from beavis and butthead, Daria, liquid television as well as sifle and olly. This was back when MTV was good.

[@gentelmanjunkie542]

Hell yeah I remember all that, born in '75. Remember Aeon Flux? Good memories.

[@rashaunwilliams6121]

Great times guys great times

[@Panic42000]

I used to record Headbangers Ball on my parents VHS every Saturday night I think it was from 12 -2. It was my favorite show.

[@Spooky_515]

When I saw the thumbnail I thought every Saturday night it was HBB and Yo MTV Raps. So thought it was funny you opened with that

[@steelheron1309]

At its prime, Headbangers Ball was some of the best television ever produced. Sadly, you just can't replace, replicate, or duplicate something that was an organic part of the zeitgeist. The late 80s through the mid to late 90s was arguably one of the best periods in US history.

[@ChickenJoe-tq6xd]

And now it’s complete crap with rap being the main genre

[@sourgir-wh6xd]

🤘🏻😎🤘🏻 Riki's time spent with Alice In Chains at the water park, was epic! Definitely my favorite episode❤ I miss that shizz😍

[@Jason_Maier]

Layne fishing in the wave pool was comedic gold! And of course, we also had Jerry Cantrell in a Speedo with Riki saying "Don't film down there, we do not want to see his package"

[@rnrtruestories]

yeah the guys in AIC seemed pretty good sports.

[@efilnikufesin2069]

That was at the famous or "infamous" Action "Class Action" Water Park in NJ where many kids were hurt and a few even died unfortunately and remained open despite the litany of "Class Action" lawsuits the owner faced. The documentary about the history of that place is eye opening!

[@Jason_Maier]

@@efilnikufesin2069 From what I've read; there were six reported deaths at Action Park: One employee died after going off course while testing a slide type ride, smashing his head onto a rock. The kayak ride, a person fell out-of their kayak and while trying to tip it upright; stepped on an underwater exposed wire and was electrocuted. The Tarzan rope swing had patrons fall into a spring fed pool with much colder water. This caused one person to have a fatal heart attack. And then three people drowned in the wave pool

[@rnrtruestories]

@@efilnikufesin2069I have to check that out. Thanks

[@iamnotanumber100]

Headbangers ball UK ruled 🤘 I got my “triple thrash threat”request videos played back in 91, made my day 😄 The 3 videos were Napalm Death, suffer the children Bolt Thrower, cenotaph Carcass, incarnated solvent abuse Got a headbangers ball pack in the post of T-shirts stickers etc. Good times

[@austintravis2174]

My old band crashed Rikki's Cathouse open house he did in NC a few years ago and we set up and played in the park lot and he loved it and took photos with all of us and gave us free Cathouse shirts for playing it was awesome!

[@matthewthelionheart]

I remember the original show when I was really young, but the MTV2 version with JJ came out in my late teens. I went to a lot of hardcore and metal shows during that time in CT, and even at house parties, the show would be on in someone’s living room with a handful of attendees watching. I think there was a sense of pride going on since Hatebreed came from the New Haven scene.

[@slimsantilli4476]

Nirvana killed the Ball

[@AndrewLemmings]

Nah. Even Alice became regulars on the show

[@Duck_Dodgers]

Nerdvana

[@rubaidaallen2764]

I miss HBB so much. It’s too bad there’s no place to showcase great metal anymore 😭😭🤘🤘

[@AndrewLemmings]

@@rubaidaallen2764 agreed. It’s really sad there isn’t really any real mtv anymore, just reality tv on there. No music. Especially good music.

[@Hispandinavian]

Headbanger's Ball filled the void, but we had to stay up until after midnight to see more extreme styles of bands. They first hour or so was the more radio friendly mainstream bands.

[@joshmedley2191]

It was the golden music seen at the time and Guns n Roses live at the Ritz, Ricky Rachtman was naturally cool as the host, it was very influential.

[@basildog007]

I watched the EU version... Vanessa Warwick!! ❤ 🤘🤘

[@flowerchild89]

I absolutely LOVED Headbanger's Ball! I was about 12 @ the time. I watched it every week! I was so bummed about it being cancelled!!! 🙌💯🎵 🎸 🥁 🎤

[@cwillis189]

Trains colliding and Hard chugging riffs were the sound of freedom for me and my buddys back then. Me and mine were not into the radio play scene and getting our ears on some music that was outside the limits is where it was at, HBB gave us that! Esp a couple miles from L.A. in U.A. Upper Alabama/ Muscle Shoals. Sunday mornings, all of us on the second row at church, whispering back n forth, Dude, did you see Slayer on the Ball last night? Heehee! Chugga chugga! We had a front row seat to the scene back then and life was good. I told my 18yo daughter the other day, " You're generation wouldn't be so timid n jacked up if you had a radio station, the real MTV, HBB!,a jam box and no freaking cell phones!

[@petrirantanen]

I still can't wrap my head around how it took years to Riki get that joke when Kurt and Krist were guests on Headbanger's Ball. I live in Finland so I watched European Headbanger's Ball. We had metal show on Finnish tv too. I remember when Metallica did their first video and it was shown on MTV. That was huge back then. Also Guns N' Roses live in Ritz blew my young mind even though i was a fan already. They really looked and sounded dangerous. Too bad that we live in a world where bands like that would be cancelled in a heartbeat. Cheers, Petri

[@TheEWFX29]

Which Live in the Ritz 87 or 88. I saw them at the Living Room in Providence RI. three days after the 87 program. It was about the same show but I thought they did a CCR cover but I cant find it anywhere i looked. Great times.

[@kbar3612]

Really? They would be cancelled? I hear plenty of new bands just like them on American radio.

[@petrirantanen]

@@TheEWFX29 88 is the one I am referring to

[@TheEWFX29]

@@petrirantanen Cool concert on MTV.

[@jergervasi3331]

I got to meet Riki Rachtman a few years ago, he was doing remote podcasts from the NAMM Show (a music equipment trade show). Very nice guy.

[@rnrtruestories]

Yeah he was doing a tour a while back telling stories about his career.

[@kowalskivideos6476]

Corporate greed killed a lot of the music industry. Real art and passion doesn’t sell in their eyes compared to their cookie cutter over promoted videos that are clearly dumbed down and lack the real emotions of music from the era covered. It’s a damn shame

[@stevenmillan9220]

Corporate greed is also killing the film industry,as the likes of corporate producers,studio bosses,and Harry Knowles' bad influence have sunken the film industry(along with movie fandom,movie promotion,clueless movie filmmakers,and movie journalism) down to something that is sheer lackluster,with the death of the mega popularity of STAR WARS as a prme example..

[@williamking8033]

My favorite time during the show's run was 1993. There you had Nirvana, Danzig, White Zombie, and Ozzy at the peak of his powers.

[@ertu2382]

1991 HBB had a contest: Bang in the New Year with Slayer. Everyone at my small college entered. Alas, we did not win. That and 120 minutes were prime reasons to watch.

[@dennism7532]

I met Rachtman on an elevator at South Point casino in Vegas. He had just ridden in on his bike from LA. He was tired but a cool dude.

[@jimlyons5677]

Great show. Ricki was a good host for this show with interviews of good musicians.

[@deansample3690]

Im 34. I loved the reboot of headbangers ball I watched it religiously every week for the years it was on.

[@The_Blessed_Cowboy]

Rap City and Much Loud was the one thing I looked forward to on fridays. LOUD was the only place to watch Tool vids...but you had to wait till 2am. Kids will never even know

[@judas_saves]

I was born in 1980., the BEST time for music! If there was no HB Ball, I would miss out on a LOT of great bands. Thank HBB \m/ EDIT - and thank you Beavis & Butt-Head - the BEST music critics of the 90s :D

[@keithbarlow9701]

When Beavis & Butthead watch that Crowbar video lol. It's some of the funniest shit ever. I still cackle like a moron whenever I watch that clip.

[@RockLibertyWarrior]

Fellow 80's kid! It was a cool time to be a little kid, pop culture was actually magical, unlike now.

[@mangos2888]

Your voice is so awesome, you should have over half a million subs by now! So underrated!

[@suryadas6987]

I loved the opening to the show with the twisting bridge and S.O.D. song "The Milano Mosh"!!! Classic!!!! 🤘😎🤘

[@IraSiegel]

Booking home after working at the movie theater Saturday night to watch Headbangers Ball was tradition circa ‘87-‘93.

[@patchstewart1842]

I was big fan of Headbangers Ball in my teenage years. A few thoughts here: 1 - by the time I was 16 or 17, I had NO interest in being home by 11pm (CST) on a Saturday night, just to watch videos that were played most of the day. 2 - if I remember correctly, the first hour was the much more mainstream pop “Metal.” Bands like Poison, Cinderella, Bon Jovi, etc. By the 3rd/last hour, the videos were by heavier and/or more obscure bands: Motörhead, Anthrax, early Jane’s Addiction, etc. 3 - the show had simply run it’s course. It was time to end it. 4 - by my early 20’s the show, Super Rock, mentioned in the video, was much more enjoyable, more diverse in terms or music and bands featured. And it was much more edgy, I saw videos that were virtually never played on MTV and one or two that had been previously banned by MTV (Cypress Hill’s How I could Just Kill A Man, being one). Highly underrated show that probably should have lasted longer. All of that said, Headbangers Ball was a huge part of my early teens and I’ll always have an affinity for that show.

[@MarkBanegas]

I miss this show. We had a friend with really cool parents and we would catch it at his house every weekend, cranked up

[@trelard]

I loved Headbangers Ball in the UK, hosted by Vanessa Warwick, as a teen. Actually ended up on an episode recorded on location at a Slayer gig in Belfast in the 90's. Good times.

[@ShaneGraham057]

I remember many moons ago when Motley Crue was in flux (aka John Corabi era) and they came by the radio station I worked for at the time. They pointed out the M in MTV stood for MONEY. How true that was back then... And still now!

[@mikemartell365]

I loved head bangers ball. It was the only time I could catch videos from bands like Death, Napalm Death, Mordred etc.

[@Ntimitree]

in Europe s version we had the mighty Vanessa Warwick !