Fantasy MoR 85

When we celebrate Monsters of Rock 1985, we not only pay tribute to the incredible bands who took the stage at Donington that year, but also to the legends who—according to John Tucker’s Monsters of Rock: The Official Illustrated History 1980–1996—were considered, approached, or very nearly added to the bill.

Tucker’s mammoth 600-page chronicle, complete with interviews, PR insights, setlists and backstage stories, doesn’t just document what did happen. It also hints at the tantalising “what ifs” of Monsters history. For 1985, names like Van Halen, Scorpions, Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Motörhead, Dio and Twisted Sister were all in the conversation. Imagine if they had made it to Castle Donington…

That’s the spirit behind this year’s tribute. Alongside our MoR Revisited bands, we’re building DJ setlists that recreate what these absent giants might have played—based on their tours and festival appearances of the mid-80s. The result? A festival of reality and fantasy combined, guaranteed to deliver a day of pure Rock Awesomeness.

1985 was a year of transition for Van Halen. David Lee Roth had exited, and the band wouldn’t hit the road until the following year with Sammy Hagar fronting the 5150 tour. A typical 1986 set blended Hagar’s solo anthems like There’s Only One Way to Rock and I Can’t Drive 55 with fresh cuts from 5150 (Summer Nights, Best of Both Worlds, Love Walks In), plus classics like Panama and Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love. Imagine those riffs shaking Donington to its foundations.

Straight off their colossal Rock in Rio performance, Scorpions in ’85 were at the peak of their stadium-slaying powers. Their setlists featured Coming Home, Blackout, Big City Nights, Still Loving You and of course Rock You Like a Hurricane, usually capped with the encore Can’t Get Enough. With Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs in full flight, Donington would have been scorched earth.

In 1985, Whitesnake were still steeped in their blues-rock roots, before the glossier MTV era took over. At Rock in Rio that year they delivered Walking in the Shadow of the Blues, Guilty of Love, Ready an’ Willing and the soulful Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City, alongside the hard-rocking Slide It In. With John Sykes ripping into guitar solos, they would have been a perfect fit for the Donington crowd.

Leppard were off the road in ’85, locked away in the studio crafting what would become Hysteria. But their Pre-Hysteria Tour (1983–84) still rang fresh with Rock of Ages, Photograph and Foolin’. Had they appeared, Donington would have got a taste of the Sheffield lads just before their world domination phase truly exploded.

For Lemmy and the boys, 1985 meant Orgasmatron. A typical set thundered through Ace of Spades, Overkill and Motorhead, while newer tracks like Nothing Up My Sleeve and Orgasmatron itself tore the roof off. Nobody did “louder than everything else” better—and nobody would have rattled Donington’s bones harder.

At their peak in ’85, Twisted Sister brought the cartoon-punk energy of Stay Hungry with We’re Not Gonna Take It, I Wanna Rock and Stay Hungry, plus You Can’t Stop Rock ’n’ Roll and S.M.F.. Add Dee Snider’s firebrand stage banter, and you can picture tens of thousands of fists pumping in unison at Donington.

The Sacred Heart tour was one of Dio’s most ambitious productions, complete with animatronic dragons and laser theatrics. Musically, Ronnie James Dio combined his solo hits (Holy Diver, Rainbow in the Dark), fresh material (King of Rock and Roll, Sacred Heart), and the legacy of Sabbath and Rainbow (Heaven and Hell, Man on the Silver Mountain, Long Live Rock ’n’ Roll). Imagine the Castle grounds lit by his voice as night fell.

Our Monsters of Rock Revisited 1985 isn’t just about looking back—it’s about recreating the atmosphere, energy and mythos of the festival. With tribute bands roaring through the real setlists and DJ sets conjuring the fantasy “what ifs,” the day promises to be a celebration of the festival spirit in all its glory.

So whether you’re headbanging to Accept, Marillion, or ZZ Top—or closing your eyes and picturing Dio, Van Halen or Twisted Sister taking the stage—know this: Donington’s legacy lives on, and it’s louder than ever.