Reading Rock 1982

Judging by the poster alone, this year was a more attractive lineup than 1981 for the fan of heavier rock. Guitarists would have been pleased to see both Gary Moore & Michael Schenker on the bill.  The headliners themselves were more prestigious too and would even be recorded for the Friday night rock show.

So what do we know about the show itself? Well, Diamond Head stepped into the gap left by the non-appearance of Manowar, who a lot of fans actually preferred.

Band of the weekend were Blackfoot, who in many ways are the perfect festival band, bringing good time (southern) rock’n’roll to lift the spirits. They were also blessed with a bona fide master of ceremonies in the shape of singer and guitarist in Ricky Medlocke. There were indeed numerous confederate flags being waved by the crowd.

Maiden were, perhaps unsurprisingly, were the most popular band of the weekend, riding high on the success of ‘The number of the Beast’ with newcomer Bruce Dickinson having taken over the vocal spot from Paul Di’Anno .

Twisted Sister performed the role of sweary, pantomime dames. Pete Way apparently turned up along with Lemmy and  Fast Eddie to jam with them, and Dee Snider offered the missile throwers out for a fight after the gig!

Michael Schenker struggled a bit with singer Gary Barden returning to singing duties after the recent, hasty departure of Graham Bonnet. Technically brilliant but lacking in soul.

Y&T, as so often, were considered by many to be the best of the weekend, plundering heavily from their masterpiece.

Once again we’ve put together a playlist based on the sets that were played on the day.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0tNsn3tvNC2diVRbzeSNT5?si=f32fa439d846492e

Listening to it as I write its clear that the quality of music is high and still stands up today after all those years.

Budgie

Hard rockers from Cardiff, Wales who were one of the earliest British heavy metal bands.

• Forearm Smash
• Crime Against The World
• I Turned To Stone
• Truth Drug
• Superstar
• She Used Me Up
• Panzer Division Destroyed

Gary Moore Band

Talented Northern Irish singer and guitarist, best-known as a blues-rock virtuoso.

• Nuclear Attack
• I Can’t Wait Until Tomorrow
• Dallas Warhead
• White Knuckles
• Rockin’ And Rollin
• Parisienne Walkways

Iron Maiden

• Murders In The Rue Morgue
• Wrathchild
• Run To The Hills
• Children Of The Damned
• The Number Of The Beast
• 22 Acacia Avenue
• Transylvania
• The Prisoner
• Hallowed Be Thy Name
• Phantom Of The Opera
• Iron Maiden
• Running Free
• Sanctuary
• Drifter

Twisted Sister

Noticing that England was in the midst of a heavy metal resurgence (dubbed the New Wave of British Heavy Metal), the quintet moved over to the U.K., where they recorded their debut album, Under the Blade, issued in 1982 on the independent Secret Records. UFO bassist Pete Way produced the album, which featured many of the band’s best compositions from their club days.

• What You Don’t Know
• Bad Boys
• Shoot Em Down
• Destroyer
• Tear It Loose,
• Under The Blade

Blackfoot

The world’s first all-Native American hard rock band found itself trying to scrape together a good wage across the pond, where U.K. audiences couldn’t seem to get enough of its uniquely metallic, Skynyrd-derived Southern rock. The band duly recorded a live album with the help of the Rolling Stones’ mobile studio during a three-month jaunt across the British Isles in 1982.

• Rattlesnake Rock & Roller
• On The Run
• Wishin Well
• Dry County
• Rollin’ & Tumblin’
• Fly Away
• Good Mornin’
• Too Hard To Handle
• Road Fever
• Train Train
• Highway Song

Marillion

• Garden Party
• He Knows You Know
• Three Boats Down From The Candy
• Market Square Heroes
• Forgotten Sons
• Margaret
• She Chameleon

Y & T

• Hungry For Rock
• Black Tiger
• I Believe In You
• Open Fire
• Rescue Me
• Squeeze
• Forever
• Knock You Out

Michael Schenker Group

• Armed & Ready
• Cry For The Nations
• Attack Of The Mad Axeman
• But I Want More
• Rock You To The Ground (Heavy Blues)
• Bijou Pleasurette
• Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
• Lost Horizons
• Doctor Doctor

Disclaimer: Your humble scribe didn’t actually attend. I pieced this together from various OL sources.