Right ,I was having a discussion with a mate and I want to see if anyone remembers this.
In about 1983? before Kill em All was released there was a compilation album released in America featuring ,among others,Metallica-metal militia and Exciter-cant bloody remember!!
From this Metallica ,Exciter and another band were gonna play 2/3 gigs over here.I liked Exciter,me mate at the time liked Metallica (although it was possible we had only heard those tracks at that time?).So we decided to get tickets(think possibly Kerrang were organising it?)
Anyway these gigs were cancelled due to poor ticket sales.
So the question is-my mate says this is a load of bollox and ive got it wrong.So does anyone remember this as I cant find fuck all about it !!!

Possibly the "WORLD WAR 3" compilation album ?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exciter_%28band%29

That rings a bell Nigel,but have I got mixed up about them having to cancel the gigs through lack of sales.It seems unbelievable now but im sure it was Metallica,Exciter and one more band.Having just checked it was 1983 Exciter released Heavy metal maniac (which I bought at the time on Canadian import) so that fits in .Could have been 82 when they were cancelled,whatever it was around that time (that's unless ive got it completely wrong of course!!)

Another compilation that featured them both that I remember buying is the "SPEED KILLS" set of albums:

http://rateyourmusic.com/release/comp/various_artists_f2/speed_kills/

The most famous compilation they appeared on before Kill Em All was the 'Metal Massacre' release on Metal Blade records in 1982 with Lloyd Grant on lead guitar, that was the first official release that Metallica had on a label until KEA. Exciter weren't on it, but Metallica were.

Right,so it looks like I could have had 2 separate compilations then-one with metal militia on and other with Exciters world war 111 on.
But can anyone shed any light on these dates being cancelled due to not selling many tickets .Im sure im right.I think we either had tickets or were gonna get them.My mate says im talking bollox and it must be someone else. Im sure there were 3 bands-definitely Exciter,someone else ,and like I said before,im thinking the 3rd band was Metallica.

Think you are right on this one.
It was the Hell On Earth tour with The Rods, Exciter and Metallica by Music For Nations with the support of Kerrang.

Found this article/interview with Exciter's John Ricci


If this is what you mean, then you can tell your mate that you have a better memory then him

The full interview:
http://www.seaoftranquility.org/article.php?sid=229

I have a pile of old kerrangs in the garage, plus some "metal forces" fanzines (used to get that in Shades record store in Soho) and yes, recall what the sea of tranquillity article said.

Cheers mate-I thought I was right.Dunno why we didn't get tickets for the replacement gigs though-that would have been good.Metallica at the marquee and Exciter elsewhere.Shows what I know though.From the 2 compilation tracks we had heard I thought Exciter were gonna be the next big thing !!!

i'm sure exciteropened for someone at hammersmith in 84 or 85 , no idea who, they were indeed a splendid band for what must have been a very brief period. Probably before kerrang went weekly!!