Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell

Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell was a 1989 compilation album featuring bands that performed at the Moscow Music Peace Festival: Bon Jovi, Skid Row, Scorpions, Ozzy Osbourne, Mötley Crüe, Cinderella, and Gorky Park. The album closes with a few collaborative efforts including a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Moby Dick" and a live medley of songs from Elvis Presley and Led Zeppelin.

The album was released by the Make a Difference Foundation, a nonprofit group formed by executive producer Doc McGhee, which fought youth alcohol and drug abuse. Album proceeds were split between Make a Difference and the Soviet Union's All-Union Society for Sobriety. Each song is a cover of a famous solo artist or rock band who had suffered a drug- or alcohol-related death. The album's liner notes include an extensive dedication list of such artists, along with a skeleton playing the guitar.

Billboard magazine cited the album as "New and Noteworthy" after its release, describing it as, "Glittering array of headbangers assemble for one of the must-have collections of the season."

The album title meshes the song titles of "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin and "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC. Although neither track appears on the album, both Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham and AC/DC singer Bon Scott had alcohol-related deaths in 1980.

Track listing

References