Below the stars (asterisks, snowflakes, funny dots, whatever) is the "Preface" to a piece of writing I did on metal during 1996 and 1997 when I was trying to be a 20 something freelance writer. At the time, I was actually trying to write a book on Heavy Metal. As you may have guessed, that didn't happen. When I see my stuff from back then, I realize I could've done a lot better and a lot more. However, except for cleaning up typos and spelling errors, I left it in the style I wrote it in 12 or so years ago. I'd like to think I'm better now but... you decide.
Heavy Metal, and music in general, has been an important part of my life since I was a little kid. By the time I was 10 and moved from Chicago to Denver in November of 1981, I considered my favorite bands to be AC/DC and Journey. I was also a big fan of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Van Halen. Throughout the 80s, I progressed from the likes of Quiet Riot, Def Leppard and Motley Crue to Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. That was followed by bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and many more. My tastes are pretty diverse at 37, but I still prefer it HEAVY!
I'll have more to say on the other side of this piece. Enjoy!
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My life began on October 17, 1971 at approximately 7:30 p.m. Ever since then, I`ve been struggling to be me. Music has helped considerably. I was born in Chicago, Illinois and lived there until November of 1981. Then I moved to Denver, Colorado, where I currently live. I feel compelled to share my thoughts and feelings, as well as other people`s thoughts and feelings, about the subject of music. There are a lot of them in this text.
Heavy Metal is my main focus in this text, but it is not everything. Writing is a means of expression - an art form, if you will. Music is also an art form. It is a highly interpretive outlet. It has kept me alive. This is why you have so many different kinds of music. There are so many different kinds of critics. Critics are fine, and can even be respected and helpful to artists, but they can lead to danger. Those kinds of critics will be discussed further in following sections.
While researching his book, "Running With The Devil: Power, Gender, and Madness in Heavy Metal Music," Robert Walser interviewed many fans and artists of Heavy Metal. He denounces the stereotypical view of people like Robert Duncan: "In contrast to the common stereotype of metal fans as sullen and inarticulate, I was surprised by the friendliness and enthusiasm I found among fans and musicians alike. Most fans were pleased to find someone taking their music seriously; they were eager to fill out the questionnaires I circulated at concerts, and far from having to persuade people to let me interview them, I received many more requests to do interviews than I could accomodate."(104) I certainly don`t find that unusual. People who like music like to talk about it. Most people are very articulate about the subject, and I have found them to be very informative.
Throughout American history, the United States has been notably, perhaps arguably, optimistic in both culture and philosophy. In recent years, there has been, at least for some, a certain shift towards pessimism. It seems a society like ours is never static. It goes through cycles of birth, growth, maturity, and perhaps, demise. Just look at what happened to the Roman Empire. I am, admittedly, a pessimist. I think pessimism is justifiable given the situation. The situations arise often.
Let`s be honest with ourselves, a lot of music, paticularly Heavy Metal, appears to be pessimistic in nature. It reflects the darker side of life. At the same time, the music often reflects reality for both the artists and the fans. As I've told people often, pessimism is closer to reality than optimism is. If you look at the world around you, you will probably feel that way as well. I would rather be told the truth, even if it hurts, then be patronized and lied to.
Robert Walser said, "Many people who condemn Heavy Metal accept historically contingent formations of youth, socialization, and deviance as absolutes. Heavy Metal's subject matter is simple and virtually universal. It celebrates teenagers' newfound feelings of rebellion and sexuality. 'The bulk of the music is stylized and formulaic.' But such characterizations essentialize the category of youth, removing it from history and depoliticizing it."(105)
Deena Weinstein points out in her book "Heavy Metal: A Cultural Socology" that "The term 'Heavy Metal' may have originated with William Burroughs' 1959 novel, "Naked Lunch," but its sound doesn't have much to do with literature. By the late 60`s, Hard Rock had spawned a new, darker form of music, built on heavy distortion and pounding rythms. And although they may not have known it at the time, as the new decade dawned, performers like Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath had already become Metal`s founding fathers."(482) Of course, those artists were much more than Heavy Metal, and have inspired much literature.
Alex Skolnick, the guitarist of Exhibit A (formerly of Testament and briefly with Savatage), said, "I love heavy music, but it becomes heavier when you have a situation of contrast. On several of the Savatage songs, the music quiets down and it can breathe. I like Nine Inch Nails a lot for that reason. It goes from the heaviest thing in the world to quiet and silence."(487)
Gregg Steele, the program director of WZTA-FM (ZETA), commented, "Regarding metal versus punk, once again, it's all Aggressive Rock. Punk Rock is the same thing as metal except in metal the songs are longer. The name game bores me. If it's aggressive and people like it, that's all that should matter. It's just Rock, period."(557)
Parents are generally not too accepting of their children`s interest in Rock music, especially when they want to make it a career. In the early days of Rush, they "were under pressure from their parents who were beginning to suspect that their sons might actually be planning to make music a career, not just a hobby, which was something they could not accept."(297)
Evan Seinfeld, the bassist/vocalist of Biohazard, commented, "My parents were never into me pursuing music as a career, and I'll just send this out to anyone who's in a band .... Whether everyone knocks you and discourages you... Everyone did that to me my whole life. The day the band got together and made a demo tape, we were a success. That was the most succesful day of our lives. It doesn't have to do with record deals or album sales. It has to do with personal spiritual triumph, and overcoming obstacles. All Biohazard`s been is a f*ing bunch of obstacles. When we first started playing we couldn't get a gig. Nobody wanted to play with us, or let us into their clubs. Once we did play, there was trouble with a crazy pit and nobody wanted to have us back. It was always all kinds of crazy s* goin' on. No record company wanted to sign us. When we signed a deal, we got a f*ed up deal. Constant obstacles. Family, that`s your blood. If your family isn't supportive of you... I don't say come down on them for not understanding you, because they probably want what's best for you. My parents knocked me until recently. What do they think about what I'm doing? I think they have to accept it. They wanted what every parent wants their kid to be - a doctor or a lawyer or some s* they could never be. I can't look backward. I can only look forward. I look at my son, and whatever he wants to be - if he wants to be a ballet dancer, I'll help him along any way that I can."(595)
Ozzy Osbourne said, "My mother said to me, Get a real job, quit this f*ing around.' She still thinks it's a crazy thing I'm doing."(528)
Steven Tyler, the vocalist of Aerosmith, is a long-time veteran of the music industry. He has survived the ups and downs of being a "Rock Star," including overcoming a drug addiction. He has said the music has helped him to go through with his life. "It's the music, man. Heroin made me lose my band, made me lose my god-given gift of dancing between the notes. And when I figured that out, I got clean. Now I want to write a song as great as 'Taxman' or 'Strawberry Fields Forever' or 'Crosstown Traffic.' I wanna write another song like Dream On' or 'Young Lust' or 'Janie's Got A Gun.' That's why I get up in the morning."(473)
While it really wasn't intentional, there are a lot of topics being addressed in the piece. Many of them are addressed in more detail in other pieces of my writing. The books by Deena Weinstein and Robert Walser were a big influence on me and my attempts at writing. Those 2 were very cathartic when it came to trying to explain and defend Heavy Metal.
Caveat: The term "Heavy Metal" did NOT appear in "Naked Lunch," even though the book has often been credited for it. Steppenwolf's classic song, "Born To Be Wild," is also often credited for coining the term. The words "Heavy Metal" do preface the word "Thunder" in the song.