"It is hardly simplistic music, though its force-field would suggest otherwise. Metal bands draw on mythos---whether hard partying or deities dueling on Olympus---and technical craft. It requires concentrated discipline and physical endurance to play, to achieve levitation in the overtones of distortion, vocal or guitar or drums, and do it with split-screen precision. From a pariah music, gleefully so, it has translated across continents and pop charts, racking up the truest of heavy metals: platinum many times over."
-- Lenny Kaye
That is from page 367 of Kaye's most recent book, "Lightning Striking: Ten Transformative Moments In Rock And Roll," a chapter titled "Los Angeles 1984/Norway 1993," where he expounds upon heavy metal, hair bands, the L.A. scene and death metal.
I don't expect one paragraph from the man full of nuggets to change anyone's mind about heavy metal music. But, I do love a lot of these bands, if not full catalogues like that of Judas Priest or Black Sabbath, then at least a dozen songs or so from the likes of Megadeth, Slayer, Pantera and Metallica.
I've tried occasionally to sneak in a song or two on a weekend mix, or take you by surprise with a Saturday post, and those attempts have mostly fallen flat, with a few that quite frankly told me to stop! I am mostly interested in something that I am sure has no satisfying answer:
Why is it so difficult for so many to appreciate both Joni Mitchell and Judas Priest?
I recall an afternoon at NYCD where I was listening to "Runt," Todd Rundgren's first solo record, and the second track "Believe In Me," a slow, piano ballad was playing, and some long-haired guy in leather and Smith Brothers beard said, "What the fuck is this shit?" I've also heard "What the fuck is this shit" from a John Prine fan who couldn't deal with "Damaged Soul" from Black Sabbath's reunion record "13." For the record, I love all of this music.
I am working on a Weekend Mix for next weekend, just in time for Halloween. It'd be a great gift if many of you actually listened to it all with an open mind and fresh ears. My hopes are low, but I am still going to put in the effort.
I've been thinking about what songs would work best. Should I keep it as tame as possible, collecting only cross-over hits? Should I stay completely away from hair bands, since the moniker alone makes people run screaming with laughter, horror or both, even though some of those choruses are to die for? I will spare you and not include any death metal. That stuff scares the bejeebus out of me. I've decided to keep it easy for myself and compile, very simply, my favorite tracks.
Stay tuned and get ready to RAAAAAAAWWWWWWKKKK!
11 comments:
I like all kinds of music. Some Hard rock and Metal. I most often have problems with the singers and lyrics.
I started out as a young teen with hard rock as my favorite. Bands such as Jimi Hendrix Experience, King Crimson, UFO, Deep Purple, Scorpions (mostly their 70's output), Thin Lizzy, Black Sabbath, and others. After a few years, I began to get into a lot of other styles, but those early favorites remain. I like some of Joni's work (using your example), but I listen to the above named far more often.
I see little difference in Judas Priest and Foo Fighters and enjoy them both. Death metal I don't get at all, so thanks for leaving that out of your weekend mix :-).
A good friend of mine is a big fan of metal, including death metal, and goes to a lot of metal festivals. He likes "music that hits hard", he told me. But he also is a huge fan of Sting/The Police, Elton John, The Smiths, U2, etc.
- Paul in DK
my appreciation of metal and Joni probably peaked together in the latter half of the 80's (punk bands like Die Kreuzen, Gray Matter and Stray Dogs embracing metal, and then Hysteria; Joni's Shadows and Light tour). I still check out Decibel magazine in the library, tho - their Hall of Fame articles are essential to understanding everything since the 80's. and i'm on a 1000Mods kick (Greek band that combines stoner and Sabbath rock - look up the video for "Vidage.")
Looking forward to your mix, sir. I’ve enjoyed some of the desert or stoner rock like Kyuss or Sleep. Also some of the psychedelic metal/rock from Scandinavia and Japan. Never had much use for death metal or hair bands though. Glam metal/rock like Mutt Lange period Def Leppard always works. :)
Just noticed today's cover version from the fabulous Bellrays. That's a great version of one of my favorite Sabbath tunes.
- Paul in DK
It’s a generational thing for me when it comes to my near total intolerance to even listening to metal music. Whether it’s sounds good or not I just can’t bring myself to be opened to listening. Maybe because I was a hippie in college. I don’t think many of my slightly earlier generation have much tolerance for metal.
Also I find I have no respect for the fans of metal if it’s their primary listening experience. Their just from a different universe then the universe I exist in. Theirs is an uglier, angrier place musically. This is really not fair for me to say but it’s a place I don’t care to visit.
Just saying my piece not trying to stir up a shit storm.
Captain Al
Don't second guess yourself on picking songs. Go for the best and obvious picks -- no need for obscurities since it's all obscure to nonmetal fans but no need to try and cater. Have fun with it! I can empathize with Captain Al, which sounds like a reasonable explanation for why someone might also avoid country. It just feels foreign to them and embraced by folk who they don't like. I am definitely weak on heavy metal, as I am with hardcore, thrash, speed metal and punk on the extreme end. (And techno!) Some music is just more fun on a dancefloor or in a mosh pit or at a concert with everyone pumping their fists, as opposed to driving in a car or home alone, where Joni Mitchell works great and Ac/DC less so. I imagine I'd enjoy Judas Priest (and its queer frontman) in concert more than I do on my own. (But I know, British Steel is great!)
RIP ZROC
"It just feels foreign to them and embraced by folk who they don't like."
Have you ever been around a hippie? Or a Beatles fan? Or a jazz snob? Avoiding genres of music because the fan base isn't up to snuff seems silly and close-minded. I understand completely needing the right head or time of day. Letting loose at a funky Meters show is a lot more fun when you have people dancing with you. But simply not listening, not just to punk or metal, but any genre, just to make a personal stand, is something I couldn't do. (Though I did stop listening to Bruce for a stretch after his dynamic ticket pricing debacle. He let me down when I needed him most. But I'm over it.)
All the rock genres seem so arbitrary: post-hardcore, psychedelia garage rock, hard rock, heavy metal… that seems true of all the genres. Smarter people than me provide the labels.
Bad Brains’ debut rocks as hard as Metallica’s Master of Puppets to my humble ears. Is it that one famously has a positive attitude (and occasional reggae) and the other less so? Lol! And some of those Bomb Squad productions with Public Enemy seem pretty heavy to me.
As for other music, I’m willing to give anything a listen. Sometimes it hits just right and other times it’s a miss (Joni’s Blue, I still don’t get. I do enjoy Court and Spark). But, I’ll usually revisit - especially if someone I respect (friend or artist) gives a strong endorsement.
Looking forward to what you share. :)
"Bad Brains’ debut rocks as hard as Metallica’s Master of Puppets to my humble ears. Is it that one famously has a positive attitude (and occasional reggae) and the other less so? Lol! And some of those Bomb Squad productions with Public Enemy seem pretty heavy to me."
Exactly! Motorhead is just Dave Edmunds only louder and harder. Tom Waits famously said, when asked what his favorite rock album was, "The Abyssinian Baptist Choir," because "it rocked!"
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