Metal Music - Metal Life

For over 30 years, metal has been a very controversial form of music. It has been protested, banned, charged criminally and brutally attacked. It has been celebrated, praised, loved and it has saved. I recently purchased a DVD called "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey". It is a documentary about metal music and the experience one particular man named Sam Dunn had with it. This documentary opens up alot of questions about metal music, but before we get into that, I should tell you why I like metal.

I love metal music. All kinds of it. Heavy metal, Glam metal, Power metal, Death metal, Black metal and my personal favorite, Thrash metal. You might be asking, whats the difference between all of these sub-genre's of metal? Well there is a big difference but all metal music comes from the same abckground, the early-metal bands like Zepplin, Blue Cheer, and Black Sabbath. All the sub-genres (there's 19 i think, not sure) stemmed primarily from these bands, Punk bands, and, believe it or not, Heavy Classical music (yes there was such a thing). So the main reason I love metal music is because of the feeling I get from it. It makes the hairs on my neck stand up. It makes me want to just go berserk, this helps alot when Im gettting pumped up for a hockey game. And its just an intense kind of music that's really fun to listen to.

So metal music has been persecuted for many many years for it's affect on kids. It has been accused of causing teens to murder or commit suicide over the songs. First of all, if you are crazy enough to murder someone, a song is not going to be the decidin factor in your final decision. Same goes for suicide. It got to the point where Tipper Gore (famous for her persecution of metal music in the mid-eighties) called on the front man of Twisted Sister, a member of the Glam sub-genre, to testify before the supreme court to defend metal music and all of it's practitioners. He gave a speech that the coucil was not expecting, shocking everyone with his articulate defense of the music he grew up on. Metal has never been proven to be the cause of violent acts in teens but has been accused of it many times.

When asked about what he thinks makes metal so huge and so important to people, Lemmy of Motorhead said "It gives them something to belong to. Metal heads are one big family, no matter what kidna s%$t you're into, if it's metal, it's metal, ya know?" Wise words from a hardened metal head.

I may not dress all in black, or wear studded silver belts or bracelets, this doesn't validate me as a metal head. I know that the 'uniform' is an important part of meatl culture, but it's just not my thing. Isn't metal music all about being your own person and fuck anyone else who doesn't like it? Well just because I don't dress in black Band-T's and wear studs doesn't mean Im not a metal head and fuck anyone who doesn't like it! I have all (minus 1) of my favorite metal groups records (Metallica, Im missing St Anger but Im not missing much) and I am an avid fan. Metal isn't just a musical taste either, it's a lifestyle. I live it. Metal music in the morning, on the bus, at jams with my band, before a big game, after a hard night at work, when I go to sleep at night. Metal isn't just music, it's a way for people to connect with eachother. Long hair and leather jackets are optional, though I wish I had long hair, I can rock the jacket and fuck anyone who doesn't like it :D.