The Norwegian Black Metal scene gives the whole thing a bad rep, for me.
Nevertheless, there are a few metal bands I like,
and I have written songs that incorporate some of that influence, though
not the Norwegian stuff.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Norwegian_black_metal_scene
Dave Lewis
Hamilton, OH
On Fri, Feb 19, 2016 at 10:50 AM, Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> I don't think heavy metal music should be taken too seriously, although
> study and discussion of the larger associated trends is always interesting.
> I've been banging my head to this great music since I was a Gen-X teen in
> 1980s suburbia. I always keep "Spinal Tap" in mind before making too
> serious a statement about it. In my opinion, the perfect expression of the
> metal attitude was Rhino's short-lived "Heavy Metal" box set. The packaging
> was modeled after a Marshall head amp, with the knobs going to 11, in
> homage to Spinal Tap. The booklet lovingly detailed the music and its
> artists (although I think way too much weight was given to alleged U.S.
> roots of the genre, which I consider invented in the UK and specifically by
> Black Sabbath, whereas the Rhino box views "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" as the
> root, which by the way was lovingly mocked by The Simpsons, ala Spinal
> Tap). My favorite sidebar in booklet is Ronnie James Dio's recounting of
> how he invented the now ubiquitous "hook-horns" gesture, adapting an
> Italian gesture related to Omarta. RIP Ronnie James, in my opinion the
> penultimate heavy metal vocalist. Unfortunately, too much modern metal
> forsakes the vocals, reducing them to unintelligible growling. One of the
> great things about "classic" metal is the singing and the crazy lyrics,
> which veer from downright laughable (sometimes intended to be) to
> run-for-the-hills scary. When I was in college, a nonsensical non-rhyme was
> known as a "David Lee Roth lyric," said more as a loving mock than a
> mean-spirited putdown. So, any potentially over-serious statements about
> heavy metal music must be taken with a pinch of salt and a shot of tequila
> (or can of beer).
>
> The Simpson take on "I. Ron Butterfly"
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlwtgaQZYDI
> "Wait a minute, this sounds like rock and/or roll!"
>
> -- Tom Fine
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Adam Jazairi" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Friday, February 19, 2016 10:23 AM
> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Heavy metal as world music?
>
>
>
> Well put, Tom. In my view, metal music has endless potential as a subject
>> of ethnomusicological study. Folk metal, which the blog post touches on,
>> just scratches the surface.
>>
>> On Fri, Feb 19, 2016 at 9:51 AM, Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Interesting blog post from the WSJ yesterday:
>>>
>>>
>>> http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2016/02/18/sample-five-heavy-metal-bands-from-around-the-world/
>>>
>>> Here is the related article:
>>>
>>>
>>> http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-weird-global-appeal-of-heavy-metal-1455819419?tesla=y
>>>
>>> I don't find it "weird" that heavy metal music, attitude and culture have
>>> a global appeal today. Metal is related to punk, but probably more widely
>>> acceptable because it is less overtly political. Both deal with rage,
>>> alienation, injustice, the same theme of fighting a perceived "machine"
>>> that goes back to Bartleby the Scrivener and back. There are many
>>> millions,
>>> perhaps billions, of people in this world who feel alienated,
>>> disempowered
>>> to varying degrees and chaffed if not enraged by it. Some music soothes
>>> the
>>> soul, some stokes the fires. Metal is more the latter.
>>>
>>> -- Tom Fine
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Adam Jazairi
>> Digital Collections & Preservation Librarian
>> Boston College University Libraries
>> (617) 552-1404
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
>>
>>
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