Heavy Metal

[Mouse]

The topic says it all: discuss the most underrated, most misunderstood genre in popular music.

[sleepy]

My husband insists that back in the day, Metallica was really quite good. I must say I don't get it.

So...what makes metal misunderstood? I'm genuinely curious. Is it because of the stereotype I have that you must be trashy to like it? Hey, I freely admit that's an unfair steroetype.

Then again, would good old-fashioned real rock from the 70s count as metal? Because if it does, well shit, then I guess I am trashy, too.

[Mouse]

When people think '70s metal, they think Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Deep Purple, Sabbath, et al. And all those bands made killer music; I think Purp is one of the most underrated groups of all time.

The '80s were a bad time for metal, thanks to all those craptastic bands who spent more money on hair care products than guitar strings.

[GirlyGhoul]

My husband insists that back in the day, Metallica was really quite good.

Yes they were. They were the Kings of all Metal. Still are if you close your eyes really tight and imagine the whole Napster fiasco never happened and there is no such album as St. Anger. I still love them.... but only because I have blocked those things out of my mind. I'm no longer the scary fan girl I once was, but I still have the Todd McFarlane Metallica action figures (with stage!) in my back room, and I have a cat named Hetfield. I also still answer "Master of Puppets!" when asked what album I would take with me if stranded on a desert island. Kinda scary to think I've had the same answer for 20 years- but there ya go.

On the overall subject at hand, I was SUCH a teenage headbanger back in the day. (The 80's, that is) Gods, it's amazing how important all things METAL seemed back then. I was completely emersed in the culture of it all. I was into the harder stuff (Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Danzig, et al) so thankfully I don't have any embarrassing Poison or Winger albums to come back and haunt me some day. I do have some hearing damage that continues to haunt me to this day, though.

Now, well I'm just an old fart, but I totally do not get this NuMutal that's out and about now. I can't keep up with any of the bands and they all sound the same to me. Sometimes when my older friends teenage kids come around, I let them break into my vintage vinyl and give 'em a spin. They think I'm the 'coolest adult on the block' for having this stuff, but at the same time, I'm always yelling at them to keep it down. (No more cranking it to '11' for this former metal chick). Plus, I just don't CARE anymore about it.

This one 13 year old girl who comes around is all into Motley Crue (which, yeah, I sort of used to be when I was her age). But now to hear this child wax poetic about these nasty NASTY men, it just grosses me out. Even though I too once used to wax poetic about the same nasty nasty men (Of course, when I was doing it, they were still young and thin and fairly hot). But now, I've just turned into MY MOM and say things like: "Your mom's right not to let you go to their concerts. You're really too young. In a couple years, when you're older, if they're still alive- maybe you can see them then."

I can't believe I actually grew up to think Tipper Gore had a good point with those warning labels!

[hobocamp]

I can't believe I actually grew up to think Tipper Gore had a good point with those warning labels!

I bought a tape of some reeeeally awful metal band that was just packed with obscenities when I was about 13. --Something-- Midgets. I don't remember. Anyway, it was so bad that I returned it to the store and told them that my mother made me do it because it was so offensive. I appreciated those labels at that moment. "But Mister, you sold it to me and I'm only 13! Isn't that illegal?"

[sleepy]

Ha ha ha ha! Hobocamp, that's great. I think those warning labels are an egregious relocation of parental responsibility, but way to work the system! Good for you!

[hamhock]

Would "industrial" count as heavy metal? Or should there be a separate thread? I loves me some industrial. But I loves metal too....SLAYER!!!!! \^^/ \^^/ (that's supposed the be the devil-horn sign that true metalheads make....)
I also love:
White Zombie
Rob Zombie
Metallica (old stuff)
Van Halen (David Lee Roth era)
AC/DC
Motley Crue's 1st and 2nd album
Corrosion of Conformity
Danzig
Megadeth

I like grunge too:
Alice in Chains
STP
Soundgarden

[underjoyed]

I would count "industrial" as metal, if only so that I can include my beloved Rammstein. I will also break out the Sabbath, Slayer, (old) Metallica, Megadeth and (old) G 'n R. I'm also fond of several ditties by Iron Maiden. When I first met mr. underjoyed, I initially dismissed him as an uptight bureaucrat in a three-piece suit. Then we bonded over a shared love of Anthrax and Suicidal Tendencies. Sadly, he's also partial to a little cheese metal (Cinderella, Dokken, Skid Row). As am I, but in a smugly ironic kind of way.

[venusdiva429]

Industrial. Ahhh, industrial. Wumpscut's "War" or "Kreig" is just exquisite. KMFDM is also amazing.

[ladymadonna]

Hee! I opened the thread thinking it was about the awesome MOVIE, Heavy Metal.

Silly me.

I guess I just can't appreciate the genre, because I like to hear the lyrics in the songs I listen to. And speed metal guitarists just seem so, formulaic to me, probably because every guitar guy I knew in HS idolized Eddie VanHalen, and Slash, and thus refused to give any cred to Eric Clapton, Jerry Garcia, Jeff Beck, Robert Johnson, Carlos Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughn, etc.