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glitter_n_goreHi There.
I mentioned this briefly on the Twitters, but basically the purpose of this blog series is to a) gush shamelessly about my favorite genre of music, and b) create a curated list of some less intimidating starter songs/artists to ease into it. I say "less intimidating" because much of the buzz around Metal seems devoted to Death Metal and Black Metal, and honestly? Those subgenres are not for everyone. It can push people away. And that is the last thing I want.
Metal comes in many different flavors--the aforementioned Death and Black Metal, but also Sludge, Doom, Power, Glam, Speed, Symphonic, Metalcore, Grindcore, Progressive, Industrial--and it takes some digging to decide which one is for you. They are as varied--and sometimes as divisive--as the many variations between New Wave and Emo. Woe betide the newbies and casuals who get it wrong.*
*Let the record show I think people need to chill out on the territorial hair-splitting here, but that's not what this post is about.
I am not going to get into ALL of the subgenres I just mentioned. But I want you to know what you're getting into. This territory is vast. Here be monsters. I'm just one guide of many, and we all walk very different paths. This is mine.
You probably already know this, but I do not listen to music by genre. What happens is I will get obsessed with a specific band and then go buy everything they've ever produced, listening to virtually nothing else for a solid six months. I don't check out other bands on their label, I will sometimes check out their influences out of curiosity, but often I'm just staying a fan of that one band.
So when I call myself a Metalhead, that doesn't mean I know all the things about all the bands. I just have more Metal in my collection than any other type of music (yes I counted), and a reasonable working knowledge of its history, trends, and evolution.
What we think of as modern Metal got started around 1968-69, but the seeds of what it would become were planted in the Blues era of the 1950s. The over-the-top theatricality and melodrama, the elaborate stage shows with lots of costumes and props and special effects, owe a lot to Granddaddy of Goth, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and 1956's "I Put A Spell On You":
You've probably heard this song before. Most people in my age group first heard Bette Midler's cover in 1993's Hocus Pocus. This music has been steeped in Occult lore and mystery for a long, long time. Hawkins used to start his performance by crawling out of a coffin and dressing up a Voodoo priest. You don't get more Metal than that. There's a reason people associate with genre with horror movies.
The early Blues influence is still there in the late 60s, which is when the ball really got rolling. Some fans start the clock at "Helter Skelter" by The Beatles, others at "Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf, but most agree that the first metal album was the self-titled debut from Black Sabbath:
That low, sludgy tone, the atmosphere that just sounds like doom, the thunderstorm and church bells in the intro--that's what Black Sabbath brought to the table. The darkness in the lyrical content and associations with the Occult that the genre is still either actively exploiting or fighting against--sometimes at the same time--got locked in with this album.
On the other hand, the complex melodies and emphasis on musicianship that you just can't find on Top 40 radio are thanks to this guy right here:
Sure, some Top 40 hits had performers who were masters of their craft, but that's not really what got them on the charts. Catchy hooks are fun and all, but most Metalheads are here for something else. Jimi Hendrix was a legend, and still considered one of the greatest guitarists who ever lived. Using distortion as an instrument and leaning into wicked-fast solos, especially during live shows, which you had to see because it just did not sound the same on the album, were codified by Jimi. Psychedelic rock branched off in a few different directions after this, and Metal was one of those branches.
Now, before I get to the 80s, which is where the Glam/Goth/Industrial/New Wave stuff came up (along with Hair Metal--don't worry, I am gonna talk about Hair Metal), one more artist deserves a mention for this formative era: Led Zeppelin.
"When the Levee Breaks" came out in 1971, which is where the Metal Era truly began to take root. Again, you can still hear the Blues influence in the mournful tone of the harmonica. The songs are getting longer, too. Way longer than the two-to-four minute radio friendly edits that were more common in Top 40 radio. That's by design. Metal is many things, but it is not subtle. We are now playing to an audience that is happy to listen to one groove for upwards of six minutes. Also: listen to that drum beat. Things are about to get LOUD.
I mentioned this briefly on the Twitters, but basically the purpose of this blog series is to a) gush shamelessly about my favorite genre of music, and b) create a curated list of some less intimidating starter songs/artists to ease into it. I say "less intimidating" because much of the buzz around Metal seems devoted to Death Metal and Black Metal, and honestly? Those subgenres are not for everyone. It can push people away. And that is the last thing I want.
Metal comes in many different flavors--the aforementioned Death and Black Metal, but also Sludge, Doom, Power, Glam, Speed, Symphonic, Metalcore, Grindcore, Progressive, Industrial--and it takes some digging to decide which one is for you. They are as varied--and sometimes as divisive--as the many variations between New Wave and Emo. Woe betide the newbies and casuals who get it wrong.*
*Let the record show I think people need to chill out on the territorial hair-splitting here, but that's not what this post is about.
I am not going to get into ALL of the subgenres I just mentioned. But I want you to know what you're getting into. This territory is vast. Here be monsters. I'm just one guide of many, and we all walk very different paths. This is mine.
You probably already know this, but I do not listen to music by genre. What happens is I will get obsessed with a specific band and then go buy everything they've ever produced, listening to virtually nothing else for a solid six months. I don't check out other bands on their label, I will sometimes check out their influences out of curiosity, but often I'm just staying a fan of that one band.
So when I call myself a Metalhead, that doesn't mean I know all the things about all the bands. I just have more Metal in my collection than any other type of music (yes I counted), and a reasonable working knowledge of its history, trends, and evolution.
What we think of as modern Metal got started around 1968-69, but the seeds of what it would become were planted in the Blues era of the 1950s. The over-the-top theatricality and melodrama, the elaborate stage shows with lots of costumes and props and special effects, owe a lot to Granddaddy of Goth, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and 1956's "I Put A Spell On You":
You've probably heard this song before. Most people in my age group first heard Bette Midler's cover in 1993's Hocus Pocus. This music has been steeped in Occult lore and mystery for a long, long time. Hawkins used to start his performance by crawling out of a coffin and dressing up a Voodoo priest. You don't get more Metal than that. There's a reason people associate with genre with horror movies.
The early Blues influence is still there in the late 60s, which is when the ball really got rolling. Some fans start the clock at "Helter Skelter" by The Beatles, others at "Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf, but most agree that the first metal album was the self-titled debut from Black Sabbath:
That low, sludgy tone, the atmosphere that just sounds like doom, the thunderstorm and church bells in the intro--that's what Black Sabbath brought to the table. The darkness in the lyrical content and associations with the Occult that the genre is still either actively exploiting or fighting against--sometimes at the same time--got locked in with this album.
On the other hand, the complex melodies and emphasis on musicianship that you just can't find on Top 40 radio are thanks to this guy right here:
Sure, some Top 40 hits had performers who were masters of their craft, but that's not really what got them on the charts. Catchy hooks are fun and all, but most Metalheads are here for something else. Jimi Hendrix was a legend, and still considered one of the greatest guitarists who ever lived. Using distortion as an instrument and leaning into wicked-fast solos, especially during live shows, which you had to see because it just did not sound the same on the album, were codified by Jimi. Psychedelic rock branched off in a few different directions after this, and Metal was one of those branches.
Now, before I get to the 80s, which is where the Glam/Goth/Industrial/New Wave stuff came up (along with Hair Metal--don't worry, I am gonna talk about Hair Metal), one more artist deserves a mention for this formative era: Led Zeppelin.
"When the Levee Breaks" came out in 1971, which is where the Metal Era truly began to take root. Again, you can still hear the Blues influence in the mournful tone of the harmonica. The songs are getting longer, too. Way longer than the two-to-four minute radio friendly edits that were more common in Top 40 radio. That's by design. Metal is many things, but it is not subtle. We are now playing to an audience that is happy to listen to one groove for upwards of six minutes. Also: listen to that drum beat. Things are about to get LOUD.
no subject
Date: 2020-05-11 02:14 am (UTC)The only one I had any idea was instrumental to what became metal was Black Sabbath. Time to go on a Jimi Hendrix binge in particular.
no subject
Date: 2020-05-11 03:12 am (UTC)