Welcome back to the Randomizer!
As many of you will know, I am quite the rock/heavy metal
fan.
Actually to be honest, it has been over ten years since I
properly immersed myself into the genre itself. From first listening to Within
Temptation's 'Angels' to having a big collection of albums from the likes of
the dreadfully under-rated Judas Priest (seriously as far as I know, they've
never headlined a big festival.......what the f***?) to Metallica's pretty
awesome concert with the late Michael Kamen, to Pink Floyd's magnum opus: Dark
Side of the Moon. Sometimes I wonder if I was born in the wrong year to see
these bands live! So as you see, I could say I live and breathe rock and heavy
metal (along with some other bits of music I'll add).
But then something interesting caught my ears. Otitis media.
It's a bitch of an ear infection. But another thing that caught my ears was
when I was listening to digital radio station Team Rock Radio a few weeks back.
Presenters Miss Rach and Dewsbury (yep, just accept it) promoted Classic Rock
Magazine with an interesting article inside with featured guest musicians about
a certain question:
Is Rock Dying?
Now on hearing that question, I can guess your answer can go
one of few ways:
1)
F*** OFF ROCK ISN'T DEAD!!!!! HOW DARE YOU SAY
SUCH A THING?!?!
2)
Well I've heard better stuff coming out of Nicki
Minaj. Now where's my hoe at? I need to explain to her how she needs me in her
life for her to stay.
3)
Rock music is just noise.
4)
Well, let me get just this out........(click,
gunshot)
5)
Erm........whatever
I think number 4 is the most plausible.
But it has raised some quotes from rock musicians. On the
Classic Rock Magazine website, Scott Rowley wrote a blog called 'Is Rock
Dying?' and has featured words from a number of band members. Primal Scream's
Bobby Gillespie said in a interview for BBC 4'S Review Show: "It's strange
in rock culture just now. It's kinda dead, I think. It's over". Echoing
that sentiment is former Buckcherry bassist Jimmy Ashhurst: "Rock n' Roll
has died, and nobody's really that pissed because we caught it in a box and can
look at it whenever we want."
Upon hearing those words, you get the impression that Rock
music is something that has, effectively, passed its sell-by-date. Something
nostalgic that can be reminisced about when we're all in our middle ages and
pensioner years. Yet there are still a good number of bands who are still
playing rock and heavy metal music today, still adored by old and young
generations alike, even if said bands are no longer playing together.
So.........is Rock and Heavy Metal TRULY Dying out?
What I'm going to do for this article is do and FOR and
AGAINST section, to see what points are valid and go up against each other in a
all out brawl to the death, with chainsaws, flamethrowers and anvils.
Let's not waste anytime!
Digitally removed are said chainsaws, flamethrowers and anvils.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Little Bit of History....
First, we should take a look back at history, to Elvis in
fact. When the mid-1950s came around, Mr. Presley was obviously the go-to guy
for this growing genre of Rock N' Roll, becoming an international sensation and
a rebel figure against the 'morally concerned' establishment. His influences of
gospel and early Rhythm and Blues in his work, along with what he did on stage,
effectively created the new genre in one fell swoop.
Hidden is Elvis doing the Devil's Horn Uh-huh-huh.
As the 1960s came around, the rock genre pretty much
exploded in Britain. First came The Shadows, the former backing band of Cliff
Richard, who released their most famous song 'Apache' in 1960. Then the Beatles
came along and the world pretty much ended after that. Screaming fan-girls (and
Jesus) followed them everywhere and kept them on the run for at least until the
end of the decade. Other famous bands that cropped up around this time are the
Rolling Stones, The Who and Pink Floyd whom despite tragic deaths, substance
abuse and the like, have continued to last and be remembered even to this day. In addition, certain rock guitarists started to make a big
name for themselves around this time too. Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton started
to make themselves known and, quite arguably, become bigger than the bands they
were in.
When the 70s came around, things had started shaking up. The
Beatles disbanded at the beginning of the year, and Jimi Hendrix died in his
apartment in the autumn. Musically as well, Rock started to take an interesting
turn, and more complex. Some bands went more heavy with the likes of Led
Zeppelin and Black Sabbath leading the pack, with such releases as Led Zeppelin
III and Paranoid helping to bring a different take on the genre. Some went for
a more softer and "glam"
approach, such as David Bowie and Fleetwood Mac with their respective releases
of Ziggy Stardust and Rumours becoming quite popular.
This was also the point where Heavy Metal became a genre in
its own right. Judas Priest is credited as the first band to so this, using
twin guitars and dropping the blues influenced sound that came in the first
place. These characteristics would change a part of Rock music forever.
WHAT DID I TELL YOU GUYS? THIS WAS AN AWESOME IDEA!
As the 80s came, things were shaken up again, more so then
ever. John Bonham, drummer of Led Zeppelin, died of a combination of alcohol
and pills, and Ozzy Osbourne was carving out his solo career, with the
legendary Ronnie James Dio taking his place as vocalist in Black Sabbath. You
could say at this point that Rock had been overtaken by its Heavy Metal
offspring, in three parts no less.
At the start of the decade, The New Wave of British Heavy
Metal started to grow as Judas Priest, Saxon, Motorhead and Iron Maiden began
to become international stars in their own right, using faster tempos and more
fantasy lyrics, definitely more so in the latter's case. In the middle came
Glam Metal bands like Motley Crue, Quiet Riot and W.A.S.P making up some ground
with new uses of theatrics and lyrics about teenage life. At the end (my only
friend), was the growth of the Big Four of a subgenre called Thrash Metal:
Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax. With their influences of the New Wave
of British Heavy Metal, they composed more faster tempos, incorporated politic
and social themes, and created a new branch of Heavy Metal at the same time.
Perhaps like almost fifteen years ago, Heavy Metal was
starting to branch out into different styles with uses of experimentation.
Nonetheless, it is important to see where such creative ways have led the genre
of Rock and Heavy Metal to. Particularly in Europe came the emergence of Power
Metal, where it still maintains great popularity to this day.
In the 90s however, Rock and Heavy Metal almost became
virtually superseded by the explosion of Rap and Hip-Hop Music. Despite the
record sales of Metallica's Black Album, the genre was slowly growing out from
the mainstream scene, and another called Alternative Rock went into its place.
American bands like Nivana, Pearl Jam and Jane's Addiction overtook the world
by storm. But British bands came back and 'Britpop' took over the Rock reigns.
Heavy Metal didn't obviously disappear entirely either, as
bands like Pantera and Machine Head rose to join the ranks. However, things did
get a little more interesting. In some parts of the world, it again was experimented
on and certain bands, particularly in Scandinavia and Britain, gave rise to a
new form of combining folk instruments, screaming vocals and paint. Thus a few
subgenres were born: Folk Metal, Black Metal, and Death Metal.
Metal's second home
At the turn of the century, an interesting new form combined
metal and rap lyrics together: Nu-Metal. Once more, Metal found its way into
the mainstream, with the likes of Limp Biskit, Linkin Park, Korn and Disturbed
taking up the mantle. However the revival didn't last long. Within half the
decade, Linkin Park and Disturbed had changed their styles somewhat
considerably, Limp Biskit broke up and re-emerged later this decade, and
Korn......well they're just Korn.
But despite falling away from mainstream ears again, Heavy
Metal has retained a great retinue, especially in and from America in the form
of 'metalcore'. Bands like Killswitch Engage, Trivium and Welsh suit Bullet For
My Valentine have become the focus bands in popularity, along with Avenged
Sevenfold and Slipknot, considered part of the New Wave of American Heavy
Metal.
As we come into the 10s, Rock and Heavy Metal are obviously
still popular today, but perhaps isn't as popular as we like to think. In my
experience at least, some people consider Rock and Metal to be 'noise' and have
no interest in it whatsoever. As well as that, consider the point that there
only two music channels dedicated to showing rock and metal music: Kerrang and
Scuzz. Perhaps in future things will look up soon, because Rock and Metal is
certainly not going away any time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So now you're full of the history, let's start proceedings
to see if Rock/Metal IS Dying.
FOR - Case of the Prosecution
Mr Edgeworth presiding
1)
There aren't many bands that are 'it' nowadays
Now what does "it" mean? "It" refers to
the next big band to break the bank and become well-known around the world, to
be playing at bigger arenas, bigger audiences and move onto greater things. That's
all fine and well for the Rock and Heavy Metal fans, but even then there are
those who you wouldn't think would have a bad word to say against a popular
band? Needless to say it can happen.
Let's look at the recent line-up for the Download Festival
this year. Avenged Sevenfold was announced as the first headliner for the
Friday night. Against the likes of the ever experimenting Linkin Park and
forever making love in the elevator rockers Aerosmith, their inclusion caused a
bit of bedlam. Fans were divided between whether they should be headlining the
massive gathering of moshers and headbangers. Some thought it was absolute
s***, others were more accepting of the fact.
Since the Download Festival started over a decade ago, it
has been headlined by some of the greatest bands to have walked the earth: Iron
Maiden, Metallica, Black Sabbath, System of a Down and Slipknot, to name a few.
These bands are what people consider to be "it" in Heavy Metal
circles, established for a few good years and delivering some quality music.
Iron Maiden have headlined the festival three times
Avenged Sevenfold, it seems in some people's eyes, are not
"it". Perhaps then it just comes down to opinion, how people view the
band and just as importantly how critics view the band. They have received very
good reviews for their sixth album, 'Hail to the King' from The Guardian
newspaper and Classic Rock Magazine. But looking back on their last two albums,
'Avenged Sevenfold' and 'Nightmare', they weren't so warmly received, by
critics at least, receiving 56 and 62 on Metacritc respectively.
Having those mixed reviews would affect the band's standing
in the world amongst casual rock and heavy metal fans, and divide people into
either loving or hating Avenged Sevenfold, regardless of the hardcore fans.
I'll admit I wasn't a huge fan of the band to start with, only hearing about
them with the onset of 'The Rev' James Sullivan's death back in 2009. Since
then, I starting from thinking they're ok, to liking them from what I have
heard so far. They are certainly a band that continues to grow, but some songs
do bug me. (If you're curious what they are, it's Bat Country and Beast
and the Harlot. o.o)
Awww come on man!
In comparison with Iron Maiden and Metallica's album chart
rating, they are only starting to pick up reaching the Number One spot, which
was last year with 'Hail to the King'. Now I know that for a lot of people, the
charts are not very important, that the music is more than ratings. But really
look at the consistency of those ratings. Metallica: 6 top five hits, 3 at
Number One. Iron Maiden: 11 top five hits, 4 at Number One. Really speaks about
popularity doesn't it? I know it's an easy comparison to make, but consider the
point that Avenged Sevenfold are still young and carrying on. Iron Maiden and
Metallica have existed for over a generation.
Taking a quick skim over at other metal bands, like
Killswitch Engage and Trivium. Could either of them be considered to be
"it" bands on par with Avenged Sevenfold? Again, I think there might
a good divide between them amongst fans if for example they were promoted to
headliners at festivals, all around on opinions. Yet looking at the reviews
they have received, they are more consistently rated good by critics. How other
people view them however, is obviously up for debate.
So then are they any "it" bands nowadays? It's
hard to say without going deep into the recesses of Rock and Heavy Metal.
Opinion from the looks of it can go a long way, along with the facts. It would
be wrong to say that the bands don't have any passion, because that's obviously
bull. But maybe there's a little something missing from them that stops us from
thinking 'These guys are on par with (insert big band here)', and think
'They're good, but I don't love them'. In my opinion, we might be waiting just
a while longer for that band to be "it".
2)
Rock and Heavy Metal is not mainstream now
On first thoughts, this does have a certain degree on truth
about it. Whenever we listen to the radio or see what music channels are on
sky, unless you have even a vague interest in rock or metal music, you are
listening to what is popular, or intended to be popular. As I mentioned above,
there are only two viable rock music channels on sky at all, while most other
content of the channels focus on pop, rap, dance, classic popular songs etc. On
radio too, there are only a few stations dedicated to playing just rock, a
select few being Planet Rock, Team Rock Radio, Absolute Radio Classic Rock and
so on. All those stations can be found on digital radio, not analogue.
When was the last time you heard a rock show at all on BBC
Radio? If you said 1993, well done, because that would be the Friday Rock Show,
presented by Tommy Vance. His show was claimed to have : "become an
institution, and he spent the next 15 years championing the world of rock on
the airwaves" (Team Rock Radio). His last ever show from that year was
played out live on Team Rock in December last year. Supposedly you could argue
that with the Friday Rock Show gone, the Rock Genre literally had nothing going
for it in terms of airplay. Interestingly, I have found that there is a Rock
Show on BBC Radio 1 every Tuesday night from midnight to 2 in the morning.
Whether that does well however, I have no clue.
Welcome to the BBC Rock Show with me, Daniel Carter.............HELP!
I think that since the 90s, any sort of time for Rock and
Heavy Metal music has been pretty limited from what I've listed above. With the
onset of Rap, R'n'B and Dance becoming the new mainstream and keeping that way
for a long time, Rock has found it a little difficult to find a good majority
of an audience who would be interested in listening, along with the number of
fans in existence now. It seems that the only way for rock and heavy metal fans
to communicate with each other is through digital means and magazines.
So in one way it seems that, yes, Rock and Heavy Metal are
stuck in a loop.
However it doesn't mean that the genre will die and
disappear into a nostalgic box for people to look at while bored. On the
contrary, thanks to the internet in particular, Rock and Heavy Metal still
lives to fight every day. On Youtube, we have a whole horde of videos from
bands to watch, or from fans who upload lyric videos, or images that go with
the song etc. That way helps people to explore new bands, or new people to hear
heavy metal music for the first time. In addition Amazon and iTunes allow you
to buy songs and albums online and keep on your computer/laptop as opposed finding
them in high street shops, where that likely hood is difficult.
No signs for the heavy metal fan yet.....
But really that is the only way to discover Rock and Heavy
Metal if you really get a taste for it. That is the problem I think. Without
much promotion from MORE outlets talking about Rock Music and going further
than that, young kids and teenagers simply won't take an interest at all,
instead listening to what is in their environment, what their parents listen
to, what is on the radio etc. There are some bands that will get a lot of
attention from people like Coldplay nowadays, but there are quite few bands in
between that will gain that sort of publicity that they do in the limelight.
3)
It's all noise/screaming/repetitive etc.....
Now this is something that can irk a lot of metalheads, and
it is understandable to a point. One girl I used to work with called metal
music 'just screaming'. Another woman I work with calls it all noise, and asks
me to switch on Heart FM to keep her happy and cheery. Countless others I think
will agree with them. But despite being a metalhead myself, I can completely
understand where they are coming from.
This concerns more with mainstream metal bands at the
minute, specifically......metalcore.
LARYNGITIS DOES NOT EXIST FOR USSSSSSSSS!! HAHAHAHA!
As I've mentioned above, Heavy Metal in particular has
become subject to experimentation and changes quite a bit. So much so that it
has developed its own little family tree! I had mentioned beforehand in my Get
Drunk and Listen to Folk-Metal article last year, Rock and Heavy Metal are not
as simple as Rap and Pop music, branching out into different subgenres (see
above in the history section to remind yourself).
In today's metal generation, Metalcore is still relatively
popular, with uses of screaming vocals, shredding and ridiculously fast riffs.
Killswitch Engage, Bullet for My Valentine, and Trivium are three of the
biggest bands to be part of this subgenre. Despite its popularity among Heavy
Metal fans, other music fans don't really give it a second thought, apart from:
"what is this, and where is the nearest window I can throw this stereo out
of?"
I'll be honest, I did agree with that concern of finding a
window too. Seriously, Metalcore was my Moriarty to the Sherlock of Power
Metal. They all sounded the same, screaming in the verses, singing in the
chorus, repetitive shredding etc. There was just something that didn't feel
creative or original at all, just emulating (coughcopycough) what another band
did beforehand. It was easy and obnoxious, especially with the screaming
vocals. If they can sing, USE THAT VOICE!
Nowadays though, my problem with it has loosened up a
little. Yes, they're still bands who can't be bothered with doing something
different with their lives. But I do see that I am starting to like the music a
little better, because like Avenged Sevenfold it's starting to grow on me a
little the more I listen to it. But I wouldn't go as far as being a hardcore
listener just yet.
YOU WILL BE TURNED BY MY VOICE!
I would also not go as far as that criticism is going to be
the final nail in the coffin. Metalcore is still a popular genre for people to
listen to and be enjoyed. BUT I do think it doesn't help if the Metalcore genre is
all that the casual music fan has heard to get an impression of Heavy Metal.
Yes, we know that Metalcore isn't the only subgenre of Heavy Metal, but that
casual music fan doesn't!
They won't understand how Heavy Metal has changed over the
50 years it has existed on this planet. They will be more concerned with what
evil-doing Justin Bieber is doing right now. You could explain to them who Jimi
Hendrix was and they won't have a clue who on earth you're talking about,
unless you're born in the 40s, 50s, 60s or 70s. This is a problem that needs to
be rectified where all interested parties are concerned, and it lies on us as
metalheads to do that.
In addition, because Rock and Heavy Metal has expanded into
different branches of its little tree, it has become more complex and creative
with the use of different instruments and expansion. Compared to the simplicity
of music in Rap, R'n'B and Pop songs, we don't really stand a chance.
We need to show that Metalcore or any other subgenre is not
just Heavy Metal itself, but a branch on how Heavy Metal has changed over the
years along with symphonic metal, thrash metal etc . Even if they won't care
and not understand where you're coming from, you need to show your
understanding of how metal has evolved over the years and what subgenre styles
have been developed in over 50 years, even if it's a metal subgenre you DON'T
like, and just hope they understand where you're coming. If they don't, try not
to be disheartened and think where learning about the difference between the
subgenres has taken you.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AGAINST- Case for the Defence
1)
Promotion promotion promotion!
Well this is a pretty obvious one. Promotion of the genre as
I've mentioned is limited at the minute, since it cannot really attain proper
national radio airplay (apart from Christmas), hardly many music channels and
only good use of the internet to actually listen to the bands. But we shouldn't
look at this as a negative thing, because at least there is something for Heavy
Metal fans to grab their dirty little mitts on. I'm grateful for such people in
their jobs to promote a great genre, and I'm sure many others would agree with
me.
WE CONCUR
One of the more usual parts of promoting a genre is through
magazines. Now there are a few dedicated to such delights, first one being
Kerrang Magazine, possibly the most well-known. It focuses on what's considered
mainstream in the genre, what gigs are playing in the week and has a number of
big interviews with those getting more attention in recent months. Another
popular magazine that I had come across a few times is Metal Hammer Magazine, a
monthly subscription more in line with Heavy Metal, focusing on popular and
different acts around the world. They hold all of features: Competitions,
Merchandise, even a link to their own YouTube page. So you can cream over Avenged Sevenfold singer M.
Shadows all you want! The third and final one I will tell of is Classic Rock
Magazine. You know what it focuses on? Robots! That and having all sorts of
features from all sorts of classic rock bands from ZZ Top to Deep Purple,
showing videos from new bands too, and has its own little blog site, where I had the idea to do this article.
That kind of promotion does help to create a good deal of
interest in what bands are up to, especially where the gigs are concerned. It
can also introduce you to the different subgenres that Heavy Metal has to
offer, particulary more so with Metal Hammer I would imagine, and new
interesting rock bands from Classic Rock Magazine. Both mags have a
subscription fee, so if you can't be bothered going into town, quids in from
the post office!
Postman Pat enjoys the works of Judas Priest, Saxon, Dimmu Borgir and Dying Fetus. Because Why Not Dying Fetus :P
Speaking of those two magazines, this is where the wonders
of digital radio come in. At the beginning of the article, I talked about Team
Rock Radio quickly. Now I'll go into more detail. Team Rock Radio has only been
around for over 8 months now, but it has quickly became my most listened to
station since time immemorial, listening to the likes of Moose, Mrs Rach and
Dewsbury (who is my favourite overall and should have the nickname Dewbacca.
Please?). But in addition, both Classic Rock and Metal Hammer have their own
magazine shows on week nights, the former presented by Nicky Horne, the latter
by the proclaimed 'Dark Lord' Alexander Milas (I think you'll I'M the dark lord
Mr Milas, ahem!). Expanding out to different media formats would have helped
bring in a new audience to listen and even entice them to buy the respective
magazines. I should know! However because its digital radio, it won't reach a
bigger audience than those on analogue radio. Maybe it's not a bad thing, but
I'm interested to know who would be getting a digital radio even after reading
this article? Anyone? No? You should. Just because. Seriously I do wonder
though. There is an audience obviously, but whether much more people will
listen to such stations is another matter.
Dewbacca certainly hopes so! RAWR!
The last format Rock and Heavy Metal get a good deal of
promotion is through music channels. Only two cater for the genre, Scuzz and
Kerrang!. Now I'm not going to say that's a bad thing that we only have two
channels to watch, because how else do we get our fix in the morning from our
hangovers? We get to watch a great deal of music videos, and see interviews
from our favourite bands. But compared to some of the other music channels like
The Box, Smashhits, Kiss etc, and the videos they show what's in the mainstream
or from the past, it's hard to tell how popular we are compared to them. Looking
at the different audience shares I have investigated, it's not easy to say how
much difference it makes.
That's probably the big word: Difference. Not just the
music, but how much promotion the genre actually gets in general. On the face
of it, it does look as if we get a good deal of it: Two music channels,
stations on digital radio, magazines, and obviously the internet. What's not to
like? But on the other hand, they are so far and few in between compared to
what else is on. The internet is for everyone else, we hardly get have any
airtime on national radio, and against other music channels it's uncertain to
tell. Effectively, we are the outsider in some respects because of good, but
still little promotion applying to the core Rock and Heavy metal fan base. I'm
not trying to be a mopey sod, but that is the fact on the face of things.
That falls in with how much Rock and Heavy Metal is not in
the mainstream. The genre has a good set of promotion, but since Heavy Metal is
not as popular as it once was, it's not enough to bring in more of an audience.
Not totally a bad thing because there is an established fan base, but it's
stuck in a sort of loop, unable to bring in more interested people.
Speaking of fan-bases....
2)
The fanbase is massive?
That's more intended as an obvious statement. But the Rock
and Heavy Metal fan base is of course massive. It's easy to say it's like that
with any kind of music. But having gone to festivals, gigs, listened to CDs
etc, saying it for Rock and Heavy Metal is an understatement of great
proportions. Without those CDs to air guitar to, without festivals to create a
mosh pit, without gigs to actually meet those bands out in the cold, where
would we be I ask you? Getting drunk, which isn't always necessarily a good thing.
The wrong meaning of plenty more fish in the sea
Ever since the 50s, Rock and Heavy Metal is a worldwide
institution, one that seems to transcend around all sorts of levels and age
groups. Unlike Rap and Hip Hop, it can be considered to be outside the norm,
something that seems alien and dark, yet is friendly and mental once you get to
know it better. In one way for some, it is like a friendship with yourself,
allows you to express your feelings and break everything in the living room,
which I don't advice doing.
There are so many reasons to love rock and heavy metal
music, but to do an entire list of them would be a bit mad. So you'll have to
settle for me discussing my main reason for loving metal. Simply put, I love
the music, the way the drummer beats the rhythm out, how the guitarist and
bassist shred manically, how the singer can belt out such a voice etc. There is
something that always entices me to enjoy the tune, to headbang until I get a
massive headache but thinking it will be worth it. In other ways with the
addition of different elements into the mix, such as the use of an orchestra,
it creates a different kind of atmosphere to appreciate, if not enjoy.
Speaking of different elements, it's a thought that despite
Rock and Heavy Metal, the latter more specifically, expanding into different
experiment elements like opera, screaming vocals, native instruments etc, it
has brought together a wide-ranging audience into its wing. I remember watching
a Nightwish documentary on their End of an Era DVD, called 'A Day Before
Tomorrow', covering the bands final dates on their 'Once Upon a Tour' tour. :P
tour tour. Anyway, it shows the band having a big following in Latin America,
specifically in Brazil I think, as they get some interviews there, Tarja Turunen
gets gatecrashed by fans to sign merchandise, said fans wait outside the hotels
to get a glimpse of them, it is fun to watch. It gives you an idea how
passionate metal fans can be, and less creepy then those *** ********* fans
(said band is blurred out because putting them in an article about metal is
just wrong).
In a strange sort of way as well, it does create a sense of
community as well, because we have something special to relate to. I know I am
not alone in this, for I have good friends from college who share the same
passion as me and enjoy their company greatly (even if one of them has bad film
taste and needs a good smack every now and then. Hi Scott J). Having friends like
that can be important because it shows that we are not alone, that we can find
someone with similar interests and beat each other up with good excuse to do
so. We can talk to each other easily about what we like, and introduce each
other to different subgenres of the genre without having blank looks in our
general direction. Not that we get blank looks anyway but you get the idea.
So of course the fan base is pretty big, and pretty sweet to
be a part of. We are passionate about our tastes and enjoy the music to our
hearts content. If you ever decide to come to a metal festival, feel free to
get pissed and mosh out. You won't catch me in a mosh pit for certain, but you
might find Aragon in there.
LEGOLAS! PLAY SOME SLIPKNOT MOTHERF***ER
3)
The Father, The Son and the Holy Dio
Remember that Heavy Metal family tree I talked about? Well,
maybe another reason why Rock and Heavy Metal will not die is because of the
different subgenres themselves. Ever since Judas Priest made those first
experiments to add twin guitars and drop the early blues influence, the genre has
evolved and grown into so much more, adding almost everything from Rap to
Classical instruments, to folk instruments to growling and screaming vocals;
the list goes on and on. It's like father and son because the older generation
influences the next. Also a Holy Dio would be awesome wouldn't it?
Bow to me
Let's think how much evolution has changed the heavy metal
scene. At the start of the 70s, the two bands Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin
used long solos on one guitar, slow drumming, different techniques with speakers
etc, to achieve a Pink Floyd style of surreal innovation. Especially with Black
Sabbath's Paranoid, we have pieces that are slow-moving and relaxing,
fast-paced and manic, starting out quiet, then building up and up into guitars
and voice, then back to slow again. I would say without doubt that Paranoid is
THE precursor to Heavy Metal overall.
Moving up to the 80s, you could argue that the decade was
probably the biggest for Heavy Metal, because it just never seemed to stop, and
continued to show off bands with new styles. From the likes of Iron Maiden to
Motley Crue to the onset of the Big Four, everything just evolved to faster and
faster drumming and shredding, sweet theatrics onstage, and great quality
music. Helped by the Monster of Rock festival in Castle Donnington racetrack
(where the Download Festival is now), the Heavy Metal heyday stayed long enough
to create lasting legendary moments.
The 90s may have been the time when Heavy Metal disappeared
from the mainstream, but the experiments continue long to induced a massive
hangover, only solved by more drinking and coming back for a nice hurrah at the
end. Folk metal had its origins with the band Skyclad's use of violins, paving
the way for future bands like Irish band Cruachan and the Finnish movement in
the early 2000s to use native folk instruments in their work. Black Metal had
its second wave courtesy of Norwegian bands such as Mayhem and Immortal,
bringing the growling vocals and double speed drum beats to the forefront. But
unlike the former, that wave brought with it a whole range of controversy, not
limited to murder and church burnings. I'm not joking. This is my serious face:
o.o. The final subgenre to grow at the turn of the century was Nu Metal, as the
likes of Slipknot, Limp Biskit and Linkin Park came into the limelight with
their combination of rap lyrics and metal sounds, bringing metal back into the
mainstream somewhat, more so I think with Linkin Park then most.
But after a few years in the 00s, Nu-Metal became slowly
unpopular and taken over by Metalcore. Along with use of the screaming vocals
during the verses and repetitive guitar riffs, there is more focus on emotive
lyrics relating to relationships with family or lovers, addiction, and so on,
reaching a more 'in your face' poetic muse as opposed to the fantasy lyrics of
the 80s. Though how popular Metalcore is can be frustrating to think about,
because I don't remember one of those bands reaching the heights that Slipknot,
Linkin Park have managed to achieve. Yes it could still be considered the
mainstream nowadays, but despite all the album releases and gigs, is it still
early days for such bands to be considered headline material for festivals?
Maybe so.
Going through the detail of how Rock and Heavy Metal has
changed over the decades, you get a sense of how metal has expanded into
different and uncertain territory. I say uncertain because if we think of Heavy
Metal as Play-doh, we can do whatever we want with it. We could add orchestral
elements, different vocoders, keyboards, faster drumbeats, a mewing cat, broken
objects, and a hell of a lot more. Once that happens, what kind of Heavy Metal
subgenre does it become? Something new or nostalgic? It is a creative process
to let bands do what they fancy changing up.
Quickly comparing creativeness to other genres of music, you
can see how less complex pop and rap can be. Their focus lies on an easy beat, using
either sampling more rock tunes or using digital means. It's creative, but
limited creativity because it doesn't allow an influx of difference to occur,
especially with Rap. Like with Eminem sampling Aerosmith's 'Dream On' or
Vanilla Ice's 'Ice Ice Baby', there are easy ways of using technology as
opposed to actually composing music. I had wondered in the past if it's a hard
thing to find different beats so production companies find solace in using
already composed music to ease their minds. I'd be lying if I didn't say I
found that a little bit lazy.
Pop music is more tougher, because it's a genre that's
probably meant to be easy listening and enjoyable, designed to have catchy
beats that stick in your head and annoy you to death. Hopefully you don't have
Bieber Fever for that. Could you imagine him being the last thing you hear? I
would shed a tear. Anyway, some pop songs can be creative and wet your
appetite, but I wouldn't expect any amount of complexity from them at all.
Heavy Metal is a complex business, but there is a certain
beauty to behold in what bands can do to bring in a wider audience. Those
experimental choices the bands make can help bring a lot of people together,
going back to my first point with the fan base. However much the music changes,
and it will undoubtedly, Heavy Metal will somehow always accommodate to people,
regardless of taste in one subgenre or the other. In doing that we are ensured
that enough fans can appreciate not one face, but the many faces we have on
offer.
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So going back to the original question: Is Rock and Heavy
Metal DYING?
Answer: No it's not, but it's certainly stuck in some sort
of vortex. That vortex is helped by people who can be a little ignorant of the
complexity of the genre, but still down to their basic taste in music. As well
as that, there aren't many bands that are considered "it" in today's
world, which in turn doesn't help to bring rock and heavy metal into the mainstream
as far as we know. But thanks to the big fan-base we have, the number of
subgenres we have, and from what media promotion we do have, it's not going to
die anytime soon. The genre is effectively stuck in some sort of circle, unable
to move forward, but certainly not in decline.
It appears then the future might just then be full of neutrality,
where everything will move at the same pace, same problems, same benefits.
Nothing will change effectively unless a few bands start off a chain of music
that appeals to EVERYONE that results in Rock and Heavy Metal coming into the
mainstream once more, or at the least give some understanding to what Heavy
Metal can be about. However I cannot see that happening for the foreseeable
future. Everything it seems will stay put, and perhaps not for the better.
What I would like to see is a good number of bands that don't
just break the mould, they shatter it and brings in a new greater generation of
fans that will have some memories of how great a Rock and Heavy Metal new wave
can be, that can take over the world all over again. I am hopeful that such a
thing will happen, but it is wishful thinking. The future is what we make in
our present. Heavy Metal needs a brighter present for the brightest years to
come.
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That's it for this month J
I hope you enjoyed this particular feature, and maybe your minds have been
opened that little more.
See you all in March!
Randomizer Out.
