a brief history of metal
DESCRIPTION
No one likes being misjudged; with some context, we can all understand each other a bit better. So, if someone mentions metal music and your mind jumps to hair spray abuses or evil clown lookalikes, join me as we discuss its rich history—really! We'll start with its influences (like Celtic folk and classical music), discuss its cultural and religious roots (not as terrifying as you might think), and see how 40+ years of success and misconception have led to a rich musical tapestry. You might not become a fan, but you'll definitely understand the world you live in just a bit more.TRANSCRIPT
a brief history of
metal
musicaltradition
1400 B.C.(Syria)
oldestsongever
Text
singlenotes(rituals & drone)
harmony&melody(scales & tonality)
dissonance&chords
Storytelling(& Drinking Songs)
“Celtic” MusicClassical (Art) Music
return date(“Y”) + 500;
distortionriffs&chords
The Kingsmen“Louie, Louie”
(by Richard Berry)
Dick Dale“Misirlou”
Pat Hare(Muddy Waters)
“I’m Gonna Murder My Baby”
Blind Willie Johnson(Howlin’ Wolf)
“How Many More Years”
distortionriffs&chords
50‘sblues&60‘sgarage
The WhoPete Townshend
The KinksDave Davies
The YardbirdsJimmy Page
The Rolling StonesKeith Richards
distortionriffs&chords
60‘sbritishrock
Iron Butterfly(Pace)
MC5(Feel)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience(Virtuosity)
Cream(Rhythm)
distortionriffs&chords
60‘ssongwriting
AC/DCDeep PurpleBlack SabbathLed Zeppelin
distortionriffs&chords
70‘sgodfathers
mostmeta(l)thingever
Adapted by making thimbles, using light
strings, and downtuning
Listened to Django Reinhardt (played with two fingers on
the fretboard)
Lost middle and ring fingertips of fretting
hand in a metal factory accident
mostmeta(l)thingever
tonyiommi
andthenthishappened
return date(“Y”) - 20;
50s&60s
counterculture
andthenthishappened
Inspired by Geezer Butler’s encounter
with a witchcraft book-stealing shadow
First song employs the tritone (diabolus
in musica) with a diminished fith
Renamed band from Earth to Black
Sabbath as homage to a ‘63 horror film
andthenthishappened
blacksabbath
if ( in_array( “Satan”, $counterculture) ) {
$counterculture = “Satan”;exit;
}
#amirite?
andthenwhathappened
counterculture
subculture
MotörheadMisfits
Iron Maiden
Judas PriestScorpions
Saxon
King CrimsonUriah Heep
Rush
Black SabbathAC/DC
Led Zeppelin
andthenwhathappened
70sdivergence(oversimplified)
2briefasides
Kiss was less metal,more shock/glam rock.
Ozzy ate a bat by accident.He was also an addict.
Also weird. But, not satanic.
andthenwhathappened
counterculture(again)
Van HalenGuns N’ RosesIron Maiden
MetallicaMegadeth
SlayerAnthrax
andthenwhathappened
80sacceleration(oversimplified)
Mötley CrüeBon JoviPoison
Def Leppard
American Hard Rock Big Four: Thrash Hair Metal
CandlemassPagan AlterPentagram
MinistryGodflesh
Nine Inch Nails
Black FlagBad Brains
Minor ThreatMisfits
HellhammerCeltic Frost
BathoryVenom
andthenwhathappened
80sacceleration(oversimplified)
DeathMorbid AngelNapalm Death
Black Metal Hardcore Punk Death Metal Industrial Metal Doom Metal
andthenwhathappened
well,now’s a good time to note:
unfortunately,
somestufflikethis :(
norwegianblackmetalcool tunes. weird scene.
mostly anti-religious,not always satanic.
wait.what’s with the face paint?
and all the anger?
complex historical reactions
+herd mentality
+other crimes
=some pretty bad PR
anyway
PanteraWhite ZombieMachine Head
Marilyn MansonFear Factory
Nine Inch NailsRammstein
Rage Against the Machine
KornSlipknot
MayhemBurzum
DarkthroneGorgoroth
andthenwhathappened
90sbranching(oversimplified)
Cannibal CorpseSuffocationAt the Gates
Napalm DeathBrutal Truth
Black Nu/Rap Death / Grind Industrial Groove
CoalesceBotch
Dillinger Escape Plan
ConvergeShai HuludHatebreed
andthenwhathappened
90sbranching(oversimplified)
Metallic Hardcore Mathcore
RefusedBorn Against
Battery
Hardcore Punk
KyussSleep
MelvinsNeurosis
Stoner & Sludge
ToolAlice in Chains
Deftones
Alternative
Gwar should be mentioned somewhere.
andthenwhathappened
Wolves in the Throne Room
LiturgyBehemoth
MeshuggahSikTh
TesseracT
MastodonBetween the Buried
and MeCynic
Dream Theater
Lamb of GodShadows Fall
Killswitch EngageUnearth
andthenwhathappened
00sbranching(oversimplified)
NileAtheist
DecapitatedAutopsy
New American Progressive Death “Djent” Black
Sunn O)))EarthJesu
IsisPelican
Cult of Luna
Despised IconAs I Lay Dying
SuffocationConverge
ThursdayCircle Takes the
SquareThrice
Underoath
andthenwhathappened
00sbranching(oversimplified)
Cephalic CarnagePig Destroyer
The Locust
Post-Hardcore Metal/Deathcore Noise / Grind Post-Metal Drone
2briefasides
Bands like Attack Attack! are less metal,more electronica with hardcore influences.
Bands like Emmureare less metal,
more hardcore withhip-hop influnces.
culturalassociations
The origin of the “Sign of the Horns” is in
dispute, but it likely doesn’t refer to Satan.
The origin of headbanging
is also in dispute and
old.
Moshing, pit dancing, crowd surfing, stage diving, wall of death.
questions?
bit.ly/historyofmetal