"Dedicated to the roots of thrash metal" 100 Questions with Head On Collision online!
- Thread starter Jim LotFP
- Start date
Some missed questions have now been answered and added to the interview, and a few answers have been expanded on. The new content is also here in case you've already read the full interview:
What are the ten most important printed publications in the history of heavy metal?
Tell me three truths about heavy metal.
My interpretation of the word "truthiness" is 'the feeling that something should be true, even if it is factually incorrect.' Give us three examples of truthiness in heavy metal that are hurting us.
Spirit. Inventiveness. Ability. Which is most important to heavy metal?
Well, the greatest bands possess all of the qualities, in my opinion. When I listen to a band, I like the band to be talented at their instruments. I'm not saying the guitarist has to be the best lead player, or the drummer has to do triplet rolls and all that, but the band should at least be talented enough to properly execute what it is they are going for. Spirit is of course important. Anyone can tell when a band isn't sincere. All the "ability" I just mentioned means nothing if the band isn't honestly feeling what they are into. Inventiveness is also very important, if you mean "inventiveness" like "great riffs" or "great drum rhythms," etc. All 3 are very important to me. When I put a song together I aim for all 3 qualities, along with other things, to be present when I hear the band play it.
Is heavy metal more of a philosophy, a lifestyle, or a description of music?
All of the above. It definitely is a lifestyle for the bands and the fans. Dragging your gear from town to town, spending endless hours booking, promoting, spreading your music, rehearsing and writing your music, getting in touch any way possible with other like minded people, hunting down your favorite band or a newest band rarest piece of merchandise, etc. That's a lifestyle, whether anyone thinks so or not. It's not something someone who is a Christian, a tennis coach, or a baseball fanatic would necessarily do. It is also a philosophy, because people involved with metal tend to philosophize about what makes the music/lifestyle good or bad and it is obviously a description of the music.
Is heavy metal more of a reflection of reality, or an escape from reality?
Both. When I grab my guitar, or throw on my favorite album, it is definitly an escape. Those are possibly the only times I can shut out any problem that is pissing me off or bringing me down. It can also be a reflection of reality. The anger and aggression of thrash for one. What drives a guitarist to come up with riffs that sound like that? For me, the best riffs come out during my hardest times. Some metal bands also have social/politcal lyrics that are a downright reflection of reality. Even the bands that don't write about realistic topics... they still paint a picture and I sometimes think they were inspired by more realistic things.
Describe how being heavy metal prevents a person from being a good citizen.
Well, peoples' definition of a good citizen may vary. You cant please everyone and why try? I don't really give a fuck what people think of me, and I guess you could say I've become desensitized to what is "a good citizen" because most of the time that description is shit! I believe in personal freedom, self-belief and someone having a sense of pride and knowing what is right for themselves. I have shut out the "judge and jury" type of "lifestyle" most people seem to have to taken. I don't judge others and if other people feel the need to judge me they can fuck off. A good citizen is someone that knows respect and I think for the most part that's all a metalhead asks for and that's what most give. Fuck society, stereotypes and any other judgmental bullshit that doesn't allow people to be themselves.
What are the ten most important printed publications in the history of heavy metal?
- Kerrang at one time. I had a subscription when I was a kid and I found out about a lot of important bands at the time.
- RIP- Also very informative in its early days. Talked about a lot of bands not mentioned elsewhere.
- FEH- An old newsprint zine that had great interviews with more underground bands as well as a few bigger (but still small) ones. They were located in Lawrence, Kansas I believe, and they always featured and reviewed midwestern bands. I miss that zine.
- Metal Mania- Was a little cheesy, but it had decent interviews and covered bands like Venom, Possessed, Slayer, Exodus, etc when they were in their formative years.
- Thrash Metal- I was 13 or 14 and this zine had all of my favorite bands in it and gave me the opportunity to check out thrash bands I had not yet heard of.
- Metal Maniacs- They don't always cover things I would like to be covered and they don't always interview bands I would like to see interviewed, but they do seem to genuinely support networking amongst metalheads, they review band's demos, which I think is a good thing for metal, considering this magazine does reach a lot of people.
- Metal Forces- Always covered and reviewed the bands I loved! It was a very reliable source!
- Terrorizer- I always thought this zine was one that fought to gets info to the hands of metalheads. In my area it has never been "readily available," but people would be selling them at shows and by any means necessary. Once again, networking. Always gets my respect.
- Creem- A magazine that went to absolute shit, but I think it really helped move things along in the early days.
- Snakepit- Every issue of this zine is a complete history lesson! Very deep, detailed and interesting interviews from start to finish in every issue. I feel no other zine documents the history of metal better! I feel it is very important to any metalhead who missed the 80s.
Tell me three truths about heavy metal.
- Dedicated fans often incorporate metal into their lifestyle, or you could say it becomes their lifestyle. This lifestyle has a very significant meaning to people, which sometimes opinions and facts can vary from fan to fan.
- There are also many "occassional fans" of metal, that don't generally tend to adapt or associate themselves with the lifestyle or the scene itself (other than attending shows and buying CDs/merch.)
- Metal's history is a part of rock and roll's legacy. Although the media tends to ignore it, facts and sales of merchandise do not lie. While other rock and roll related music scenes come and go, or survive but never prosper, metal continues to grow, influence, inspire and even recreate itself and its ideals to a certain degree.
My interpretation of the word "truthiness" is 'the feeling that something should be true, even if it is factually incorrect.' Give us three examples of truthiness in heavy metal that are hurting us.
- Well, a newcomer to metal doesn't always pick a "truthy" band to like right off the bat. Their exposure has been limited, and sometimes we metalheads (me included) will call them "poseurs" and what not. This can tend to be counterproductive for getting more people involved with metal, but at the same time, only the strong survive I guess.
- Using the word "true" can tend to be a false description. Overuse of the word can tend to dilute its meaning. While trying to come up with reasons for this I started to think what IS actually wrong with being "truthy?" Its the lame stuff record labels are pushing in metal these days that are pissing me off. A little authenticity would be nice for once. But at the same time...
- It tends to flood the scene with all these bands that are "true black metal, etc." hundreds and hundreds of them. Are all of them good? Fuck no! Are they all "truthy"? NO!
Spirit. Inventiveness. Ability. Which is most important to heavy metal?
Well, the greatest bands possess all of the qualities, in my opinion. When I listen to a band, I like the band to be talented at their instruments. I'm not saying the guitarist has to be the best lead player, or the drummer has to do triplet rolls and all that, but the band should at least be talented enough to properly execute what it is they are going for. Spirit is of course important. Anyone can tell when a band isn't sincere. All the "ability" I just mentioned means nothing if the band isn't honestly feeling what they are into. Inventiveness is also very important, if you mean "inventiveness" like "great riffs" or "great drum rhythms," etc. All 3 are very important to me. When I put a song together I aim for all 3 qualities, along with other things, to be present when I hear the band play it.
Is heavy metal more of a philosophy, a lifestyle, or a description of music?
All of the above. It definitely is a lifestyle for the bands and the fans. Dragging your gear from town to town, spending endless hours booking, promoting, spreading your music, rehearsing and writing your music, getting in touch any way possible with other like minded people, hunting down your favorite band or a newest band rarest piece of merchandise, etc. That's a lifestyle, whether anyone thinks so or not. It's not something someone who is a Christian, a tennis coach, or a baseball fanatic would necessarily do. It is also a philosophy, because people involved with metal tend to philosophize about what makes the music/lifestyle good or bad and it is obviously a description of the music.
Is heavy metal more of a reflection of reality, or an escape from reality?
Both. When I grab my guitar, or throw on my favorite album, it is definitly an escape. Those are possibly the only times I can shut out any problem that is pissing me off or bringing me down. It can also be a reflection of reality. The anger and aggression of thrash for one. What drives a guitarist to come up with riffs that sound like that? For me, the best riffs come out during my hardest times. Some metal bands also have social/politcal lyrics that are a downright reflection of reality. Even the bands that don't write about realistic topics... they still paint a picture and I sometimes think they were inspired by more realistic things.
Describe how being heavy metal prevents a person from being a good citizen.
Well, peoples' definition of a good citizen may vary. You cant please everyone and why try? I don't really give a fuck what people think of me, and I guess you could say I've become desensitized to what is "a good citizen" because most of the time that description is shit! I believe in personal freedom, self-belief and someone having a sense of pride and knowing what is right for themselves. I have shut out the "judge and jury" type of "lifestyle" most people seem to have to taken. I don't judge others and if other people feel the need to judge me they can fuck off. A good citizen is someone that knows respect and I think for the most part that's all a metalhead asks for and that's what most give. Fuck society, stereotypes and any other judgmental bullshit that doesn't allow people to be themselves.
The answers concerning black people in metal have been quite unreflected so far, I think. While there are definitely more whites into "black" music such as rap, metal is not the monopoly to white boys. I'd like to point to some musicians as well: DePena from Hirax, The guy in Cyclone Temple, Steel Prophet's bass player... Saying they haven't discovered it yet sounds a little like "look, the bushmen are about to disclose the secret of fire-making"...
Occam's Razor said:
It's definitely not a "white boy" thing... look at all the hispanics in metal. Absolutely huge representation there. But blacks are way, way under-represented, at least amongst US metal bands, when compared to the general population.
don't forget Black Death!!! i wasn't implying "no black people are into metal." i was speaking of the majority of young people.
DBB said:
Exactly, that was his name - also the man with the best-trained wrists when it comes to rhythm guitar playing...who are Hetfield and Shaffer?
DBB said:Auburn Records out of Cleveland should be releasing a double CD of what I am assuming is all their material sometime this year.
there's a live bootleg floating around...great sound quality. i hope its a part of this release
