The history of Heavy Metal music (on Wikipedia)

[Fangface]

I guess some of you already know Wikipedia, a huge and free online encyclopedia where everybody can contribute.

Here's the general article for heavy metal music as we know it : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_metal_music

I don't necessary agree with everything written there but sometimes it's well documented (the references from 1962!) and since I'd like to do the same kind of article for the french version of Wikipedia (which has been a terrible mess without serious research so far), I plan on translating most of this article. Not everything though.
(Funny that they never make mention of "mallcore" Just kiddin'.)


So what are your thoughts about this article, its reliability, what to improve or change (if needed), what to retain, what to discard, etc. ?

I have some ideas, for example the way 70's Metal is described in the History part seems very incomplete IMO, but I'm sure you also have your own views (and facts, information must be neutral) concerning Metal history

 

[Electronicoil]

I actually think it's pretty well done. Defining any musical genre is a tarpit, usually. I've seen heated arguments on the definition of not only metal, but blues, jazz ... whatever.

I like that the author distinguishes the difference between metal and just hard rock. To many non-metalheads, "metal" is merely just very aggressive hard rock. Not true!

I could criticize the article 100 different very minor ways, but overall I think it's pretty well done.

 

[Hawk]

Its a bit thin on the 70s hard rock scene and development. No mentioning on the influence of Glam rock like The Sweet [Raven and other bands covered them], and the lively American and Canadian hard rock scene with bands like; Wiggy Bits, Montrose, Riot, Yesterday and Today, ZZ Top, Rex, Marcus, Legs Diamond Cactus, Ram Jam, Blackfoot, Cheap trick and Canadian bands like Rush, Max Webster, Pat Travers, George Marino and the Mahogany Rush, April Wine, Triumph, The Imps, Moxy, Trooper and many others.

I also miss a decent review of what the blues boom in the UK was back in '68. In depth stories of who the key players that were in that scene. The central role of the Yardbirds for instance. They had, at different times, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page as lead guitarist in the band.

The role of Cream is certainly bigger than what is being told here. Eric Clapton was the first big guitar hero. On the wall of the London subway you could read the famous "Clapton is god" slogan in 1968!

The NWOBHM seems to have disappeared from history all together!! Thrash and speed metal never happened and the link between the NWOBHM and thrash is never mentioned.

These are just a few first remarks of what bothers me about this 'history of heavy metal'.

Also the writer speculates endlessly were the term 'heavy metal' came from. Who gives a shit!

 

[Wyvern]

I have read some articles in Wikipedia before. I don;t take everything as the truth, but is good for a first approach IMO.

 

[Fangface]

Thanks for the input

Damn right Hawk, I will try to add a few more lines in my frog version about the blues-rock scene in UK
As for the link between NWOBHM and thrash, it's explained in the individual thrash metal page, but not in the general history yep. I agree with you that it should be in the "heavy metal music page" as well.
There's a more documented NWOBHM page by the way : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Wave_of_British_Heavy_Metal

 

[Wheezer]

I like this line:

"Further, in reaction to the "peace and love" hippie culture of the 1960s, heavy metal developed as a counterculture, where light is supplanted by darkness, and the happy ending of pop is replaced by the naked reality that things do not always work out in this world."

It could be organized a little better. It jumps around quite a bit rather than following a timeline. That might help it flow a little better. It reads like there were several authors involved and that could be why.

Oh, and the Stone Temple Pilots are not a Seattle band.

 

[The saYer]

One thing I didn't get. I thought exodus was the original thrash metal band, but it says there metallica, though it is using a very interesting twist saying that metallica started out during planning stages, while exodus is only documented until the whole band is formed. What is up with that?

 

[Greeno]

One thing I didn't get. I thought exodus was the original thrash metal band, but it says there metallica,

What about Anvil Chorus, were they not right there with them? I don't know really anything about them but I thought they were one of the first. They only released a single though... right?

 

[MURAI]

Meh, half-decent I guess and I read their metal articles a few times before already. Like what Wheezer have said already it could be organized better like the subgenre section for example. And it seems a little thin on the theme section. They could of gotten more into the romantist aspects of heavy metal and its anti-Judeo Christian themes.

I browse Wikipedia randomly and did a bit of editing here and there. I'll add some stuff on this metal article.

 

[Fangface]

It could be organized a little better. It jumps around quite a bit rather than following a timeline. That might help it flow a little better. It reads like there were several authors involved and that could be why.

Exactly, long pages in Wikipedia are usually written by different people at different time periods indeed, that's probably why it lacks a precise timeline and more coherent explanations.

@TheSayer : I agree, or at least I would say there were many "first" thrash bands around 81-82, and not only Metallica.
However this specific page talks about Metal Church being the first one, which sounds reliable to me : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrash_metal

 

[The saYer]

I am pretty sure exodus is the first. Does anyone remember some time ago that the official exodus site had as a title: the original thrash metal band.

I don't consider metl church thrash metal by any means.

 

[Hawk]

Well, labels can be tricky. There are philosophical books written and journals full of articles and debates about how to define correctly. I always considered Metal Church a speed metal band. Although I don't want that engraved in stone is you know what I mean.

I do know that Anvil Chores were pretty early with their pre-thrash style. I heard their first demo in 1982! My best friend was the chief editor of Hollands metal mag Aardschok and used to play their demo while we would go to some gig.

I wish I had taped that demo cause it ruled!! It was a collection of fast and heavy songs without vocals. And it sounded great. I later bought the "Blonds in Black single.

I am not saying that Anvil Chorus played thrash or speed metal in 1982 but I do think they were among the forerunners of those styles.

Some good info on the history of Anvil Chorus is here:

http://www.rockdetector.com/artist,501,rdbio.sm;jsessionid=917F163194F9AB2755A8EC09BDB88B0A.rd1

 

[Fangface]

I have some early Anvil Chorus demos somewhere, they had a keyboardist right? Or maybe that was a bit later...

As for Exodus ok I see what you mean SaYer, and I also think that Bonded By Blood is the first 100% thrash metal record. Still, early Metal Church was kinda thrash to me, and they started before Metallica. So, who knows...

 

[Hawk]

I have some early Anvil Chorus demos somewhere, they had a keyboardist right? Or maybe that was a bit later...

Indeed. That was a bit later

 

[JonnyD]

Cant forget Overkill! they Formed in 1981 in New Jersey/NYC ... as for Metal Church ... They Started out as Thrash I believe but their sound morphed into more of an American Power Metal Sound ... These guys along with Exodus and Prolly alot of other bands that went unheard are the Forefathers of Speed/Thrash and it is safe to say Metallica had their part but its not like they invented the genre all on their own

 

[Fangface]

^ Indeed JD, there's even a quite detailed Overkill page there :Spin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overkill_%28band%29