Metal Gives Your Emotions a Voice

This great column just appeared in the New York Times:

http://happydays.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/dance-with-the-devil/?emc=etal

Not only does it highlight how one man has found metal to be a saving grace during a difficult time, but it also shows us how many people are unaware of what metal music can offer.

I liked the fact that this writer was previously a non-metal fan, and suddenly he "gets it".

The emotions in metal music span rage, anger, aggression, hedonism, determination, desire, power, chaos, sorrow, joy, and innumerable other words. Until you tap into the emotional power of metal music, you won't understand its appeal. And once you do - there's no going back!

"Headbanger's Journey" not my journey

I was so excited when The Lady of Loudness loaned me her copy of "A Headbanger's Journey" last week. I had visions of watching the film and saying, "Yes! That is what I'm talking about! I can relate to this so much." I had an evil plan that I would loan the movie to my mom. After seeing it she would better understand what her kid was going through in high-school years ago. She would apologize for making my music such a big deal. She would feel awful about thinking I was signing up to join Satan's army.

Boy, was I shocked when I saw this film! This movie depicts everything that is negative about metal culture. After seeing this I am embarrassed to call myself a "metal head". The problem is that too many genres fall under the category of "heavy metal". To me metal is the stuff I love, ie hard rock, power metal and progressive metal, even a bit of glam is fine. But to lump death, dark, and black metal into the same category is plain wrong. This really bugs me. I hate going into a music store, hitting up the Heavy Metal section and seeing all the death stuff in it's weird un-readable fonts right next to my Judas Priest. Or even worse... the Priest stuff is now in the "Rock" section. What the heck?? My genre has been hi-jacked by this ridiculous zero-talent noise.

The hardest stuff I ever got into was Megadeth and Anthrax, so I never cared for the death/growling stuff. After seeing this film I am reminded why. If I was a parent and my kid was into that stuff I would be scared too. Wow... now this is a strange turn of events. After all this time I am now seeing things from my mom's point of view. Maybe she wasn't so wrong after all. If I had gotten into the harder stuff who knows? Maybe I would be living in Norway burning down churches and listening to really crappy music.

Expensive Tickets and the Metal Soul

If you want to find out what has happened to the concert industry, take a look at radio. The consolidation craze of the late 90's killed radio's heart and soul. The corporation I will refer to as the "Evil Empire" (CC) is the 800-pound gorilla in the music industry - radio, of course, but also concert venues and a number of advertising channels.

The Evil Empire took over the concert industry after they were well on their way to ruining radio. Ticketmaster and LiveNation are the two main heads of this corporate hydra.

I've enjoyed seeing many of my favorite 80's-era metal bands lately. Most of them have been reasonably priced, although I was willing to shell out more dollars to see Judas Priest since they are my favorite band. But especially with the "has-been" 80's bands, it makes more sense to price the tickets low so more fans will support the band and enjoy the nostalgia trip. I saw Slaughter a couple weeks ago at the Grizzly Rose, and the $20 price was perfect - two great opening bands, plus a super show by Slaughter. It was an awesome night.

However, other 80's bands aren't as kind to their fans. The case in point is Tesla. $40 for a ticket to see them at a second-tier venue in Denver is outrageous. I mean, they have some good songs, but they're certainly not on the level of Judas Priest or other top-name bands. Slaughter was a bigger name than Tesla back in the day, and a ticket to their show last month cost half as much.

I think overpriced tickets are an affront to the soul of metal. Metal is all about going against the norm, "sticking it to the man", and appreciating your fans. Charging fans too much for a show is just another form of selling out and broadcasting to the world that you're really only in it for the money, not the music. I would think LiveNation takes most of the blame for high prices, but you have to wonder if the band is involved too. Unless you're a top-level act, charging a high price for a ticket makes you look like a poser.

We need more independent music venues and metal bands who care about the music and their fans, not the money!

Confessions of an Aging Metalhead

I saw Judas Priest in concert last week. It was weird to be reminded that 20 years have passed since I last saw Priest with Rob Halford.

This concert was a bit symbolic for me. Priest was one of the first bands I ever saw in concert. Now since I recently reclaimed my metal-self, I go to see them again... at the same venue no less. When I arrive at the parking lot of Red Rocks Amphitheater I am instantly transported back to 1989, metalheads tailgating, blasting Priest from car stereos. But something is strangely awry. Everyone is old!! Most of the long haired guys are now short haired accountants and dads. Most of the ladies are dressed in jeans and T-shirts, just normal everyday clothes- no more spandex and big hair. (Some things change for the better.)

I recall where I sat the last time I saw JP. Crap, I was 17 years old. My whole life ahead of me. Now here I am completely enthralled in Rob Halford's voice once again. He sounds the same. When I close my eyes I feel like that 17 year old girl once again. But then I open my eyes and see an aging Halford limping around the stage. I don't know weather I am happy or sad.

I am sad because my favorite bands are aging right along with me. If Judas Priest are pushing 60, how many more years of touring are let for them? What defined my youth feels strange now. I want to remember Rob from 20 years ago, and I feel bad admitting that to myself. I start thinking about Rob and I wonder if he is sick of singing "You Got Another Thing Coming". Are Glenn and KK tired of doing the same guitar stuff over and over year after year? I would be if I were them, but then again, they've never known anything else, so maybe they are fine with it.

I feel happy because my favorite band is aging right along with me. There is something admirable about these classic dudes coming on stage and rocking it STILL after nearly 4 decades. Their sound is still amazing and I don't ever remember enjoying KK's playing as much as I did last week. Seeing him was a delight I never noticed before. So maybe that's the key to this aging thing. As time passes, we can learn to appreciate what was, but notice and come to love new aspects of the present time. I will always love Judas Priest. I have such a history with that band on many different levels. They defined the 17 year old me, but they are still a part of the 37 year old me. Priest ushered in at least 2 generations of newer metal music. They were the fathers. Now they are the grandfathers. That makes me feel both happy and sad.

What's Your Type? The Metalhead Personality

Many people have assumptions about metalheads - they think that all of us are male, white, long-haired, tattooed, smokers/drinkers/druggies, leather-clad, and tough and mean. While there are certainly biker-types who are into metal, that's hardly the whole picture of the broad range of metal fans.

I think metalheads come in two main categories - those who express the music externally, and those who keep it internal. I'll try to explain this.

The external types are those who look and act the part of the angry metalhead. These are the ones who tend to fit the stereotype. They express the music into the world around them through wild partying, fast cars and motorcycles, and a certain anti-establishment attitude.

But lesser-recognized are those of us who keep the music inside and use it to paint our rich internal world. We're the ones with the professional outside appearance who blast Iron Maiden in our car. We have the old concert t-shirts hidden in the back of our closets. Metal becomes an expression of what is felt inside, but it's rarely taken into an outward expression. Our tattoos are hidden under a suit or dress.

What is the internal personality of a metalhead? It varies by person, but I think a couple of the underlying themes are a lust for life (the "party all night" attitude) and a desire to overcome obstacles (the "up-yours" attitude). Some use metal to channel anger - others have it as a basis for passion of all types. It's music that makes you feel alive and powerful.

Metalheads can't be lumped under just one stereotype. We just love the music!

The Musician and Money

A lot of talk is brewing on a musician's forum I frequent. Musicians are complaining about not being paid for their gigs at bars. Musicians are wanting to be paid for their time.

There's nothing wrong with an artist WANTING to make some money. But there is something wrong with the way many are going about it. Let's face it, most musicians aren't going to make millions. Unless you're in that top 1%, you probably have a day job and only dream of being a full time musician. But when I go to a bar to check out your band and the only other people there are friends and family and...you want to be paid, you need a reality check. BIG TIME.

Sorry, but an A&R rep from a major label probably isn't going to discover you in a dive bar and offer you a deal. Furthermore, just because you have a myspace page doesn't add to your legitimacy.

If you are a musician and you want to "make it". It is UP TO YOU to make that dream happen, not your fans, not your label. You may not have the skill set for this because you're used to playing music, not marketing and selling. But here's the thing. In this day and age you must must must become a business person FIRST and a musician SECOND.

Here are the top skills you must master to make it out of the "starving artist" lifestyle. (and you should learn these skills, because you're better than that!)

1. Sales 2. Marketing 3. Connecting with Fans

If you can get a strategy for these three area, I guarantee, your odds of quitting your day job increase 200%. So get out of those dead-end bars and enroll in a sales class already!

Here are a few other resources to get you going: Digital Music Summit lecture on successful business models for musicians

Using social media to grow your fanbase

The Depths of Pain

Music is one of the methods by which one can express an incredible range of emotions. One of those is sadness and pain.

Having recently been through a breakup, I've been using music to help me through the rollercoaster of emotions. From sadness to anger, it's all there. I'm sure there are people who get through things using other methods, but for me music is the best expression. Since I'm not a musician I have to find the bands and singers who say the words for me.

Metal music covers every emotion imaginable. For sadness, one of the best expressions is found in "November Rain" by Guns 'n' Roses. Slash's screaming guitar solo is a heartbreaking cry of anguish. Axl's lyrics express pain and loss. I've been listening to this song to help me process the grief.

Anger is covered by numerous bands. Metallica's album "Kill 'Em All" is pure anger. The aggression and fury pouring from both the music and lyrics is cathartic. Static-X and WASP also bring the fury. Loud volume is a requirement when listening to these songs.

There's even hope to be found in some music. Nobody brings the party like AC/DC. It's impossible to feel sad when listening to something like "Back in Black" or "Let There Be Rock". "Back in Black" in particular has the up-yours attitude that focuses on life rather than death. Metaphorically it speaks to me as affirming survival through loss.

Judas Priest in particular covers the entire range of emotions. From the hopeful "Heading Out to the Highway" to the sadness of their cover of "Diamonds and Rust", they've got it all.

Once again, I'm saved by metal.

Aging Doesn't Mean Rusting

Time sneaks up on us. One minute we're in our teens and 20's, the next minute a decade or two has flown by. It's easy to lose track of time.

Our culture is so youth-oriented. I think it's gotten much worse over the past few years, with the rise of Botox, plastic surgery, and so on. It's ridiculous. There's no way you can remain 25 for the rest of your life. If you have enough money, you can hire the right doctors and surgeons to create the illusion of youth, but at some point it just ends up looking fake (and lame).

In the metal world, youth is worshipped too. But aside from the obvious physical challenges that come with age (loss of hearing, diminished muscle tone and strength, etc.), it's also an attitude problem. I mean, why do some people act as if there's some "magic age" at which you have to turn off the Metallica and start listening to Celine Dion? Give me a break! Metal music is ageless.

Recently I had the privilege to see Anvil's movie. I loved it. One of the things that really struck me is that these guys continue to rock, HARD, in their 50's. They're great - fun, loud, heavy music. But I know there are those who would judge them strictly on the age issue. That comes across in one scene where they're discussing their new album with a record executive. He's obviously very skeptical about the marketability of a metal band that has two members in their 50's. In my opinion, he's missing the point - the music. (Oh, and Robb the drummer - yow!)

My main thought is that you should always stay true to who you are. That includes musical taste. People that judge metalheads based on their age, or waistline, or whatever, are idiots. The music transcends it all. Who cares if you have more years, or wrinkles, or gray hair, or pounds than you did when you were rockin' out at concerts at age 20?

There are many examples of kick-ass rockers in their later years - Rob Halford, Ronnie James Dio, Anvil, Girlschool, Iron Maiden, AC/DC - the list goes on. Anyone who thinks metal has an expiration date can eat it - Metal is forever, no matter what your age!

A Touch Of Evil

I will never forget seeing Rob Halford on the defense stand. MTV covered the controversial case everyday during its duration. Rob looked so sad up there on the stand. He looked confused, like "Why am I here? Why am I being blamed for this?" You probably remember this scandal. Judas Priest was sued for having subliminal messages in one of their songs which encouraged 2 teen boys to kill themselves (one of them did, the 2nd died a few years later). When they played those tapes with the supposed evil message, I couldn't believe it. I didn't hear a thing. I don't see how anyone could hear a thing. Not only that but the evil message was supposedly, "Do it." Ummm, do what? Even if that message DID exist it could refer to pretty much anything couldn't it?

This ordeal and several others going on at the time remind us just how scared people were of heavy metal back then. People outside of it were terrified and were certain their children were being whisked away to hell. I know all this really impacted my teen years and made them hell for me! My very Christian family was certain I was becoming a direct channel of satanic communication through my beloved music. I'm sure others of you can relate.

Now when I think about that Judas Priest trial I cannot even believe it happened. It all seems so silly now doesn't it? I wonder if the people involved in these accusations feel just a little ridiculous looking back on it. I dont' believe the whole subliminal message thing would ever get to court now. On the other hand, "moral superiors" have always been at war with music. Elvis, the Beatles, they were the evils of their era. It was metal in the 80's and rap in the 90's. There always has to be a scapegoat for moral backsliding. What shocks me is the length some people will go to to create their story. I mean, subliminal messages saying "Do it"?? It makes me wonder what will be next. I hear video games are pretty evil these days.

Why must we have this concept of "evil" anyway? I think because western society is based on an "us verses them" mentality. This is the very essence of western religion. Evil exists and it is our duty to be saved from it and to rid the filthy world of it. When I heard the recent story of the boy being expelled from his Christian school because he attended a dance, I was reminded that humanity hasn't changed much in the last 20 years. They are still pointing their pious little fingers at music and they probably always will, even though in hindsight they will all look pretty darn silly.

Metal and Radio

Commercial radio has always been about revenue - getting the highest return for advertisers. It's no surprise then that commercial radio has traditionally ignored metal and hard rock (more about that later). But even non-commerical radio has shied away from metal shows.

I did my first on-air show for a non-commercial station the other night. Yes, it was a metal show. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the first metal show they've ever aired. I chose the bands and songs very carefully, mostly to avoid the restricted lyrics, but also to make sure I featured a very diverse list of bands and songs you would never hear anywhere else.

This made me consider why radio has always had such a disdain for metal and hard rock. There's the obvious reason of profane lyrics (including the dreaded "seven words you can't say over the air", courtesy of George Carlin). I suppose the station managers don't see much ad revenue potential beyond beer and motorcycles. That's rather shortsighted.

The "classic hard rock and metal" format is probably the easiest sell. The prime example is the popular "Nights with Alice Cooper" show, featured on numerous mainstream commercial stations. I love this show. Alice Cooper cracks me up, and in between the stale classic rock he features some obscure metal bands and cuts. Believe it or not, he's even played bands like WASP and Krokus. There are other "classic" syndicated shows out there, such as Dee Snider's "House of Hair". It's been nice to see these shows gain widespread acceptance. You wouldn't have seen these types of shows even ten years ago.

Power metal and European metal is very rarely heard on commercial radio in the U.S. I would guess it gets some airplay on college stations. I think the main reason is that this style of metal is not well-known in our country and you have to really know the genre in order to learn about the bands and find out about new releases. It's a shame because there are some talented musicians out there. Europe has always been more supportive of the metal scene than the U.S. Even during the grunge years in the U.S., the traditional metal bands maintained their following in Europe.

Death metal is not on commercial radio for the profanity reason, but also because of the dark and "non-P.C." messages inherent in many bands' songs. I can't imagine how one would sell a death metal format to advertisers. It might work as an overnight "niche" show in an overall hard rock and metal format, but never on a commercial station.

Stoner/desert metal and doom have other barriers that prevent them from being on the radio. The length of many songs is a barrier for this genre. Most stations would not feature a song that plays longer than maybe five minutes, and some of the best stoner bands have songs that can top six, seven, even eight minutes. I did feature a few stoner metal songs on my show, but the longest was around six minutes. I can't imagine a commercial station doing that.

Perhaps satellite radio will be the medium that finally breaks many of these talented outsider bands to the general public. Satellite radio seems to be the only place that allows niche shows and places fewer restrictions on what can be played. Commercial radio is probably never going to turn a friendlier eye to metal other than the syndicated shows I mentioned earlier. At least there are still non-commerical and college stations that allow this music to be heard.

Being a Rock Star is Not Enough- part 1

We all know the music industry is changing. Some people claim it is falling apart. Others see opportunity for positive change. I think musicians should be thrilled with what is happening. Finally the locus of control is leaving the record companies and giving it to whom it rightfully belongs, the artist. However, quickly fading are the days of rock stars being babysat by their managers and hand-held by their record companies.

In order to survive these days being a musician in a rock band is not enough. Musicians must see their band as a business and run it as such. Like no other time in history, musicians must learn the ways of marketing, promotions, and PR for themselves. Some artists are catching on fast and using the changing times to their advantage. Radiohead and Trent Reznor come to mind. They've seen tremendous success by releasing albums on their own without a label. Even no-name bands are using the concept of "tiered pricing" when enticing potential new fans with more than just a cd or an mp3 download.

Twitter is another powerful tool. I'm surprised more bands aren't using it. It's a great way to connect with fans. This tool allows the artist to be "more human". What I mean is the days of the untouchable rock star are fading fast. People want to see the artist for what he/she really is. Not some fabricated larger-than-life rock god that no one can relate to.

Sebastian Bach and Slash are a few examples of artists making decent use of Twitter. They share things about what they are doing in their day to day life and we can relate to them and we become invested in them. We are more likely to check out their new album because they have stayed in the front of our minds. They don't let us forget about them. Duff McKagan is also using Twitter right. He does contests, ticket giveaways, and arranges backstage meet-and-greets through Twitter. It is a very powerful marketing tool.

The concept of the big record company is gasping for air on its deathbed. Artists are being left to fend for themselves. But if they learn the necessary skills of "running a business" I declare this can be the best thing that every happened to them.

Sometimes You Just Have to Laugh

Metal is usually thought of as a very serious style of music - some even consider it threatening or evil. Some styles of metal are highly technical and require a high level of musical talent. However, there are a handful of metal bands, some of which have highly talented players, who are able to have fun with their music and make us laugh.

A few of the more well-known bands are Spinal Tap (who is releasing a new album soon), Gwar, Tenacious D, Green Jelly, Dethklok (death metal), Dragonforce (power metal), and Scatterbrain. Parody and tribute bands exist in nearly every major city. New York boasts King Hell, a comical metal band who manages to sound somewhat like Glenn Danzig channeled through 80's rock. Los Angeles has Metal Skool/Steel Panther, which has a strong and established following. All of these bands feature talented musicians who bring humor into their lyrics and stage shows. You can still party and bang your head, but you'll be laughing your head off too.

You could say that Spinal Tap started it all. Back in 1984, at the height of the hair metal boom, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Christopher Guest , all Saturday Night Live alumni, made a mockumentary, "This is Spinal Tap", about a fake metal band. What made this movie so hilarious, and brilliant, was that it satirized all the main elements of being in a metal band (loud music, playing shows, women, partying, band conflicts, etc.). These are things that many bands take to such serious extremes. Even though they are not a "real" band, Spinal Tap's albums have sold well, and they became part of heavy metal history. The band is working on a new album and tour in 2009 - proof of their continued popularity. It's interesting that their reunion comes during the time when old-school metal is regaining its popularity and respect.

Death metal is often considered a frightening, dark style of metal. These are the "Satanist" bands who are suspected of devil worship, animal sacrifices, etc. Their vocal style is one of two types, "cookie monster" (deep growling) or high-pitched screaming. Yet even death metal has its own parody band - Dethklok. Dethklok doesn't actually exist as a "real" band - they're a virtual band featured in the Adult Swim TV program "Metalocalypse". Again, this band takes the normal aspects of metal and turns them into comedy. Dethklok has enjoyed huge success, and they've released two albums. They actually sound pretty good too.

The comical band Gwar is probably best known for its insane live shows. Gwar's members wear elaborate science fiction costumes. Their lyrics, band member names, and general content of their shows are raunchy. Gwar incorporates science fiction and fantasy, horror, mythology, and even political elements into their shows. Stage shows are another aspect of metal that has often gone over the top. Big stage sets, silly props, dressed-up characters, glammed-up costumes and makeup, and wild antics on stage have all been part of the metal scene.

And then there's Anvil. Anvil appears, at first glance, to be a "new" parody-type band - only the big joke here is that they're actually a REAL metal band that has been around since the early '80's. Anvil's new documentary movie is due out this month. It's fun to see a real band, who has doggedly pursued their rock and roll dream throughout the last three decades, finally making their mark. I can't wait to see their movie. Maybe non-metalheads would see two guys in their '50's plugging away as metal musicians as something pitiful, but I think they're great. Go Anvil! In a way that's also part of the humor - most "serious" metal musicians grow old ungracefully, but Anvil holds true to who they are. An Anvil/Spinal Tap tour would be awesome.

Some of these parody bands (especially Spinal Tap and Gwar) have been around for decades, surviving even when the "real" metal bands were out of favor. Why do they make us laugh? I think it's because they take the "serious" aspects of being a rock star and make fun of them. The excesses of rock stars, and their arrogant attitudes, have offended many fans. Any time something is taken to an extreme there must be a counterbalance. Metal, especially hair metal, got way out of hand in the late '80's and early '90's as the stars overdosed on their own success. It's no wonder that grunge arrived only a few years later.

Even metalheads have a sense of humor - I'm glad that Spinal Tap, Anvil, and the others have stuck around to keep us laughing, even as we rock out.

Hiding Underground, Then the Metal's Found

Music has always been in my blood. Everyone in my family can play an instrument, sing, or at least listen to and enjoy music. I had a strict upbringing and only classical music was played in our home. For many years I was unaware of the amazing rock and metal music being created in the late '70's and early '80's.

In fourth grade, Joan Jett's song "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" ignited my musical taste and set me on the path to rock and metal. I began to enjoy rock music, such as Ratt and Van Halen, as I finished grade school. In junior high I clung to Dokken, Heart, Cinderella, and various other rock and metal bands as I navigated the difficulties of my early teen years. In high school, Def Leppard and the late '80's hair metal bands stole my heart. I was officially a headbanger, although I still had to keep it hidden at home. Def Leppard's "Hysteria" was the soundtrack of my high school years.

College was the time when I was finally able to show myself as a metalhead and fully embrace the music I loved. Within two weeks of starting college in 1990, I joined my college radio station and quickly became a DJ. I spent hours volunteering in the music department, organizing the records and indulging my appetite for metal. I was catching up on all the years when I hadn't had access to many of the great metal bands and albums. I became "The Lady of Loudness" as I began my sophomore year and held the Friday 9pm to midnight slot for the remainder of college. I worked as the music director for a year and a half and as the metal-only director for an additional year. During the summers I worked in promotions for a country station - and blasted the local hard rock station in the station van as I drove to remote broadcasts and events. Metal's message of self-empowerment and positive ambition spoke to me and became a permanent part of my identity.

Metal carried me through proud achievements, difficult personal times, and day to day college life. As I graduated from college, I entered several tough years as a young adult, carving out a post-college existence and trying to define myself. Suddenly metal wasn't "cool" anymore, and I was told how old-fashioned and out of date I was. My long headbanger hair was cut short to project a more professional image, and I sold my favorite leather jacket. The mid to late '90's brought new flavors of music and I felt like an anachronism from another time. Metal became the butt of jokes, especially "hair metal". But I clung to my favorite bands (especially Judas Priest, AC/DC, Def Leppard, Iron Maiden, and some obscure British bands) and tried to pretend that other types of music could eventually fill the void. They didn't, and they never could.

Luckily the '90's did bring one special metal genre - "stoner" or "desert" metal. In the early 2000's, I began to explore this new genre. Kyuss had been a favorite of mine since I first heard "Blues for the Red Sun" in 1992, but now I was getting deeper into the music. I listened to all of the bands that split off from the Kyuss family tree and found great British and European bands as well. During this time I also began rebuilding myself as a person - going to graduate business school, building my life, and generally bringing back parts of myself that I had left behind a few years before. Suddenly the old bands seemed like old friends rather than relics of a bygone era. I began to once again wear my headbanger identity with pride.

2008 became the watershed year for reclaiming my metal. I went to a reunion for my college radio station and finally recaptured my past. The Lady of Loudness was reborn, and I did my first radio show in 14 years. It was incredible. Metal runs in my veins and it will never leave me again.

Reigning Metal is the outward expression of my love of metal. I've embraced the music for myself, and now I can share my thoughts and opinions with others. Metal rules! And yes, someday far in the future I'll be the 80-year-old lady who blasts Judas Priest out of her window.

The Return of a Traitor

During High School metal music was my life. I lived it, breathed it – couldn’t talk or think about anything else. It was my drug of choice. I could tell you the members of any metal band and the year any lineup change occurred. My very Christian family worried about my road to certain damnation. But metal gave me something nothing else could… a message. The message I clung to tightly during those hellish years, “Stand up and fight for yourself and don’t let anyone tell you how to live.” I started working in the metal music biz at age 16. Life was good.

By 1991 I was working for a record company. Then grunge happened and metal died. Metal suddenly referred to death metal which I hated. Everything I worked for was gone. The record company started a new division for thrash/death metal and I was put on the promotions staff. Life was not good. I left the music biz and decided it was time to “find myself.” But metal was so entrenched in who I was I couldn’t know myself apart from it. So I did the unthinkable. I sold all my cd’s, threw out my concert T-shirts and turned my back on metal. This went on for 10 years. I got as far from hard rock as I could and started enjoying world music. My only tie to metal was my Leatherwolf cd, which I refused to part with. I got it out once a year when the mood was right, then back into the basement it went.

In 2002 by luck or fate I was introduced to Finnish rockers Stratovarious. I heard their music and instantly my heart was pounding, as if a long lost lover had come back to make peace with me. I felt like reaching back and pulling a piece of the old me back to join the new me, but it felt strange. I made a skittish step to rejoin the music industry and was shocked when I effortlessly landed a job as journalist for a European metal magazine. There I was able to hang out with musicians and report on the music without making an emotional commitment to it. I enjoyed it but still felt I was leading a double life. After a year with the mag it folded. Again I buried the whole metal thing and went about my life. I was happy and I had “found myself”.

2009. I’m now working in video production. I am working on a project that requires me to listen to a song by the Scorpions over and over. I find the dang song is slowly sinking into my heart, into my blood. I cannot resist its call. I know every word of that song, every chord, every drum beat. The Scorpions were my first concert back in the day. Tears drip from my eyes as I finally realize I can’t stop loving the music. All these years it was buried but now I am ready to embrace my full metalness. I can’t believe it. How much I still love it.

Reigning Metal is the result of my return to metal. I can’t tell you anything that’s happened in this genre during the last decade. But I remember what I loved back then and when I hear the new music, especially what’s coming out of Europe, I realize metal is still alive and well. And I want to be a part of it. Permanently this time.

Launching Next Week

We look forward to promoting great bands, discussing the music biz and rockin' it with you!

Coming Soon

This blog will launch end of May 2009. Stay Tuned.
"For those about to Rock, We salute you."