The Next Generation Of ‘Metalheads’
Posted by meredith on 01-09-2009
Today’s Ypulse Youth Advisory Board post comes from Enrique Gavidia, the newest member of our board. Enrique sheds some light on what continues to draw him and fellow young fans to bands like Metallica and AC/DC. Remember, you can communicate directly with any member of the Ypulse Youth Advisory Board by emailing them at youthadvisoryboard at ypulse.com
The Next Generation Of ‘Metalheads’
Bringing up the names of bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, Guns N’ Roses, etc., typically provokes one of four responses from the average person: a) they express a profound love for the band mentioned; b) they nod politely and reminisce about 80′s counter-culture; c) they acknowledge awareness of their existence, but not much else or d) “They’re still alive?” Either way, chances are that you have at least heard of these bands. Widely renowned for selling out stadiums, and performing a vast number of illicit acts back in their heyday these bands essentially became what they are, and gained their notoriety during the 1980s, when a decent portion of their current fan-base was either non-existent, or caught somewhere between the fetal position and “Sesame Street.”
How do I explain my generation’s attraction to metal? Obviously, it’s much easier for me to appreciate these bands now that I’ve mastered all of my shapes and colors (for the most part), but still it might seem strange to some that I choose to dive into the archives when I have easy access to a whole cornucopia of ‘hipper’ modern music. Is it to be ‘different’? Possibly. Is it to be ‘cool’? Questionable. It’s easy to label listeners of this ‘older music’ as rebels, but how do they feel? Metal and Rock are genres that gained a wide association with misanthropes during their boost to the main stage in the 80′s. Back then, you were either a Michael Jackson apostle, a naysayer-of-all-things-mainstream Metallica fan, or just an identity-crisis-ridden ‘Hair Metal’ person. The question today is: how accurate is this ‘rebel’ association?
Personally, I’m open to anything mainstream media has to offer me, but I still seek refuge in the loud riffs of the past. Why? One word: Quality. I’m not even particularly picky about what ‘camp’ my music came from; I enjoy Santana and Django about as much as I enjoy Guns N’ Roses and Metallica. For me, they all offer more than what is currently being put out. And that is the case with most people my age that look ‘elsewhere’ for music; be it Bob Dylan, John Coltrane, Bob Marley or Judas Priest. These artists were all very passionate about their music, and that resonates with us.
I mean, is it really ‘rebellious’ to demand more from your music than “superman that ho” ? The songwriting doesn’t even have to be more complex for us to appreciate the effort going into it – AC/DC could be the poster-child for rock simplicity, and Metallica hardly ever strays from 4/4 beats and pentatonic guitar solos. And at least they have guitar solos. I still consider the slow untimely death of the guitar solo as one of the few things that is more depressing than watching ‘The Notebook’ after a break-up on Valentine’s Day. Today’s ‘metalheads’ and ‘musical outcasts’ usually have reasons for what they listen to, that go beyond the stereotypical associations of yesteryear. Eddie Van Halen’s solo on “Beat It” is still one of my favorite guitar solos of all time, and if I’m not mistaken, that song was quite mainstream at some point. Look at that, a Metallica fan just admitted to liking Michael Jackson. Take that for an act of rebellion.
About Enrique Gavidia
Raised by a flock of bunnies in the urban metropolis of San Francisco, this young swashbuckling stallion grew up to inherit many of the talents of his furry friends, including the obscure fields of learning to excel at guitar and knowing how to program computers. Now off on his own as a University student living with his human family, he is constantly honing in on his many talents, aspiring to succeed in the fields of digital media, software development, and/or music. And thanks to his fluffy mentors, he is now the [self-proclaimed] hottest thing to grace his neighborhood since spicy Mexican tamarind candy, and hopes that one day everyone can revel in his mild glory.
Categorized under: Youth Advisory Board
January 9th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
I am a product of the 80′s metal age and feel your pain. Although I am one of only a few it appears that actually likes the new Axl album, I too miss the music of old (GnR, Skid Row, Tesla). I miss the guitar solos, drum solos, and dudes that scream like girls. But I had to let it go when Nirvana came in to “ruin” everything. lol! Thanks for the post.
January 10th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Nice essay. In my experience, pop culture runs in 20 year cycles. Given that, a return of metal is right on schedule. It will just be a hybrid of the old and the new.
January 14th, 2009 at 10:30 am
yup you are rite metal is bound to make a comeback n i myself am a metal child from the 80s n i grew up on hetfields riffs n burtons bass lines n everything dat era had to offer but the new “metal” scene has “evolved” so ya wat i can we say? there are more enthusiastic kids out there than us man…n they outnumber us by millions…n dat is wat the market will depend on…so ya…but still i take peace in knowing there are people out there who know quality music \m/