Heavy metal's genesis is truly organic; it is its honest beginnings that make it a music worthy of respect. Simply stated, heavy metal is massively amplified blues-rock and psychedelic acid-rock with an emphasis on what was called the power chord.
Tracing the history of the power chord backwards from a first-generation heavy metal band like Black Sabbath, one turns to the power trios of 1965-1968; Blue Cheer, Cream, The Who. The Yardbirds' blend of blues, psychedelic, and guitar pyrotechnics deserves special mention. Taking the power chord back further, the 1964 riff-driven "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks was a landmark. One can trace it back even further to the late 50's; Link Wray is most likely its inventor. A favorite among juvenile delinquents, Wray's 1958 hit "Rumble" is an instrumental based all around an elementary, loudly amplified riff.
![iron Maiden [Poster] (1982)](http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/9361/ironmaidenposter2wk.jpg)
![Metallica [Poster]](http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/127/metallicaposter1ua.jpg)
Tracing the blues rock influence from Black Sabbath on backwards, one again turns to Blue Cheer and Cream; before them, John Mayall and Alexis Korner's bands helped define blues-rock in England while Paul Butterfield Blues Band were probably the biggest American blues-rock band. They generally got the blues from the source, which was usually 50's Chicago Blues or 30's Delta Blues.
On the acid-rock side, post-Cream west coast bands like Iron Butterfly, Blue Cheer, Steppenwolf, and Black Pearl and east coasters like Vanilla Fudge can be considered on the cusp of heavy metal; favoring power chords and bluesy progressions, and amplification most of all, these bands form a basic template. Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, which had evolved from the Yardbirds, represented the original front man prototype of fantasy-based metal, while Ozzy Osbourne of Black Sabbath was the doom-band front man prototype.
One other key element of heavy metal was the prominence given to the bass guitar; bass-and-guitar interplay was integral to the sound; on some recordings the bass was the lead instrument, new to rock music.
The first wave of English heavy metal bands (Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple) tended to lean towards the blues end of acid-rock and Cream; some (Heep, Purple, some Zep) featured organ augmenting a power trio plus frontman, others eschewed it completely.
![Pantera [Poster] (1994)](http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/2159/panteraposter7bl.jpg)
![Slayer [Promotional Poster] (1986)](http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/6312/slayerposter3xc.jpg)
In America, heavy metal tended to evoke the boogie element of acid rock more than the blues element; it tended to be faster in tempo and working-class in its presentation. While the British bands went for spectacle, the American bands tended to keep a lower profile. Among the first wave of sweaty boogie-flavored American heavy metal bands were Grand Funk Railroad and Cactus. American's weren't without spectacle completely however; Alice Cooper (originally a band name before coming to mean just the lead singer) featured a shock-and-horror stage show, complete with blood and beheadings. In the 90's, Marilyn Manson's stage act borrowed much from Alice Cooper.
Article comments
1 - El Bicho
An extremely well-written piece although I question whether or not heavy metal is the "druggiest" and the inclusion of Queen.
In regards to your playlist, "Communication Breakdown" from "Led Zeppelin" could have been included because almost no one was playing that fast back in 1969.
Iron Maiden derserve to be on a Heavy Metal playlist over a number of your selections.
2 - uao
(I left an unclosed "center" tag; sorry about that.
Thanks El Bicho; you're right, I should have put Iron Maiden in, that was the worst omission.
"Communication Breakdown" is interesting, because it almost comes across as punk. I guess I went with "Dazed and Confused" to illustrate the bluesy influence, but "Communication Breakdown" is arguably the better of the two.
Thanks for the read; I realize this one wound up being overly long.
3 - El Bicho
I wouldn't say "Communication Breakdown" was a better choice; it just illustrates something completely different in terms of Heavy Metal. "Dazed and Confusion" is just as influential and is worthy of mention.
I know you limit your playlist to 20 and I'm not their #1 fan, but Maiden was huge, at least in Southern Calif, and they really seemed to be the benchmark of Metal for a few years in the early '80s with "The Number of the Beast" and "Powerslave". A claim that a few of the other bands on your list can't lay claim to, which is the only reason I brought it up.
I didn't find your article overly long. You had a lot of material to cover.
4 - uao
That is an interesting contrast between the two songs though; in a way, it suggests Zeppelin had a hand in speed metal's evolution too, which always seemed counter-intuitive.
Yeah, I can't really say one is better than the other. Both get me off different ways. I've snuck "Communication Breakdown" into unlikely mixes on party tapes, and it often elicited an excited response, so I play that more often.
But the Page/Plant vocal/guitar call and response on "Dazed" is pretty amazing too, no matter how many times you've heard it.
Iron Maiden belongs on the list somewhere; I left Queen off, only because I'm going to use them for a different list.
I was tempted to leave off Guns 'n Roses and Alice In Chains, but I wanted to keep a mainstream 80's excample, and a grunge-connection one.
Uriah Heep and Budgie are probably the ones that ought to go, but I wanted to toss their names out there for the younger folk to explore.
They'd be the ones I'd drop, ultimately.
I hate leaving Alice Cooper off, too.
Someday, maybe all of these playlists will come together as a book, and I'll have 40-band lists.
5 - Guppusmaximus
uao,
Excellent piece!! BUT... Iron Maiden was the inclusion of Punk into Metal with "Killers" not the 90's grunge bands...El Bicho is correct, Iron Maiden made statements on many levels in the Metal Community. They were the most influential band to Metal in the late 70's all way to the late 80's and still putting out strong releases today!!! Probably breaking any sales records for all the bands you mentioned. As for the influence list I can see where you were going but it's not one of my favorite's from you...(sorry).I would have included(No particular order):
Yngwie J. Malmsteen "Rising Force"
UFO(Michael Schenker)"Phenomenon"
Queensryche "Rage for Order"-More influential
Armored Saint "March of the Saint"
Grim Reaper "Fear No Evil"
Metal Massacre Vol.I-XII (In which Metallica was found)
Def Leppard "Pyromania"
Manowar "Battle Hymns" (My influence was:"Kings of Metal")
You could've compiled a better list of influences man...Most of your dominating bands of the 80's wanted to rid the scene of those "old monsters". Hell, Iron Maiden hated Judas priest so how could they be an influence??
Guns 'N' Roses can go f*ck a goat and AC/DC were great rock but not metal!!
Oh well, just an opinion from an obsessed metal fan!! Again...Excellent Piece,uao!!
6 - El Bicho
uao, I don't consider Queen as Heavy Metal although I can hear an incorporation of some of its elements. A big problem is what is considered Heavy Metal has changed over the years. While a few of the questionable bands have already been mentioned, "Sweet Emotion" is the one song that I don't think belongs on this list. You could totally get a book out of all these lists.
This might start a flame GWAR(pun intended) with more serious headbangers, but I hear the punk/metal combination in The Misfits. Also, I found Motorhead to be The Ramones of Metal, so I would cite them before "Killers" as well.
And as I reflect, Ronnie James Dio should get an honorable mention just for creating the signature Metal hand gesture. Plus, he sang on some great metal songs from Rainbow, Sabbath and his own solo material.
7 - Guppusmaximus
Dude... Dio could be considered one of the originators because he has been singing since '58.... Of course everyone knows the "REAL" metal came out in the 80's...So, who cares where it derived from. Kidding, Good Luck with the debate my Metal Brothers!!
Up The Irons!!
8 - Craig A Crofoot
Sad Wings Of Destiny was Judas Priest 2nd album. Simon Phillips did not appear until the bands 3rd release in 1977. That album was entitled Sin after Sin. Otherwise a well written article. However, since it's beginnings, metal maniacs have been exposed to the opportunity to listen to a number of classic recordings in the the thousands range. I do not think it would make since to have a top 1000 list of all time. Fortunately for pop music fans it is a challenge to come up a top 40 list on a weekly basis. I have to give Casey Kasem a heck of a lot of credit. Dispite my complaints and my ranting you have put together anexcellent article. Thank You
9 - godoggo
The bands on the list that I like have 2 things in common: 1) they sound as like they have some old blues records at home 2) they sound like they like dropping acid.
10 - uao
Thanks for the correction, Craig, my bad.
It was an unuassually tough list to put together; true metal heads will find much to argue about.
Coming at the topic as a sympathetic friend to metal, but not a metal head per se, I tried to use the 20 spots to outline the parameters.
As for guppusmaximus' nomination of Dio, I did put him in the honorable mention section. He could easily go on the list too, but since Sabbath is on there, I left him off. But he merits inclusion as a solo act too. They're all tough calls.
Godoggo- what you descibe fits the 60's-70's metal bands; not sure I hear much blues or acid in the 80's bands. The 90's bands brought a little of the blues back again.
11 - blondy
you all bonch of losers heavy metal is like the worst thing it could ever happend in the world, because of that a lot of people is getting crazy and is killin'or robbering and a bunch of other stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love ya' bLoNdY
12 - uao
Who told ya I was robbering, Blondy? I'll fix his wagon, maybe even go crazy on him...
13 - godoggo
On second thought the "acid" part is not really crucial; for example I can listen without gagging to Halen, who always evinced more of a nose candy ambience. Speaking of whom, it's getting harder to remember what a towering figure Eddie once seemed to be. Am I just completely out of it, or did his approach turn out to be a dead end as an influence?
14 - Myche
Eddie has cancer.....have some respect.
15 - El Bicho
Eddie made VH3, so he loses respect. Plus with all that smoking, he brought cancer on himself.
"you all bonch of losers heavy metal is like the worst thing it could ever happend in the world,"
Blondy, poor spelling and grammar are the worst.
16 - godoggo
Van Halen Cleared of Cancer
17 - uao
I'm very reluctant to say anything that can be construed as uncomplimentary of Eddie Van Halen, knowing full well how devoted his fans are.
But I agree with godoggo in that his position in the rock pantheon has been in decline for some time now.
In the 80's, there were dozens of mini-Eddie Van Halens running around; they're few and far between now.
Part of it may be his guitar style, which always had a limited vocabulary, even if he did what he did very well. He had far less stylistic range than a lot of his 70's competitors.
But I think the real reason has been his public image, which doesn't cast him in the best of lights; he's the only guy in the world who can make David Lee Roth seem worthy of sympathy.
Not releasing an album since the Van Halen III fiasco hasn't helped, either.
I'm glad he's recovered from cancer; I don't wish that on anyone.
But if he's recovered, perhaps that makes him fair game for criticism again.
At any rate, I was never a big Van Halen guy, especially after they traded in David for Sammy.
18 - Vern Halen
In your opening paragraph you use the word "cartoonish" - and that's metal in a nutshell. If loud is good, loudest is best; if long hair is cool, the longest hair is coolest; etc. I've been saying that for years, but this is the first time I've ever heard or read of that reference other than from me. Thanx for affirming what I always suspected.
I think Search & Destroy by the Stooges ought to be the number one metal album of all time.
19 - Ben
Parts of this seemed well researched, and some parts didn't. You made the mistake of referring to grunge as the first union of metal and punk -- metal and punk had been comingling for years. Just listen to Iron Maiden's first couple of albums, Motorhead, or hell, the entire genre of thrash metal was based on heavy metal + hardcore punk.
You also didn't go into any detail about black metal, death metal, doom metal, etc.
You also seemed to be preoccupied with British and American bands. Germany and Brazil had vibrant metal scenes in the 80s (Sodom, Kreator, Destruction, Sepultura, Sarcofago etc) and Scandinavia was a major source of quality metal in the 90s, with the genre of symphonic metal (Nightwish, Therion, Epica, etc) basically forming entirely in Europe and Scandinavia.