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Everyone knows you don’t give yourself a nickname. It just doesn’t work that way. But does the same rule apply to a new genre of music that you’ve undoubtedly had a hand in pioneering? On episode three of Metal Evolution (which you can watch HERE, if you missed it), we headed over the pond to explore the English influence on the genre, examining the history of musical titans such as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple and their reluctance to self-identify as heavy metal.

The roots of metal in the UK can be traced all the way back to the British Blues Boom in the 1960s, which would forever change the path of rock music. This distinct style of blues attracted young musicians and was, at first, filled with fast and frantic energy. And then something magical happened: they slowed down.

This change in pace was crucial. Bands became more relaxed and started using more bass, producing a heavier sound. One of these bands would explode from the middle of the British Blues Boom and transform the blues into something far heavier. Their name was Led Zeppelin.

Their sound was heavier than anything heard before; gritty, distorted guitar tones accompanied by the instantly iconic front man Robert Plant. Although hugely influential in taking the genre down a path untraveled before, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page declined the offer to be a part of the Metal Evolution series. And therein lays the paradox of labels, because in the eyes of many people (including themselves), Led Zeppelin is by no means a “heavy metal” band and yet… where would the genre be without them? We can choose not to simplistically define them under the term but how can we not refer to the two in the same breath?

Many argue that it was Black Sabbath who marked the true beginning of the heavy metal sound in the early 70s. Hailing from the industrial English town of Birmingham, this bleak, factory-filled aesthetic provided the visual and cultural context that gave way to Black Sabbath’s dark and sinister sound. Their drum and bass lines were filled with the intricacies of jazz but paired with staggeringly heavy lyrics, eerie vocals from Ozzy and haunting guitar riffs. Black Sabbath created a new world of sound…along with a demo that was promptly rejected by 14 record companies. There was nothing on the charts that sounded like it at the time, and the record industry equated that to a surefire recipe for disaster. They eventually signed with Vertigo Records, and watched their first self-titled album soar up the charts.

As far as labels go, Black Sabbath referred to their music simply as “hard rock.” In fact, the first time bassist Geezer Butler heard the term “heavy metal” with regards to the band it was in the form of an insult. A music critic said that they sounded quite literally like a load of heavy metal being dropped.

Rounding out the “Big Three” during this episode of Metal Evolution was Deep Purple. Over the course of three radically different lineup changes (and the “emancipation” of the church organ), Deep Purple took their sound through a journey of improvisation and complexity. And yet, they too refuse to self-identify as a pioneering force of the heavy metal genre. Jon Lord (keyboardist) points out that Deep Purple always seemed to have one foot stepping back into jazz and the blues. “I would accept that we could be one of the Godfathers, but I defy the parenthood,” he says. “We weren’t the parents.”

This episode of Metal Evolution also explored the rise of “glam rock” – visually vivid party music that began counter the rise of metal of the mid 70s. But the wave of heavier sound could not be subdued. In fact, it began to swell as Ritchie Blackmore introduced the world to his new band, Rainbow which combined classical sounds at ear-blistering decibels with Ronnie James Dio’s powerful vocals and medieval imagery.

Although a new genre was clearly emerging, there was still no self-identification as “heavy metal” from a band yet. No one was claiming the crown. And then Judas Priest arrived. With a truly metallic sound produced through months of overdubs in the studio, the music of Judas Priest moved fully away from the common chord changes of the blues that marked the beginnings of heavy metal. There were duel guitars, a distinct appearance and sense of style that branded fans of the genre across the globe together and most importantly – there was the self-identification as a heavy metal band. As they say towards the end of the episode: “We were proud to fly that flag.”

You can watch Metal Evolution on demand here. The evolution continues this Friday at 10ET/7PT, as we take a look at the subsequent new wave of British heavy metal that followed this movement, including bands like AC/DC, Motörhead, Iron Maiden and more.

Until then, cheers to high decibels.
-Sarah Dawley

Tags: Metal Evolution, tv

Posted: December 6th, 2011 | Category: Metal Evolution, Shows, Uncategorized
Tags: Metal Evolution, tv