Define heavy metal by...

I think more people would agree with detuned than they would with me in what term heavy metal is, again I am basing in what was labeled heavy metal when I was growing up, so Aerosmith for example was labeled a heavy metal band.

I also have broad viewpoint in what bands are heavy metal bands, IMO to use detuned example I consider both Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple two of founding fathers of heavy metal along with Black Sabbath. I agree Jimi Hendrix isn't metal but he was huge influence over the genre. What's your opinion?

detuned wrote:

...when I was a kid growing up (in the 70's) I never heard the term heavy metal. The term "Hard Rock" was how they described the stuff on the radio and that's what my stepfather called it whenever he was complaining about me listening to Kiss or Queen...

Really? You NEVER heard the term in the 70's? Shoot, I had a compilation record from the 1970's called HEAVY METAL that had bands like Golden Earring, Alice Cooper, MC5, Blue Oytster Cult, etc. on it.

I have magazine articles from the 1970's about the "Heavy Metal Explosion".

I have a copy of Grooves Magazine from 1978 that features Aerosmith and Queen. In it you could send in the form to vote for your favorite of the two bands to win the "Heavy Metal crown".

In that same magazine, there is this headline about Aerosmith, "And the sledgehammer that powers the American Heavy Metal Machines is undeniably Aerosmith."

I have a promo sticker from 1978 from Ted Nugent's "Double Live Gonzo" that proclaims, "The madman's band is the greatest gonzoid heavy metal outfit to be found anywhere-but anywhere-on the whole of our beleaguered planet" This quote is actually taken from Sounds Magazine.

I have a quote from Van Halen from 1979 talking about how he didn't want to be labeled heavy metal because "heavy metal" was old and outdated. How could it be "old and outdated" if it didn't yet exist?

That's not even taking into consideration that bands like Aerosmith have songs that are heavier than some Black Sabbath and Judas Priest songs from the same era. "Rocks" is one of the heaviest albums to be released in 1976.

You can also read the quote from this thread from Dave Hlubek from Molly Hatchet where he claims that Hatchet were the first band to incorporate heavy metal with southern rock.

I love this argument. I think I am so passionate about it because I was there. I considered myself a heavy metal fan in the late 1970's. Other kids in school were into the Jackson 5, Bruce Springsteen or the Bay City Rollers. I was listening to Aerosmith, Thin Lizzy, Ted Nugent, UFO, and the like. I have pictures of myself in the early, early 80's with a denim vest with pins and patches on it and an Aerosmith logo painted on the back.

It's a hard thing to define for sure. I agree with Manny that Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple are two of the most influential bands on heavy metal...however, that in my opinion still doesn't make them metal bands.

It's the same as my opinion that one of the best "Doom" compositions of all time is I Want You (She's So Heavy) by The Beatles...but of course they're not a heavy metal band.

Maybe it is a regional thing, I'm not sure. I had a 45 single of Born To Be Wild, so I had heard the term "heavy metal thunder" but at the time I pictured that as motorcycles.

I didn't really read rock magazines and stuff until the 80's...I was more of a "book geek" and "movie geek" as a child, so maybe I just didn't notice it.

Good point on the Beatles tune, also we would have to consider The Kinks' "You Really Got Me", various Cream, The Yardbirds, and Jeff Beck's songs. Of course Jimi Hendrix and The Who, metal slowly has evolved and mutated, it is a hard genre to define. But it is cool to read everyone's take on who and what makes a band metal, it seems to depend on lots of factors, age, geographical, personal history etc.

Damn, my thread was viciously hijacked and worst of all is that I began the hijack

steel warrior wrote:

...only 10 songs. Mine, in no particular order except the first 3:


Judas Priest-Electric Eye
Heavy Load-Heavy Metal Angels
Pretty Maids-Back To Back
Picture-You're All Alone
Running Wild-Under Jolly Rogger
Armored Saint-March of The Saint
Saxon-20,000 Feet
Black Sabbath-Heaven And Hell
Loudness-Crazy Nights
Manowar-Kill With Power

Nice to see a fan of PICTURE and HEAVY LOAD on the forum. Hail to youuuuuuuu. All are increible songs.

krokus wrote:

steel warrior wrote:

...only 10 songs. Mine, in no particular order except the first 3:


Judas Priest-Electric Eye
Heavy Load-Heavy Metal Angels
Pretty Maids-Back To Back
Picture-You're All Alone
Running Wild-Under Jolly Rogger
Armored Saint-March of The Saint
Saxon-20,000 Feet
Black Sabbath-Heaven And Hell
Loudness-Crazy Nights
Manowar-Kill With Power

Nice to see a fan of PICTURE and HEAVY LOAD on the forum. Hail to youuuuuuuu. All are increible songs.

I love those 2 bands. Now that I see your avatar, I feel that Headhunter should be in my list. That song truly kick ass

Thin Lizzy-Emerald
Megadeth-Peace Sells
Black Sabbath-Children Of The Grave
Anthrax-Deathrider
Thin Lizzy-Massacre
Rainbow-Stargazer
Accept-Fast As A Shark
Iron Maiden-Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
Motorhead-Ace Of Spades
AC/DC-Let There Be Rock

akeldama wrote:

Thin Lizzy-Emerald
Megadeth-Peace Sells
Black Sabbath-Children Of The Grave
Anthrax-Deathrider
Thin Lizzy-Massacre
Rainbow-Stargazer
Accept-Fast As A Shark
Iron Maiden-Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
Motorhead-Ace Of Spades
AC/DC-Let There Be Rock

Nice list!

detuned wrote:

akeldama wrote:

Thin Lizzy-Emerald
Megadeth-Peace Sells
Black Sabbath-Children Of The Grave
Anthrax-Deathrider
Thin Lizzy-Massacre
Rainbow-Stargazer
Accept-Fast As A Shark
Iron Maiden-Rime Of The Ancient Mariner
Motorhead-Ace Of Spades
AC/DC-Let There Be Rock

Nice list!

Thanks, I left out some but I put a lot of though into my selections. Man that was tough.

steel warrior wrote:

krokus wrote:

steel warrior wrote:

...only 10 songs. Mine, in no particular order except the first 3:


Judas Priest-Electric Eye
Heavy Load-Heavy Metal Angels
Pretty Maids-Back To Back
Picture-You're All Alone
Running Wild-Under Jolly Rogger
Armored Saint-March of The Saint
Saxon-20,000 Feet
Black Sabbath-Heaven And Hell
Loudness-Crazy Nights
Manowar-Kill With Power

Nice to see a fan of PICTURE and HEAVY LOAD on the forum. Hail to youuuuuuuu. All are increible songs.

I love those 2 bands. Now that I see your avatar, I feel that Headhunter should be in my list. That song truly kick ass

Yes, HEADHUNTER is a great song, and lp too. THUNDER IN THE TUNDRA by THOR should be on your list too