Sunday, October 5, 2008

Why are so many bands ruined by MTV?

Last night on KZSU, I played a live version of Krokus' "Headhunter" . While Krokus' output has often been up and down - OK, mostly on the downside for me, they still have a number of killer songs. 1983's "Headhunter" was certainly great for the time it was out. I was friggin' 13 and was impressed by how fast and in my pre-Metallica/pre-Slayer awareness, how intense it sounded! Bands like Krokus like the Scorpions and to a lesser extent Motley Crue and Twisted Sister are more known for the polished crap they did on MTV where as all of these bands in 1983 where considered Heavy Metal. I mean, I wasn't like the older heshers in other towns who not only saw Metallica and Exodus in the clubs but knew them !

"Sex and drugs and rock n' roll is my cuppah teeeeeeeee - time to meeeet Heeeeadhuntahhhhhhh!" And dood, listen to those sweet double leads. Fernando Van Arb was really on to something. Anyway, this one's kinda short. I've been racking by brain today by writing about Extreme Metal and Extreme Politics for the "Music, Metal, and Politics" conference.

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