Episode 24: Loud, Louder, Loudest: 70s Heavy Metal
SHOW NOTES
In this episode of For the Record: The 70s, Amy investigates the rise of heavy metal in the Seventies. This genre of rock music was outright despised by many rock critics but was much loved by its fans. There is no question that heavy metal is noted for its loud, often aggressive sound but there is not always agreement on the message of many of the genre’s songs, if there is a message at all. Persistent accusations of satanic message followed many of the bands of the Seventies, especially Black Sabbath, but were they really devil worshippers or just creating a brand? Either way, there is little doubt that rebellion, escapism, fantasy fueled heavy metal’s popularity. After heavy metal survived the onslaught of disco, it went on attract even more fans — and record sales — in the Eighties.
PLAYLIST
“Moaning at Midnight” by Howlin’ Wolf (1959)
“Sunshine of Your Love” by Cream (1967)
“Paranoid” by Black Sabbath (1970)
“Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin (1971)
“Stranglehold” by Ted Nugent (1975)
“Runnin’ with the Devil” by Van Halen (1978)
SOURCES
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DecadeTV Network. “Ted Nugent Talks Stranglehold.” YouTube. May 10, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTnX0nqN2ZE
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Fieder, Bob. “Black Sabbath Delivers Aggression.” The Leader-Post (Regina, Saskatchewan). September 23, 1978.
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Ganz, Jacob. ‘Something Bigger and Louder: The Marshall Amp.” NPR. April 5, 2012. https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2012/04/05/150076032/something-bigger-and-louder-the-legacy-of-jim-marshall-and-his-amp
Havers, Richard. “Heavy Metal Thunder: The Origins of Heavy Metal.” udiscovermusic. March 27, 2020. https://www.udiscovermusic.com/in-depth-features/metal-music-heavy-thunder/
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Irwin, William. “Black Sabbath and the Secret of Scary Music.” Psychology Today. October 31, 2012. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/plato-pop/201210/black-sabbath-and-the-secret-scary-music
Mullinax, Gary. “Aerosmith Helps Keep Heavy Metal Healthy.” The Morning News. Wilmington, Delaware. January 15, 1978.
Siegel, Eric. “Heavy metal: The fans strike back.” The Baltimore Sun. August 3, 1980.
Siegel, Eric. “Heavy Metal is the Porno of Pop.” The Baltimore Sun. July 20, 1980.
Starr, Larry and Christopher Waterman. American Popular Music. New York: Oxford University Press. 2007.
Steve Rosen. “Eddie Van Halen Lost Interview with Steve Rosen.” YouTube. December 15, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EyQLuVgKE8
Weinstein, Deena. Heavy Metal: The Music and Its Culture. New York: Hachette Book Group. 2009.