Thursday, November 6, 2014

Profile of a Metalhead

Hi, my name is Chris and I'm a metalhead. It has been 0 days since my last headbanging session.

Hi Chris......

One of my favorite things in life (this is kind of sad that I enjoy it so much) is seeing people's reaction when I tell them that I saw Slayer or I was just listening to Slipknot or Iron Maiden or Black Label Society. People look at me like I'm crazy and have two heads as if to ask the question "Are you serious?" Apparently I don't look or act like a "metalhead". Which makes me wonder, what is "normal" metalhead behavior?

What does a metalhead look like? This really intrigues me. Society and media dictate that metalheads look like pale, emo, high school aged kids. I'm here to tell you that for the most part (excluding metalcore) this is untrue. Sure when you go to a metal show there is the guy with a black mohawk, black skinny jeans, black band shirt, black boots, piercings and tattoos everywhere. When you go to a country concert you're bound to find a guy in cowboy boots, jeans, flannel, dip ring, and camo hat who's never been more than 20 miles from the family farm. I could go on an on about stereotypes. They exist and to some extent they are accurate. No I don't have piercings or tattoos or a black mohawk, but when I go to a metal show, I grab my favorite (at the time) metal t shirt. When I got a to a country concert, I'm probably wearing a camo hat. There are tons of people at metal and country concerts doing the same. Does this make everyone there a total representation of that stereotype? No. But people want to fit in with their surroundings, it's a natural feeling for most. I digress.......

Back to where I started, what does a metalhead look like? We all know what society tells us that a metalhead looks like. I'm here to tell you that you are surrounded by metalheads! Don't look now, but I'm sure that someone you know (friends, friends of friends, family, etc) is a metalhead. We come in all shapes and sizes. For example, I put thought into my hair every morning, I try to always look presentable, I practice good hygiene, I don't have piercings or tattoos; not what you would expect from a metalhead. My style would be categorized as "Wisconsin" not "emo" or "metal". When I go to the heavy metal record stores or heavy metal concerts, I am surrounded by people who look just like me. Well not identical, but they wear "normal" clothes, they have "normal" hair (you catch my normal drift).

Heavy metal (just like any genre of interests) can dictate a "style" if you let it. Yes I'll always be a sucker for that awesome band t shirt (in black of course), but I'm not about to run off, grow my hair out to enhance my headbanging or get my limbs covered in tattoos.

It may sound like I am bashing those who fall into the stereotype of a metalhead, but I am in no way doing so. To each his own. We're all entitled to dress the way we want and express ourselves the way we want. Be who you are and be it with pride. Let your metalhead flag fly.

Now just because I'm a metalhead does not mean that I listen exclusively to heavy metal and hard rock. I am also into Hip Hop, Blues, Country, Pop, and some oddball stuff here and there. I don't make excuses for what I listen to. If it's good, has a good back story, is catchy, or is given a recommendation, I'll listen to it. I've mentioned country stereotypes many times so far. Reason being is there is a lot of country music that I love and country concerts are a great time. I frequently go to country, hip hop, rock, and metal concerts, sometimes all in the same week. For example, in the month of April 2014, I saw a folk band, a few metal bands, a few hip hop acts, a stoner-funk jam band, an Italian superstar bluesman all in a matter of 21 days. What I'm getting at is that I don't let the term metalhead define me. I listen to a wide variety of music, heavy metal is just always my favorite and my true musical passion.

So what makes a metalhead a metalhead? A metalhead is someone who not only listens to heavy metal, but has a passion about the music and the genre. The music means something to them. Metal is more than just music to metalheads; it is an outlet of stress, frustration, energy, and rage. It gets them going while also calms them down all at the same time. A metalhead should know the following, who are the Big 4, what band created heavy metal, the names of multiple sub-genres of heavy metal, who the metal god is, and have some opinion of who the greatest metal band, metal singer, metal guitarist, metal drummer are.

To summarize, I tuck my dress shirt into my pants everyday at work, I have no tattoos, I headbang on the daily and I'm OK with that because my name is Chris and I'm a metalhead.


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