Theatrics have always been a part of music, especially metal. Alice Cooper, KISS, GWAR, amongst others. Then there is King Diamond, known not just for putting on a show but also his frequent use of falsetto and penning concept albums sometimes having the story span multiple albums (e.g. “Them” and “Conspiracy”).

I’ve always wanted to see King Diamond live and almost had a chance to, but then King injured his back and has been on the shelf for a while. I hope he heals up and is able to be back on the road in full capacity soon.

I wouldn’t say Aerosmith is a true metal band, but I would say that you cannot deny the foundational influence that Aerosmith had upon the bands that followed them. From the hard rockin’ blues style, to the legendary escapades of the Toxic Twins and crew backstage, they certainly helped to shape what was to become metal.

Updated: Ugh. Seems the video I had queued up was removed from YouTube.

But, here’s footage from The Midnight Special in 1974, performing “Train Kept a Rollin'”.

I guess it was 8th grade? or maybe 9th… either way, I just remember riding on the school bus and always seeing this one kid with a proper 80’s metal hesher look, and without question his favorite t-shirt to wear was his Loudness “Thunder In The East” t-shirt. He wore that thing constantly. That was how I was introduced to the Japanese metal band, Loudness.

Akira Takasaki is an awesome guitar player.

Before there was Type O Negative, there was Carnivore.

Three men, dressed up as if they were out of a Mad Max movie, in a post-nuclear apocalyptic New York City, and singing songs about the same. Brutal, unforgiving, unapologetic.

I remember when a friend of mine back in high school first played a tape for me. We had no idea who the band was, but we thought the songs were hilarious (no, we didn’t take it seriously, and neither should you) and the music was good. Later we came to learn it was Carnivore. While the band was short-lived, they left the mark, reforming now and again to play shows. Apparently there will be a new album in 2009.

Their name was a play on another band’s name, Pretty Boy Floyd. Ugly Kid Joe was also quite the opposite to PBF in every other way. While most people knew Ugly Kid Joe for songs such as “Everything About You” and their cover of Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s In The Cradle”, Ugly Kid Joe had rather a good metal sound. Tracks such as “Goddamn Devil”, “So Damn Cool“, “Don’t Go”, “Jesus Rode A Harley”, much of their later albums (especially “Menace To Sobriety”), quite heavy with just a hint of funky.

On the album recording of “Goddamn Devil”, Rob Halford provides guest vocals… hearing The Metal God screaching “I’m the Goddamn Devil!” is just awesome. 🙂

We got that PMA (Postive Mental Attitude)!

Bad Brains, born in Washington D.C. then subsequently banned in D.C. What made them stand out? Not just the fact it was four black guys playing punk music (later with a more metal edge, e.g. “Quickness”), not just the fact they mixed in Rastafarian belief and reggae music with their aggressive punk style, not just their high-engergy live shows that did things like convert Henry Rollins. It was the sum of all these parts that made Bad Brains and their place in music history.

I got to see Great White live one year during undergrad (benefits of working college radio). Scorpions were headlining, followed by Great White, and Trixter was the opening act. I didn’t get to see all of Great White’s set as I was backstage doing meet & greets with both Trixter and Great White (my friend Tori was big fans of both). But I did get to wander out near the end of Great White’s set… down on the floor, from backstage. Great location. I recall watching singer Jack Russell and how well he worked the crowd. Of course, there was guitarist Mark Kendall wearing his signature hat. I was never the biggest fan of Great White, but I always dug their bluesy, stripped-down, “good old rock and roll” sound.

I also loved their Led Zeppelin covers. I recall the first time I heard them doing “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You” I was struck by how well they covered it.

Of course, Great White’s bread and butter was there own original rockers, like “Rock Me”

If we didn’t have Van Halen, we wouldn’t have metal and hard rock as we know it. Everything about the band, from the music, composition, Eddie Van Halen’s guitar playing, David Lee Roth’s stage presence, off-stage partying, you name it. If Van Halen hadn’t been around, rock & metal wouldn’t have been what it was.

Here’s one of my favorite Van Halen tracks, “Unchained”.

I’ve only been a fan of Hatebreed for about 5 years, but I do remember the first time I heard them. Over at my buddy W’s house, music blaring, and something was coming out of the speakers with a thrashy metal sound, a groove, but yet this hardcore aggression and attitude. It was powerful and brutal. It was Hatebreed.

Forced Entry was a Seattle band that didn’t fit what the world came to know of “The Seattle Scene”. Thrashy, technical, and a healthy sense of humor. Brad Hull did all sorts of guitar tricks with whammy bars and pinched harmonics that gave the band a unique sound. The band didn’t last very long, but for those that knew them there was nothing like them.

But that’s just how I spent my summer vacation. 😉