Metal Evolution (2011) s01e01 Episode Script

THIS IS WACKEN OPEN AIR,
THE WORLD'S BIGGEST HEAVY
METAL FESTIVAL WHERE EACH YEAR,
OVER 70,000 FANS FROM AROUND
THE WORLD GATHER IN A FARM FIELD
IN NORTHERN GERMANY
TO CELEBRATE THEIR LOVE
FOR HEAVY METAL.
MY NAME IS SAM DUNN, AND THE
FIRST TIME I VISITED WACKEN FOR
MY FILM METAL: A HEADBANGER'S
JOURNEY, I LEARNED THAT METAL
IS MORE THAN JUST MUSIC.
IT'S A CULTURE OF OUTSIDERS,
AND I WAS BLOWN AWAY
BY THE PASSION OF
METAL MUSICIANS AND FANS.
BUT MY FILM WAS ONLY AN OVERVIEW
OF THE ANTHROPOLOGY
OF HEAVY METAL.
THERE IS A MUCH BIGGER STORY
TO BE TOLD.
OVER THE PAST FOUR DECADES,
HEAVY METAL HAS EVOLVED
INTO DOZENS OF SUBGENRES
INCLUDING THRASH METAL,
GLAM METAL, NU METAL,
PROG METAL, GRUNGE,
THE NEW WAVE OF BRITISH
HEAVY METAL, AND MANY MORE.
BUT WHY DID METAL SPLINTER INTO
ALL THESE SUBGENRES AND WHA
HAS EACH SUBGENRE CONTRIBUTED
TO THE EVOLUTION OF THIS MUSIC?
YOU KNOW, MANY DOCUMENTARIES
HAVE EXPLORED THE HISTORY OF
JAZZ, CLASSICAL, AND THE BLUES,
BUT STILL I FEEL METAL HAS NEVER
REALLY GOT ITS DUE, SO THIS IS
MY NEW JOURNEY,
A JOURNEY INTO THE EVOLUTION
OF HEAVY METAL.
[energetic metal music]
YOU'LL TAKE MY LIFE
BUT I'LL TAKE YOURS TOO
YOU FIRE YOUR MUSKE
BUT I'LL RUN YOU THROUGH
SO WHEN YOU'RE WAITING
FOR THE NEXT ATTACK
YOU BETTER STAND
THERE'S NO TURNING BACK
THE BUGLE SOUNDS
THE CHARGE BEGINS
BUT ON THIS BATTLEFIELD
NO ONE WINS
THE SMELL OF ACRID SMOKE
AND HORSES BREATH
AS I PLUNGE ON INTO
CERTAIN DEATH
OH OH OH OH OH OH OH OH
OH OH OH OH OH OH OH OH
MY JOURNEY INTO HEAVY METAL'S
VAST 40-YEAR HISTORY IS
A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING, BU
BEFORE I DELVE INTO THE ENTIRE
EVOLUTION OF THIS MUSIC, I'M
GONNA STEP BACK AND START WITH
THE BIG QUESTION:
WHY ARE PEOPLE DRAWN
TO HEAVY METAL MUSIC?
IT'S OUTSIDER MUSIC
TO THE MAX.
HEAVY METAL SOLVED A LO
OF MY PROBLEMS WHEN I WAS
A TEENAGER WHEN I COULDN'
EXPRESS MYSELF
OR I WAS JUST FRUSTRATED.
I WOULD GO INTO MY ROOM
AND PUT ON A METAL ALBUM
AND FEEL INSTANT RELIEF.
WE'RE ABOUT EXCITEMEN
AND POWER AND MAKING YOU ANGRY
TO THE POINT OF EXPLODING
IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY ELSE,
THAT'S WHAT METAL IS ABOUT.
WHEN I BANG MY HEAD,
IT FEELS GOOD.
IT RELEASES SOME KIND OF
CHEMICAL INSIDE OF ME.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT IS,
BUT HEAVY METAL IS THE GREATES
NOISE THAT EVER WAS CREATED.
HEAVY METAL IS PUSHING
YOUR LIFE TO THE MAXIMUM,
PUSHING IT AS HARD AS YOU CAN
[bleep] GET IT ONTO
THE EDGE OF CHAOS.
IT'S A CHANCE TO JUST RAIL,
JUST TO GET IT OUT,
TO EXPRESS THAT YOU'RE NO
GOING ALONG WITH THE PROGRAM.
THERE'S AN AGGRESSION
AND AN ATTITUDE AND INTENSITY
TO EVERYTHING I DO IN LIFE,
AND I THINK IT ALL COMES FROM
THE WAY THAT MUSIC MADE ME FEEL
SINCE I WAS A KID.
A CERTAIN KIND OF ABANDON,
YOU KNOW, LIKE, SORT OF TOSSING
THE RULES OUT THE WINDOW
AND JUST GOING FOR IT.
I THINK ROCK & ROLL IN GENERAL
IS A GREAT OUTLET, AND IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT.
I THINK WITHOUT IT,
WE'D HAVE A LOT MORE VIOLENCE
AND A LOT MORE TROUBLE
IN GENERAL WITH THE PEOPLE
BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, 16 AND 25.
RIDING THROUGH DUST CLOUDS
AND BARREN WASTES
GALLOPING HARD ON THE PLAINS
CHASING THE REDSKINS
BACK TO THEIR HOLES
FIGHTING THEM
AT THEIR OWN GAME
METAL IS TRIBAL.
THERE'S SOMETHING TRIBAL ABOU
BEING IN ONE PLACE, JUMPING UP
AND DOWN TO THE SAME BEAT,
PEOPLE HEAD BANGING AND
SWEATING AND SMACKING INTO
EACH OTHER, AND AT THE END
OF THAT CONCERT,
THEY'VE GONE THROUGH SOMETHING
TOGETHER.
HEAVY METAL MUSIC HAS
BECOME AN ESSENTIAL CATHARSIS.
IT'S A RITE OF PASSAGE.
METAL IS LIKE A CELEBRATION OF
COMMUNITY AND FRIENDSHIP FOR
PEOPLE WHO SIMPLY HAVE A GENETIC
OR EMOTIONAL PREDISPOSITION
TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS THAT KIND
OF MUSIC AND THAT KIND OF
AGGRESSION.
YOU KNOW, THE AGGRESSION
IS THERE, BUT IT'S CONTAINED,
AND IT'S CONTROLLED,
AND IT'S FOCUSED.
RUN TO THE HILLS
RUN FOR YOUR LIVES
RUN TO THE HILLS
RUN FOR YOUR LIVES
MEETING WITH THESE HEAVY
METAL MUSICIANS HAS MADE ME
REALIZE THAT THE POWER,
COMMUNITY, AND AGGRESSION IN
METAL MUSIC CONNECTS WITH
PEOPLE ON A VERY DEEP LEVEL,
AND SO I'M CURIOUS TO FIND OU
WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING
INSIDE OUR BRAINS
WHEN WE FEEL AGGRESSIVE
FROM LISTENING TO HEAVY METAL.
SO I'VE TRACKED DOWN
A NEUROSCIENTIST WHO TEACHES
HERE AT MCMASTER UNIVERSITY,
AND I WANT TO ASK HER
WHERE DOES THIS FEELING OF
AGGRESSION AND POWER COME FROM
WHEN WE LISTEN TO METAL MUSIC?
RUN FOR YOUR LIVES
HI, YOU MUST BE LAUREL,
I'M SAM. NICE TO MEET YOU.
WE'RE INTERESTED IN
THE AUDITORY SYSTEM HERE
AND HOW IT DEVELOPS
AND WHAT THE EFFECTS
OF EXPERIENCE ARE ON THE BRAIN
AND HOW PEOPLE HEAR THINGS
AND HOW THEY REACT TO THINGS,
AND WE'RE PARTICULARLY
INTERESTED IN MUSIC.
SO WHEN YOU CAME IN,
WE PUT THE SENSOR NET ON
YOUR HEAD, AND AS YOU LISTENED
TO DIFFERENT PIECES OF MUSIC,
WE MEASURED YOUR
BRAIN RESPONSES.
[waltzing classical music]
[thrashing metal music]
PEOPLE TALK SOMETIMES ABOU
HEAVY METAL IN TERMS OF
THE VIOLENCE AND THE SOUND
INTENSITY, AND THE DISTORTION
TENDS TO TURN OFF CONSCIOUS
THOUGHTS, SO YOU'RE TURNING OFF
INHIBITION.
ALL OF US ARE CAPABLE
OF VIOLENT BEHAVIOR.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE OTHER
SIDE OF IT IS THAT WE DO LIKE
TO FEEL A LACK OF CONTROL FROM
TIME TO TIME, AND IF THIS IS
DONE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, THAN
IT CAN BE A POSITIVE THING.
THERE'S SOMETHING IN
HEAVY METAL MUSIC THAT SPEAKS
TO THE REPTILIAN BRAIN.
IT DOESN'T SPEAK TO
THE INTELLECT.
IT DOESN'T SPEAK TO A THOUGH
PROCESS THAT'S ON THE SURFACE.
THERE'S SOMETHING THA
CONNECTS VERY VISCERALLY
WITH HEAVY METAL MUSIC
THAT IT JUST FEELS AWESOME.
CERTAINLY AN OUTLET,
AN OUTLET THAT YOU COULDN'T GE
ANYWHERE ELSE.
YOU COME TO THE SHOW
AND LOSE YOUR [bleep] MIND AND
GET IN THE PIT AND GO CRAZY
AND STAGE DIVE AND HAVE FUN.
IT'S NOT ABOUT VIOLENCE.
IT'S ABOUT FUN.
YOU MIGHT BE BRUISED
AND REALLY TIRED THE NEXT DAY,
BUT, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S LIKE
A GREAT MASSAGE.
YOU'RE GONNA FEEL REALLY
GOOD AFTERWARDS.
SO IN THE METAL CONTEXT,
IT'S LIKE YOU'RE EXERCISING THE
PART OF YOU THAT IS AGGRESSIVE,
THAT IS COMBATIVE,
BUT WITHOUT ANY REAL DANGER.
THAT'S RIGHT.
[singing indistinctly]
EVEN THOUGH HEAVY METAL
CAN APPEAR VIOLENT AND
AGGRESSIVE TO PEOPLE ON THE
OUTSIDE, WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS
THAT THE AGGRESSION IN
METAL PROVIDES A POSITIVE
EMOTIONAL RELEASE FOR ITS
MUSICIANS AND FANS, AND SO I NOW
HAVE A MUCH BETTER GRASP OF WHY
PEOPLE ARE DRAWN TO THIS MUSIC,
BUT SINCE THIS SERIES IS ABOU
THE EVOLUTION OF METAL,
I NEED TO UNDERSTAND
HOW METAL HAS CHANGED
OVER ITS 40-YEAR HISTORY
AND WHY IT'S BECOME THE COMPLEX
PHENOMENON THAT IT IS TODAY.
SO I'M EMBARKING ON A JOURNEY
THAT WILL TAKE ME TO OVER 40
CITIES IN 12 COUNTRIES
ACROSS THREE CONTINENTS.
I'LL TRAVEL FROM THE BACK
STREETS OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND,
TO L.A.'S SUNSET STRIP AND FROM
THE CROSSROADS IN MISSISSIPPI
TO SOCCER STADIUMS
IN SANTIAGO, CHILE.
I'LL BE MEETING WITH OVER
300 MUSICIANS, FANS, AND EXPERTS
TO DIG DEEP INTO METAL'S ROOTS
AND TO FIND OUT WHY IT'S
DEVELOPED INTO OVER TWO DOZEN
SUBGENRES.
BUT TO GET STARTED,
I'M GOING BACK TO THE VERY
BEGINNING.
WHAT OF THE SONIC ROOTS
OF THIS MUSIC?
WHERE DID HEAVY METAL
ACTUALLY BEGIN?
[guitar feedback]
THE BIRTH OF HEAVY METAL
IS A MUCH DEBATED TOPIC
AMONG METAL FANS, MUSICIANS,
AND EXPERTS.
BUT MOST WILL AGREE THA
THE GENRE WAS BORN IN
FEBRUARY 1970, WHEN BIRMINGHAM,
ENGLAND'S BLACK SABBATH
RELEASED THEIR DEBU
RECORD BLACK SABBATH.
[playing brooding rock music]
THIS RECORD WAS FAR HEAVIER
AND DARKER THAN ANY MUSIC
THAT HAD COME BEFORE.
SO I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO
ASK THEM ABOUT THEIR
MUSICAL ROOTS.
WHERE DID BLACK SABBATH
GET THE INSPIRATION TO
CREATE THIS HEAVY SOUND?
GOING BACK TO THAT FIRS
RECORD, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE
THE SOUND THAT YOU GUYS
WERE CREATING?
IT'S HARD TO SAY,
BECAUSE IT SEEMED
TO WRITE ITSELF.
YOU KNOW, WE'D JAM AROUND AND
SEE WHAT WE CAME OUT WITH.
ONE MORNING WE CAME OUT WITH
THE SONG BLACK SABBATH.
IT WAS JUST DONE IN A FLASH.
LIKE, TONY CAME UP WITH THE
RIFF, OZZY STARTED SINGING
THE LYRICS, AND IT SORT OF
REALLY DID WRITE ITSELF.
[music continues]
WHAT WERE THE MAIN
INSPIRATIONS FOR THA
OPENING RIFF?
I REMEMBER PLAYING
MARS, THE PLANETS SUITE, THE
DUN DUN DUN
ON THE BASS WHEN WE WERE
REHEARSING, AND IT SEEMED TO
INFLUENCE TONY TO GO
DUN DEEN DUN
YOU KNOW, THE SAME SOR
OF TRITONIC THING.
I THINK GEEZER WAS TRYING
TO PLAY--
GEEZER WAS TRYING TO PLAY
THE NOTES TO HOLTZ'S MARS,
AND TONY SHOWED UP, AND HE
LENGTHENED THE NOTES,
AND HE HELD THEM OUT.
BAM
BAM BAM
IT SENT SHIVERS DOWN MY BACK.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT TONY
TOOK THAT RIFF FROM HOLTZ.
YOU LISTEN TO THE MUSIC,
AND YOU CAN HEAR IT,
VERY MUCH SO.
[dramatic orchestral music]
CLASSICAL MUSIC WAS
OBVIOUSLY AN INSPIRATION FOR
BLACK SABBATH IN
THEIR EARLY YEARS.
SO I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW IF
CLASSICAL MUSIC HAS BEEN
AN INFLUENCE ON OTHER
METAL MUSICIANS?
AND SO I'VE COME BACK TO
GERMANY TO MEET WITH
ULI JON ROTH, WHO'S A CLASSICAL
MUSIC EXPERT AND FORMER
GUITARIST OF THE SCORPIONS,
TO TALK WITH HIM ABOU
THIS CONNECTION BETWEEN
CLASSICAL MUSIC AND HEAVY METAL.
[playing warm guitar tones]
WHY HAVE SO MANY HARD ROCK
OR HEAVY METAL GUITARISTS
INCORPORATED THE INFLUENCES
OF CLASSICAL COMPOSERS
INTO THEIR MUSIC?
I THINK OF EDDIE VAN HALEN.
I THINK OF RANDY RHOADS.
I THINK OF YOURSELF
AND MANY OTHERS.
I THINK BECAUSE IT'S
A NATURAL, IN-BORN DESIRE
TO EVOLVE.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THIS ENORMOUS
RESERVOIR AND REPERTOIRE OF
GREAT MUSICIANS IN THE PAST.
YOU LOOK AT THAT, AND YOU GO,
"WOW, WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE
DOING, YOU KNOW?
MAYBE WE CAN DO SOMETHING
SIMILAR."
AND PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU'RE
A YOUNG PLAYER, YOU FIND THA
EXCITING, YOU KNOW, THE
DEXTERITY ANGLE, BECAUSE YOU'RE
INTERESTED IN SPEED,.
YOU WANT TO BE FLUEN
IN WHAT YOU DO, AND CLASSICAL
MUSIC TEACHES YOU THAT.
[music continues]
AS A YOUNG FAN OF METAL,
I THOUGHT ALL OTHER MUSIC
SUCKED, YOU KNOW, LIKE,
CLASSICAL MUSIC, JAZZ MUSIC.
IT'S TOTALLY WIMPY, MAN.
BUT THEN WHEN I BECAME
A GUITAR PLAYER AND I REALIZED
THAT THE EXCELLENCE OF
AN EDDIE VAN HALEN
AND YNGWIE MALMSTEEN AND THE
EXCELLENCE OF A NICCOLO PAGANINI
HAD SOMETHING IN COMMON.
I APPRECIATED NOT JUST THE
MUSICIANSHIP BUT THE EXPRESSION
THAT VERY TALENTED NON-METAL
MUSICIANS BROUGHT TO THEIR OWN
GENRES, AND IT WAS VERY
INSPIRING TO ME.
[playing speedy guitar solo]
FOR SOME HEAVY METALERS,
CLASSICAL MUSICIANS LIKE
PAGANINI ARE MORE THAN AN
INSPIRATION.
THEY'RE AN OBSESSION.
AND IF PAGANINI WERE ALIVE
TODAY AND PLAYED A FENDER STRA
THROUGH A MARSHALL STACK,
HE WOULD BE SWEDISH GUITAR
VIRTUOSO YNGWIE MALMSTEEN.
WHEN YOU BROUGHT THE
CLASSICAL SOUND QUITE BOLDLY
INTO THE ROCK AND METAL FORMA
THAN WHAT ANYBODY ELSE--
WHAT IT WAS
WAS THAT I SAW IT ON TV.
IT WAS THIS RUSSIAN VIOLINIS
WHO WAS GOING MAD ON THE VIOLIN.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.
[playing complex violin music]
AND THEY SAID AT THE END OF
THE PROGRAM, IT WAS
NICCOLO PAGANINI'S 24 CAPRICES,
AND I JUST SAID, "WOW, YOU KNOW,
IF I COULD GET ANY OF THAT,
YOU KNOW THE LINEAR SINGING
NOTES, ARPEGGIOS, ALL THAT STUFF
AND PUT THAT IN THE GUITAR,
THAT WOULD BE AMAZING,"
YOU KNOW.
SO ONCE I HEARD THAT,
THAT WAS IT.
I KNEW THAT'S WHA
I WANTED TO DO.
JUST TECHNICALLY, IT'S AMAZING
WHAT PAGANINI DID, AND I FEL
THAT I NEEDED TO CHALLENGE
MYSELF, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO
TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT.
I THINK THAT'S THE MAIN REASON
FOR ME.
I ALWAYS FELT LIKE I HAD TO BE
BETTER THAN I AM,
AND TO ME, TO BE BETTER WOULD BE
TO PLAY MORE DIFFICULT,
MORE COMPLEX CLASSICAL-TYPE
MUSIC.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO JUS
PLAY IT SAFE, TWO STRINGS,
IT COULD BE THREE STRINGS,
FOUR STRINGS, FIVE STRINGS,
SIX-STRING ARPEGGIOS.
PEOPLE KEPT ON TELLING ME
TO SLOW DOWN, YOU KNOW,
"HEY, SLOW DOWN."
I'M LIKE, "OH, WELL."
"REMEMBER, LESS IS MORE,"
AND I ALWAYS SAID,
"HOW CAN THAT BE?
HOW CAN LESS BE MORE?"
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
MORE IS MORE.
THE VIRTUOSITY OF
CLASSICAL MUSIC HAS BEEN HUGELY
INSPIRATIONAL FOR METAL
GUITARISTS, BUT SINCE VIRTUOSITY
IN HEAVY METAL IS NOT LIMITED
TO THE GUITAR,
I'VE COME TO LONDON, ENGLAND,
TO MEET WITH ROB HALFORD,
THE LEGENDARY VOCALIST OF
JUDAS PRIEST, TO EXPLORE HOW
CLASSICAL MUSIC HAS INFLUENCED
HIS APPROACH TO METAL VOCALS.
BEFORE I BECAME
A PROFESSIONAL SINGER,
I WORKED IN THE THEATER FOR
A WHILE, AND I LOOKED FROM
THE SIDE OF THE STAGE,
AND I WOULD WATCH OPERA.
YOU KNOW, AND I'D LOOK A
THE AUDIENCE, AND I'D LOOK
AT THE PERFORMER AND BACK AND
FORTH, AND IT WAS INTRIGUING
TO SEE, AND I WAS JUS
MESMERIZED BY THE POWER
OF THE VOICE AND WHAT I
CAN DO.
[singing operatically]
YOU LISTEN TO SOMEBODY LIKE
PAVAROTTI, WHO IS MY
ULTIMATE GOD,
LOOK AT THE SCOPE THAT CAN BE
CREATED BY THESE VOCAL CORDS
IN YOU THROAT.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY SENSATIONAL.
SO I'VE ALWAYS HAD FUN
AS A SINGER TO TRY AND DO
AS MANY DRAMATIC THINGS
AS I POSSIBLY CAN.
ANOTHER WOMAN'S GOT
HER MAN
SHE WON'T GET A
[sustained high note]
ROB HALFORD HAS THAT ABILITY
TO SORT OF PROJEC
LIKE AN OPERA SINGER,
THAT KIND OF VOCAL STYLE,
WHAT DOES IT ADD TO METAL?
OPERA IS A VERY CHALLENGING
STYLE OF MUSIC TO PERFORM
AS A SINGER ESPECIALLY.
MUCH MORE CHALLENGING, I THINK,
THAN ROCK MUSIC, YOU KNOW?
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NOTICE
ABOUT, LIKE, ROB AND BRUCE AND
MYSELF IS, THERE IS A HUGE
AMOUNT OF THEATRICS IN OUR
DELIVERY, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO
GET YOUR POINT ACROSS TO THE
AUDIENCE AND AFFECT THEM AND
ILLICIT SOME SORT OF EMOTION.
INTO THE ABYSS I'LL FALL
THE EYE OF HORUS
INTO THE EYES OF THE NIGH
WATCHING ME GO
WHENEVER I SING A SONG,
THERE'S ALWAYS A BIG PART OF
IT IS WHAT I WOULD DESCRIBE
AS THEATER OF THE MIND.
IT'S LIKE APPLIED DRAMATICS
THROUGH MUSIC ,AND I WOULDN'
LIKE TO SAY WE WERE ON ANY
KIND OF LEVEL WITH ANY GREA
OPERA OR CLASSICAL ANYTHING
YOU KNOW?
IT'S SIMPLY A DESIRE
TO DO A GOOD JOB AT MESSING
WITH PEOPLE'S IMAGINATION.
TRAUMA, AN INTENSITY,
JEALOUSY AND RAGE AND REVENGE,
LIKE OPERA, METAL HAS GOT ALL
OF THOSE THINGS GOING FOR IT.
WE'RE ABOUT EXCITEMENT AND POWER
AND MAKING YOU VERY EMOTIONAL.
THAT'S WHAT METAL IS ABOUT,
THAT WHOLE VISUAL,
LARGER-THAN-LIFE EXPERIENCE.
HEAVY METAL AT ITS CORE
IS MARSHALL MUSIC.
IT'S BIG, HEAVY, MILITARY,
SCARE-YOU-TO-DEATH MUSIC.
HEAVY METAL WAS A TERM THA
CAME MUCH LATER ON, BUT THE
IDEA OF HEAVY MUSIC, THAT'S
BEEN THERE SINCE THE BEGINNING
OF TIME.
IT'S THE MUSIC THAT WAGNER
PLAYED IN CONCERT HALLS
WITH HIS OUTSIZED INSTRUMENTS
AND HIS HUGE ORCHESTRAS.
THE WHOLE IDEA WAS,
SHAKE THE WALLS,
SHAKE THE WORLD THROUGH
THE POWER OF THIS MUSIC.
[aggressive guitar riff]
[blues guitar riff]
NOW MAUDIE
BABY, I LOVE YOU
OH, MAUDIE
MOST MUSICIANS AGREE THA
THE FOUNDATION FOR ALL
ROCK MUSIC IS THE BLUES,
WHICH WAS BORN WHEN
ROBERT JOHNSON STOOD A
THE CROSSROADS IN CLARKSDALE,
MISSISSIPPI, AND SOLD HIS SOUL
TO THE DEVIL BY CHOOSING
A LIFE OF MUSIC.
BUT GROWING UP, HEAVY METAL
BANDS THAT I LOVED
LIKE IRON MAIDEN AND METALLICA
SEEMED LIKE THE FURTHEST THING
FROM THE BLUES.
SO WHAT EXACTLY IS THE
CONNECTION BETWEEN THE
BLUES AND HEAVY METAL?
SO WITH THE BLUES AND
HEAVY METAL, IS THERE ANY
KINSHIP THERE?
I MEAN, HOW?
I THINK THEY'RE INTRINSICALLY
LINKED.
I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT ANY
OF THE BRITISH MUSICIANS FROM
THE STONES ALL THE WAY TO
THE YARDBIRDS AND MOTORHEAD,
ALL THAT WAVE OF GUYS,
THEY ALL LISTEN TO THE BLUES.
ALL HARD ROCK/METAL BANDS
STARTED OUT WITH SOME SORT OF
FOUNDATION THAT STARTED
WITH A BLUES RIFF.
THAT'S WHERE WE ALL STARTED
PLAYING, MY PLAYING IN A SHED IN
MY DAD'S GARDEN
PLAYING, YOU KNOW,
[imitates blues riff]
[playing blues riff]
NOW MAUDIE
BABY, I LOVE YOU
I KNOW YOU'RE A FAN
OF THE BLUES AND HAVE
STUDIED THE BLUES.
WHAT'S THE SHARED DNA
BETWEEN EARLY BLUES AND
MODERN DAY METAL?
WELL, RIGHT OFF THE BAT,
THEY'RE BOTH RIFF-BASED MUSIC.
A LOT OF BLUES SONGS HAVE
A RIFF, AND YOU JUST SIT ON
THAT RIFF.
HEAVY METAL IS THE SAME WAY.
YOU SIT ON A RIFF.
YOU JUST SOAK IT FOR AS MUCH
EMOTION AS YOU CAN.
THE RIFF
IS A HUGE PART OF THE
ARSENAL OF VIRTUALLY
EVERY ROCK GUITARIST.
LOOK AT METALLICA AND A SONG
LIKE HIT THE LIGHTS.
HIT THE LIGHTS
HIT THE LIGHTS
HIT THE LIGHTS
HA HA!
[guitar solo]
YOU GOT RIFFS ALL OVER THA
SONG.
YOU GOT THREE DIFFERENT TEMPOS.
SO YOU SHIFT FROM
ONE SECTION TO ANOTHER.
THE RIFFS CHANGE, AND YOU GE
THIS INCREDIBLE RELEASE.
LIKE IN HEAVY METAL, BLUES
IS ALSO JUST DARK IN NATURE.
THEY'RE SINGING ABOUT THINGS
THAT NO ONE ELSE WOULD EVEN
TOUCH BACK IN THOSE DAYS.
IT HAD AN EDGE TO IT.
IT WASN'T GLOSSY.
THE REAL BLUES OF ROBERT JOHNSON
AND HOWLIN' WOLF, IT SOUNDED
DARK.
IT SOUNDED DIRTY.
IT SOUNDED EVIL.
THESE OLD BLUES GUYS, THEY HAD
A GROWL TO THEIR VOICE.
OH
LITTLE BITTY BOY
BETTER TELL, BE ON
WHY DON'T YOU HEAR ME CRYIN'
WHOO OOH OOH
IF THERE'S ONE BLUES
VOCALIST WHO SOUNDS LIKE A
METAL FRONT MAN, IT'S HOWLIN'
WOLF.
SO I'VE TRACKED DOWN GUITARIS
HUBERT SUMLIN,
THE LAST SURVIVING MEMBER
OF HOWLIN' WOLF'S ORIGINAL
MISSISSIPPI BLUES BAND,
TO GET A FIRSTHAND PERSPECTIVE
ON WHAT WOLF WAS LIKE.
[playing blues riff]
CAN I ASK YOU HOW DID HOWLIN'
WOLF INFLUENCE OR INSPIRE YOU
IN TERMS OF YOUR GUITAR PLAYING?
OH, MAN.
CAN YOU TELL ME ABOU
THE BIG VOICE THAT HE HAD.
THE HOWLIN' WOLF NAME
WAS NOT A JOKE.
HIS VOICE SOUNDS LIKE IT'S
COMING FROM--FROM HELL.
IT WAS AN ANIMALISTIC SOUND.
SO THERE IS A DIRECT LINE
BETWEEN HEAVY METAL GUYS WHO
ARE THE ARCHETYPES, WHO REALLY
CREATED THE THING, AND WHAT YOU
HEARD OUT OF HOWLIN' WOLF,
NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
IF YOU LIKE TO GAMBLE
I TELL YOU I'M YOUR MAN
YOU WIN SOME LOSE SOME
IT'S ALL THE SAME TO ME
IN THE TRADITION OF
WHAT LEAD SINGERS DO,
METAL IS FROM THE BLUES IN
TERMS OF ITS ABSOLUTE ROOTS.
THE EMOTIONAL MESSAGE
OF THE BLUES, I THINK, IS STILL
RELEVANT IN METAL.
IT'S FROM THE SOUL.
IT'S VERY, YOU KNOW,
VERY PRIMORDIAL.
IT'S JUST GOT THIS KIND OF
VERY GUT INSTINCTIVE TYPE
OF CAVEMAN-ESQUE ATTITUDE
ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW I'M BORN TO LOSE
AND GAMBLING'S FOR FOOLS
BUT THAT'S THE WAY
I LIKE IT, BABY
I DON'T WANT TO LIVE FOREVER
THE BLUES CLEARLY HAS SOME
STRONG MUSICAL CONNECTIONS
WITH HEAVY METAL, BUT THERE'S
STILL ONE MORE GENRE IN THE
PRE-HISTORY OF METAL THAT I
WANT EXPLORE, AND THAT'S JAZZ.
BUT I GOT TO SAY I NEVER
CONSIDERED JAZZ AND METAL
TO HAVE ANYTHING IN COMMON.
SO IS JAZZ AN INFLUENCE ON
HEAVY METAL MUSICIANS?
[jazzy trumpet solo]
A LOT OF JAZZ IS [bleep],
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE
WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE, WHAT I
IS LIKE, POORLY THOUGHT OU
MASTURBATION, RIGHT?
GUYS THAT CAN
[imitates noodling]
SO IT HAS A BAD REPUTATION
FOR THAT, BUT THERE ARE
CERTAIN GUYS WITHIN IT THA
HAVE JUST BEEN ASTONISHING.
WAS JAZZ AN INFLUENCE?
WELL, YEAH.
OH, YEAH, YEAH, DEFINITELY.
GROWING UP, WE HAD A HUGE
COLLECTION OF AMERICAN RECORDS,
AND EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT,
MY DAD WOULD SING TO THEM,
AND MY MUM WOULD PLAY
LITTLE BIT OF PIANO,
AND I LISTENED
TO ALL THOSE SONGS.
[imitates jazz riff]
THERE WAS A SONG BY GLENN
MILLER.
IT'D DIMINISH, DIMINISH,
DIMINISH, AND THEN SUDDENLY I
WOULD
BOO BOO BA BOO BOO BA
BOO BOO BA BOO BOO BA
IN THE MOOD, I THINK IT WAS,
AND I LOVED IT.
SO I WAS TERRIBLY INFLUENCED
BY THAT MUSIC.
AND DID YOU TAKE THA
AND TRY TO BRING THAT TO
SABBATH'S MUSIC?
OH, IT'S IN SABBATH'S MUSIC.
YOU CAN HEAR ALL THE SWINGING
IN THERE.
YOU CAN HEAR IT IN FAIRIES.
WHEN YOU'RE DOING THOSE
KIND OF CHOPS, IT'S SWING,
AND THE BAND COULD SWING
REAL WELL.
[bluesy rock guitar]
BILL WARD WAS A JAZZ DRUMMER.
IF YOU LISTEN TO THE STUFF
HE'S DOING ON THE DRUMS,
IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW--
IT'S NOT THUD, WHACK, CRASH.
IT'S ALL REALLY JAZZY,
AND IOMMI WAS A VERY JAZZY
PLAYER, AS IS GEEZER BUTLER.
SO THIS REALLY HEAVY BAND BU
WITH A BIT OF A JAZZY FEEL
TO IT MORE OR LESS
INVENTED HEAVY METAL.
WHY ARE SO MANY METAL
MUSICIANS INFLUENCED BY JAZZ?
BECAUSE THOSE WERE
THE MASTERS OF THEIR
INSTRUMENT, REALLY.
YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD TAKE STUFF
THAT THEY DID AND ROCKIFY I
TO USE THE WAY YOU WANT TO
USE IT.
I MEAN, ROCK DRUMMING IS AN
ART FORM JUST LIKE
JAZZ DRUMMING IS AN ART FORM.
BUDDY RICH WAS A GOD-GIFTED
ANIMAL.
HE WAS VERY VICIOUS IN
HIS PLAYING, VERY AGGRESSIVE.
HE WAS A DRUM STAR,
A DRUM HERO, AN ICON.
I SAW ON TV BUDDY RICH,
I REMEMBER, AT A VERY YOUNG
AGE, AND I WAS AMAZED AT HIS
ENERGY, YOU KNOW, AND HOW
HE PLAYED--YOU KNOW, THE
VELOCITY HE WOULD HIT THE DRUMS.
THE DRUMS DOMINATE THE MOMENT.
HE WAS THRASH BEFORE THRASH
WAS EVER THRASH.
IF YOU WATCH SOME OF HIS
SOLOING, HOW FAST HIS HANDS ARE
GOING, WHAT HE'S DOING.
I MEAN, PROBABLY NOT A BETTER
DRUMMER THAN HIM EVER
TO TOUCH A DRUM SET.
SO GETTING INTO HEAVY METAL,
I WAS LIKE, "THAT'S FOR ME,
BECAUSE I WANT TO DO SOMETHING
DIFFERENT,"
IT WAS EXCITING.
THAT PUSHED MY DRUMMING
TO ANOTHER LEVEL.
[aggressive thrash metal]
WHETHER IT'S JAZZ, BLUES,
OR CLASSICAL, I NOW HAVE A
MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF
METAL'S DEEPEST MUSICAL ROOTS,
BUT ALL THESE GENRES ARE MISSING
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTAN
ELEMENTS OF HEAVY METAL:
THE SOUND OF THE DISTORTED
ELECTRIC GUITAR.
SO WHAT ARE THE ROOTS OF
METAL'S ELECTRIFIED SOUND?
AND JUST ONE QUICK REMINDER,
YOU MUST REMAIN SEATED
THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE
FLIGHT.
THANK YOU.
[rockabilly piano riff]
YOU WOMEN HAVE HEARD
OF JALOPIES
YOU'VE HEARD THE NOISE
THEY MAKE
BUT LET ME INTRODUCE
MY NEW ROCKET 88
YES IT'S GREAT
JUST WON'T WAIT
EVERYBODY LIKES MY ROCKET 88
BABY WE'LL RIDE IN STYLE
MOVIN' ALL ALONG
CLASSICAL, JAZZ,
AND THE BLUES ALL HELPED
LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR
HEAVY METAL.
BUT PROBABLY THE MOST OBVIOUS
MUSICAL ANTECEDENT OF METAL
IS ROCK & ROLL, AND SO I'VE
COME TO SUN STUDIOS IN
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, THE HOME OF
ROCK MUSIC TO FIND OUT WHA
WERE THE SPECIFIC MUSICAL
ELEMENTS OF ROCK THAT LATER
BECAME ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS
OF THE HEAVY METAL SOUND.
WHY IS SUN STUDIO THE BIRTHPLACE
OF ROCK & ROLL?
WELL, IT ALL STEMS FROM
A PARTICULAR RECORDING
THAT TOOK PLACE HERE BACK
IN 1951, ROCKET 88,
BY A BAND BY THE NAME OF
JACKIE BRENSTON AND HIS DELTA
CATS, AND I'VE GOT THE ABSOLUTE
VERY FIRST COPY THAT WAS EVER
RECORDED DOWN HERE ON
SAM PHILLIPS' LATHE RECORDER.
SAM PHILLIPS, YOU KNOW,
PRODUCER AT SUN RECORDS
IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTAN
IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN
MUSIC, PERIOD.
SAM WANTED THINGS THA
SOUNDED DIFFERENT,
THAT WAS ALWAYS HIS GOAL.
HE'S THE GUY THAT WHEN, YOU
KNOW, IKE TURNER ARRIVES A
THE SUN STUDIO IN '51 TO CU
ROCKET 88, AND THE SPEAKER
CONE IS CRACKED AND CONSEQUENTLY
HAS THIS DISTORTED SOUND,
HE'S THE ONE WHO GOES,
"THAT'S INCREDIBLE.
I WANT THAT SOUND!"
AS THE STORY GOES,
THE GUITARIST WILLIE KIZAR
WAS TAKING HIS AMP OUT OF THE
CAR AND PUTTING IT UP ON TOP
OF THE CAR, AMP FELL OFF
THE BACK, PUNCHED A HOLE IN
THE SPEAKER CONE.
SO THEY WENT INSIDE.
THEY STUFFED IT FULL
OF NEWSPAPER.
SAM LOVED THE SOUND
OF THE PUNCTURED SPEAKER CONE
OF THE AMPLIFIER ITSELF
AND IT WAS, ACCORDING TO
MOST MUSIC HISTORIANS,
THE FIRST RECORDED USE OF
DISTORTED ELECTRIC GUITAR
IN MUSIC IN GENERAL.
BESIDES THE DISTORTED
ELECTRIC GUITAR, ANOTHER
CONTRIBUTION OF '50s MUSIC
TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEAVY
METAL WAS THE ARRIVAL OF THE
WILD ROCK & ROLL FRONT MAN.
COME ON OVER BABY
WHOLE LOT OF SHAKIN'
GOIN' ON
YEAH
COME ON OVER BABY
BABY YOU CAN'T GO WRONG
HONEY, I AIN'T FAKIN'
WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON
WHEN I FIRST HEARD
JERRY LEE DOING WHOLE LOTTA
SHAKIN GOIN ON, BY GOD,
I WANTED TO SOUND LIKE THAT.
THERE WAS KIND OF A RAW ANIMAL,
UNTEXTURED, UNTUTORED FEEL TO I
ALL, AND THAT TO ME,
AS A VERY TEXTURED, TUTORED
YOUNG MAN WHO, YOU KNOW, HAD
BEEN POURING OVER BEETHOVEN,
BACH, AND THE LIKE,
THIS WAS MASSIVELY EXCITING.
I THINK THERE'S ONE THING
YOU GET FROM THE ROCK & ROLL
GUYS, YOU KNOW, FROM THAT ERA
IS AMERICA DURING A TIME WHEN
THERE'S A RED SCARE GOING ON
AND THERE'S A LOT OF FEAR THE
COMMUNISTS ARE GONNA GET US.
YOU KNOW, THE BOMB IS GONNA
BLOW US ALL UP, AND THESE GUYS
REPRESENTED A KIND OF WILDNESS
AND FREEDOM THAT WAS NO
EXPRESSED IN ANY OTHER, REALLY,
FORMS OF THE POPULAR CULTURE.
WOP BOP A LOOM A
BA LOP BA
GOT A GIRL NAME SUE
SHE KNOW JUST WHAT TO DO
GOT A GIRL NAMED SUE
SHE KNOW JUST WHAT TO DO
THE HEAVIEST THING WHEN
I WAS GROWING UP
WAS LITTLE RICHARD.
HE DIDN'T, LIKE, TRY AND MAKE
HIS VOICE NICE, YOU KNOW,
ACCEPTABLE.
HE JUST SANG IT HOW HE FELT IT,
YOU KNOW, AND I ALWAYS
ADMIRED THAT.
THAT'S WHY I SING LIKE I DO.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T TRY AND PUT ON
ANY SPECIAL AIRS AND GRACES.
WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET.
SO THERE'S A CONNECTION
FROM LITTLE RICHARD TO LEMMY?
YEAH, A BIG ONE, YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE IF I HAD A HERO
IN THOSE DAYS IT WOULD HAVE
BEEN HIM.
LITTLE RICHARD, YOU KNOW,
YOU LISTEN TO TUTTI FRUTTI,
HIS FIRST BIG HIT IN '55,
AND IT'S LIKE IT'S TRANSGRESSIVE
IN ALL SORTS OF WAYS.
HE IS SHREDDING HIS LARYNX
IN THOSE TWO BARS,
AND THE SOUND JUST LEAPS
OUT OF THOSE SPEAKERS.
SHE KNOWS HOW TO LOVE ME
YES, INDEED
BOY, YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT YOU DO TO ME
I WANT TO GO BACK TO
ANOTHER EARLY ROCK & ROLLER.
WHAT WAS ELVIS' CONTRIBUTION
TO THIS STORY?
ELVIS WAS THE METALLICA
OF HIS TIME.
ELVIS TOOK ROCK & ROLL
OUT OF ITS SMALL FAN BASE
AND MADE IT SAFE FOR
THE REST OF AMERICA.
ELVIS SOLD ROCK & ROLL,
WITHOUT ELVIS, I DON'T KNOW
WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED
TO ROCK & ROLL.
ELVIS TO ME WAS BALLS TO
THE WALL, YOU KNOW, AND HE WAS
INCREDIBLY INFLUENTIAL.
I DIDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING
ELSE OTHER THAN GET A JOB
LIKE ELVIS.
YOU KNOW, IN GREAT BRITAIN,
WE WERE USED TO SAFE LISTENING,
SO WHEN ELVIS COMES UP, SHAKING
HIS ASS, AND, YOU KNOW, SAYING,
"THE WARDEN THREW A PARTY IN
THE COUNTY JAIL.
THE PRISON BAND WAS THERE,
AND THEY BEGAN TO WAIL,"
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE, WHOA.
WENT TO A PARTY
IN THE COUNTY JAIL
YOU KNOW, IF YOU LISTEN TO THA
AND THEN JUST TRANSPOSE IT TO
SATURDAY NIGH
AND I JUST GOT PAID
GONNA FOOL AROUND
AIN'T GONNA SAVE
I MEAN, IT'S ELVIS!
SATURDAY NIGH
AND I JUST GOT PAID
GONNA FOOL ABOU
AIN'T GONNA SAVE
PEOPLE GONNA ROCK
PEOPLE GONNA ROLL
GONNA HAVE A PARTY
TO SAVE MY SOUL
SO JAILHOUSE ROCK AND
THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU JUS
TRANSPOSE THEM AND PUT SOME
METAL TO IT, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN
IT BECOMES KIND OF A
BLUES-BASED METALLY TYPE THING.
GOOD GOLLY SAID
LITTLE MISS MOLLY
WELL SHE WAS ROCKIN'
IN THE HOUSE OF BLUE LIGH
TUTTI FRUTTI
OH, SO ROODY
ROCKIN' TO THE EAST
AND THE WES
HARD HEADED WOMAN
AND A SOFT HEARTED MAN
BEFORE ICONIC HEAVY METAL
BANDS LIKE DEEP PURPLE
EMERGED ONTO THE SCENE, IN THE
EARLY 1960s, ROCK & ROLL WEN
THROUGH A PHASE THAT FELT LIKE
THE FURTHEST THING
FROM HEAVY METAL.
ELVIS JOINED THE ARMY.
LITTLE RICHARD WENT RELIGIOUS.
BUDDY HOLLY DIED.
WHAT WAS THE STATE OF ROCK
AT THAT TIME?
ROCK & ROLL WAS SCARY
AND CREEPY.
ELVIS HAD GONE INTO THE ARMY.
EVERYBODY ELSE WAS IN PRISON.
SUDDENLY, FRANKIE AVALON
SHOWED UP SINGING
"VENUS IF YOU WILL, PLEASE SEND
A LITTLE GIRL FOR ME TO THRILL"
VENUS IF YOU WILL
PLEASE SEND A LITTLE GIRL
FOR ME TO THRILL
A GIRL WHO WANTS MY KISSES
AND MY ARMS
A GIRL WITH ALL THE CHARMS
OF YOU
SO I GUESS MUSIC IN AMERICA
HAD BECOME FAIRLY SAFE.
VERY SAFE AND VERY
MANUFACTURED.
SOMETIMES WE'RE NOT EVEN SURE
THAT THAT PARTICULAR ARTIS
SANG THAT SONG.
THEY HAD A CERTAIN LOOK TO
THEM, AN EASTERN SLICKED BACK
LOOK.
THE SONGS WERE VERY SIMPLE.
THE SONGS WERE ABOU
TEDDY BEARS AND FALLING IN
LOVE WITH YOUR GIRLFRIEND
AND SIMPLE THINGS.
SO THERE WAS A LOT OF FAKE
ROCK & ROLL.
PEOPLE WERE FAKING THE FUNK,
SO TO SPEAK,
AND THERE'S A SPACE.
THERE'S A KIND OF
SUDDEN EMPTINESS, WHERE
THERE'S--WHAT'S THE NEW
EXCITEMENT GOING TO BE IN THE
CULTURE.
MAKE MY WISH COME TRUE
IN THE EARLY '60s,
ROCK & ROLL CROSSED
THE ATLANTIC FROM AMERICA
TO BRITAIN, KICKING OFF
WHAT IS FAMOUSLY KNOWN AS THE
BRITISH INVASION, AND IF THERE'S
ONE BAND FROM THIS INVASION
THAT IS PART OF THE STORY OF
HEAVY METAL, IT'S THE KINKS
AND THE GROUNDBREAKING SOUND
ON THEIR SONG
YOU REALLY GOT ME.
WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION
FOR THE GUITAR SOUND ON THE
FIRST KINKS RECORD?
WELL, WE HAD THAT SOUND
ABOUT SIX MONTHS
BEFORE WE RECORDED,
BEFORE YOU REALLY GOT ME
WAS AROUND.
I USED TO EXPERIMENT WITH
A GUITAR, BUT THE GUITAR
SOUNDS WERE VERY LIMITED,
YOU KNOW, JUST TONE CONTROL
AND VOLUME, AND THAT WAS ABOU
IT, AND I CAME ACROSS THIS
LITTLE AMP IN A SHOP UP THE
ROAD, AND IT WAS CALLED AN
ELPICO AND I JUST GOT A
RAZORBLADE AND STARTED TO CU
THE CONE SPEAKER.
I DON'T KNOW WHY.
AND I PLUGGED IT IN,
AND IT MADE A
[growling sound]
THAT AMAZING SOUND.
[fuzzy guitar riff]
GIRL
YOU REALLY GOT ME GOIN'
YOU GOT ME SO I DON'T KNOW
WHAT I'M DOIN'
AND SO I'M STILL DOING THESE
THREE FINGER CHORDS ON MY
GUITAR, AND NOW I GOT THIS
REALLY GRITTY, TWANGY, RAUNCHY
SOUND FROM MY AMP WITH THE
SPEAKER SLASHED.
SO THIS CHORD NOW SOUNDS
IMMENSE.
IT WAS LIKE DISCOVERING
SOMETHING, FELT MORE LIKE AN
INVENTOR THAN A MUSICIAN.
YOU REALLY GOT ME
YOU REALLY GOT ME
YOU REALLY GOT ME
THE FIRST DIRTY GUITAR
I'D EVER HEARD WAS
YOU REALLY GOT ME.
THAT VERY EARLY
DUN-DUN-DUN DUN DUN
WAS SO, LIKE, DEMONIC,
MADE MOMS AND DADS GO,
"OH, TURN IT OFF.
IT'S SO--IT'S EVIL."
YOU REALLY GOT ME
IS ABOUT GRIT.
IT'S ABOUT RAW EXPRESSION
AND FEELING.
IT'S NOT ABOUT WINING AND
DINING OR MIDDLE CLASS
BEHAVIOR.
IT'S ABOUT, "I LIKE YOU.
I WANT TO [bleep] YOU."
OH NO
IN THE EARLY '60s,
WHEN THE SCENE IN ENGLAND
WAS ON THE UPSWING, THE CLUBS
WERE GETTING BIGGER,
THE CROWDS WERE GETTING BIGGER,
AND IT WAS ALSO GETTING LOUDER.
THE ENVIRONMENT WAS LOUDER, AND
MUSICIANS WANTED TO BE HEARD.
GIVE ME SOMETHING THAT'S--
I WANT TO KEEP THAT SOUND,
BUT I JUST WANT IT LOUDER.
THE WHOLE AESTHETIC OF LOUD,
I MEAN, IF--YOU KNOW, WHO WOULD
YOU CITE AS THE MOST IMPORTAN
PRE-CURSOR OF METAL?
I WOULD CITE JIM MARSHALL,
WHO DEVELOPED THE MARSHALL AMPS
TO MAKE FOR LOUDNESS.
AS ROCK MUSIC DEVELOPED IN
THE '60s, MUSICIANS STARTED
TO PLAY IN LARGER VENUES,
AND SO THEY NEEDED TECHNOLOGY
AND EQUIPMENT TO FILL THOSE
VENUES, AND THERE'S NO NAME
THAT IS MORE ASSOCIATED
WITH HEAVINESS AND VOLUME
THAN MARSHALL.
SO WE'VE COME TO THE FACTORY
HERE IN ENGLAND
TO FIND OUT WHY IT IS
THAT MARSHALL BECAME
THE AMPLIFIER THAT WAS ICONIC
OF HEAVY METAL MUSIC.
I'VE ALSO HEARD THEY'VE GO
AN AMP THAT GOES UP TO 11,
AND THAT'S JUST SOMETHING
I HAVE TO SEE.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW
MARSHALL AMPS GOT STARTED?
DAD, LONG BEFORE HE DREAMED
OF MAKING AN AMPLIFIER,
HIS PASSION WAS DRUMMING.
SO HE STARTED A DRUM SHOP,
AND FROM THAT, A LOT OF
THE BANDS WOULD COME IN.
A LOT OF THE DRUMMERS
WOULD COME IN, AND, YOU KNOW,
THEY WOULD BRING THEIR
GUITARISTS IN, AND A YOUNG
LAD CAME IN, A LOCAL LAD,
PETE TOWNSHEND.
HE ACTUALLY USED TO HANG AROUND
IN THE SHOP,
AND THEY USED TO TALK ABOU
THE FENDER BASSMAN.
IT WASN'T QUITE GIVING PETE
QUITE THE SOUND HE WANTED.
SO DAD SET ABOUT CHANGING IT,
REALLY, AND I THINK THEY BUIL
FOUR OR FIVE PROTOTYPES IN THE
EARLY DAYS, IN '62, AND THEY
FINALLY BUILT ONE,
AND PETE TOWNSHEND SAID,
"THAT'S A GREAT SOUND"
AND OFF HE WENT TO USE IT.
SO, YEAH, THAT'S HOW IT STARTED.
PEOPLE TRY TO PUT US
D-D-DOWN
TALKIN' BOUT
MY GENERATION
JUST BECAUSE WE
G-G-GET AROUND
TALKIN' ABOUT
MY GENERATION
THINGS THEY DO LOOK AWFUL
C-C-COLD
TALKIN' BOUT
MY GENERATION
HOPE I DIE
BEFORE I GET OLD
JIM MARSHALL BASICALLY
TOOK THE FENDER AMP
AND THE VOX AC30, AND HE CREATED
A NEW ANIMAL, A MARSHALL,
100 WATTS, WHICH WAS UNHEARD OF.
IT WAS A BEAST, BASICALLY.
ORIGINALLY, HIS STACK WAS
ALL ONE PIECE, YOU KNOW,
AND, LIKE, IT WAS [bleep]
MURDER TO CARRY ABOUT.
THERE WAS NO VAN IN THE
WORLD YOU COULD FIT IT INTO.
DAD SAID TO PETE,
AT THE TIME,
THAT THIS IS JUST GONNA BE TOO
HEAVY, AND PETE SAID TO HIM,
"IT'S OKAY.
I'VE GOT ROADIES NOW."
SO HE BUILT THIS 8x12 CABINET.
SO HE BUILT 12 OF THEM, AND I
THINK IT WAS A COUPLE MONTHS
LATER PETE CAME BACK IN AND
SAID, "THESE ARE TOO HEAVY."
AND THAT'S WHEN HE ACTUALLY
BUILT THE FIRST STACK.
SO HE BUILT THE 4x12 BOTTOM CAB
AND ANGLED CAB.
THEY SAWED IT IN HALF,
AND THAT'S WHEN YOU
GOT THE STACK AS I
IS NOW, YOU KNOW.
SO YOU WOULDN'T REALLY
HAVE METAL OR HARD ROCK
WITHOUT THAT INVENTION, I GUESS.
NO, THAT'S RIGHT.
TOWNSHEND DID YOU A GREA
SERVICE.
[distorted guitar noise]
WHEN THE WHO CAME ON WITH
THESE FIRST MARSHALL STACKS
ANYBODY HAD EVER SEEN,
WHOA, YOU WERE PINNED,
PINNED BACK WITH THE SHEER POWER
OF IT, I MEAN, PHYSICAL AIR
MOVING, AND IT WAS SHOCKING
AND DAZZLING AND FANTASTIC,
AND, OF COURSE, THAT STARTED
THE REVOLUTION, YOU KNOW.
THE NEXT BAND HAD TO BE
JUST AS LOUD OR LOUDER.
BACKED BY MARSHALL STACKS,
THE WHO SET IN MOTION A VOLUME
RACE, AND BANDS WERE NOW
COMPETING TO BE THE LOUDES
IN ALL OF BRITAIN,
BUT THEN THERE WAS ONE MUSICIAN
FROM AMERICA WHO WOULD EXPAND
THE SOUND OF ROCK GUITAR
BEYOND JUST VOLUME
AND DISTORTION.
WHAT WAS IT THAT HENDRIX DID
THAT PUSHED THAT CONCEPT OF
HEAVINESS IN MUSIC?
WHAT HENDRIX DID WAS EXPAND
THE MUSICAL HORIZON
OF THE ELECTRIC GUITAR TO THE
DEGREE THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS,
THE GREATEST INNOVATIVE SOUNDS,
THE PLAYING, STRETCHING THE
BOUNDARIES, YOU KNOW.
WHEN HE BROKE ON THE SCENE
IN '66, PEOPLE WERE GOING,
"WOW, WE'VE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING
LIKE THIS."
IT WAS LIKE WILDFIRE.
THE MESSAGE SPREAD.
"HEY, YOU GOT TO COME CHECK OU
THIS GUY JIMI HENDRIX.
HE'S INCREDIBLE.
HE PLAYS LEFT HANDED,
AND IT'S UPSIDE DOWN,
AND HE DOES STUFF WITH HIS
TEETH AND BEHIND HIS HEAD.
YOU'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING
LIKE IT.
YOU'VE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING
LIKE IT."
WHEN HENDRIX CAME,
FORGET ABOUT IT.
IT WAS JUST A WHOLE NOTHER
WORLD, AND EVERYTHING GO
VERY ELECTRIC AND VERY
DISTORTED, AND PEOPLE TRIED
TO PUSH THE LEVELS EVEN FARTHER,
BECAUSE NOW THEY HAD THE
FUZZ-TONES.
ALL THESE SOUNDS THAT THEY WERE
DEVELOPING IN THE STUDIO,
THEY NOW MADE GIZMOS
THAT YOU COULD TAKE
ON THE ROAD WITH YOU, PLUG THEM
IN, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,
YOU CAN BE THE MOST DISTORTED
GUITAR PLAYER IN THE WORLD.
IT'S AN INTERESTING
QUESTION WHY DISTORTION BECAME
DESIRABLE IN MUSIC.
I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME
THAT I BOUGHT A BIG MUFF
DISTORTION PEDAL,
UNTIL THEN I HAD BEEN PLAYING
THESE HORRIBLE SORT OF TINKLING,
JANGLING THINGS, AND AS SOON AS
I STEPPED ON THAT THING, IT WAS
ROCK & ROLL.
I MEAN, LIKE, IT WAS INSTANTLY
ROCK & ROLL MUSIC,
AND THAT I THINK IS SOMETHING,
TOO, THAT I DON'T THINK THERE'S
A WAY TO INTELLECTUALIZE IT.
THERE'S SOMETHING DEEP IN THE
DNA THAT RESPONDS TO THE SOUND
OF AN OVERRIDDEN AMPLIFIER.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE WORLD
IS A LITTLE BIT MORE EXCITING.
[laughs]
JUST TURNING UP THE VOLUME
AND GETTING SOME DISTORTION
THROUGH THE AMPS, THROUGH THE
GUITARS.
IT'S ALL KIND OF LITTLE EMBRYOS
OF SOUND, AND OTHER MUSICIANS
ARE PICKING IT UP
AND THINKING, "WELL, IF I TAKE
A BIT OF THAT GUITAR DISTORTION
AND PUT THAT WITH A BIG BASS
DRUM SOUND AND PUT A THUNDERING
BASS GUITAR AND A SCREAMING
VOCAL, WHAT IS THAT GOING
TO SOUND LIKE?"
WELL, TO ME, IT'S GONNA SOUND
LIKE A HEAVY METAL BAND'S
BEGINNING.
[distorted guitar noise]
WHAT I'VE LEARNED SO FAR
IS THAT THE ORIGINS OF METAL
ARE WAY MORE COMPLEX THAN I
FIRST THOUGHT.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CREATING
BOMBASTIC SOUNDS THA
CHANNEL FEELINGS OF REBELLION
AND AGGRESSION FOR HUNDREDS OF
YEARS, AND SO, ON A CONCEPTUAL
LEVEL, METAL ISN'T NEW AT ALL.
BUT I THINK WHAT SURPRISES ME
MOST IS THAT THE SENSE OF
COMMUNITY THAT I FEEL IN METAL
AND AT PLACES LIKE WACKEN ISN'
NEW EITHER.
EVER SINCE ELVIS GYRATED HIS
HIPS OR LITTLE RICHARD SCREAMED
INTO THE MICROPHONE,
MUSIC HAS PROVIDED YOUNG PEOPLE
WITH A COMMUNITY TO BELONG TO,
AND SO ULTIMATELY, WHAT I FEEL
I'M FACED WITH IN THIS SERIES
IS THE REALIZATION THAT METAL
AND US METAL HEADS ARE PART OF
A MUCH BIGGER STORY THAN
I EVER COULD HAVE IMAGINED.