40 YEARS OF HEAVY METAL

 So… a big “Hey there!” and “How have you been?” to the 3 or 4 people that read this blog. It has been a while since I have written. When my job intrudes on my life, it tends to do it in a big way. I just wanted to write a little something about the month of June, in  particular, June 1970. In June 1970, on the 24^th day… I opted to join the Human Race. I was born in a very large, small town in Alabama. The town is not all that different, politically and spiritually (if a town can have one of those), than when I was born. I no longer live there, but I work there. Here is a little bit about my hometown. The most popular forms of music are Country, Pop, & Hip-Hop… in that order. Politicians run smear ads against their opponents, accusing them of believing in Evolution and not believing that the Bible is the inerrant word of God. I AM NOT JOKING! It is legal to Marry a 2^nd cousin in my hometown. You get the idea. I hated growing up in that place. I don’t have one friend from childhood, even though I lived there, or near there, most of my life. The friends I have now are people I met, as an adult, who knew how to grow-up and be adult. I didn’t like children when I was younger, and I am not exactly fond of them now… but I digress. I was, and in some ways still am, a Pariah. No one sets out to be that, but I have become that never the less. I state all that to state this. Much like when GOD created Adam and realized what a miserable existence Adam would have without a mate, he also created Eve. The fates seemed to have a similar realization when I was born. On the 24^th of June, I came into a world where the number 1 single was “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkle and the heaviest bands on the planet at the time (as far as the United States was concerned) was Led Zeppelin or Deep Purple. It seems the fates decided “that will not be enough for the new citizen” and on June 30^th, less than a week later, the fates bestowed upon The United States of America the beginning of the truest, and purest, form of music. The music that is the truth when all other music is proven false. The music that celebrates Power, Strength, and Honor, when all other music is just fodder for punchlines and soundtracks for the weak. The forefathers of what would become known as “Heavy Metal” unleashed on American soil their dark masterpiece “Black Sabbath” by the band Black Sabbath. Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Gezzer Butler, and Bill Ward brought into the world, a new era of music. Now, 40 years later, the album which clocks in at just under 40 minutes, is still regarded as one of the finest examples of Heavy Metal music, as it should be. Anyone who listens to Heavy Metal and understands it to be the example of what music should aspire to be and embrace the genre as their own, knows that album. It was the forerunner for bands like KISS, Judas Priest, Motorhead, etc. Black Sabbath brought to us so much more over the years. Ronnie James Dio (R.I.P.), Tony Martin, the Devil Horns (courtesy of RJD). And inspiring artist as diverse as Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys) and Hip-Hop artist ICE-T. I could go on and on. I just want to show appreciation to the Universe, Fate, Kismet, whatever… for allowing me to exist in a time where Heavy Metal is an art form. I could not imagine my life without it. As long as I have been alive, there has been Heavy Metal, and long after I am gone, it will still be here. LONG LIVE HEAVY METAL!!!!!!!