Yep. Throughout history (which ended in 2010) “normals” associate(d) bands from Motley Crue to Slayer to KISS with glue-sniffing dirtbags. “Hesher” was a common word for it BITD, but where I grew up the word was “grit.” The truth was that only about one-fourth of the fans were actual glue-sniffing dirtbags; the rest were angry nerds and weirdoes (like me) enjoying the epic explosive feeling of it all. 80s Iron Maiden is certainly the ancestor of the very interesting albums you describe. Do you listen to The Sword?
Speaking of ancestry, “complexity, technical skill, and individual expression” is exactly how Rush fans since the 70s have conclusively proven to the ignorant that Rush is the greatest band of all time. So when you say that people perceive metal etc. that way, I think you may be talking mostly about your friends…? Because in my experience, very few people place a particularly high value on complexity and technical skill in music outside that very analytical population of metal nerds.
Anyway, I’ve long had the sense from talking with my friends with kids that young folks today aren’t up against a sense of what’s specifically “normal” anywhere near as strong as what we had to contend with. Makes sense, in an era when everyone’s seen the LotR movies and played WoW etc. etc. and the Top 40 singles seem almost irrelevant. And it’s a good thing. Perhaps guilty pleasures will go from music to something else. Shoes?
I mean, i also listen to Rush, and my favorite band of all time can trace a direct lineage to Rush, Iron Maiden, and Queensryche. So…
And I make the statement I do today, because of the metal scen and bands that exist within it now. There is definitely a tilt within many metal communities towards virtuosity as an important element.
Not all, mind you, but the world of metal today is vast, international, and has more than a few hairy Scandinavians playing odd time signatures.
As for your contention that ‘normal’ music is less important today? I’d say that largely transitioned about the mid 2000’s, as the rise of internet’s streaming caught on. Being bound by her geographic peculiarities of your local radio vanished, and the death of mainstream rock and transition to image focused pop has certainly enphasized individual preference as an acceptable option.
Basically I experienced the transition while transitioning from high school to college myself. As streaming made finding niche bands you were personally invested in not only possible, but encouraged.
And, yeah, the mainstreaming of nerd culture helps make it so that saying one of my 5 favorite albums of all time is a power/ folk metal fantasy concept album based on the Silmarillion a not only socially acceptable answer, but one likely to invite more curiosity than ridicule.
I feel a little guilty for loving the hard transition and corny montage of this Randy Newman jam, but the apathetic “big nasty” redhead makes this a must-watch!
