There are a lot of heavy metal bands out there. I’m no expert, but here’s what I know: most people agree that back in the late ’60s, Black Sabbath lit the fuse that started it all. And if you’ve heard of Ozzy Osbourne, you know the man may have been the spark behind some of the most loved, most followed music on Earth.
Metalheads? They’re a breed all their own. Dedicated. Informed. Fiercely loyal. Back in the ’80s, I’d see them strutting down the sidewalks in black jeans, leather jackets, jean jackets with back patches, and spikes – on their wrists, their shoulders, their waistlines, their necks. They didn’t just wear the look, they lived it.
And they still do. Many never let go of that ’70s and ’80s metal fire, and they’ll go to their graves in those same outfits – outfits the average person might see as lonely or strange. But here’s the thing: stop one on the street, talk to them, and you’ll find an introspective, razor-sharp, wildly thoughtful person. The depth of a metalhead? Never, ever underestimate it.
When I was 12, my friend Russell introduced me to a band called Metallica. He had me listen to two albums: Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets. The first is heavier, while the second feels more, how should I put it, nuanced and mature. Both are absolutely incredible, and if I had to guess, I’d say Metallica is the most popular heavy metal band on the planet.
Back then, there were only a handful of popular bands from which to choose: Metallica, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Megadeth, and maybe Pantera. I say “maybe” because I hadn’t heard of Pantera until the ’90s, and even then, I never found them appealing. As for Slayer and Megadeth…eh. A friend or two of mine listened to them, but those bands really leaned into the death metal side of things, which made them tough to enjoy.
Iron Maiden? Back in school, Iron Maiden posters were everywhere. Guys wore the shirts, girls wore the shirts, and Eddie, their undead mascot, was plastered across many a locker, binder, and bedroom wall. I wanted to like them. I really did. But every time I hit play, it felt like I was being dragged through a medieval carnival run by a guy who’d just learned how to use the “gallop” setting on his guitar. Don’t get me wrong, they’ve got skill, and their artwork? Untouchable. Undeniable. The visuals scream pure metal glory. But the music? For me, it’s like chewing on tinfoil while someone reads you a fantasy novel in a voice you can’t stand.
Metallica was the one for me. The group was commercially successful and their albums were widely available. And they were damn good. Don’t believe me? Watch the video below and see why Metallica was and remains more popular and more loved than any other. By the way, the concert below was held in Moscow and it was estimated to have attracted 1.6 million fans. And as you’ll see in the clip below, even those who weren’t fans before the music began promptly became fans after. Keep an eye on the military personnel. What a show.
To be fair, Metallica wasn’t the only band to perform at the aforementioned concert. AC/DC, The Black Crowes, and Mötley Crüe were also in attendance, making the concert, dubbed Monsters of Rock, one of the largest ever held.
Back when I was a kid living in New York, I loved attending flea markets (marché aux puces, or market of the fleas, literally). At these markets, I’d buy all sorts of stuff. Usually pocket knives and bungee cords. I’m not sure why I was so enthralled with pocket knives at such a young age, but I was. And to this day, I wonder where they all went, as I don’t own them anymore. I’m going to guess my mother tossed them in the trash when I moved out of my parents’ house on my way to college. As for the bungee cords, I still buy them. I inherited that fancy from my father, I’m sure. He’s a bungee connoisseur as well.
I also bought handcuffs, fireworks, and concert t-shirts at times like these. And it’s one shirt in particular I’d like to sit at the center of a short story I’d like to tell.
It was a three-quarter sleeve Iron Maiden shirt I purchased at the Stormville Flea Market in none other than Stormville itself. In New York, if you’re not familiar with that gigantic, world-renowned market. I believe the grounds are used as an airport or something in between seller days, so you’ll understand when I tell you these summertime events were, and still are, enormous. I didn’t attend often, but when I did, I usually walked out of there with lots of goodies in hand.
The shirt was black with blue sleeves. It was really the coolest thing I ever saw, so I knew I needed to buy it. It was hanging on some lattice in between many other concert t-shirts in a vendor booth. I bought the shirt and wore it to school the next day. I was in 7th grade and as I sported the new Iron Maiden garment, I felt like a little badass. Actually, I was a little badass and this is the reason:
Above was the artwork on the back of the shirt and as for the front, it was a skull with chains hanging from its mouth. I can’t seem to locate an image of that at the moment. With such a cool looking graphic seared to my back, I could obviously feel only one way – like a badass, as stated above.
You need to know who I was when I was a kid. I had a few pairs of jeans and a couple of shirts. My favorite shirt of all time was a red hooded sweatshirt, which I wore nearly every single day. I used to tear holes in the knees of my brand new jeans and then splash bleach on them. I’d wash them so they appeared frayed and for years on end, I’d walk around looking like a freak. So really, the Iron Maiden shirt was fitting. It didn’t look out of place at all, considering the rest of my attire.
I was standing next to my locker in school when a group of what we referred to as burnouts approached me. The lead burnout named Russell (completely different Russell than the friend I mentioned above), with his greasy hair and his filthy jean jacket, grabbed me by the neck and pushed me up against the wall. He put his face against mine and whispered, “Name one song Iron Maiden sings.” I had never listened to Iron Maiden, much less studied their discography, so you can imagine my response. “I don’t know,” I said. To this, Russell replied, “If I catch you wearing this shirt once more, I’m going to kick the shit out of you.” Nuff said. Russell was about twice my size, a grade my senior, and apparently quite sensitive regarding Iron Maiden music. I nodded profusely in agreement and Russell let me go. After all the rest of the burnouts (smoking hoods from the wrong side of the tracks) finished their cackling and laughing, they walked away. I wiped the sweat from my brow and vowed to myself that I’d store that cool new shirt in my dresser at home. At least, for the time being. Perhaps until Russell moved out of town. But looking back now, I don’t recall ever wearing the shirt again and what’s more, I don’t know where it ended up either. It seems as though many of my childhood belongings just up and disappeared, without my knowledge. Mothers – you gotta love ’em. I’m sure she had something to do with everything that mysteriously evaporated.
I’m not sure Russell would get away so easily with threatening me today. While I’m sure he’s tough, I’m not one to back down like I used to. So Russell might enthrall himself in a struggle of sorts if he were to grab me by the neck once more. With this in mind, I’d gladly wear an awesome looking Iron Maiden three-quarter sleeve length concert shirt if given the opportunity. And that’s the moral of today’s story – grow older, train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and exude confidence via the internet. Sometimes, that’s all we’ve got.
So there it is, Metallica in concert and a story of an Iron Maiden related fiasco. If you missed the 80s, let me just tell you that these types of things were merely the tip of the iceberg. Weekend after weekend, night after night, stuff in the metal world was happening. It was crazy and it was a time to be alive.
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