Liberalism, Individualism and Heavy Metal
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IPA REVIEW Liberalism, individualism and heavy metal your best friend, Dean … projects a Andrew Kemp refreshing quality of seeming not to re- ally care if you like him.’ Rolling Stone “But the fact is unless you are a was more accurate than it thought, and politician, shut up. What do they Dean bombed out of the presiden- [musicians] know about politics? tial candidacy accordingly. Likewise, (With a southern accent) Oh well the Australian edition of Rolling Stone I’m gonna vote for a guy that would interview Mark Latham and Pe- gonna raise taxes on the fuck- ter Garrett during the last Federal elec- ing rich. You stupid twat. You tion. The Age would write, ‘Opposition are in the upper income bracket Leader Mark Latham’s appearance on in America, you are gonna get the cover of this month’s Rolling Stone taxed. And when small business … is another reminder that rock can owners get taxed, jobs are lost.” be a powerful platform for politicians’. – Dave Mustaine, frontman of Latham would go on to lose the Federal ing the Washington Journal.’ Megadeth, Heavy Metal spokes- election and quit politics altogether. Megadeth vocalist Dave Mustaine person for sound taxation policy It is not that Rolling Stone has a had similar sentiments: ‘The fact that (apparently). remarkable ability in getting it wrong people would vote based on who a ce- on almost everything—although this lebrity endorses is just stupid. Don’t eavy Metal is a curious music. is definitely a point worth exploring vote for Bush because I’m voting for Largely dismissed as nothing on another day—but it is that a leftist him. Don’t vote for Kerry because you Hmore than distorted drivel, it culture seems to pervade the popular hate me’. Lars Ulrich, drummer of the remains a black smudge on the gran- music establishment. most commercially successful Heavy diose landscape of musical culture. It In 2004, three compilation albums Metal act ever, Metallica, would com- is seen as immature by many, repulsive were released, Rock Against Bush, Vols ment, ‘We’re one of the last remaining by a few, and just downright horrible 1 & 2, and the Australian equivalent, full-on bands. We don’t use the band as by most. All of these judgements are in Rock Against Howard. Both were equal- a vehicle for individual political state- their own way correct. There is noth- ly as effective in the sense that they ments’. ing creatively or musically remarkable both equally failed. What was more These honest, self-effacing state- about the genre—with one exception. significant, however, and somewhat ments are a surprising feature of the In a time when popular music appears disappointing, was the number of pop- Heavy Metal genre. But this is not the strongly aligned with the Left, Heavy ular musicians who offered their serv- whole story—this most unlikely of Metal finds itself as a hotbed of classical ices to the project. In the United States, genres exhibits elements of individual- liberals. Some things in life, it would anti-Bush sentiment would eventually ist or liberal political thought. seem, just don’t make sense. culminate in a nation-wide tour, aptly Jeffrey Arnett’s Metalheads: Heavy titled ‘Vote For Change’. Metal Music and Adolescent Alienation, Leftism in Popular Music is a study that attempts to discover the In 2004, then Presidential-aspirant Heavy Metal and Individualism appeal of Heavy Metal music, particu- Howard Dean graced the cover of But while soft-rocker Bruce Springsteen larly to teenagers. The results points popular music’s seminal journal, Roll- and grunge-rockers Pearl Jam toured to a strong correlation between Heavy ing Stone. ‘The next few weeks will the nation trying to convince voters Metal and individualism: determine whether or not the year’s of their political righteousness, others The belief system that underlies most extraordinary political story has chose to stay at home, unimpressed. ‘If heavy metal songs has its roots legs’, began the article. ‘Unlike most you’re listening to a rock star in order in American individualism. In politicians, who work hard to seem like to get your information on who to vote heavy metal songs, the right of for, you’re a bigger moron than they the individual to do whatever he are’, insists Alice Cooper. ‘Why are we or she pleases is enshrined among Andrew Kemp is a second year rock stars? Because we’re morons. We the highest values. Self-fulfill- Commerce/Arts students and works sleep all day, we play music at night ment and self-expression are held for the Institute of Public Affairs and very rarely do we sit around read- high whereas self-restraint and R E V I E W 39 APRIL 2006 WHAT’S A JOB? self-denial are scorned as the val- to be drawn towards topics that encour- ues of the timid, the dull, and the age fundamental Western values. humorless. Ayn Rand would be proud of Arnett’s Individualism in niche genres conclusion. And there is ample evidence Individualist and liberal thought is to support Arnett’s claim. not restricted to Heavy Metal, of course. In 1974, the world welcomed Rush, Many niche genres, dismissed for their a Canadian progressive rock trio that sonic or lyrical abrasiveness by popu- would draw its inspiration from Ayn lar media and culture, can feature art- Rand’s philosophy to produce an im- ists who extol these values. Punk rock mense catalogue of songs that detailed may be forever connected with the Sex the virtues of individualism and the Pistols ‘Anarchy in the UK’, or the Joy evils of collectivization. The opening Division’s neo-nazi motif, but much track from their sophomore effort Fly A compassionate conservative? ‘anarchism’ in punk music is actually By Night is titled ‘Anthem’, obviously misinterpreted libertarianism. drawn from Rand’s own novel, which beating up your next door neighbour. The hardcore punk band Corporate contains the lyrics: In response to the public perception Avenger advocate ‘personal responsibil- Well, I know they’ve always told you that Heavy Metal was bringing violence ity and compassion for others’. The title Selfishness was wrong and satanic glorification into the family track from their album Taxes are Stealing Yet it was for me, not you, I came to home, a Christian Metal band emerged contains the lyrics: write this song on the scene: Stryper. ‘So many bands The IRS was not there the other day Rush would go on to become one of the give the devil all the glory—it’s hard to when I was unloading truck after most influential musical acts of their understand’, sings Michael Sweet in the truck into that hot fucking ware- time, the most notable Heavy Metal song ‘From Wrong to Right’. house band to cite their influence being Me- But does the devil get all the glory? The IRS was not there the other day tallica. The theme of self-empowerment John Milton received similar criticism when I was pulling weeds in the equipped with a ‘Carpe Diem’ mantra for his portrayal of Satan in Paradise fucking hot sun can be found in countless Heavy Metal Lost. William Blake would famously The IRS was not there when I need- songs. write that Milton was ‘of the Devil’s ed money to pay my bills, but they Although individualism should party without knowing it’. Likewise, sure as fuck were there on Friday to be a prominent focus when looking at British rockers Iron Maiden would find take almost half my pay again and Heavy Metal, critics of the genre identi- themselves at the receiving end of attacks again and again and again! fied a much more sinister protagonist as by several Christian groups, following Hardcore Punk bands can be offen- the centre of lyrical discussion. their 1982 release The Number of the sive—a staple of the genre is the strength Beast. ‘They obviously hadn’t read the of their venom—but it would be a Milton to Maiden lyrics’, says bassist Steve Harris. ‘They mistake to assume that they are always In the Spring of 1985, the Parents’ just wanted to believe all that rubbish pushing hard-Left values upon their au- Music Resource Centre (PMRC) was about us being Satanists.’ Perhaps if the dience. The contribution of these bands formed with the intention of protecting Christian pressure groups had contin- to liberal or conservative political sup- America’s youth from music that was ued to listen to the Maiden catalogue, port does not deserve to be dismissed deemed inappropriate and harmful. The they may have been surprised to find because of their niche appeal. PMRC would produce a list of 15 songs several songs supporting Christianity, Similarly, in the elusive genre of that promoted or glorified violence, sex, such as fan favourites ‘Sign of the Cross’ Heavy Metal, the fundamental values of drugs and the devil. Heavy Metal fea- and ‘Judgement of Heaven’. For the individualism, liberty and freedom are tured prominently, and indeed, most literary folk, Iron Maiden’s 14-minute being promoted by the very groups that songs from the list actually were offen- epic ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’, a are slammed for defying such values. sive, albeit tunes that only a minority rock version of the Coleridge poem, is As Noel Coward wrote, ‘Strange of listeners would hear (the market for equally as fascinating. how potent cheap music is’. extreme vulgarity isn’t terribly large). The influence of literature in Heavy Perhaps the most interesting inclusion Metal is perhaps another indicator of was the Twisted Sister song ‘We’re Not the values encompassed in the genre.