Product Description

The definitive study of heavy metal culture that "does for metal what Greil Marcus's Lipstick Traces did for the Sex Pistols" ( -Chicago Sun-Times ).. Few forms of music elicit such strong reactions as does heavy metal. Embraced by millions of fans, it has also attracted a chorus of critics, who have denounced it as a corrupter of youtheven blamed it for tragedies like the murders at Columbine. Deena Weinstein argues that these fears stem from a deep misunderstanding of the energetic, rebellious culture of metal, which she analyzes, explains, and defends. She interprets all aspects of the metal worldthe music and its makers, its fans, its dress code, its lyricsand in the process unravels the myths, misconceptions, and truths about an irreverent subculture that has endured and evolved for twenty years.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #217242 in Books
• Published on: 2000-03-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

Customer Reviews

A Serious Look a The Metal Subculture
I used this book whilst writing a dissertation on notions of authenticity in the heavy metal subculture, and without it i would have been totally lost!
Weinstein puts a very convincing argument forward in defending Heavy Metal, and gives a deep insight into a musical genre that is greatly misunderstood, even by many of its fans. After reading this i found that i had a far deeper understanding of my own cultural upbringing. It describes how most musical genres go through process of formation, crystallisation and decay, and examines how metal has resisted the latter. Although some may disagree with this, it has to be agreed that although it has changed greatly in the last decade, the beast is far too powerful to lie down and die for a long time yet! This book was originally published in 1992, with a new chapter added in 1998, which although brief, it is helpful in describing the changes to the Metal subculture that ocurred throughout the 90s. You will not find a more helpful book on Heavy Metal.