So way back in the 80’s, Megadeth was one of the scary bands. Just noise music. Loud and growly and just basically everything that music *WASN’T*. It seemed to scream “anti-social” with its violent album covers and nihilistic titles.
And so it was the biggest surprise in the world to me when I discovered that, no, there is a melody in these songs. Not even particularly hidden the way that the music was hidden in some of my favorite dream/noise music like My Bloody Valentine. It was just, well, loud and fast. When I wasn’t used to loud and fast, it struck me as too loud and too fast. When I took a deep breath and listened, I actually found something that I had overlooked before. When I listened to the lyrics, I even found some surprising little things.
The song “Peace Sells” is probably familiar to you because you recognize the bassline as being from MTV News back when you still watched MTV. You may not have listened to the song, though. Well, my experience of Megadeth mentioned above was far from unique and there were a number of criticisms thrown that said something to the effect of “atheist, anti-social” and that sort of thing. Peace Sells was Dave Mustaine’s response to the criticisms thrown at him… and there’s a weird humor in the opening lines to the song:
“Whaddya mean I don’t believe in God? I talk to Him every day. Whaddya mean I don’t support your system? I go to court when I have to.”
And the first time I heard those lyrics, I laughed. What a rejoinder! (Yes, no religion, no politics.)
You can check the song out here:
Anyway, I listened, laughed, and forgot and then stumbled across this. He wrote a song for his friends that said everything he’d want to say if he had only three seconds left. “Hey everybody. To all my friends: I love you. I have to go.”
Whoa.
So… what are you listening to?
I was never a big Megadeth fan as a kid but man were their album covers awesome. I did own one of their albums which had some song based on the “Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner”. I played that song for my 10 year-old brother one night before bed and he couldn’t sleep for a week.
It’s funny. You listen to those “scary” bands now, and these bands that could *NOT* get airplay in the 80’s are practically soothing. I heard Master of Puppets the other day, I heard Maiden’s The Soldier the other day… I’m struck by how melodic and downright mainstream the songs are. If there’s a criticism, it’s that their reach exceeds their grasp.
Oh, and that they’re loud.
So’s George Thorogood, when played right.
In the car on the way to work, I was listening to “Tales from the Thousand Lakes.” It is Finnish death metal with some prog influences. For this album, they based their lyrics on the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QumiuG-NgQ
I am a dork who left out the band name. They are called Amorphis.
Oh, that’s awesome.
dhex and I were discussing Steve Albini elsewhere, so I’ve had to revisit this.
I really wish that recording would get an official release.
We should do a series on producers… Alan Parsons, Phil Spector, Trevor Horn… yeah, and Steve Albini.
My son has turned me onto Grizzly Bear http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bteY_fs3Y18
He seems to have moved on from his math rock phase.