"Traditionalist" headbangers

[Buried Alien]

While driving through town last weekend, I saw two young men walking down the sidewalk in my community. Neither one could have been more than 15 years old, and what struck me about them is how both were walking anachronisms in 2005. Both had shoulder-length hair and one wore a black AC/DC t-shirt and the other, a black Iron Maiden t-shirt.

Now I saw PLENTY of this kind of youngster when I was a kid and a teen in the 1980s, but they pretty much vanished after the end of the 80s. When I saw these two fellows a few days ago, the first word that popped into my mind was, "traditionalists."

Who'd ever have thought twenty years ago that headbangers would ever be thought of as traditionalist? :)


Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[CaptMagellan]

Among the young metal heads I know (my son and his friends). Bands like Maiden, Priest, Dio, Motorhead, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, etc. have ascended to 'godfather' status.

It's like Led Zepplin, the Stones, etc. were to the metal heads of the 80s.

[Buried Alien]

Among the young metal heads I know (my son and his friends). Bands like Maiden, Priest, Dio, Motorhead, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, etc. have ascended to 'godfather' status.

It's like Led Zepplin, the Stones, etc. were to the metal heads of the 80s.

What got me was how these guys *dressed* the part...down to the tight jeans, haircuts, and of course, the shirts. They seemed to step out of a time warp from 1977-1985. :)

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Dennis K]

While driving through town last weekend, I saw two young men walking down the sidewalk in my community. Neither one could have been more than 15 years old, and what struck me about them is how both were walking anachronisms in 2005. Both had shoulder-length hair and one wore a black AC/DC t-shirt and the other, a black Iron Maiden t-shirt.

Now I saw PLENTY of this kind of youngster when I was a kid and a teen in the 1980s, but they pretty much vanished after the end of the 80s. When I saw these two fellows a few days ago, the first word that popped into my mind was, "traditionalists."

Who'd ever have thought twenty years ago that headbangers would ever be thought of as traditionalist. :)


Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)


You can get AC/DC t-shirts at JCPenny and Sears now. Quite sad. You have to at least go to one of those weird t-shirt places to find a one-sided Maiden shirt.

[CaptMagellan]

Hot Topic even has Maiden shirts.

But the tight pants... that's a new one. I see baggier ones still.

They weren't wearing denim jackets that were a bit too small were they?

[Buried Alien]

They weren't wearing denim jackets that were a bit too small were they?

Not these guys, but it was a warm afternoon.

They made me have flashbacks to the bullies who I used to run away from at school when I was in the 4th Grade. I could probably take these guys today, though. :)


Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Dennis K]

Hot Topic even has Maiden shirts.

Yep, that's the place that had one on display that literally made me say wtf and veer inside.

[Deathstroke]

I still have both of my jean jackets.

One that is dedicated to just Queensryche, and the other that has a bunch of pins and patches on it for various rock and metal bands.

[ghostrider666]

I still have both of my jean jackets.

One that is dedicated to just Queensryche, and the other that has a bunch of pins and patches on it for various rock and metal bands.


I had a local artist paint the cover of Metallica's "Creeping Death" Ep on the back of mine. Also, pins & patches on the front. "Take me back to a heavy time, from 85 to 89".

[howyadoin]

While driving through town last weekend, I saw two young men walking down the sidewalk in my community. Neither one could have been more than 15 years old, and what struck me about them is how both were walking anachronisms in 2005. Both had shoulder-length hair and one wore a black AC/DC t-shirt and the other, a black Iron Maiden t-shirt.Sounds like the crowd at the Judas Priest show I saw recently. I was figuring it'd be all people in their 30s or over, but we were easily outnumbered by the (much) younger fans.

Which is cool, I think.

[Buried Alien]

I had a local artist paint the cover of Metallica's "Creeping Death" Ep on the back of mine. Also, pins & patches on the front. "Take me back to a heavy time, from 85 to 89".

'85 to '89 was more of a hairy time (that was the Golden Age of Hair Metal, wasn't it?). Guns 'n Roses, Megadeth, and Metallica aside, the heavier mainstream stuff was during the first half of the 1980s.


Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[howyadoin]

I still have both of my jean jackets.

One that is dedicated to just Queensryche, and the other that has a bunch of pins and patches on it for various rock and metal bands.You didn't have one with the names of dozens of metal bands on it, all done in blue pen?

[Hiromi]

Now if only Radio and the labels would realize that the Metal base was undergoing this new resurgance in popularity, sigh. Maybe in another couple of years. On an aside during Thanksgiving I was with my relatives, I noticed a CD that belonged to one of my Middle School Aged cousins, Rock in Rio by Iron Maiden, my younger brother is now interested in Demons and Wizards and Blind Guardian. Sigh, almost brought tears of pride out.

[Deathstroke]

You didn't have one with the names of dozens of metal bands on it, all done in blue pen?

Nope, didn't get that creative.

[CaptMagellan]

You didn't have one with the names of dozens of metal bands on it, all done in blue pen?
That would be one of mine that is still in the Closet of Glory. ;)

I have another that is dedicated to BOC.

[ghostrider666]

'85 to '89 was more of a hairy time (that was the Golden Age of Hair Metal, wasn't it?). Guns 'n Roses, Megadeth, and Metallica aside, the heavier mainstream stuff was during the first half of the 1980s.


Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

That was a quote from an Anthrax song, "Strap It On".
Also, I dont know what to consider as "mainstream". But in the States the 80's were not a time for heavy music to be widely accepted. The 2nd half of the decade was heavier than the first, both with underground releases & with bands like Metallica/Megadeth/Anthrax signing to major labels. Also there was the start of heavy music festivals in the US, such as Monsters Of Rock & the Milwaukee Metal Fest.

[Alex]

Now if only Radio and the labels would realize that the Metal base was undergoing this new resurgance in popularity, sigh.
Oh, they know, they just replaced bands that rock with System of aDown, who are almost like a slightly more guitar heavy version of ICP.

[DonC]

Now if only Radio and the labels would realize that the Metal base was undergoing this new resurgance in popularity, sigh. Maybe in another couple of years.


WMMS, here in Cleveland, has a show called "Big Hair Wednesdays." Basically, from noon to 1PM, every Wednesday, they play music from the mid to late eighties. Sadly most of the stuff they play is crap like the Bullet Boys, Warrant, Winger and even Kingdom Come. But they'll also sneak in Anthrax, Maiden, Priest, Dio and a few others. I just wish they'd vary their song selection some. I mean, I'm fairly certain Dio recorded more than just one song.

[ghostrider666]

WMMS, here in Cleveland, has a show called "Big Hair Wednesdays." Basically, from noon to 1PM, every Wednesday, they play music from the mid to late eighties. Sadly most of the stuff they play is crap like the Bullet Boys, Warrant, Winger and even Kingdom Come. But they'll also sneak in Anthrax, Maiden, Priest, Dio and a few others. I just wish they'd vary their song selection some. I mean, I'm fairly certain Dio recorded more than just one song.

Dude, you need to getr Sirius radio. Yeah, you gotta pay for it, but trust me, its worth it.

[ZombieHavoc]

I mean, I'm fairly certain Dio recorded more than just one song.

oh you are not mistaken. in addition to "holy diver," they also recorded "rainbow in the dark."

i guess that about sums it up, so far as radio airplay these days is concerned.

apparently no one ever heard the "last in line" album, which destroys.

[Deathstroke]

oh you are not mistaken. in addition to "holy diver," they also recorded "rainbow in the dark."

i guess that about sums it up, so far as radio airplay these days is concerned.

apparently no one ever heard the "last in line" album, which destroys.

Pretty much everything Dio has ever recorded is awesome.

[DonC]

Dude, you need to getr Sirius radio. Yeah, you gotta pay for it, but trust me, its worth it.


Another dude I know recommended Sirius to me, too. Problem is, I spent $200 getting a CD player installed in my car about a year ago so paying $20 a month (or whatever it is) seems like a waste to me when I can just burn mix CDs and listen to those.

[ghostrider666]

Another dude I know recommended Sirius to me, too. Problem is, I spent $200 getting a CD player installed in my car about a year ago so paying $20 a month (or whatever it is) seems like a waste to me when I can just burn mix CDs and listen to those.

Its more than just music. On long drives, after listening to Hard Attack for awhile, I'll switch to Hair Nation. Then there's the Unsensored Comedy channel. Sports, ALL the NFL games are on live, NCAA football, NHL (this is the last year though). Classical, classic 80's, whatever you want to listen to, its there, when you want to listen to it.
Gee with a plug like that, maybe Sirius will hook me up with a free month or 2. :)

[Dennis K]

Pretty much everything Dio has ever recorded is awesome.

As far as the band Dio goes, have they ever really topped Holy Diver?

[Deathstroke]

As far as the band Dio goes, have they ever really topped Holy Diver?

I thought Magica was at least as good as Holy Diver.

[Patient Boy]

I don't mind traditionalist metalheads so much, but to me, at least, it's strange seeing people dressed like punks circa 1976, complete with red plaid pants and everything. Punk's moved on since then and to dress that way just seems to be living in the past, when they should be forging something new of their own. This is especially considering how all the these punks I've seen dressed like this are like fourteen years old.