Genre to Genre

Right?! No such thing, BUT...

I'm old and not much has changed. When I say this, I mean music and the crowds they attract. In attending last nights Judas Priest concert, I found myself reflecting on the 30 years I have been going to see them in concert. Growing up, I was a bit of a crossbreed thanks to my older brothers with rock n' roll influence, so technically the first sound to hit my ears was indeed heavy rock. It wasn't until 1980, when I was turning the dial on the radio and came across a new station called KROQ. The sound was a simple three-chord but rapid beats, the band name, The Damned.  Whatever this music was, I was hooked. I forgot all about Floyd's, Purples, Sabbaths and found my musical home. You don't expect a little ten-year-old girl to find appeal in such things, but I was different regardless.

This new beat in my life launched me into the most comfortable place and still plays a major part in my belief system. At the time, politically, the US was on the brink of change, you could feel it. The only way to describe the tone was something representing a cheerleading section, and well, cheerleaders are annoying to me. Somewhat like a "rah-rah, let's go-get um" feel to the country. I'm not sure why I have always had my finger on the pulse of politics; I have never voted and never will. This thing inside of me knew something was amiss with these role players they call politicians. You have no idea how hard it was to have an opinion so strong, to be a girl as well, young, and in a conservative atmosphere. Neither of my parents was into politics although I know my dad's leanings spoke of soft communism...whatever! I had a very strange feeling those lyrics in this new sound I was drawn to had something to do with this new regime of leaders up and coming.

Fast forward a bit to '83 and junior high school; I spread my wings, met friends, who like myself were akin to this same, fast, strange sound. Maybe we were a target to the speed, the odd sort of twist and jerk in its structure. Regardless of what it was, it was very different from anything else. In meeting and spending time with a couple new friends, I embarked upon my first punk show at the Olympic theatre in LA to see a lovely band called "The Exploited." Here in the states we had very little exposure to UK Punk in the early years, and their bass lines were far heavier and thicker in beats.  But alas, it was comfortable along with the type of people it drew. I have to keep in mind that my former influence was hard rock, and I still did have my "heavy metal friends" that I would connect with for concerts. I broke away into the sea of punk and only came back occasionally to see bands like AC/DC, Priest, Metallica, Megadeth, and Maiden. It's amazing when you follow a band so long yet somehow the crowd doesn't change too much. That is if the band hasn't completely sold out.

As a girl and we all know what that can translate to (societies expectations), I had a hard time with guys in the metal crowd. They were distant, not engaged, and why were these heavy metal girls so uninvolved as well? What I mean by this, as a fan, lover of music, or however you want to define it, the heavy metal chicks would be off in the corner somewhere, NOT watching the show. Then all the metal dudes would crowd the damn stage to salivate over the band playing. Maybe that's why Pop Metal came into the market, get the chicks up front!  I had a problem with this "no girls at the front", so when I would attend shows, I made sure my ass was right up front with the guys. Metal head males, I know found this weird as if I had my place. Like I care! I would get shoved, groped, and hit upon repeatedly when all I wanted was to enjoy the music. In contradiction, this did not happen amongst my punk cohorts. Mind you the stage area was far worse but there was a protection of sorts from the males over the females who took it upon themselves to brave a slam pit. It was a noticeable difference. Possibly was the development of young teens in the punk scene a small family or a pack of misfits who only had each others suburban lifestyle?  A mixed bag of city and track development which saw a corrupt system in the makes?

Most my teens years, I didn't live at home, always crashing at abandoned squats that were available off the 605 freeway. It was pointless to remain where I lived; the silent prisoner I was. With living abroad as I called it, I met many different situations and different lives. Some deranged by substance abuse, some by mental illness. I had a couple of metal friends with addiction problems, but nothing like the multitude of deaths and problems that was linked to the punk crowd. Possibly a reckless youth, but metal a true army of guitar riffs and wailing voices? Maybe more focus, I don't know! It got a bit easier to bounce between the two but still notice this today, the differences. Maybe this sort of difference in genres lead two very different lives being played out. I didn't notice the tight family network in my heavy metal friends that I found in the punk crowd, which is still tight to this day!  Our kids have grown up together. We knew growing up in the prime of dysfunctional families; we weren't going to lead our children down a distorted road our parents taught us. Many of us have full blown, healthy, functioning kids you who wouldn't think of committing the vile, delinquent shit we did.  But still all of us in the group did teach our kids to lead their lives, not to trash yourself in the system. Moreso to remain independent and watch how it works and maneuver your way within it and not get caught up.

 So coming back to the crowd last night, I made sure I got as close as my small body could. I was lucky enough to have an older gentleman, named Bob, yes, Bob help me out with that. Bob Logan apparently lead singer of some cover band called "Diamonds & Rust." He let me know as the crowd got a bit pushy he would protect my backside (what a gent ;) ) from idiots with their cameras and stupid fists in the air coming down on my head.  The bonus with being tight crowd, Bob could sing; it was nice. At one time during the show, little man next to me in his Affliction shirt thought it would be cute of funny or whatever the fuck he thought would get my attention to keep bumping and shoving me. No, not the pushing that comes from a crowd wavering from excitement, he knew what the fuck he was doing. I gave him two warnings with my eyes, and he decided to take me to three and I lost my shit again. I unleashed on his 6'2 structure. If that's one thing about these guys...is their passive aggressive stance. He just had the look of a sad puppy dog and looked away. I was discussing this with my friend Sophia after the show only because her and I have been going to concerts together since we were 15. The way she put it, "D, you gotta think of the metal world as such.....Wayne's World." I didn't get it at first, then I thought, well.

Well. All perception. Poof. And with the body odor? Come on, man. I fucking hate showering, but I know when I smell like straight up ass and need to handle business. Jesus Fucking Christ!

I forgot I took some video last night. I'm so funny, and I'm so tired. And why rag on surfers? Seriously?

Oh, and you know back in 09, the last time I saw priest, that K.K., when he pulled that kissing my hand bit, ( I had sweet seats on the night of my bday!) he's the same pervy, crusty guy still. Him and his eyes at me...eye roll. Typical Scorpio...

Thanks for stopping by!!  xoxoxo