Question: History of heavy metal music, who or what band started it all??

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Question: History of heavy metal music, who or what band started it all??

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Asked by johnfrommelbourne on Tue 5 May 2009 - 7:00 am UTC:

  Just came across  a site where the origins of heavy metal music were
being discussed. There seems no definitive answer that I can see as to what
group began the genre. However I am wondering if there is any advance( an
earlier date) than the work and music of the group some  ordinary punters 
credited with heavy metal's genesis( as in state-of-the-art world standard
heavy metal, not just high volume bang screech bang) being the English
group BUDGIE. This group began in 1968 and their classics are  easily seen/
heard on Youtube.  Key in titles such as Breadfan,( and turn it up loud), 
I Aint No Mountain, Baby Please Dont Go, to get an idea. No doubt there was
people groups producing similar genuine heavy metal music before Budgie but
if so just who were they and was their music just as good.And also what
dates could be attributed to  the earliest pioneers.

John From Melbourne
 Thanks

Question clarification by johnfrommelbourne on Tue 5 May 2009 - 7:05 am UTC:

I note that one of the early purveyors of such music, and perhaps the most
famous, METALLICA, actually credits BUDGIE with giving them a leg up and in
its early days did cover versions of Budgie's music.

Uclue Researcher Request for clarification by Researcher easterangel on Tue 5 May 2009 - 8:13 am UTC:

Hi!

In the book, "Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy
Metal", they credit Black Sabbath as the originators of Heavy Metal Music.


http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Beast-Complete-Headbanging-History/dp/0380811278

Regards!

Uclue Researcher Request for clarification by Researcher Roger Browne (eiffel) on Tue 5 May 2009 - 10:06 am UTC:

Hi John,

It's an interesting question, but it's problematic because it depends more
on the definition of "heavy metal" than on the music itself. As always, the
early examples of a genre aren't going to fit the mainstream pattern so
neatly.

Wikipedia gets around this by referring to the "antecedents of heavy metal"
to distinguish them from later work which is universally acknowledged as
part of the genre.

Wikipedia - Heavy Metal Antecedents
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_metal_music#Antecedents:_mid-1960s

Coming back to Budgie in 1968, let me sacrifice my "music cred" and try to
push that back a year by suggesting "Buried and Dead" by the Adelaide group
Masters Apprentices (and turn it up loud). It's not usually described as
heavy metal, and it's not as intense as the first two minutes of Breadfan,
yet all the musical elements are there.

YouTube - Masters Apprentices - Buried & Dead (1967)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fzpfmXYdNQ

What do you think?

Uclue Researcher Comment by Researcher Paul (thx1138) on Tue 5 May 2009 - 12:48 pm UTC:

The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal‎ - Page 1955
"The Kinks wrote "You Really Got Me," which many rock historians consider
the first heavy metal song of all time because of its distorted guitar
riff. ..."

The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal
Daniel Bukszpan, Ronnie James (FRW) Dio
Ronnie James (FRW) Dio
Edition: illustrated
Barnes & Noble Publishing, 2003
ISBN 0760742189, 9780760742181
300 pages

Uclue Researcher Request for clarification by Researcher davidsarokin on Tue 5 May 2009 - 1:33 pm UTC:

The earliest mention I can find of a heavy metal band dates back to the
Arlington Times in 1962:


http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddhqm87s_7dtq2czxh








(sorry)

Comment by johnfrommelbourne on Wed 6 May 2009 - 7:22 am UTC:

Yes I see. Perhaps the genre just developed as you say and the early
examples were only the loose basis of what we know today and which is  
somewhat different.  There is no definitive answer as such perhaps.In this
instance perhaps I should cancel question as dont want to have people
working on something with no clear response available.

  . . . . but many thanks to information supplied.


   JOHN FROM MELBOURNE  P.S Roger ,That was  very resourceful of you to go
back in your mind to the Master's Apprentice of Australia, and brought back
memories which I thank you for!!

Comment by User probo on Wed 6 May 2009 - 8:23 am UTC:

Hi John

Great to see you around again!

As you well know, I am not a Real Researcher but I am delighted to provide
you with the benefit of my insights, totally FREE OF CHARGE!

It is my clear understanding that the band that started Heavy Metal Music
was that of John Philip Sousa (November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Philip_Sousa

After all, the Sousaphone was decidedly heavy and certainly made of metal.

I hope that this helps!

All the Best

Bryan

Comment by User probo on Wed 6 May 2009 - 8:27 am UTC:

And here's the Wiki entry for the Sousaphone:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sousaphone

Comment by User myoarin on Wed 6 May 2009 - 8:47 am UTC:

After David's posting, I wasn't going to do it, but since Probo did,
let me point out that the heaviest metal bands are made of gold, small, but
so heavy, and probably prehistoric, but that doesn't answer the question.

Myo

Comment by User probo on Wed 6 May 2009 - 9:06 am UTC:

Surely, Myo, you are referring to 'Head Bands' - as usually worn by ladies
to keep their hair in place?

I seriously doubt if these are what JFM was enquiring about.

Bryan

Comment by User myoarin on Wed 6 May 2009 - 9:48 am UTC:

Nope, and talking of head bands, also not "The Speckled Band"  - to play on
your new field of interest.

The kind I mean come in pairs, different sizes, though.

Uclue Researcher Request for clarification by Researcher Roger Browne (eiffel) on Wed 6 May 2009 - 10:13 am UTC:

Hi John,

I think the only way we could provide a rigorous answer to your question
would be if you list the characteristics which define heavy metal music for
you. We could then search for the earliest recording which exhibits all of
those characteristics.

One of the defining characteristics of heavy metal is the deliberately
distorted guitar sounds. This gives a lower limit of 1965 or 1966, based on
the development of distorting guitar amplifiers such as those made by
Marshall. The other characteristics of heavy metal music (which Wikipedia
lists as: extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, loudness, plus lyrics and
styles associated with masculinity and machismo) took a while to fall into
place alongside the distortion.

The upper limit is certainly 1968, because Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and
Led Zeppelin took it mainstream that year.

I'm going to stick my neck out and say 1967. I think "Buried and Dead"
meets all the requirements, and I don't know any song from 1966 that does.
(I'm not implying that the genre was cemented by the Masters Apprentices,
as no doubt there were other good examples from 1967.)

Regards,
eiffel

Cancelled by johnfrommelbourne on Wed 6 May 2009 - 3:49 pm UTC:

Roger etc, thanks so much for continuing to probe but I really think I will
abandon  the quest  at this point and seek info on another topic or ask a
straight  out question that obviously has a clear definitive answer or
response. I mean the notion of  "Is it answerable or is it not?" would be
confusing researchers perhaps, so better I even the score for all and just
let it pass.
 Of course much appreciation to Bryan and the American German( or is  it
German American,Myoarin) who provided some interesting insights and a
pleasant welcome back to the site also.
 
 JOHN FROM MELBOURNE

Comment by User myoarin on Wed 6 May 2009 - 4:25 pm UTC:

American in Germany,  Myo

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