Articles Observations and Musings 

Black Sabbath: Walpurgis

Black Sabbath made quite an impact in 1970. While their doom-laden blues won over rock fans, the name caused dread amongst conservative parents. Both album cover and lyrical content aligned with expectation. Inside the gatefold, an inverted cross doubled down on occult imagery. In contrast to the self-titled debut, the follow-up Paranoid minimized occult references. Sure, “War Pigs” mentioned “witches” and “Satan,” but that imagery was used as a critical commentary on war and the folly of man. Other songs like “Hand of Doom” were still dark and foreboding, yet…

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Articles Observations and Musings 

K.K. Downing – Heavy Duty: Days and Nights in Judas Priest Book Review

Judas Priest is a notoriously private band. Little has been known about the inner dynamics of the Metal Gods. Fans can now glimpse behind the scenes thanks to the new K.K. Downing autobiography. Heavy Duty comes at a strange time in the band’s history. Exchanges in the press have revealed that K.K.’s departure was less than amicable. One can’t help but approach the book through the lens of this disharmony. Despite the strained relations, there is no mudslinging. Each story is relayed respectfully. The intent of Heavy Duty is to…

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Articles Observations and Musings 

Judas Priest: The Subliminal Message Trial

On December 23, 1985, two heavy metal fans spent the day drinking, smoking marijuana, and listening to Judas Priest. Throughout the course of their party, the troubled friends formed a suicide pact. Raymond Belknap died instantly from a self-inflicted shotgun blast. James Vance survived his suicide attempt. The shotgun left Vance grossly disfigured. Grieving parents struggled to make sense of tragedy. Rather than focus on substance abuse and a trouble past, they blamed music. Both kids had been listening to the classic Judas Priest album Stained Class before taking their…

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Articles Observations and Musings 

Suicide Solution: The Ozzy Osbourne Trial

Tragedy struck a California family in 1984 when nineteen-year old John McCollum committed suicide. Side one of Ozzy Osbourne’s Blizzard of Ozz sat on John’s turntable. His lifeless body was still wearing headphones. It is a reasonable assumption that “Suicide Solution” was the final song heard by the troubled teenager. Although John was a high school dropout with a history of substance abuse, the McCollum family believed external influences were the root of John’s internal demons. According to Mr. McCollum, music inspired his son to kill himself. Specifically, Ozzy Osbourne…

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Articles Observations and Musings 

AC/DC: The Night Stalker Murders

There is nothing evil about AC/DC. Despite titles like “Highway to Hell” and “Hell’s Bells,” the satanic themes of 80’s metal are largely absent from AC/DC songs. Regardless, the band incurred media wrath after a satanic serial killer was tenuously linked to the band. From the summer of 1984 until his capture in August 1985, Richard Ramirez terrorized Los Angeles. The sheer brutality of his assaults left residents terrified. As the murders grew in frequency, news outlets nicknamed the assailant “Night Stalker.” In March of 1985, investigators got a significant…

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Album Art Exploration Articles Observations and Musings 

AC/DC: The Australian Albums

AC/DC released several albums in their home country before breaking worldwide. These Australian pressings contain different art and exclusive music. For American and European fans, the Australian records provide a fascinating glimpse into the early years of AC/DC. HIGH VOLTAGE AC/DC released their debut album on February 17, 1975. The original High Voltage was released in Australia only and bears little resemblance to the international version. Legions of fans accustomed to seeing Angus grace High Voltage immediately notice the different artwork. The true shocker is the track list. “She’s Got Balls”…

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Articles Observations and Musings 

AC/DC: The Dave Evans Era

AC/DC had a revolving door of musicians before finding the right line-up. Although Bon Scott is often cited as the original singer, he wasn’t the first vocalist to front the iconic Aussie band. That distinction belongs to Dave Evans. In 1974, AC/DC entered EMI recording studio to record a single for the Albert Productions record label. With Evans behind the microphone, the band recorded an early version of “Can I Sit Next To You, Girl.” To fuel sales of the 7-inch record, a promotional video was filmed. The line-up was…

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Black Sabbath: The Dave Walker Era

Black Sabbath was a mess in 1977. Drug and alcohol abuse were rampant. The band was mired in financial and legal troubles. Ozzy Osbourne’s father passed away. At the conclusion of the Technical Ecstasy tour, Ozzy did the unthinkable and quit Black Sabbath. Determined to carry on, Sabbath brought in vocalist Dave Walker. Best known for brief tenures in Savoy Brown and Fleetwood Mac, Walker immediately began writing new material. The new union was not meant to be. Three months after his exit, Ozzy returned to Black Sabbath. Walker was…

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Dee Dee King: The Ramones Rapper

Dee Dee Ramone is a punk icon. No mere bass player, Dee Dee was a creative driving force behind the Ramones. He penned many of the band’s most beloved songs and his consistent shout of “1-2-3-4” broke up the frantic pace of Ramones gigs. Drug use eventually landed the embattled musician in rehab. During his stay, fellow patients exposed Dee Dee to rap music. That musical discovery inspired a creative project that confused just about everyone. In 1987, Dee Dee launched a rap career. Reborn Dee Dee King, the bass…

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Album Art Exploration Articles Observations and Musings 

Rush: Satanic Prog Rock?

Rush are rock’s perennial nice guys. While other bands were snorting coke and gallivanting with groupies, Rush garnered a reputation for resting quietly in hotel rooms. Soft-spoken and intelligent, Canada’s finest power trio are true gentlemen. Imagine my surprise to learn that Rush are allegedly disciples of Satan! It was rumored that Rush is an acronym for “Ruled Under Satan’s Hand.” People literally believed that Rush were practitioners of the black arts! Rumors of Satanism first began to circulate with the release of 2112. Much of the confusion centered around…

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