“Tell me what you love, and I will tell you who you are.” –Arsène Houssaye
I was interested in trying something different from an ordinary blog. Rather than little old me randomly opining on the state of the world (it’s a mess), the latest book I read (M Train by Patti Smith –excellent), or celery (aka Satan’s dental floss), I wanted to set up a sort of confession album, a 19th-Century practice in which friends asked each other questions, the most famous one being the Proust Questionnaire. For this confession album, I figured what better way to get to know people than to ask them to talk about something they love. And so, here are the questions, with the hopes of learning more about some interesting people and the things that move and shape them. Today, Sandy is talking about his love of metal (the music, not the material).
What is one thing (object, idea, practice, etc.) that you love?
Music, particularly metal
How did you first come to discover metal? Do you remember?
I got into it when I was about 13 years old, slowly listening to some rock music with friends and it gradually evolved from there. I remember my first metal CDs and my first favourite bands but I’m not sure what definitely tipped me over the edge.
Do you feel like anyone mentored you when you first discovered or in developing your love of metal? If so, who and under what circumstances?
No, not really. I didn’t have a huge number of friends who were into it so I had to evolve my own tastes my own way. I had friends who were into it and introduced me to some things, but not really a mentor.
What do you love about it?
I love the talent, the passion, the inventiveness, the outsider nature of it. It inspires me to find something I feel so dedicated to. The subject matter is so varied and interesting, not just obvious tropes but esoteric topics I’ve since become interested in.
How do you express your love for it?
I listen to it at full volume, I write about the music I love, I go to shows and scream my heart out, I research and collect the music wherever I can
How do you feel metal makes your life better?
It gives me an outlet for emotions I sometimes struggle to focus. I feel a kindred spirit with fans and the people who make this music, and the joy of discovering new and old bands alike has kept me feeling really invested and satisfied for years.
If someone were interested in discovering more about metal, where would you direct them? Where would they start?
I review a huge amount of underground and interesting bands on my blog, but the best place to start would be the more famous and accessible bands. Metallica, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden. Then ask someone who is into it to help you from there. We’ve generally got an idea of where to introduce people into our cult!