Jump to content
Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

OT: Heavy metal facial expressions


Eric Iverson

Recommended Posts

I read the Meshuggah article in the June 2009 issue, and noted that, for some reason, metal bands seem to feel obligated to pose with their guitars with that "snarling dog" expression on their faces. It was the same thing with a recent Metallica feature.

 

Why is that? Is it just shtick? You read the actual interviews and they don't seem to be frothing at the mouth, at that MOMENT, anyway!

 

Regardless, I would like to have an 8-string guitar like Meshuggah uses, though I would tune it B E A D G B E A, with an additional string both above and below. And hope it didn't cause me any ATTITUDE problems, LOL!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 32
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Funny, I saw the same article and photo, and that guy on the left has to have the most difficult to look at, mouth frothing, eyes bulging, blood vessel in brain bursting mugshot POSE ever.

 

I figure chances are it's shtick??

 

 

Just a pinch between the geek and chum

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Metal is TOUGH so you have to look TOUGH at all times or you get compared to Bon Jovi and who wants that?

 

I think you're in the ballpark here. Ever since the hair rock thing, metal bands have been trying to make sure they look metal enough, lest someone accuse them of being posers.

 

Ironically, they look more like posers now than ever before.

 

Gwar does great mug shots. Great interviews, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

funny, i don't recall that many evil tough poses from British metal bands like Priest and Maiden. those guys actually smile and have fun. they aren't constipated like other metal bands.

fiber that is the key!

 

That's because no one questions their metal-ness.

 

If you look at their older pictures, though, back when they were still young, they scowled like someone peed in their Wheaties too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually, I think there is a certain amount of "shtick" expected of all entertainers, or at least they expect you to dress a certain way and act a certain way. The details vary a great deal, of course. But there's a certain image expected of you... at least to not blatantly break the unwritten code.

 

Could you show up, even if you were the greatest classical violinist or pianist in the world, to most orchestral venues dressed in heavy metal style?

 

But the reverse is true: if a guy showed up for a heavy metal or punk rock gig dressed in a tuxedo and bow tie, behaving with classical music protocol, would he be accepted, or would the so-called rebels be offended by his breaking the unwritten rules?

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Love to watch the facial "shtick" in all styles when guitar players are reaching their potential climax...not sure if they sound any better when they are in nervana but it's fun to watch and see if it really helps...just close and open your eyes real quick at those moments.... :love:
Take care, Larryz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see the same thing with rappers too. They always have to look "street". I remember seeing a picture of Beyonce' and J-Z sitting together at some award show; Beyonce' was smiling and J_Z had a typical street thug expression.

 

I think James Hetfield's face is frozen in that bugged out snarl look.

 

BTW - Ever see a picture of "The Great Kat"?

http://www.globalhermit.com/vegas2005/great-kat.jpg

http://www.gamesonsmash.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/blood8b.jpg

http://www.metal-temple.com/_data/interviews/thegreatkat/kat_1.jpg

Dan

 

"I hate what I've become, trying to escape who I am..."

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beavis and Butthead... the intellectual pole stars of our time!

 

Or is it "ineffectual polecats"? I get those expressions mixed up sometimes.

 

But you can't mistake the ATTITUDE... go for it guys! Scratch the other guy's eyes out!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Reminds me of a story my best friend told me. There was a kid at the group home he ran who had some kind of heavy metal record with a few obscenities at the end of the song, and the kid would listen to that part over and over.... I guess it just expressed his world view at the time! I hope he's changed since then, because the WORLD sure ain't gonna change to please HIM!

 

It's a world view I never shared, though I was definitely a rebellious teenager and in some ways am a rebellious adult... not in a "middle-aged delinquent" sense; I just don't have much patience with BS anymore..

Somehow, though, it doesn't translate into blatant hostility.

 

Re: heavy metal. I was never into it, but there are some good guitar players in some of those bands. I just could never take the "Robert Plant love child" kind of SINGING.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember when I was a kid, somebody had a copy of the Guess Who's American Woman. We'd all crowd around the speaker to hear the naughty word you could barely hear at the end.

 

How times have changed... :rolleyes:

Dan

 

"I hate what I've become, trying to escape who I am..."

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There`s some metal out there that I like-true to form the lead singer of this band was deceased after one CD:

 

 

Always fun to see the ladies doin it up too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFTsx5vbEe8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Same old surprises, brand new cliches-

 

Skipsounds on Soundclick:

www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Iddunno, the members of Metallica seem to be phoning in the aggression in that ad they did for the Guitar Hero game; it was a pretty half-hearted, lame attempt at looking mean and tough...

 

funny, i don't recall that many evil tough poses from... Priest... those guys actually smile and have fun. they aren't constipated like other metal bands.

fiber that is the key!

 

Now, having just noticed this thread on the 1st 'page out of the corner of my eye, I initially thought "huh- wha- "Heavy fetal fecal expressions"? Wha... ??"

 

Well, I found these pics of Rob Halford that address all of the above:

 

(scroll down)

 

 

*

 

*

 

*

 

*

 

*

 

*

 

*

 

*

 

*

 

*

 

*

 

 

______ http://msp96.photobucket.com/albums/l179/ldoublec/stewie.jpg

 

 

_______________ http://www.mom2momkc.com/images/blogs/1450.jpg

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...