thePULSEThe 50 Most Influential Heavy Metal Songs of the ‘80s
By Jillian Locke
One of the most formidable female forces on the metal scene, Jackie Kajzer, aka Full Metal Jackie, and brother in arms Roger Lotring, bring to the table a thoughtfully selected array of poignant, classic metal songs that stand alone as powerful testaments to the times in which they were created. These songs deliver the messages that birthed the messengers: artists like Judas Priest and Black Sabbath and Twisted Sister and Dio and many others ~ bands who became mirrors reflecting the outcries and outrage of their time and place, bands who created the 50 most influential heavy metal songs of the ‘80s.
The purpose of this book is to go behind the scenes, away from all the glitz, glam, and fanfare, and really delve into the inspiration and creative processes that made these songs into musical statements that have stood the test of time and countless cultural fads. Kazjar and Lotring’s documentation is succinct, crisp and pointedly authentic and insightful, hitting the metal nail right on the head.
What’s just as appealing as the writing style is the commentary; it’s amazing, as a fan, to think that the meaning behind that one great song that made your life complete for a window of time (or perhaps, a lifetime) may actually be completely lost on the composer. Or, that the lyrics didn’t really mean that much at all to the band, and as a matter of fact, none of them really actually remember the true words. Then again, maybe that song that affected you on such a profound level really meant much, much more than you could have ever fathomed. All of these explanations and more lie within the recollections (or lack there of) of some of metal’s most iconic artists.
Take, for instance, Judas Priest’s “Breaking the Law,” a musical statement that bears just as much truth today as it did 30 years ago. “I think it’s a very potent piece of music, as well as a strong lyrical message. It’s a song that carries a message to generation after generation,” says Priest vocalist Rob Halford. “I would never have thought that the lyric would be just as relevant as it was in 1980, but there you go.”
Or how about Ozzy Osbourne’s “Suicide Solution” bringing the topic of personal interpretation into the limelight under the most severe circumstances ~ a fan’s suicide. But what many interpreted as pro-suicide messages were actually British colloquialisms for female anatomy, misconstrued by the American ear.
Then there’s the infamous “Holy Diver,” a fantastical epic focused on humanity’s self-indulgence and selfishness, a tale that was spun after Ronnie James Dio saw the title phrase during a walk home from a local grocery store. And of course, there’s the author of the foreword to this book and leader of the mighty Megadeth, Dave Mustaine, regarding “Peace Sells:” “It was about Joe Everyman. It just showed that you no matter who you are, if you believe in yourself, you can do it.”
Metal fans will delight in the honesty, the memory lapses, and the deep, unfettered beliefs and emotions that were unabashedly poured into the 50 most influential heavy metal songs of the ‘80s.
