The British demonic

The Britons have a long and wonderful tradition for the demonic: From Marlowe and Shakespeare in the Renaissance through Milton to Byron and Shelley in the Romantic period - right up to Black Sabbath and Judas Priest in the current era! But what really puzzles me is when the demonic is not made explicit, but runs as an undercurrent. I hear it in the folkish elements of Led Zeppelin, just as I do in Bruce Dickinson's solo work. Again, it is most interesting in its more or less hidden, at any rate, restraint, instances. The Iron Maiden song, Number of the Beast is fantastic, but too obvious for what I'm after here. Rather, the 2nd CD off Bruce Dickinson's double Best Of is a good place for this - with songs such as Darkness Be My Friend, Accustic Song, No Way Out, Re-Entry, and Jerusalem. So, what is going on here? Are the demonic elements "really" there, i.e. is it inherent in the songs? Can we pinpoint it by analysing the songs? Or, is it rather just a vibe that spills over from heavy metal into these folkish accustic tunes? I really don't know but would love to find out.

Well, after all, rock 'n roll is the devils music.

I wouldn't limit it to Brits though. Good and evil is a part of every culture. I guess some people just like to talk about one side more than another. Heavy metal was invented to scare people. People like being scared for some reason. Evil in the form that it usually takes in metal - death/destruction/Satan - is usually/supposed to be a scary thing.

I'd say it works on many levels and is very deep issue without a single answer.

Well,

The British Isles have a rich history, and one steeped in many kinds of superstition/black magic/ animist religions, much like Early Europe in general. Add to this, as mentioned above, the 'tortured artist' school of wiritng, with the doom and premonitions spelled out, and you have an opulent scene indeed.

The Irish and the Scots contributed too in this. It is no accident that so much of the early music carried over to the US by the early immigrants were: Irish and Scottish folk tunes (many of the dark, or murder-ballad kind.) Jealous lovers, murders, mining/shipping accidents; in very many the deceased inevitably came back to wreak havoc.

These songs took strong roots in the Appalachian mountain communities and other poor regions and mutated into Bluegrass and Folk tunes that were continually modified by generations of players.

Today, these ancient roots are still alive; they are filtered through the rage of metal, the timelessness of early country, the gloom and beauty of songs by Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, the late recordings of Johnny Cash, the neo-swing of the Squirrel Nut Zippers.

In a sense, this genre (to narrow it for a moment) is like the second element in a musical invasion that included it and the blues revolution from the south, only some decades removed initially.

The two met more often than the history books care to mention; the musical stew that resulted would yield early white blues, black dance music, western swing, jump blues, rockabilly and on and on.

And every now and again, someone decides to do it 'straight up' one more time. Strip the songs back to their basics. Nick Cave is one; Dave Alvin is another.

'Barbara Allen' is the single greatest example of early, death-driven, narrative folk song. It has been re-done to death, so to speak.

Ok, no more lecturing..

Best,

CC.

Originally posted by Cosmic Closet Well, The British Isles have a rich history, and one steeped in many kinds of superstition/black magic/ animist religions, much like Early Europe in general. Add to this, as mentioned above, the 'tortured artist' school of wiritng, with the doom and premonitions spelled out, and you have an opulent scene indeed. The Irish and the Scots contributed too in this. It is no accident that so much of the early music carried over to the US by the early immigrants were: Irish and Scottish folk tunes (many of the dark, or murder-ballad kind.) Jealous lovers, murders, mining/shipping accidents; in very many the deceased inevitably came back to wreak havoc. These songs took strong roots in the Appalachian mountain communities and other poor regions and mutated into Bluegrass and Folk tunes that were continually modified by generations of players. Today, these ancient roots are still alive; they are filtered through the rage of metal, the timelessness of early country, the gloom and beauty of songs by Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, the late recordings of Johnny Cash, the neo-swing of the Squirrel Nut Zippers. In a sense, this genre (to narrow it for a moment) is like the second element in a musical invasion that included it and the blues revolution from the south, only some decades removed initially. The two met more often than the history books care to mention; the musical stew that resulted would yield early white blues, black dance music, western swing, jump blues, rockabilly and on and on. And every now and again, someone decides to do it 'straight up' one more time. Strip the songs back to their basics. Nick Cave is one; Dave Alvin is another. 'Barbara Allen' is the single greatest example of early, death-driven, narrative folk song. It has been re-done to death, so to speak. Ok, no more lecturing.. Best, CC.

Hey CC!

Let's form a band! I need 1 CC stat! Have you any clips of your own music?

RN

It's the weather. The dreary English weather. It would make anyone befriend darkness and dispair... I kinda like it myself.