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VH1 To Air Four-Part 'Definitive History' Of Heavy Metal

posted Oct 3, 2005 at 10:19 PM by deathbringer.  (20 Comments)

Photo of Led Zeppelin

Band Photo: Led Zeppelin (?)

VH1 has announced plans to launch "VH1 Rock Docs", an all-new slate of high-end feature-length programs in 2006. Each of the docs will reveal an untold story in the history of rock and hip-hop music, combining never-before-seen footage with a unique and unconventional narrative approach. The documentaries will tell some of the most unique stories of the artists and music from a wide range of genres, styles, and musical perspectives. The "VH1 Rock Docs" slated for premiere in 2006 include a four-hour definitive history of heavy metal, "The U.S. vs. John Lennon", "The Last Days of Lisa Lopes" and "DMC: The Real Me". Additional documentaries will be announced shortly. A brief synopsis of the heavy metal documentary reads as follows:

"What Ken Burns did for jazz, VH1 does for heavy metal — only a lot louder. This four-part documentary traces the evolution of heavy metal music and culture from BLACK SABBATH to WHITE ZOMBIE, from LED ZEP to DEF LEP, from MOTÖRHEAD to MASTODON. In the same vein as VH1's critically acclaimed 2004 hip-hop chronicle, 'And You Don't Stop', this documentary series will use interviews, verite moments and vintage footage to bring metal's history to life, told from the perspective of the musicians, promoters, writers and fans who have kept metal's flame alive for four decades."

Source: Blabbermouth

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20 Comments on "VH1 To Air 'Definitive History' Of Heavy Metal"

deathbringer's avatar

Founder, owner & programmer

1. deathbringer writes:

Sounds good to me as long as it's more metal than their "100 most metal moments" which were 90 moments of glam crap and maybe 10 of real metal.

# Oct 3, 2005 @ 10:24 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Negatyve_One's avatar

Member

2. Negatyve_One writes:

Amen

# Oct 3, 2005 @ 10:34 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

3. ghost writes:

glam bands, deep purple, and led zepppelin are not metal bands f*** vh1!
who wants metal to be just as popular as rap? i dont.
probaly the only real metal bands
mastodon
black sabath
white zombie
motorhead
iron maiden
judas priest
metallica and thats it most of it will be glam and led zeppelin
there will be no pantera slayer arch enemy etc. etc.

# Oct 3, 2005 @ 10:38 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

4. Neas writes:

f*** you, 80's metal/cock rock are the same thing and it was METAL. f*** Mastadon you twats. Nothing but a bunch of overplayed, washed up metalcore that somehow got idiots in the metal realm interested.

# Oct 4, 2005 @ 8:42 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

5. ghost writes:

ghost 2 is a f***in d***wad who needs to die

# Oct 4, 2005 @ 8:54 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

6. ghost writes:

f*** you

# Oct 4, 2005 @ 8:57 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

7. ghost writes:

80s hair rock is NOT metal its just a bunch of bull s h it and it is not the same as mastodon. there are little things called gerne. motley crue isnt heavy and they are not metal. fu ck 80s hair rock and fu ck vh1. i sh it on vh1. '

# Oct 4, 2005 @ 9:09 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Rue's avatar

Member

8. Rue writes:

I think I'm going to save myself the trouble and not watch. Maybe a peek just for kicks. If anybody wants a thorough history of some heavy sh**, read Albert Mudrian's Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Grindcore and Death Metal.

# Oct 4, 2005 @ 1:06 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

9. ghost writes:

i think its gonna be a bunch of bullsh** because vh1 has a boner for led zeppelin

# Oct 4, 2005 @ 1:32 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

10. key to nothing writes:

theres no chance i'll be watching this glam/hair metal garbage suck up show,they just get all the has beens from the most embarrassing period of wanna be metal bands and will totally disregard the underground scene that brought about the true talent in metal,these bastards just give everyone a horrible perception of metal(kinda like the mainstream kids of today),this sh** must stop,...i'll check out Rue's suggestion there

# Oct 4, 2005 @ 9:48 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

11. Cal writes:

-Sounds good, I like most all metal maybe not so much glam and hair metals but, all else old new Death grindcore underground to better known bands, so it all sounds good to me, Besides it's just telivision, if they get it right and talk about what 'real metal' is, then good, awesome thats great, if they dont and they just talk about the glam crap, its okay. Politikal figuers have lied on TV too its okay if stupid vh1 lies, they can say what the please, but true metal people shall always know the truth.

# Oct 4, 2005 @ 10:20 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

12. key to nothing writes:

it just bothers me when people that dont know the slightest thing about metal create a false perception of what it is,thats just f***ed up

# Oct 4, 2005 @ 10:30 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

13. Euronymous writes:

Those f***ers aren't going to have sh** on the best bands, the undergound bands, and on death and black metal(i'd include grind but that's more punk).

# Oct 5, 2005 @ 7:50 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
RememberMetal?'s avatar

Former Contributor

14. RememberMetal? writes:

bah.

This will be another "100 Most Metal Moments" rehash. It's not even worth crossing my fingers for something watchable, I'll be very pleasently surprised if it goes anywhere in the realm of commercially unknown bands.

The only reason Mastodon gets any mention is because, given another album or two they --WILL-- be huge. The only reason Motorhead is mentioned is because of the song "Ace of Spades" and the fact that most metal communities hold Lemmy as nigh-sacred.

What will amaze me, is if they touch on the older underground scenes....bands like Naplam Death, DRI, Celtic Frost. And then bands that are running in new directions like Opeth, Dillinger Escape Plan, Strapping Young Lad etc.

The death, black, doom metal genres deserve their 15 minutes notice and even hardcore and metalcore as they have had a profound influence. Everyone knows that nu-metal, rap-metal, hair/glam and harder arena rock will get lots and lots of time....likely too much of it....

I know I'm going to get sucked into this documentary at some point but I also know I'm going to have to buy a new TV when it's over as an end table will probably seal the fate of my 36 inch Zenith.

# Oct 6, 2005 @ 12:02 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

15. bucknasty80 writes:

BLAH BLAH BLAH.... BUNCH OF KIDS TRYING TO CURSE. I BET MOST OF YOU WEREN'T EVEN ALIVE, OR OLD ENOUGH TO APPRECIATE THE MUSIC THAT WAS OCCURING DURING THE '70S AND 80'S. ALOT OF THE BANDS YOUR b****ING ABOUT WERE CONSIDERED HEAVY METAL / HAIR METAL DURING THAT ERA. EVER HEAR PANTARA'S FIRST CD? TALK ABOUT GLAM AND HAIR METAL. I LOVED THAT TIME AND THE MUSIC IS CAME OUT WITH. IT KICKED SERIOUS ASS, AND STILL DOES

# Oct 6, 2005 @ 6:22 AM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

16. metalmilitia writes:

naes in the first post, did you refer to mastadon as "metalcore"??? if so you are a f***in bonehead and should never post anything on any website ever again, deal?

# Oct 8, 2005 @ 3:32 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
RememberMetal?'s avatar

Former Contributor

17. RememberMetal? writes:

bucknasty your entitled to your opinion just like anyone else. You may well like that music and for it's era it could be called metal....but metal has attached a new mask to itself since the Motley-Posion-GNR-Ozzie-BonJovi days.

Everyone loves the time when they're in their teens and 20's which is why you like that music. It's Nostalgia today, when the music was fresh it was popular. Just like todays kids will listen to 50 cent in 12-20 years and think "those were the days".

For me the glory days were the 90's. Thats due to the fact that I'm 25.
Differnt strokes for differnt folks. Stop condeming people just because they hate your music.

# Oct 8, 2005 @ 4:51 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
Anonymous Reader

18. key to nothing writes:

the 90's....,f*** yes,:carcass,at the gates,godflesh,emporer,death,morbid angel,mayhem,...thats where all the death,black,thrash started hittin stride,sure the mainstream music people will tell you that was the time of grunge but we all know the truth

# Oct 8, 2005 @ 5:01 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
RememberMetal?'s avatar

Former Contributor

19. RememberMetal? writes:

Funny thing, it was the grunge that got me into the heavier stuff thinking...

Kind of liking those mainstream acts like AIC and Soundgarden but thinking, surely its gets heavier than this without being as....well...obvious as Metallica....This led to Pantera which lead to the promised land.

# Oct 8, 2005 @ 7:38 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address
unluckoftheirish's avatar

Member

20. unluckoftheirish writes:

nicely stated bucknasty...........i agree with you, even though i wasn't even a thought in my parents' heads at that time. i like where you're coming from, though. good point. :)

# Oct 10, 2005 @ 3:14 PM ET | IP Logged Reveal posts originating from the same IP address

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