VH1 Classic's "Metal Evolution"

is anyone watching these besides me? because they are surprisingly good

There's been some occasional talk about it on the rolling metal thread. I've watched through the grunge episode and they've been a lot of fun. Nice to see how many people he was able to track down and get to talk with him.

My only criticism is that it feels a bit padded to me; his feature length films have been tight and this has far too many shots of him walking in the street in whatever locale.

I've missed a couple (in particular the hair metal/glam metal one, which I am def curious about) but I really appreciate the breadth and depth - shock rock episode begins with Little Richard and Arthur Brown, for ex. (Bruce Dickinson beaming about how he copped "at least 50% of his vocal style" from Arthur Brown = teh awesome)

nu metal episode was hilarious, as narrator-dude made no bones about disguising how much he hated the material

er no ATTEMPT to disguise, that should say

they have them all for view on the VH1 site a few weeks after they air (convenient for me as I don't have cable). I think the latest is nu metal; hope to catch it in the next few days.

I learned some stuff about nu metal, primarily that it originated in what can be characterized as the cultural and political asshole of California (ie the central valley). music is still godawful tho. I did think it was odd that the Anthrax/PE collab was cited as ground zero with no mention of Rick Rubin/Slayer, but maybe metal dudes weren't really paying attention to who was playing on Def Jam records.

whereas Bring the Noise was obviously a well-publicized deal in the metal community

Slayer may have been on Def Jam but it's not like they sounded like it.

where Anthrax/PE and "Im The Man" was the merging of the sounds.

I'm talking about Kerry King playing on License to Ill and Nation of Millions

playing a few riffs wasn't the same thing though.

Yeah.. and Kerry King wasd a dick about doing that too, I remember an article I read and he said "they needed me, and I needed the money."

I love this series. Sam Dunn has become well respected for his work, so I think a lot of people are down to talk with him.. I was super stoked he talked to Death Angel in the thrash episode! It would of been golden if he could've talked to Baloff...

You got to remember though, he's putting together something thats never been done before, and with everyone having a pretty different opinion on where bands lie in the different sub genres, I think he's done a pretty good job of putting things in aa pretty sound order. Plus, he's actually doing it from a educated, anthropologic perspective.

And I like the fact that he says he doesn't like a certian thing, cuz WE ALL do that as fans of metal and music in general..

yeah the people he's getting are great - "shock rock" included face-time with the Venom drummer/designer (who's name escapes me atm) and King Diamond! oh noes SATANIC PANIC

Yeah, right when King Diamond came on my old lady bugged me to do some mondain domestic chore, and I didn't have the DVR running.. I missed it from there on out..

The power metal episode was outstanding. Probably the best of the series so far. No mention of Savatage/Crimson Glory, but they did a great job examining the genre's German roots.

KD was very jovial, funny interview

I'm curious about the power metal one too, altho I have zero interest in the actual music (well, apart from Dio, who is ALL TIME BRO in my household)

I was nuts about Helloween in the late-'80s, so there's a lot for me to like in this episode. Except for Gamma Ray, they're atrocious.

Dunn also makes a point of mentioning how big a jerk Joey DeMaio is. Which I loved, cos it's so very true.

I'm watching these a week later on the website and this Power Metal episode is a blast.

yeah caught that one over the weekend, it makes even music I don't enjoy somehow enjoyable

also the lead singer of Accept = Patton Oswalt

also Dio's "my music has always been about... the little man" = A+ classic

Udo was Bobby Hill before he became Patton Oswalt.

lololol

this series over all has been fantastic...

My favorite moment; Dunn asking Lars Ulrich why did he feel betrayed. Fucking awesome! ..exactly what every old school fan wants to ask Metallica!!

so I think the only episode I've missed has been the LA glam/hair metal one...? any thoughts on that one?

My favorite moment; Dunn asking Lars Ulrich why did he feel betrayed. Fucking awesome! ..exactly what every old school fan wants to ask Metallica!!

what was his response?

The Glam metal one is worth watching. Dunn hates the stuff, but comes to begrudgingly accept that some of the guys making it were okay.

curious about where it starts - NY Dolls? the Sweet? T. Rex?

Dunn's a bit of a jerk when it comes to his assessments of glam metal. Of course it's disposable, of course it's trite. That's what makes it so fun! Plus there's plenty of merit to be found in the movement's finest songs and handful of classic albums.

Best episode was power metal, they did a phenomenal job exploring the German roots of the sound. The connection to traditional German pub singing was something I never caught on to, cos, well, I'm Canadian, not German.

They dropped the ball big time on the prog metal episode. They dwelled on Tool even though the band refused to be interviewed and they couldn't play any actual music (how on earth is that supposed to edify someone new to metal?), they left out Opeth even though they're more prog than anything (and Akerfeldt is an authority on prog history), and what really ticked me off, no mention of Voivod even it was briefly acknowledged in the family tree thing in the beginning. Plus Geoff Tate in eyeliner was kind of funny.

Is prog the one from this weekend? I'll have to wait a week but will keep it in mind.

Plus there's plenty of merit to be found in the movement's finest songs and handful of classic albums.

tbh I find the super-thin production on the albums of the period's heyday (Shout at the Devil, Look What the Cat Dragged In, etc.) just unbearable. they all sound like Replacements' Tim.

That's Tom Werman for you. Bland sound, for sure, Twisted Sister hates what he did to Stay Hungry.

Actually the two glam albums that got it right production-wise in my opinion were Ratt's Invasion of Your Privacy (ultra-high gloss yet a real bite to those riffs and a great drum sound), and Dokken's digital production on Under Lock and Key.

don't think I've ever heard that entire Ratt album

Dunn considered Viovod thrash, cuz he put them in thst episode..

He slags glam and nu-metal cuz he doesn't like it. which to me is SO refreshing for anyone to be that honest when they present things. But he still respected, and gave it a fair shake. His distain could've easily made those genres look really really bad.

Everyone is gonna have a slight different take on where their favorite bands fit into his chart, and this is something that has been argued about from the dawn of time(in metal).. but you got to give him props for tackling something that before hadn't been done, nor had it been expained to the masses in terms that nonmetallers could grasp.

Remember, he still had to sell it to a network that thought they could gain veiwers by airing it.. Thatsd why the genres that are covered are covered.. I would LOVE to a see doom metal one, a new wave of american metal one, a hardcore one, and a metallic hardcore one.. but these gernres are way under the radar for most.

Lars response to the question was, well betrayal is a very strong word, I don't don't if I like that, betrayal.. but we didn't do change for anyone but our selves blabbiddy larsy diamondhead blabbidy blu...

I love the production on some of those glame records that are mentioned above, especially Shout at the Devil.. some of those records would lose character with different/better production..

Was Voivod in the thrash episode? Can't remember. They're listed in the prog metal bands family tree in the prog episode, just not mentioned.

the production on Too Fast For Love is amazing. Hot cement box with a tin roof in a desert. Love it

Yeah, love the original Leathur version of that, for sure. And I consider Shout at the Devil pretty much as perfect as any glam album ever got, great production or no.

He mentions Viovod in a way to show how bands were trying to keep evolving the thrash genre..