Biggest MYTHS Of Heavy Metal 

The last one, it doesn't matter Who started it. Just as long as everyone knows it Wasn't Gene Simmons

Another thing to note about the grunge killing metal thing is that grunge was more or less a geographic lable and people seem to ignore the fact that half the grunge bands were heavy metal bands such as Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, TAD, Melvins etc.

16 years ago I collapsed the entire circle pit at Harpo's in Detroit while Fear Factory was playing Edge Crusher. One of my favorite memories I can still remember.

Pits are intense, true. My fractured rib can vouch for that xD However every time I've seen someone going down in the pit several dozens arms reach out to prop the unfortunate. That's my experience :D

As one who has seen the testimony of horrific stories of metal bands; I know that they’re more middle class than rappers.

As far as people saying that metal is just screaming that takes no talent...yeah there are people that say that. But from my experience most people aren't rejecting the talent level that it takes to do that, they just simply don't even LIKE any type of screaming or metal music in general really...or if they do like high vocals, they certainly usually do not like THAT type of screaming that you hear in the metal world. They can't relate to that type of aggression. Screaming/shouting/growling in rebellion is not something that "normies" really have ever accepted. That's the real reason why most "normal" people don't like any type of metal, let alone the genres and bands associated with screaming. I was also like that as a kid. I didn't even care for Halford's highest screams in Priest when I was still new to discovering all the classic metal bands. At that time 24 years ago, I was drawn to metal for the heaviness and chugging riffs aspect of it. It took a good while for me to appreciate the screaming, high vocals, and also the low growling/grunting in extreme genres of metal music. Now I absolutely love it and have almost completely forgot about not really being into it at all originally, all those years ago.

Shoutout to Nile Underground

Neither Dio or Geezer stared the devil horns, Gene Simmons did 😂

I like the reference to the comment that “pantera hadn’t been mentioned” in the last video lol

Great video with EXCELLENT commentary, content, & editing... new SUB here \m/

Been into metal since i was 11 years old.i'm a black woman. You have no idea how many times i've heard metal is just crazy white boys. 25 years into metal now and honestly can 100% bust that myth. Met so many amazing people, from all types of backrounds.

Good video. I'm a 60 year old woman who really loves metal ever since I first heard Black Sabbath. I've been to tons of shows over the years. I have seen a lot of different kinds of people at shows. I think metal fans are some of the nicest people there are. Metal is such a misunderstood genre. Sad.

The Japanese metal scene is insane. Some really unique bands there.

Dio in that same interview you got that clip from says he didn't create it but helped popularise it and spread it in the culture. This is true, most people don't know who Coven is, but Dio is Metal royalty and will always be associated with the Devil horns.

You didn't even mention why the Napster case even started. It wasn't because Lars and Metallica were greedy like people think, or because they were protecting the future of music. They did it because the demo for their song "I Disappear" off the MI2 soundtrack was getting radio play before the song was even finished. When they found out the demo was found on Napster, that's when they pulled the trigger.

I don't care what any conspiracy theorists say- Lars CAN keep 4/4 time!

The thing with RJD having started metal horns due to his grandmother isn't in the least bit diminished by the fact that Crowley used the horns hand gesture previously. Upon seeing Geezer using the horns, it could've easily reminded Dio of his grandmother using it from years ago and drew his attention to it. Different symbols and gestures recur throughout history and different cultures and take on different meanings. Crowley used it for occult meanings, Dio's grandmother was warding off evil hexes, and down in Austin it signifies support for the Texas Longhorns. Case in point, even though Leonard Nimoy got the Vulcan salute from his rabbi as a boy I'm sure it's appeared throughout history and that just happened to be the origin path that it took. Synchronicities do occur in interesting ways.

i especially appreciate the debunking of the 8th myth. as a black metal fan, i always feel the one thing ppl take away from me telling them i listen to metal is ‘that’s a white person genre’ besides other stupid comments like it just being mindless noise & maybe assuming i’m a devil worshipper. metal is for absolutely everyone & that take has always been aggravating to me.

When you said "Is black really white?", I thought you were going to continue with "Is the moon just the sun at night?". It's funny when you think Dio popularized the devil horns when touring for the Heaven and Hell album and the Heaven and Hell song is all about not taking things for granted and believing everything you hear.

Dio is love. Dio is life. Long live his memory.

I have something to add to the whole Devil horns matter. I have lived in Italy all of my life and can confirm that that sign is of common use in the country mainly with two meanings: - a defensive one, used to ward off evil but mainly simply bad luck (the equivalent of "touch wood" for instance). Example: someone says to you: "Oh, you're going on holiday tomorrow, hope all goes well..." and you flash out your horns against the implication that it may not - an offensive one, implying that someone "wears horns" and is thus a cuckold. Very popular whilst driving when somebody performs some bad manoeuvre and you want to make them know what you think about them... Actually giving the evil eye is something I've never heard of, but it could belong in a more remote past. So, basically, Ronnie's story about his granny is absolutely believable being of italian descent. I have no doubt she may have used that sign especially against bad luck. Possibly he took that from Geezer simply because it was already familiar to him, and the rest is history.

Heavy Metal Myth: My wife DOES like listening to me ramble on for hours about Mastodon, Iron Maiden and any other metal band that comes to mind.

Actually, it's not that Spotify doesn't pay the artists, it's that the labels don't pay the artists. Right now Spotify is unable to make a profit because a majority of their revenue goes to rights-holders.

The Metallica Napster thing was not about royalties, Lars consistently said he supported bootlegs of Metallica shows. Metallica was pissed that the demo version of their song "I disappear" appeared on Napster and couldn't take it down. Lars in particular said that was the reason for suing Napster, as the song was unfinished. Literally nowhere did they say it was about royalties, but as you proved, even if they said that, they would be proven right.

Painkiller should tell you that metal was alive and well in the 90s. You either evolved with popularity or you evolved with metal. Meaning you either turned soft and went with the flow or you got heavier. Judas Priest got heavier.

My first Slayer show. The crowd surges forward and I go down. I am like "oh shit" I gotta get back up. Then some huge fucker pics me up by the shirt collar and gives me a thumbs-up.

I don't care about your race. If you like metal, we are brothers in arms. Long live metal.

Some grunge bands like Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and Warrior Soul had at least some metal and hard rock influences. I actually think they helped boost and change metal so that it could borrow from other genres.

Make a part 2 if you find more myths please this is very entertaining.

You know what they say, 'A lie can travel around the world and back again while the truth is still sewing patches on to it's battle vest.'

I have always felt that heavy metal rock was, from it's evolution in the mid-60s to now, intelligent music that took in influences from interesting places and many of its practitioners were intelligent and articulate musicians.

I always heard the story as "While Dio didn't invent the devil horns, he popularized it and made it a staple of the metal genre," so the ending wasn't really that shocking.

I think Dio's story is at least more acceptable than Gene Simmons' claim to starting the horns.

Regarding the Dio "Devil horns" thing, I mean, Ronnie doing it in Black Sabbath made the hand gesture synonymous with Hard Rock/Heavy Metal. I mean, other bands or artists were doing it before, but it wasn't until Dio did it in Black Sabbath that Metalheads adopted it into the culture of Metal.

heav medbel

I went to a Deftones and Gojira concert recently in DC. It was the most diverse group of people I have ever seen. I met a guy how brought his 12 year daughter who was a Gojira fan to her first concert. I met a 65 year old black guy there. Every race and every age was there, It was beautiful, all of us there to share our love for music.

For those who don’t know Coven announced a North American tour last week so y’all can still see them live

Good vid man. It's not like I have to say it but, I've been a pro metal guitarist for at least 10 years, im black and I love metal. From the stage to the pit. It's the most diverse music and people. Dimebag is why I play guitar. Just subbed 🤘🏽.

I thought I remember later in that same interview, Dio saying "So, invented it? No. Popularised it, yes." Or something similar.

Alice Cooper and the chicken 🐔 has always been my favorite story. Throw in Frank Zappa and you know it's entertaining. Also the time Alice Cooper meet Elvis Presley is entertaining as well.

I was expecting to see Rob Halford with one of his notorious kitty t-shirts when you mentioned puppies and kittens. Small bit of trivia: many of stray cat rescuers, fosters and volunteers in Athens Greece are metalheads. PS. Shira, the oldest of my ten cats has been known to play air drums to SOAD's toxicity with me.

Heavy metal is definitely not just for pale folk...lol...my introduction to music heavier than Metallica or Slayer was by a guy who was not white. He is mixed- white momma and black dad. But he grew up around mostly white people and got into metal. He sounds like a surfer dude when he talks, probably because he's from Florida (he lives in upstate New York like I do). Without meeting and hanging out with him, I may have never heard bands like Cannibal Corpse or Deicide or GWAR or King Diamond....ironically my last boyfriend I had, who was white, introduced me to hip hop...😁

The ONLY way you get hurt at a metal concert is if there’s karate in the pit haha! And even if Dio didn’t start the horns, at least Gene fucking Simmons didn’t either!!

You forgot "Heavy Metal is the devil's music."

Metal concerts are the best! everyone's so cool and almost every mosh pit I was ever in after the show. Everyone would hug each other and thank everyone for having search a good time!

About the moshing rumor. I, after about 15 years of metal concerts and moshing at most of them. I have found people to be wild, but still mindful of what they're doing. There was a pretty serious pit at a Chiodos show back in 2010. A couple of us had some busted lips and bloody noses. And when a big drop happened, a dude suddenly hit the floor, and his much needed glasses go flying into the crowd. We all stopped. Held our arms out. A formed a circle around him so he was able to get back up. And the guy next to me got handed his glasses and handed them back to him. They were TRASHED. But he put them back on, let out a scream, and we all went right back to it. We got each other's backs, we don't wanna see anyone seriously hurt. We just wanna flail and dance!

"Pantera...YEP, YEP HE SAID IT, HE SAID IT!" Lmao, classic👍

Brilliant vid wyatt. Got into metal in 1976 myself. Age 12. Heard symptom of the universe. Changed my life. Metal became my life. Lost a wife over my love. Of metal not her 🤣. The devil's horns section. Number 11. Wow. Great research my metal brother. I've just subscribed. You know you're stuff mate. Keep it up. 👍🤘🤘🤘🤘. Ps SLAYEEEEEER. 🇬🇧

"metal heads are scary ooga booga boo" HAD ME DYING loved it!!🤣

I can’t believe you’ve heard of Pantera that’s so insane dude. Also you just ruined my life with that fun fact about the devil horns, I don’t know what to make of life anymore

Me in my 20's: the Pit rules! The Sidelines👎 Me in my 50's: The Sidelines are fine 👍

The Pantera line made me choke on my code red.

The story that I had heard with the doves was that Ozzy and Sharon went to a meeting with the execs at CBS Records, and at the end of the meeting, they were going to be released out the open window of the conference room. They didn't bring them over to the window to release them, though. They just figured the doves would make their way out through on their own. One dove made it, but the other one hit the closed window and fell on the floor, presumably next to Ozzy. Drunk and high as he was, he thought it was dead already, picked it up and bit the head off it.

The last time I saw anthrax live I caught a hard elbow in the face, I didn’t really feel it to much and didn’t even realize it drew blood until I got on the subway home and someone asked if I was ok. I’m like yea I’m feeling fine, then she mentions that I have blood all down the side of my face lol 😂

The "myth" that I found most interesting was the one about heavy metal being only followed by White people. I have to say, that in a way, that _was_ true - but only up to a point. I got into heavy metal back in 1979. I was living in Nigeria at the time. The first heavy bands I got into were Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Uriah Heep, Kiss, Aerosmith, Blue Oyster Cult, Status Quo, Boston, Black Sabbath, ZZ Top, Nazareth, AC/DC, Trapeze, Boston, Cheap Trick, Rush, Ted Nugent, Grand Funk Railroad, Jimi Hendrix and bands like that. I'm well aware that many, possibly most, metalheads would laugh at such bands being described as heavy metal, but what most young-ish people should at least respect, is that in 1979, these are the bands that were heavy metal bands. And I can say this because I was there. The New Wave of British Heavy Metal {NWOBHM} that appeared at the end of the 1970s _only_ makes sense if heavy metal {at least in Britain} already existed. It's unarguable that heavy metal expanded and got louder and heavier from the start of the 80s, but from Hendrix and Cream in '66 right up to that glut of albums in '80 from Van Halen, Nugent, Motorhead, UFO, AC/DC and many others, this was the heavy metal of that day. Yes, most of the bands of that 14 year period were more "song"-oriented, because that's how people thought. Even Black Sabbath, for all their heavy slugging, wrote songs, songs that Ozzy had to be able to put across. Anyway, with that out of the way, as a Black guy both in Nigeria in '79-81 and in England ever since '81, I always stood alone. In Nigeria at the time I discovered heavy metal {via Deep Purple}, everyone I knew was into disco. They thought I was a freak {the lines at the beginning of the second verse of Deep Purple's "No one came" so spoke to me and summed up my situation}. And when I got back to England in '81, all my friends, in fact everyone I knew was either into reggae or soul. They thought I was weird. But I stuck with my heart and pursued the heavy stuff. I remember going to a heavy rock disco at the Green gate pub in Gants Hill in summer '81 and it was packed.....with White people. There were only two Black people and I was one of them ! But the same thing used to happen at jazz gigs. My friend and I that used to go were nearly always the only two Black people there in a totally White audience, even when the artists were {which was most of the time} Black. This is '83 and '84. I stopped listening to heavy metal around '82 {I saw AC/DC in '82 and Rush in '83} but I still listen to the plethora of bands I discovered back in the day. It's good that metal's audience has diversified. My 18 year-old has {independently of me} been into metal for a few years. He likes the modern stuff, not my old fogey dinosaur heavy rock.

The Marilyn Manson one is timeless, and it's not unique to him. It somehow spread across every high school all over the world, but the celeb differs from school to school and generation to generation. I've heard a whole bunch: Marc Bolan, Ozzy, Marilyn Manson, Sidney Lee, Alice Cooper... In more recent years, I've heard tales that these days, it's not metal singers or guitarists anymore, but rather gay influencers like Jeffree Star and whatnot.

N° 8 NOT EVEN ONCE BRO more people should know that the second largest, and the most passionate group amongst metalheads is LATINOS!!!

My life is a lie! How dare you report the truth! Subbed!

I got into metal music during the pandemic… helped me dealing with difficult emotions as a health worker. I’m from Chile, and travelled all the way to Graspop, Belgium… and was welcomed in a very awesome way from everybody! The festivals and concerts are safer than many more popular artists right now. I love the metal community ❤

Biggest myth is that it’s easy to pull off and these are all drug heads without any real musical ability. Metal is actually rather difficult.

No.4. THANKYOU!!!!! Many metal bands sold more records on the 90s than they did in the 80s. This myth had always pissed me right off. Great video.

metal/alt rock clubs were the safest places i frequented growing up and an Aussie moshpit was just full of lunatics having an awesome time but the moment a person fell, many hands raised them up again...

Just FYI, birds are not real. Hope you don't still believe that crap.

Bloodywood is ❤

(Dave Mustaine): "Playing bass is one notch above the kazoo". (bass player Cliff Burton): "Dave, you're out of the band"

Dude....awesome video! Thank you for mentioning Indonesia where heavy metal never died off. I'm Indonesian and have been a metalhead for about 35 years now. I really enjoyed and appreciate this video!

I think the more popular myth is that “Metallica sued their fans cuz they’re greedy.” THEY NEVER SUED THEIR FANS. They sued Napster. Napster told them they shouldn’t bother because they would never be able to name any specific users who illegally downloaded their songs. They then proved to them that IF THEY WANTED TO, they could find specific users who illegally downloaded their songs.

as an african american metalhead, ive had the "thats for white people" thing said to me alot. especially from family.

gotta agree, im native in a metal band, tons of natives on all the reservations are huge metalheads, and in oklahoma metal crowd are usually half native and half white

Your humor sets your videos apart from the rest. Thanks for posting!

Christ, why do people still fall for the rib removable story?! For fuck sakes, it isn't hard to see that all that happens with that story, the celeb just gets replaced. I've heard alanis morisette, prince, David Bowie, and rod fucking Stewart be the subject of that. Also, the "sucked off sailors" story that suffers the same issue is bullshit too

This totally fucking rocks! Great video, dude; very well written and paced. Good clips, too. \m/

People always want to hype thing up or make things racial. Music should bring people of all colors,cultures and ethnicities together. Listen to what makes you feel good or happy. Remember to be respectful of those around you no matter what genre of music you listen to.

I've had the good fortune of knowing several people in metal bands. And because of them, I've met some more. In every case, they were some of the nicest and smartest people I've ever met! Metal!!! 🤘👍🤙

You mention cocaine like it's a bad thing. (Sarcasm) Cocaine and hairspray fueled the 80s!!!

THIS LIST GOES UP TO 11 \m/

Grandma Dio will haunt this channel forever!!!!!!!! 👻

You spoke to me directly. I'm 40 or in other words an old metal head. I heard all those and i never believed that Dio invented the metal horns, when i first heard it i was incredulous and had to look some stuff up and was never convinced despite seeing that lots of folks believed it.

Grunge didn’t kill metal, it killed hair metal big difference

I heard a few times that Beavis and Butthead killed the band Winger Also, there's an interview with Lemmy RIP where he answers a question from a kid about Heavy Metal and racism It's a great clip

One of the biggest testaments (ha ah) i had was a few months ago, i went with my girlfriend to a metal show. (She's not into metal at all mind you) I told her i wanted to mosh to my favorite band. She stayed at the back and i went to do my thing 😅 I came back 1 and half hour later and asked if everything was ok, and she said yes, that no one bother her and she felt safe . And it's true. The majority of metalheads mind their own business, they don't harass and they help if they can. We also know how to have fun, even at the expense of making fun at ourselves, being goofy and silly. It's kinda wholesome seeing that to be honest. 😊

FINALLY some love for Coven ❤️ Jinx Dawson is one of my favourite singers of all time

I'm into rock/Metal since I'm a teenager. Always used the "horns up" sign. I knew some facts were true. But most of people tend to "exagerate" reality about facts. You just need to get your own database and checking out if it's "fact or fiction". If you don't do so (as you mentioned during the video I just checked right now). Everyone should head up to some psychiatrist or such and get some mental treatment. I'll conclude by telling. Either if you're black/white/Asian or such... rock/metal's made for everyone (either straight ppl up to those from lgbtq+ community). It's complete crap to hear some singers telling that "Metal is not for Races". We all are Human Beings in the first place. Aren't we? Hail to rock/Metal. Keep it up everybody and never give up! Cheers from Belgium 🤟🤟♂🏳‍🌈

Hey Wyatt, question for you: Have you been to the blue ridge rock festival? Have you seen the stuff that’s currently going on with it?

And you had living color.

Good video, thanks for mentioning metal bands outside of US. I checked out Bloodywood right away and was impressed. Rock/Metal music isn't dead, it's just not mainstream at the moment. People will always need the outlet of Metal; therefore it will never die.

The part about metal crowds should be told to everyone scared of metal, although I did take a boot to the back of my head watching Sepultura at Bloodstock this year by a rogue crowdsurfer

Never wander into a mosh pit unwittingly wearing sandals

Love your comments Wyatt much appreciated for every metal fan it is true yes a lot are so true and false we surely know it but as metal fans who gives a crap for me I come from Galway Ireland have been a metal fan over 30 years and for me the biggest upset I have is when metal bands just went so commercial as like Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax there albums diluted so much you would not see that happened to Slayer, Exodus, Testament or Forbidden or Death Angel my own other two favourites Iron maiden staying good but had a couple of crap albums at end ,Napster scenario is true butt Metallica have millions made at the end of the day what matters is fans like you and me I am a fan of all types of music and am a drummer as well Dave Lombardo genius double bass kick pedal drummer 👍👍 best wishes Declan 👍

The rib removal thing was a myth about Prince in the 80s

Metal is for everyone Stronger than the law Our band of steel and eternity A union of the strong. Freedom Call - Metal is For Everyone

As a metalhead I agree that metalheads are the nicest folks 🤘

Another band that used the horns in the 1970s was the band Funkadelic (they were also on the heavier side of psych and rock at times too) they said" it was a pass to the mother ship " . Another strange thing - someone them were followers of the satanic cult Process Church of the final judgement . They had some degrimstones quotes on their album liner notes. Ps check out the song super stoopid, Alice in my fantasies , trash agogo they had some other hand rocking tunes

It's true that struggling musicians (aka starving artists) are now the norm in the industry. most musicians are getting paid less than minimum wage. the only ones who can afford to go on tour (or even play live) are those that have good jobs themselves, and outside support such as a label and a large fanbase (for those that are actually making some kind of money).

Also, Power Metal was massive especially in Europe in the late 90s

If it wasn't for ronnie, the metal horns wouldn't be so prominent in metal, even if he didn't do it first, that sign is his. Ronnie is the goat rest in peace

Can you please make a video about the best metal festival for a first-timer

Awesome list and fun vid cheers man..What about the Myth that if you play certain metal/rock songs backwards satanic messages can be heard..lol

This shattered my reality! More than once! What a fun subject & video. And you said the thing. Now I want to know more. Excellent stuff

My wife's misunderstanding of metal vocals winds me right up.