BLACK SABBATH, PANTERA, MEGADETH, IRON MAIDEN Members Featured In 'Story of Metal' Documentary

January 12, 2006

VH1 has announced the premiere of "Heavy: The Story of Metal", a four-part documentary tracing the evolution of heavy metal music and culture, from its dark, grim beginnings in Birmingham, England to the worldwide force that it remains to this day.

In a series of four themed hours premiering Monday-Thursday, May 1-4 at 9 p.m, "Heavy: The Story of Metal" explores four decades of music, each hour examining this powerful and often misunderstood genre, from metal's pioneers to its love of glam and excess; from the fight for metal's rebellious soul to its storied flirtation with the devil:

Episode One traces metal's roots in the late-'60s in the bombed-out industrial town of Birmingham England to the spectacular rise of KISS and "glam metal" in the early 70's.

Episode Two examines metal's growing pains during the '70s when both high-brow rock critics and punk rock threatened its very existence. By decade's end, bands such as IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST and DEF LEPPARD gave birth to what became known as "The New Wave of British Heavy Metal."

Episode Three sees metal thrive in, of all places, sunny California. VAN HALEN, POISON, MÖTLEY CRÜE — it's the world of hair metal. And, keeping everyone's Jacuzzi-soaked ego in check, a little film called "Spinal Tap" emerges.

Episode Four takes a walk on the dark side: GUNS N' ROSES, METALLICA, thrash, grunge, and how the music and images of MARILYN MANSON became associated with the Columbine massacre.

Told from the perspective of the musicians, promoters, writers and fans who have kept metal's flame alive for four decades, "Heavy: The Story of Metal" contains revealing, hilarious and sometimes shocking conversations. Interviews include Sebastian Bach, Jerry Cantrell, Phil Collen, Bruce Dickinson, Fred Durst, Ace Frehley, Rob Halford, Scott Ian, Tony Iommi, Chris Jericho, Lemmy Kilmister, Chuck Klosterman, Jani Lane, Tommy Lee, Doc McGhee, Bret Michaels, Dave Mustaine, Vinnie Paul, Mark Putnam, Riki Rachtman, Dave "Snake" Sabo, Nikki Sixx, Slash, Dee Snider, Geoff Tate, Eddie Trunk, Rob Zombie and more.

In the same vein as VH1's critically acclaimed, award winning 2004 hip-hop chronicle "And You Don't Stop", "Heavy: The Story of Metal" combines interviews, verite moments and rare and exclusive footage and photos, to bring metal's history to life while examining the considerable pop-culture impact of the loudest music that ever was.

"Heavy: The Story of Metal" is produced by 441 Productions in conjunction with VH1. Stephen Mintz serves as Supervising Producer. Matt Maranz is Executive Producer for 441 Productions. Brad Abramson, Shelly Tatro, and Michael Hirschorn serve as Executive Producers for VH1.

Find more on
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • reddit
  • email

Comments Disclaimer And Information

BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends).