The History of Heavy Podcast

*]:pointer-events-auto [content-visibility:auto] supports-[content-visibility:auto]:[contain-intrinsic-size:auto_100lvh] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:220b126c-e849-44f5-97e3-8947cfe50e23-139" data-testid= "conversation-turn-2" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> AC/DC are undeniable. Their high-energy boogie-pub-rock sound is so infectious that it transcends genre. Owing a significant debt to both the blues and Chuck Berry, but somehow wholly unique, they brought a hard-nosed, working-class sensibility, along with a wry sense of humor, to a hard-partying sound made them one of a kind and cemented them as the greatest hard rock band of all time. If you don't like AC/DC you have shite taste in music.    Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading manhuntsman - Nowheresville  https://open.spotify.com/album/69GPmTCKId18frlVAKFlhb?si=VwzJHp4gQSmApu1aFEI96g   Slayer - Alexander Palace 2012 Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0EempRYtv1duQrEH3f6oWJ?si=ad062d0836034fae   AC/DC Songs with Balls Big Balls (1976) https://open.spotify.com/track/1Qvghv6QpCSB3RiycaDiWz?si=dad95394a3b744db   She's Got Balls (1975) https://open.spotify.com/track/2KmSnPWWCIsEomVsKnbE1a?si=6deed116d7f94a7d   Ballbreaker (1995) https://open.spotify.com/track/1TJX5KxBVqwqPPUPH16MFL?si=ac43a21bae2145fe   Snowballed (1981) https://open.spotify.com/track/1is13OusVjtwAvLx5PcxcZ?si=3da5e6871614467f   Got You by the Balls (1990) https://open.spotify.com/track/1i0hnGnt14GL713mmOgJHh?si=5654c2ac979544a3   Play Ball (2014) https://open.spotify.com/track/3fpzBeEHvuXKOl7QeVe1iz?si=48be58bfc96642fa   HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   HHP Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

Perhaps no band better exemplifies the 1970's than the "velvet thunder" of Foghat. Their first three albums, released between 1973 and 1975, along with their 1977 Live album are perfect time capsules of the era and are preserved in sonic ember as representations of the sound that would become known as 70's Arena Rock. Sadly the developing sounds of heavy metal and punk would largely designate Foghat as irrelevant and even later genres of loud music also failed to give the band any due credit while heaping endless praise on their 70's peers including Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Aerosmith. On this episode we offer them some long overdue appreciation.  

The History of Heavy  EP50: KISS - "Watchin' You"   In addition to being a global merchandising corporation, KISS occasionally found time to write and record some songs. The heavier among them were mostly written by co-founder, bassist and all around douchey guy Gene Simmons. This one comes from their second LP, Hotter Than Hell and in spite all of the pyrotechnics, greasepaint and silly costumes, it's a jam.     HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   HHP Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

The youth in West Germany circa the early 1970's had significantly more reason to be pissed off than the British or American punks of the late seventies. They were lacking direction and inspiration in a country that was still in the shadow of its Nazi-led government barely two decades removed. They had no interest in the dominant traditions of German folk or American pop and sought to create something new. What they came up with was a propulsive, groove-laden, hypnotic sound that leaned heavily into repetition, extended improvisation, and early synthesizers, while avoiding hard rock's bombast or progs showy musicianship. Hamburg's Faust were early merchants of the sound and the lead track from their forth album, appropriately titled, Faust iV was named for the genre that they would help create and go on to inspire hundreds of musicians that would give birth to multiple, subsequent genres including  ambient, techno, post-punk, new-age, and post-rock.

You could make the case that this is Sabbath's best album. They were battle tested, coke fueled and at the peak of their creative powers. But is it our favorite Sabbath album?  Maybe...   HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   HHP Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

Betty Davis was well ahead of her time. She was a wildly flamboyant funk diva who combined the gritty emotional realism of Tina Turner, the futurist fashion sense of David Bowie, and the trendsetting flair of Miles Davis. Her debut LP was released in 1973 going on to influence dozens of powerful, independent female icons to follow, including  Donna Summer, Patty Smith, Debbie Harry, The Runaways and Stevie Nicks. Her music still sounds fresh, in your face and badass today.    HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   HHP Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

After 45 episodes of The History of Heavy, covering everyone from Iron Butterfly to Black Sabbath and "The Payback" might be the most authentically heavy song we've discussed to date. Let us explain...   HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   HHP Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

Necromandus were managed by Tony Iommi, signed to Vertigo Records, supported Sabbath on the VOl 4 tour and recorded their debut album in 1973.  So why hadn't we ever heard of them until a few weeks ago?    HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   HHP Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

During their hard/shock rocking heyday which spanned four excellent albums beginning with 1971's Love It to Death, Alice Cooper was more than a man, they were a band. And while leader singer Vincent Furnier would adopt his famous stage name and alter-ego early on, the remaining four members of the Alice Cooper Group brought deft songwriting and killer chops to the increasingly chaotic notorious live shows that would give their music lasting credibility decades later. In this episode, we mistakenly identify Killer, the album that includes the track "Halo of Flies" as a 1973 release but recover nicely and use our blunder as an excuse the examine the whole of Mr Cooper (and this band's) discography.       Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading Jello Biafra & The Melvins  https://open.spotify.com/track/071YYZlOxBdhESQYrLDYrn?si=9da65eb193874156     HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   HHP Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

Another year in the bag and if we're honest, 2025 largely sucked. It sucked on a global level, it sucked on a national level, it sucked on a local level and honestly it sucked on a personal level, But what didn't suck was the music of 2025. Great new artists emerged, great albums were released and dozens of old bands, records and songs were discovered. We discuss it all. Here's to a better 2026. Happy New Year!!!    Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading    Sanguiaugabogg - Hideous Aftermath  https://open.spotify.com/album/7y5OWsiatwngkMtaPXgyET?si=Scx_LB3QTb6pV82c8YirCg   Greet Death - Die in Love https://open.spotify.com/album/4BMFHGrHTIRSPvSI6S9UKo?si=w5yj8TSHRMSRlPvGYL-gNA   Khruangabin https://open.spotify.com/artist/2mVVjNmdjXZZDvhgQWiakk?si=0ezp2myaQo-4v2Ze_nXj6Q    Glass Beams  https://open.spotify.com/artist/1LTFJvVvRw7ghAyThxYmnF?si=Wet-p2eYRn28SkbfZjnQOw   Boneflower - Reveries  https://open.spotify.com/album/6WwVhoHDfdvaOkRXVzBUVE?si=qR9oOZwYRt6jXuhHhkM5Jw   Early Moods https://open.spotify.com/album/5kxOks7J5KpSTCEv7afrYd?si=wIrWdhADSBeSlkW7EL-ujQ   They Are Gutting A Body of Water - LOTTO https://open.spotify.com/album/5oX9RPR1fBvHzpgtmxVdPI?si=x_YC23yXShSFXXF8x1ZG3Q   Peth - Merchant of Death https://open.spotify.com/album/06Uyd3LZLNMWpQ0QH5KKQn?si=6t6NK0bBQsib6JrVVCpOiw   Mount Salem - Endless  https://open.spotify.com/album/57VCu6Lt5lN95Ty5dP7MNH?si=iUE1xsaGSRCldwx4rwt0jQ   Dead Witches - The Final Exorcism  https://open.spotify.com/album/2DhvzMNZoOycDnPoNR27A4?si=VhLXZBynQ2G8-RLKrLZ1Kg   Swans - Birthing https://open.spotify.com/album/05rmFti1xKL3h09CGx67kc?si=mR0l6sf9TSOIUOoU-YUCzg   Slomosa https://open.spotify.com/artist/0l7GXb53ndWn97ul8Hpfzd?si=_h8LiL5_S4-OFVESqOanhA   HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   HHP Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

Sabbath's first three albums invented stoner metal and "Sweet Leaf" from 1971's Master of Reality was the coughing exclamation point on the genre.  Vol 4 would begin the band's three album cocaine cycle. Not only did Snowblind directly address the drugs hold on the band at the time but the entire record's energy, pace and production all somehow benefit from the speedy haze that misers Osbourne, Iommi, Butler & Ward were living in while writing and recording the album's ten songs at the Bel Air mansion of the now infamous John Du Pont.      Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading Scorpions "Sails of Charon" Live 1978 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs5NOrYYV2s   Screaming Trees "Tomorrow's Dream: https://open.spotify.com/track/2Ol6qir0TWnPoxaW1PBwgp?si=080746da7f6f4bde   1000 Homo DJs' "Supernaut" https://open.spotify.com/track/1LkYAkYzqq7TbJTGfx3ixY?si=7dc03406c3f04514   Charles Bradley "Changes" https://open.spotify.com/track/3HC6U39266ytr7fMW9M2Mz?si=aff70203956e4e22   Sleep "Snowblind" https://open.spotify.com/track/0NIoNL2KL9UdIWbtKq3FNr?si=2fbf482ed1d4453b   HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   HHP Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

Edgar Winter is a freak. A multi-instrumental virtuoso who led his chart topping band as singer-songwriter while also serving as a session musician on dozens of chart topping hits by the likes of Meatloaf, Tina Turner and David Lee Roth. His music spans southern rock, the blues, fusion and blue-eyed soul and on The Edgar Winter Group's debut album, its lone instrumental track "Frankenstein" he proves that he can also get heavy with the best of them.       Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading "Guitarin' Safari" Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/59p775CaVKb1iYa5cakkpe?si=eaa3da57b8b0423e     HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   HHP Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy

Formed in 1972 in Lima Peru, Tarkus released their self-titled debut LP that same year and then promptly broke up, lasting for less than 9 months before reforming for a second record in 2007 (Tarkus 2) and then promptly breaking up again, this time for good. They are one of thousands of bands that sprouted up in various pockets of the world making great and interesting heavy music that might have been lost to the sands of time if not for the glory of the internet.      HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   HHP Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

Their third studio LP is arguably Black Sabbath's masterpiece. Eight classic songs in less than thrity five minutes that would collectively spark not only the inspiration of hundreds of aspiring musicians but also launch a multitude of hard rock and heavy metal genres to come, including: stoner rock/metal, doom metal, sludge metal, grunge, progressive metal and groove/southern metal. From Tony Iommi's iconic cough that opens "Sweet Leaf" to the dark, heavy salvo of "Into the Void," the boys from Birmingham lay the blueprint for decades of heavy music to come, cementing Master of Reality as one of the most important records of all time.    HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   HHP Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

Budgie has aptly been described as the love child of Black Sabbath and Rush. While many of their early 70's peers continued to comfortably play variations of the popular hard rock of the day, Budgie were are early example of a band that was definitively playing a new style of music now known as Heavy Metal.  "Guts,"  the first track off of their 1971 debut album is a prime example.    HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   HHP Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

Alice Coltrane was a lot of things; she was a musician, a composer, an activist and a spiritual leader. She was also a genius who almost single handedly introduced the harp to jazz while making some of the most transcendent music of the late sixties and early seventies. Her influence can be felt across many heavy genres including drone, stoner metal, sludge, post rock and experimental metal. We cover it all from Sonic Youth to Sunn O))) and from Rush to Radiohead.     Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading Radiohead "Dollars and Cents" https://open.spotify.com/track/0kSDNLOdJqpGhV2vtVFWmS?si=9482de1f011d4d79   Sunn O))) "Alice" https://open.spotify.com/track/7n6WNQidHGzHm0TQHWV7aH?si=5d47fe9e76cb4fb3   Flying Lotus "Drips/Aunti's Harp" https://open.spotify.com/track/0g4THD0mERaEqP64uSaXlq?si=8fb1fdcb485f4753   HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   HHP Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

There is no denying that there was a real heaviness to the 1970's funk of Funkadelic but nothing compares to how heavy they would get when they stripped away George Clinton's vocals, Bootsy's bass, Tikii Fulwood's drums and any ancillary horns to let Eddie Hazel solo for 10 minutes. "Maggot Brain" is pure, jaw dropping, brain melting, emotional heaviness and an important touch stone in our chronology of heavy. .    Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading   Monolithic Undertow by Harry Sword https://www.amazon.com/Monolithic-Undertow-Search-Sonic-Oblivion/dp/1737382938/ref=pd_lpo_d_sccl_1/144-9075642-3604406?pd_rd_w=3u9Ya&content-id=amzn1.sym.4c8c52db-06f8-4e42-8e56-912796f2ea6c&pf_rd_p=4c8c52db-06f8-4e42-8e56-912796f2ea6c&pf_rd_r=PY1STRPTFC7WQJZ83SM3&pd_rd_wg=0AHIQ&pd_rd_r=11b42eb4-f4f4-4430-8d16-368766f7653f&pd_rd_i=1737382938&psc=1   Electric Wizards: A Tapestry of Heavy Music 1968 to the Present  https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Wizards-Tapestry-Heavy-Present/dp/1789144485   HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   HHP Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

The Who are one of rock's most restless innovators. From spearheading the Mod youth explosion in Britain in the 60's to turning smashed guitars and drums into an art form, they constantly redefined what a heavy rock band could be. They practically invented the rock opera with Tommy and Quadrophenia, set the gold standard for the live concert experience and wrote some of the greatest songs in rock history. We threw a dart at their superb catalog while down at our local pub to determine what song to talk about and we hit the last track on Who's Next which happens to include one of the most iconic heavy moments in heavy music history.    HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

One could debate whether or not Pink Floyd belongs in the conversation about "heavy" music but their influence on such denizen's of heavy as Black Sabbath, Sleep, My Bloody Valentine, Neurosis and Blood Incantation is undeniable. It is also hard to debate  the sonic heaviness of some of their louder songs including this, the lead track from 1971's Meddle.    Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading Movie: Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis  https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10850264/   HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

We know why Black Sabbath and Deep Purple and the MC5 are heavy but how does Janis Joplin fit into our chronology? Dave explains during our latest conversation.    Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading   HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

Coming mere months after the release of their debut LP, Black Sabbath changed the future of music for the second time in less than a year with the release of their sophomore release, Paranoid in September of 1970. Our conversation covers all of its greatness and somehow we also somehow touch  on Hip Hop, Billy Joel, and The Grateful Dead.  #BlackSabbath #Paranoid   Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading The Dickies "Paranoid" https://open.spotify.com/track/0ttUuij1GDXSmyKV6PVLDz?si=0426224fc7e0451d   Inspiral Carpets "Paranoid" https://open.spotify.com/track/65d1QLKQE1RZ14PFT4WeER?si=61963b3c6e2c4639   The Cardigans "Iron Man" https://open.spotify.com/track/2cpJAVteVpeXFCiOgjcx7m?si=0227ad2371ff4d3f   HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

The album that started it all.  #metal #doom #sabbath #ozzy #iommi #geezer #billward #historyofheavy   Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading Live in Paris 1970 https://www.invisibleoranges.com/black-sabbath-live-in-paris-1970-dvd/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPJXuTK8j5k   HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@the.history.of.hea?_t=ZP-8z7me40bcbu&_r=1   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

One third of the British Unholy Trinity of hard rock that also includes Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, Deep Purple started establishing themselves as a heavy force to be reckoned with in 1970 with the release of their fourth album, In Rock. The album introduced Ian Gillan as the band's singer and his value to their sound is immediately obvious on this banger of a track 2, an under appreciated song that is among the bands most badass.        HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

In April 1979 Ozzy Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath for behavior so disruptive to the group that even his notoriously hard partying bandmates could no longer deal with him. Upon his dismissal, the rock world had assumed that they had heard the last of the then 32 year old singer but less than a year a half later he would release his soon to be classic debut solo LP that featured a young musical prodigy named Randy Rhodes on guitar. A second solo record would follow a year later and his legacy as a solo artist and heavy metal icon would be cemented, arguably eclipsing even what he had accomplished with the mighty Sabbath.    HHP Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

Mike and Dave reminisce about the impact that Ozzy had on their lives and pay respect to his one of a kind greatness. Rest in Peace John Michael Osbourne.   Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading   The Best of Black Sabbath Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5ryh2ySiuiaCm5KuLlcuxL?si=00f9d9c618644c91   Sabbath Covers Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4SUoDnhqhG9QtE815aAxCk?si=da863e05ebf74b2f   Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

The Brooklyn power trio never found success in their early '70's heyday but in recent decades have been often referenced by hard rock and heavy metal nerds as one of the great overlooked bands. Their influence can clearly be heard in the stoner rock riffage of Kyuss and in the thick fuzziness of Melvins. Sir Lord Baltimore may have missed their shot at glory but their music continues to age extremely well.   Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

In honor of Sabbath's last ever "Back to the Beginning" show at Villa Park in Birmingham we discuss our all-time favorite songs by the band that started it all!   Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading   HHP EP21: "The Wizard" https://open.spotify.com/episode/1CpoXNMCcSByHMvLZ7lBIp?si=29b384a7906644c4   Brown Sabbath "Fairies Wear Boots" https://open.spotify.com/track/24w0AeGooUIswDDJl5uA3c?si=5a93ae49ea314919   Sepultura "Symptom of the Universe"  https://open.spotify.com/track/0IxUE91EiSrHYfiaVVQO4c?si=9c9bdc9fd026487c   The Cardigans "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" https://open.spotify.com/track/4SbIu8Z9o76jt2ppn7cPZT?si=2e5307ef44b74881'   "Children of the Grave" White Zombie  https://open.spotify.com/track/7eEHTD3EEevRKoLj7RwbYn?si=161c359d01624548 Lamb of God https://open.spotify.com/track/5pdb4UFAWnuiepRAyAUvsd?si=6cee4a82b0654cf3   HHP: The Best of Black Sabbath Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5ryh2ySiuiaCm5KuLlcuxL?si=f399b71021244345   Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

We've discussed iron butterflies and we'll get to hawk winds and swans but tonight it's all about nuclear cocks as we take a step deeper into the heaviness that was beginning to emerge in early 1970's London.    Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading   Movies Sly Lives https://www.hulu.com/movie/sly-lives-98d14eec-caa7-4974-ba2e-ad34a17d6f8f   Summer of Soul https://www.searchlightpictures.com/summerofsoul/   Love and Mercy https://www.hulu.com/movie/love-mercy-bd3e7930-987f-4670-b0f2-a93c100d2ea8   Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

Uriah Heep were undoubtedly heavy for their time and they were also incredibly self-serious and goofy, which begs the question; were they a key inspiration for the mighty Spinal Tap?   Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading   Randy Holden Population II https://open.spotify.com/album/1qg23tCQNP6MmO50d6rEfG?si=6ecydc_2QPSCEkPO2dYGSQ   Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

Stray were largely ignored throughout their career in the 1970s and have been all but forgotten since. However, their lack of any commercial or critical success is due to no fault of their own. They were good players that wrote some great songs. Chalk their irrelevance up to bad timing in a highly competitive market that included the likes of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Regardless of their cultural and financial fate, this song from their debut LP is an absolute jam and slots nicely into our conversation chronicling how heavy music was evolving in the early 70s.    Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading   They Just Seem A Little Weird by Doug Brod https://www.amazon.com/They-Just-Seem-Little-Weird/dp/0306845199   Iron Maiden "All in Your Mind" https://open.spotify.com/track/3FdwNolOXxTx573XgVclZV?si=3a2322be887740e7   Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

The Stooges are to punk what Black Sabbath is to metal. That is, they effectively invented the genre and all of its splinter subgenres which would all sound completely different without them. Like Sabbath, The Stooges don't get enough credit for how multi-dimensional their music was. Elements of Free Jazz, psychedelia and even art rock are as prominent as their acclaimed shambolic electrical blues approach to garage rock was. All of these influences come together with beautiful chaos on their second record, Funhouse. For our on-going conversation about the history of heavy music, we focus on the albums second track, "Loose."     Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading Movie: Gimmie Danger Directed by Jim Jarmusch  https://www.amazon.com/Gimme-Danger-Iggy-Pop/dp/B089XYBLKB   Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

We're always  talking about Sabbath but now we're really talking about Sabbath.   Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading Black Sabbath: Symptom of the Universe by Mick Wall https://www.amazon.com/Black-Sabbath-Universe-Mick-Wall-ebook/dp/B00NS3175I/ref=sr_1_4?crid=UVSY0FM3XE6C&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZL-Jtc78tbIzspOEs2s6tp9ncgzhDInZGu-Me2ZmIF3UBkdeNEZNO3m48WWig802HMuhJNw45g8A_puFkSuaS8JDpoc4JimfQ0XUu10r7_inIJIamdeJF9kRZMAhagXd1z6aLFl26ZMCPm6dFrABAvieQpFc5VrywoOz7F8yYIrVJ5JBlOYvX4R189YBlHIYEJajv5oFRJ6qgXDnOpGNVUwULjsrHMjfCFk-YdBcvULtFDiPRgDcX_JEI4n68pb0ta0MYxA64k8jX3oiIrUz9x6RkHsd3PBuHkBvAqrIFBA.RzbvvhH4HHQQNoD2nRQ7niN1eZMbQcCZqg5lSASgt8A&dib_tag=se&keywords=black+sabbath+book&qid=1747857296&sprefix=black+sabbath+book%2Caps%2C194&sr=8-4   Into the Void by Geezer Butler  https://www.amazon.com/dp/0063242494/?bestFormat=true&k=into%20the%20void%20geezer%20butler%20book&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_de_k0_1_20&crid=8JTN59D9L19E&sprefix=into%20the%20void%20geezer   The Huntsman Hill Polanco Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/1GFdiJwePQggciuOMAF3cI?si=2cb1be20608b48a8   Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

We dedicated 18 episodes to the heavy songs to the 1960's and traversed psychedelia, electric blues, proto-punk, acid jazz, hard, garage, art, and occult rock. Now we reevaluate all of them to determine which two songs will rule them all and be crowned the heaviest of the decade. Reccommeded Listening, Watching & Reading Aldous Huxley The Doors of Perception https://www.amazon.com/perception-Foreword-Biographical-introduction-Bradshaw/dp/0099458209/ref=asc_df_0099458209?mcid=d565e7f012ea35f48c900eb6ee5064d4&hvocijid=13193201624939488800-0099458209-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13193201624939488800&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032360&hvtargid=pla-2281435177818&psc=1 Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62  Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy @historyofheavy

This late sixties/early seventies Occult Rock band featured a member named Oz Osborne, had a track called "Black Sabbath" that kicks off it's debut album and is credited with being the first band to ever use the devil horn hand gesture... and they are not called Black Sabbath. In fact, Coven's debut LP predates Sabbath's by a year and while not widely acknowledged, their influence stretches well beyond the Birmingham legends.     Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy    LINK TO EPISODE IN BIO

It's time to get weird and you don't get much weirder than Captain Beefheart. His amalgamation of garage rock, free-jazz, delta blues and avant garde insanity was challenging and strange in the 1960's and its power hasn't diluted one bit all these decades later. "Dachau Blues" is from his widely recognized masterpiece Mask Trout Replica and the future sound of PiL, Gang of Four, Sonic Youth and the like can be heard in every note. Add lyrics about an infamous Nazi concentration camp and you have capital "H" heavy. It's an important touchstone in our ongoing conversation    Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

It's safe to say that without the MC5 punk rock and all of its adjacent sub genres would sound completely different. They were chaotic, intense, political and heavy in every sense of the word. Nothing about their unedited, unwavering approach was ever delivered lightly. Though their popular musical legacy doesn't go much further beyond the title track of their debut LP, their impact and influence cannot be overstated.     Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading   MC3 https://open.spotify.com/artist/2LW7wWSHd9bi3n3Q5N8i35?si=0BOt5RyMSDi2r2MYcb_cLw   Sonic's Rendezvous Band "City Slang" https://open.spotify.com/track/2btWvfhvg9qn2ApUIl4GCE?si=bfc26af8237345cd   Spotify Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   Instagram https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

Led Zeppelin were pretty popular. Though often pigeonholed as a "Hard Rock" band, their music was fairly eclectic, touching on elements of blues, folk and psychedelia. Still, they are mostly remembered as being loud and bombastic and one of the forebears of what would come to be known as Heavy Metal. Their eponymous first album predates Sabbath's debut by a full  year and the sludgy tempo of their version of Jake Holmes' "Dazed and Confused" is as legit a ground zero as any.     Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading   The Hammer of the Gods by Stephen Davis https://www.amazon.com/Hammer-Gods-Stephen-Davis/dp/0425182134   Spotify Playlist:  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   Instagram: https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

Prog Rock is structurally complex, it's technically proficient, it's eclectic, it's fantastical and maybe even philosophical. But is it heavy? Sure Rush and Yes have their moments but more often than not, prog leans too far into its jazz and psychedelic elements to summon any notion of "heavy" by the Sabbathian definition. King Crimson are the exception. The London five piece had the rare ability to have their saxophones and insane time signatures while also maintaining all the power a stack of Marshalls could summon. Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62 Instagram: https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy @historyofheavy

Did the Beatles invent Doom Metal? The Fab Four are not exactly the first group you consider when discussing the history of heavy music but the song that closes Side One of Abbey Road is undeniably the precursor of many a down-tuned guitar to come. From the droning repeated guitar phrase to John Lennon's pained vocal, this ode to Lennon's desire for muse Yoko Ono is as heavy as anything on Black Sabbath's debut which wouldn't be released until four months after the Fabs unleashed their heaviest seven minutes and forty seven seconds.     The History of Heavy Podcast Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP Social IG: https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @thehistoryofheavy 

Arthur Brown proclaimed "I am the god of hell fire" in the opening moments of his band's lone hit single "Fire" and those words coupled with his extravagant stage presentation (which included face paint and a flaming headpiece) and unique vocal style, would prove to be a massive influence on everyone from Alice Cooper and KISS to King Diamond, Iron Maiden and the whole of Norwegian Black Metal. "Fire" isn't sonically as "heavy" as most of the songs that we talk about on this podcast but it would be impossible to discuss the history of heavy music with including Mr. Brown and his Crazy World.          Spotify Playlist:  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   Instagram: https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

Blue Cheer may have released the first Heavy Metal album when they put out their debut Vincebus Eruptum in 1969. It had all the trademarks that would come to define the genre — angry vocals, heavily distorted guitars, a thundering rhythm section) and it was released more than two years before the first Black Sabbath record. What the San Francisco power trio also brought was the danger. They were named after a particulate toxic strain of LSD, fights and mayhem were common at their shows and they were managed by an ex-Hell's Angel. Blue Cheer were a rock and roll band but they weren't too far removed form being a gang. We prefer to call them Outlaw Rock.    Spotify Playlist:  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   Instagram: https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @historyofheavy 

It's not inaccurate to call Iron Butterfly a one hit wonder but it is unfair. In seventeen minutes and four seconds "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" ebbs and flows and constricts and expands exploring every corner of psychedelia, prog, garage, acid, occult and hard rock.  The songs lyrics, vocal melody, sludgy guitars, bass fills and two minute plus drum solo would influence scores of bands across every genre of heavy music and is in an off itself still a thrilli listen some 56 years since its release.     The History of Heavy Podcast Spotify Playlist:  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP IG https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy   @thehistoryofheavy 

In addition to being one of the most influential guitar players of all time and a brilliant songwriter, Jimi Hendrix was also 1/3 of one of the heaviest power trios to come out of 60's psychedelia. The power of the band (which also included Noel Redding's bass and Mitch Michell's drums) was never more clearly on display than on Electric Ladyland's last track.     The History of Heavy Podcast Spotify: Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP Social IG: https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mhuntsman.bsky.social   @historyofheavy 

It's appropriate that our longest episode to date is a discussion about the 17+ minute, "Sister Ray," the longest song in the Velvet Underground's catalog (and it's also their heaviest). The improvised cacophony that the band created in 1968 would foretell everything from Sonic Youth to My Bloody Valentine. We excavate the details and the songs legacy after a long discussion about the announcement of Black Sabbath's final show in Birmingham this summer.     The History of Heavy Podcast Spotify Playlist:  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP Social IG: https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mhuntsman.bsky.social   @thehistoryofheavy 

The first of what will be many episodes dedicated to power trios, each of whom prove that you can make a mighty racket with simply a guitar, bass and drums (plus plenty of loud amplification). The technical chops of Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker are undeniable but on this, their best known song, they simplify to the bare essentials to produce the heaviest track in their catalog and providing a blueprint for many a heavy three-piece to follow.       The History of Heavy Podcast Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP Social IG: https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mhuntsman.bsky.social   @thehistoryofheavy

"Psychedelic" is probably the word most commonly associated with the 13th Floor Elevators. Their electric jug driven music doesn't necessarily lend itself to "heavy" however, the combination of Roky Erickson's manic squeal, Benny Thurman's bass and band's overall approach certainly had a significant influence on those that would come to define the term in the coming years and decades.    Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading Album: Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye (A Tribute to Roky Erickson) https://open.spotify.com/album/2ncFsb7n7MlI5o8aLE9JSr?si=nD-4fCLfTKWwcy04YQzn4A   The History of Heavy Podcast Spotify Playlist:  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP Social IG: https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mhuntsman.bsky.social   @thehistoryofheavy

Coltrane's first foray into the world of the avant-garde is the focus of our first non-guitar/non-rock n roll centered episode. While lacking the screeching distortion or thundering bass often associated with heavy, one would be hard pressed to find a song weightier than the saxophonists 20 min+ improvisational free jazz masterstroke. Or as Dave puts it "this piece is the sheep's head of jazz."   Recommended Listening The History of Heavy Podcast Spotify Playlist  Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP Social IG: https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mhuntsman.bsky.social   @thehistoryofheavy  

Once upon a time The Rolling Stones were hungry, dangerous, and yes, heavy. It all started with "(I Can't Get Know) Satisfaction," which may be difficult to understand today given the racket that metal, punk, industrial, hip hop, thrash, hardcore, death, doom, and grindcore acts have been making in the 60 years since it's release. We attempt to connect the dots.       Recommended Listening, Watching & Reading   Book: Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angles and the Inside Story of Rock's Darkest Day by Joel Selvin https://www.amazon.com/Altamont-Rolling-Stones-Angels-Darkest-ebook/dp/B018E2H3PA   Book: They Just Seem a Little Bit Weird: How KISS, Cheap Trick, Aerosmith, and Starz Remade Rock and Roll by Doug Brod https://www.amazon.com/They-Just-Seem-Little-Weird/dp/0306845199   The History of Heavy Podcast Spotify Playlist  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP Social IG: https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mhuntsman.bsky.social   @thehistoryofheavy 

You may not have heard of the Sonics but it's highly probable that Mudhoney, Nirvana and the whole of the Seattle grunge rock scene never would have existed without them. Their raw, gritty sound would be the template for thousands of guitar wielding teenagers hell bent on making a distorted racket. But were the Sonics "Heavy?" We discuss how and why they fit into our ongoing conversation to answer that question.     The History of Heavy Podcast Spotify Playlist  Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP Social IG: https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mhuntsman.bsky.social

When Ray Davies sat at his piano in 1964 and wrote "You Really Got Me" he had no way of knowing that the song would not only kick start the success of his band, The Kinks' but also be the track responsible for launching Van Halen into superstardom fifteen years after the fact. You could even make the case the song's signature guitar riff (designed by Ray's bother Dave) was ground zero for what we become Heavy Metal (the song was released six years before Black Sabbath's debut LP). Mike and Dave discuss the musical landscape before and after.   Recommended Listening, watching & reading   Questlove Supreme w/ Adam "AdRock" Horovitz https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/questlove-supreme/id1485250501?i=1000680781489   The History of Heavy Podcast Spotify Playlist  Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2qkURdYib8hLz8s20D9yTC?si=1526168526854a62   HHP Social IG: https://instagram.com/the_history_of_heavy BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mhuntsman.bsky.social