VH1 CLASSIC Celebrates Metal With A Memorial Day Weekend Marathon
- May 20, 2008
This Memorial Day weekend VH1 Classic documents more than 30 years of one of music's most passionate genres with "Metal Weekend". Beginning on Friday, May 23 the network "for classic music lovers" sets the stage for a heavy metal marathon including some of the most memorable concerts, chilling documentaries, and all-access looks at the artists behind this powerful and often controversial music genre. Throughout the weekend metal fans everywhere can saturate themselves with music from KISS, METALLICA, JUDAS PRIEST, PANTERA and more.
VH1Classic.com will also join the metal madness with extensive programming online. In addition to premiering "My Playlist: Judas Priest" simultaneously with the on-air premiere on Friday, May 23, the online home to all things classic music will offer a massive amount of metal playlists including "40 Greatest Metal Songs", "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock", "Box Set: Metalica", and "Box Set: Kiss". Additional video compilations, playlists and video content will rollout online at the beginning of the weekend.
* "My Playlist: Judas Priest" Premieres on VH1 Classic and VH1Classic.com Friday, May 23 at 8:00 PM ET/PT
VH1 Classic's "My Playlist: Judas Priest" features the band's top ten videos of all-time. In a new and exclusive interview, viewers will hear from the band about the videos they loved back in the day and the ones that still get them excited today. Videos that will be featured include "Rock You Like A Hurricane" by the SCORPIONS; "Practice What You Preach" by TESTAMENT; "Ace of Spades" by MOTÖRHEAD, and "Breaking the Law" by JUDAS PRIEST.
* "Classic in Concert: Mötley Crüe - Carnival of Sins" Premieres on Friday, May 23 at 9:00 PM ET/PT
The premiere of the newest installment of "Classic in Concert" captures the original CRÜE members Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars and Tommy Lee in 2005 in a stage show that sets a new standard. This "circus gone bad" concept takes place under a circus tent stage complete with demonic clowns and a fire-breathing midget, seductive aerialists and demonic clowns that will keep you roaring for more. The CRÜE prove themselves still more than capable, playing a mixture of old favorites and new songs to a crowd of equally mixed ages as the crowd goes wild for songs like "Dr. Feelgood" and "Girls, Girls, Girls".
* "Behind The Music: Pantera" Airs on Saturday, May 24 at 10:00 PM ET/PT
In the early '90s, when hair metal was being sheared from the charts by grunge and earnest hard-rockers like GUNS N' ROSES and PANTERA righteously flew the hard-edged heavy metal flag, almost single-handedly saving the genre from extinction. On the road, PANTERA's traveling show was legendary for its debauchery. Vinnie Paul and the late "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott were known to imbibe a cocktail or ten before, during and after gigs. "Behind the Music: Pantera" uncovers the true story of this resilient, hard-rocking band.
* "VH1 Classic Rock Docs: Metal - A Headbanger's Journey" Airs on Sunday, May 25 at 9:00 PM ET/PT
The film follows 30-year old anthropologist and avid metal music fan Sam Dunn's journey into the heart of heavy metal to study the plight of a different culture, one he has been a part of since he was a 12-year old: the culture of heavy metal. Dunn sets out on a global journey to find out why this music has been consistently stereotyped, dismissed and condemned and yet is loved so passionately by its millions of fans. Throughout the film, fans weigh in, as well as metal gods including RUSH's Geddy Lee, Ronnie James Dio, Alice Cooper, MOTÖRHEAD's Lemmy, musician and horror icon Rob Zombie, MÖTLEY CRÜE's Vince Neil and IRON MAIDEN's Bruce Dickinson about the stereotypes of heavy metal music and why this music genre is still loved so passionately by millions of fans. This documentary is the first of its kind. It is both a defense of a long-misunderstood art form and a window for the outsider into the spectacle that is heavy metal.
* "Rock and Roll Picture Show: Metallica: Some Kind of Monster" Airs on Sunday, May 25 at 11:00 PM ET/PT
Award-winning filmmakers Bruce Sinofsky and Joe Berlinger (of the "Paradise Lost" films on HBO) direct "Metallica: Some Kind of Monster", a documentary about rock stars in therapy. After 20 years of heavy metal, a few members of METALLICA decide to hire psychologist Phil Towle to work out some group tensions during the making of their album "St. Anger". Band members Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett work through the difficulties of the group's dynamics, personal demons and relationship issues. The film also features recording sessions, the recruitment of bassist Robert Trujillo, the much-publicized controversies of Internet file-sharing, and Hetfield's drug rehabilitation.
* "Heavy: The Story of Metal" Airs on Monday, May 26 at 8:00 PM ET/PT
What Ken Burns did for jazz, VH1 does for heavy metal — only a lot louder. "Heavy: The Story of Metal" traces 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 chronological hours, "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.
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COMMENT | ^^^ posted by : Magical_Rainbows_From_Hell_666=Most_Banned_Name_Eva! 5/20/2008 7:02:43 PM
Isnt that 100 Greatest Artists of hard rock? Yes, they could fit it.
COMMENT | Tin Omen 07 posted by : bledphase187 5/20/2008 7:16:03 PM
I was thinking the same thing.
COMMENT | posted by : dudemetal1 5/20/2008 7:19:05 PM
Where is The Decline of Western Civilization Part II : The Metal Years ??
COMMENT | Never take TV metal shows seriously posted by : thatoneguy 5/20/2008 7:23:36 PM
All they ever show is whats popular. They always start with Black Sabbath, then they move on to NWOBHM (usually only Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Motorhead), then they go on to Metallica, then they show the glam bands, then they show Guns and Roses (who is also a glam band but the TV show wants us to think they werent), then they show Pantera, then they show Korn and Slipknot, the end.
Even though Ive seen most of it and yeah, where is decline part 2?
COMMENT | thatoneguy posted by : pito_grande 5/20/2008 8:18:59 PM
great and accurate summary. but some actually fail to mention PANTERA, which confusses the shit out of me.
COMMENT | Cool posted by : RiotAct666 5/20/2008 8:49:32 PM
I will check it out.
COMMENT | posted by : Disturbingthefreak 5/20/2008 11:55:26 PM
hell they play that shit 24/7 (which was cool back about a year ago, they need to concentrate on newer things)
the cool thing about Headbangers journey is that he mentions AUTOPSY'S Severed Survival as one of the goriest lyrics ever written Charred Remains!!! but i had a few disagreements with the way he lumped SODOM as death metal when in fact they were suppose to be in the Thrash/ Black( IMO they have had a huge influence on black metal scene, BURST COMMAND TIL' WAAARRRR!!!!) catagory.
We've seen this shit. If you want to play the same stuff, play 100 greates artist of hard rock, matza metal and death metal america.
COMMENT | thatoneguy... posted by : Nemoness 5/21/2008 8:31:31 AM
Guns N Roses aren't glam band. They payed heavy metal/sleaze rock, they never classed themselves as a glam band either. Just coz they came out in the 0s dont mean they were a glam band.
"then they show Guns and Roses (who is also a glam band but the TV show wants us to think they werent), "
I was thinking something similar... Luckily for Guns n' Roses, people don't like to lump them in as a glam metal band... they've escaped that tag... but, in reality, they were a product of that same L.A. , sunset strip, glammy, hair metal scene that most of those other bands were... sure, they were a "little" more harder edged... but, Axl sported the bandana, tatoos, lipstick, eyeliner and blush like the rest of those guys---tight leather pants and teased hair--it's all there. Musically, they followed the same 'bluesy hard rock, next coming of AC/DC/Zeppelin/Aerosmith' sound that many of those other bands did.....
And they appealed to the EXACT same demographic who were buying Warrant, Poison and Winger records. I remember the time very well!!
Appetite's main success came from the "required" 2nd single power ballad (Sweet Chile O Mine)... Really great song!! But, it had the same affect as Home Sweet Home and similar hair metal power ballads....
Again, Guns n Roses are lucky... history has treated them well and ignored the fact that they were part of the whole hair metal scene as much as anybody.
And, I keep seeing all this stuff about grunge rockers coming and 'being real'....
If I remember correctly.... Metallica and all those Thrash bands were anti-glam and anti-image looong before people paid attention to anything in Seattle that wasn't Heart or Queensryche.
All the credit goes to Nirvana... but, Metallica had been performing in T-shirts, jeans, denouncing hair metal all while making platinum selling records before Nirvana was even formed.
COMMENT | I bet posted by : Hawkwinder 5/21/2008 7:26:17 PM
no Bathory, no Thin Lizzy, no Krokus 'She's got everything', no Redemption, no rare stuff, just the same old hits from the same old fame olds. No thanks
COMMENT | Here's what it is. posted by : StepnRaZor 5/22/2008 2:31:23 AM
1st off... GNR is in No Way a glam band. They put an end to that crap. The ONLY LA band to do so at the time. You can feel their music. To lump them in with Winger and Poison is ridiculous. Thats not pretty music. Even as complicated as it is. === 2nd... That Film by Dunn is pretty good I thought. He hit all points including those Insane Norwegian Bands that kill people and burn churches and whatever. Always get a chuckle out of those freaks. When Dunn asks that guy what his influences are. He sits there a while and replies "Satan"... lol Geez! Yeesh! === 3rd.... Would love to see more of that kind of stuff but it's just not popular for filmakers to think bout. People like us have to spend the money and time to come up with that kind of stuff. Glad Dunn did it... cause I ain't. === 4th... This lineup kinda sucks. But it's better than nothing. === 5th... And this is off the subject. I was at the Gentlemans Club in Dallas. Owned by Vinnie Paul and Dimebag. It was during the Metallica release party for the new album. (Which sucked of course) Anyways I walk out of the can to the sink to wash my hands and Dimebag walks in. Theres some Fool dressed in a white shirt and tie drunk as can be. He turns to Dimebag and says. "Hey I know you! You play drums in Pantera." Dimebag looks at me and gives a grin. Then says "Hell yeah! I play'em all night long!" We walked out and I gave'em 5 and we laughed. Went to the bar and he bought me a Blacktooth. Only time I met or talked with him. === 6th... Bout Metallica. My friends and I were HUGE Fans. Then came the black album. It sucked. Not near as bad as the other new 1's but still thats not Metallica. Not even close. Glad the made a bunch of money and sell out every show. But I think they Suck. Period. Everything they stood against is what they became. I don't not like Metallica cause they got popular and made $'s. I don't like them cause they changed and their Music Sucks.
COMMENT | Saw BBC concert on VH1 posted by : StepnRaZor 5/22/2008 2:36:31 AM
It was hour long Thin Lizzy. They jam it up pretty good. Never really liked them before. But I do now. Pretty cool show. They just Rock. obtw... last time I saw Tool the bassist had Thin Lizzy shirt on. Also saw GNR way back when and Axl had Thin Lizzy shirt on. That doesn't have anything to do with what I'm preachin... just sayin.
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