A personal journey into metal madness...

As Mark has been kind enough in invite me to contribute to Heavy Metal Time Machine I thought I'd share my own adventures in heavy metal. My humble beginning's were "borrowing" my older brother's Heart,Ratt and Van Halen tapes. I was about 12 or so and it was my first exposure to heavy guitars (only other previous "rock" band was the Beach Boys on my parents phonograph). My first album was AC/DC's Who Made Who. From there I was onto whatever my local K-Mart stocked that looked metal. I bought a tape called Rising Metal that had Death Angel,Megadeth,Heathen,Trouble and others on it. It blew the sneakers of my pre-teen feet! I was on my way to collecting tapes from bands as diverse as the Ramones to Laaz Rockit. I was hooked on loud and fast music. I caved in to Metallica's Kill Em' All. I soaked in Motorhead's Iron Fist. It was on. In high school a friend got me set up with a used record player. I bought LPs anywhere I could find them from record stores to thrift stores. I discovered hidden joys along the way. In a time before the Internet I tape traded. I wrote bands asking for demos (stuffing cash and stamps in an envelope and hoping to get some new kind of goodness). My music collection got slowly out of hand. But man was it great. Along came CD'S and I found a new obsession. Especially bargain shopping in discount bins. The treasures mall record stores would mark down had me emptying my wallet as soon as I got paid. The digital age has opened up access to new and undiscovered metal from places like Europe and Japan. I found out about NWOBHM bands like Diamond Head, Angel Witch, Demon and Blitzkrieg. A life long love with heavy metal. Well I am the first to admit that I'll find myself in a Beatles mood sometimes. Or maybe some ELO. But more and more I turn back to the loud guitars, sing-a-long anthems and the denim jackets. It's where my heart started and like a young school lad I always return to my first love!