Author: Walser
This article examines masculinity in the heavy metal genre. Through the article the author holds the premise that sexuality is unstable and constantly being formed and reformed. The audience of heavy metal is mostly teenage males. Walser claims this is because society presents a masculinity that possesses socioeconomic and political power but that teenage males are essentially powerless in this sense and heavy metal provides a sort of fantasy that serves as a temporary escape from this and a temporary empowerment. The metal world is mostly a world without women where men/boys are free from the "threat" of women. Walser discusses gender and power through examining heavy metal and misogyny, exscription, androgyny, and romance.
Bon Jovi's song "You Give Love a Bad Name" is an example of the "romance" in heavy metal. However, as you can see in the lyrics, women are portrayed as a threat or a force that the man should be wary of.
Shot through the heart and you're to blame
Darlin' you give love a bad name
An angel's smile is what you sell
You promise me heaven then put me through hell
Chains of love got a hold on me
When passion's a prison you can't break free
I found another blog that summarizes this article and compares it to another article that examines "cock rock" here is the link: http://peoplelistentoit.wordpress.com/2007/11/06/lacan-and-the-perversion-of-heavy-metal-“cock-rock”-and-the-almighty-phallus/
The band Motley Crue shows the androgyny aspect of heavy metal:
Discussion Questions:
1. One of my favorite quotes from the article was "the purpose of a genre is to organize the reproduction of a particular ideology." Do you agree with this statement? The article described the ideology metal was reproducing. What ideologies are popular genres today reproducing? What ideologies are your favorite genres reproducing?
2. How can the contradiction of androgyny, dressing like women and thus being objectified, bring men power?
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