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I was a 12 year old latino kid growing up in Boyle Heights, Ca. in 1984. The same year that I inherited (still have them) vinyl copies of Metal Massacres 1 through 5, Armored Saint's 1st EP, Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All, Cirith Ungol’s 2nd record and other (at the time) underground metal records. I remember thinking that I had somehow been indoctrinated into a new form of thinking as I could no longer enjoy listening to Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Motley Crue and the “poser” bands that were dominating the mainstream metal scene at the time. This was a strange and alienating feeling (just leaving the 6th grade!) as most other kids and the significantly older teens in high school had never heard of bands like Slayer, Metallica, Mercyful Fate etc. in 1984. I soon after started attending underground thrash metal, speed metal, black metal shows and got to see bands like possessed, exodus, kreator, voi vod,celtic frost at venues like Fenders Ball Room, The Balboa Theatre,Troubadour etc. Interestingly, my focus in music shifted to American hardcore and straight edge music around 1986 only to be shifted to the Madchester music of the Stone Roses, Charlatans UK etc. Followed by the early 90’s English Shoegaze scene (I could not stand Nirvana and Grunge Music), and later mid 90’s Brit Pop and various other American indie rock genres. Even still. At 40 years of age, I find it fundamental to revisit my Metal Massacre records because every one knows: True Heavy Metal Will Never Die, Only Posers will…
