Flynn and Heafy at Grammy Museum, "review" the "genres"

Flynn and Heafy at Grammy Museum Video 2

Revolver Golden Gods Weekend (part II)

Los Angeles

(w/ Robb Flynn, Corey Taylor, Trivium, Slipknot, Machine Head, Danny Worsnop (Asking Alexandira), John Moyer (Adrenaline Mob/ Disturbed), Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top), Lizzie Hale (Halestorm), and everyone from the Metal and Rock universe)

The next morning, Ashley and I met up with Corey and Stephanie Taylor to head over to the the venue for a soundcheck. What's insane about my life (well - another one of the many insane things) is that I can even write that. Yeah - I was heading over to the Nokia Theater to rehearse a Metallica song with the singer of Slipknot/Stonesour and the singer/guitarist of Machine Head. Not many food-nerd/comic book kids/video game geeks/band-dudes can say that.

A slightly confusing attempt to get in through a side door with the (non)assistance of a very rude staff member, and we were in. We rehearsed "Creeping Death" solo with Trivium at first, then suited up to perform with Corey and Robb. I had my in-ears in, the wedges cranking… and there it was - I was able to play and listen in simultaneously to quite possibly one of the coolest things my two ears would ever hear: a direct sound-feed of two of my favorite singers ever jamming along to one of my favorite songs ever. I know many of you are familiar with how great Corey Taylor's voice sounds on record and in P.A…. but through in-ears? Fuck. His voice is one-of-a-kind. I couldn't even describe it to you - all I can say is that that soundcheck was a sound I will never forget for the rest of my life. 3 guitars consisting of Robb Flynn, Corey Beaulieu, and myself? Punishingly heavy. I dare you to find a trio that has played together with a more destructive rhythm tone than that.

Anyone who ever doubts what I may do as being legit or cool or whatever… my band practice that morning - was one of the coolest moments of my life. Playing a Metallica song with Slipknot and Machine Head and Trivium.

Everyone parted ways to get prepped for their "black carpet walks" and press and all that, and me and Robb headed to the Grammy Museum to check out their "Heavy Metal History" exhibit…

Don't get me wrong, I am happy that the States is recognizing Metal as a real genre of music. Metal everywhere else in the world is a lifestyle and needless to say - the USA just hasn't really ever given it the proper recognition it deserves. I feel there are things in the States that detract from Metal's credibility. Things that make it a cheesy fashion-statement almost. I won't specifically reference what fake bands, T.V. shows, and "celebrity" "personalities" give metal that almost shtick/kitsch vibe… but those don't help matters.

So yes - I do appreciate that the Grammy Museum took the time to put on the exhibit - but they fell pretty short of accurate in many departments. As you can see in the two video reviews that Robb and I did, the genres were completely off and their vinyl collection was just plain silly. If you are going to do a vinyl collection of metal… do the proper albums. Get vinyl of important albums like: "Master Of Puppets," "Bonded By Blood," "Tomb Of The Mutilated," "Black Sabbath," "The Blackening," "Alive Or Just Breathing," "The New Order," "Symbolic," "Chaos A.D.," etc. Not newly released Rock bands and/or scene-bands. Pop up "Transylvanian Hunger," "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas," "Among The Living," and other gems - don't (as the curator who came to address Robb and I's concern) print up covers "because they look scary." Be legit… teach kids and parents who would come to this museum to learn actual information.

Hell. Have me and Robb do it up next time. I feel it is integral that kids know where the pedal-tone rhythm riffs come from that we all use so flippantly nowadays. It's from the city of Gothenburg. It's from "Slaughter Of The Soul" and "The Jester Race" and "The Gallery." Where is "Burn My Eyes" and "Vulgar Display of Power"? How the fuck did you cover up that much of a wall and miss that many important Metal albums. Where's the Bay Area for that matter on your wall?

And the genres?? Ah. I can't go into it again. They basically classified a T-Rex as an Herbivore 50 times.

The Danny Worsnop screaming game I thought was pretty cool - it makes you actually scream versus not. Compare that to Guitar Hero and Rock Band, where you're not really playing guitar - in this, you would have to shred your cords up a bit. How 'bout you program a screaming game of me making you do a rendition of a Capharnaum song?

There were some really great artifacts of some iconic metal stuff in the further gallery: Chuck from Death's guitar and some early photos (if you consider yourself a fan of metal and don't own many Death albums… you need to either revisit your classification of yourself as a metal fan… or go get 2-3 of their records immediately). They had Dime's CFH guitar, all the Slipknot masks and Yngwie's Beethoven-esque shred-suit.

It was unfortunate that the exhibit didn't get properly into Metal's sub-genres… things like Black Metal and Death metal. Black Metal's 90s era had such intense rivalries and murders and Church burnings and occultism and Satanism - how could you not wanna scare kiddos with that? Death Metal is of utmost importance when talking metal… there was the Tampa scene and the Stockholm scene… the later development of the Gothenburg Melodic Death Metal scene… I'll do a history lesson one day.

Robb and I were starved by that point… so, with Ashley - we all got into his black Challenger and headed to a search for food and for leather jackets.