Metal Health

As a child when I was first becoming interested in music, I was, of course, influenced by the high pitched vocals, grimy guitar, and pounding drums blaring out of the stereo speakers as my older brother played his heavy metal. Additionally, after about a year of not having some new channel called MTV, my family finally got cable, and I got to see images attached to the music.

One of the first video's I remember was this Quiet Riot video. I would put a speaker up to the screen door of the house and blast this song as I played basketball with my brother. The song was loud and obnoxious and (for a 10 year old) dirty.

Years later as a 24 year old, I was at Bennigan's waiting for a friend when some 36 year old started talking to me. She mentioned to me how she had gone out with the guitarist from Quit Riot (not the gay one), and how she went to Randy Rhodes funeral. After many many drinks, the cougar and I ended up in my car-- and I will leave out the details, but it was a good time.

What I am saying here is that Quiet Riots has a special place in my heart because I associate it with many fond memories. And with that said, tragedy has struck

It turns out Kevin Dubrow has passed at the age of 52. I ask that we have a moment of "quiet" for the dearly departed. Quiet Riot was one of the first bands that began the hair metal scene. They were the first to mix the pop and metal genre for better or for worse with thier cover the Slade song by the same name ("cum on feel the noise").

"Metal Health" was another song of theirs that I always liked.

Metal Health'll cure your crazy
Metal Health'll cure your mad
Metal Health is what we all need
It's what you have to have

As a youngster, I was enchanted by those words. You can read the Slate obit here.