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    Walser - Running With The Devil Chapter 4

    Uploaded by

    Garrison Gerard

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 15
    CHAPTER FOUR Forging Masculinity Heavy Metal Sounds and Images of Gender * "ong mosey eugee"eay Dos Orpheus, che golite musician of Grek mythology, was natal igre for opera ples, which ate recone heroics an song, his gen ary shetorial powers sade him the most popular susie of eat seventeenh-conury cexmatic msc, wih tings by Monten ei, Caccii, and many other composers. But his sory contain 2 tien ‘ontadcton: Orpheus must singin such a way a demons is ‘torical mastery ofthe Wed, yer such elaborate vocal ply these ens t0 undermine Orpheus masculine hens. Famboyane display ‘of his cmorions is required as evidence of his manipulative poner but such excess mas him ing an objec of display himself and su sess a dtrbing similarity to the ddinedemrionsl outbursts of ‘women, Western constructions of masclinity often ich confice ing imperatives regarding assertive, spectacular delay, ae igi sl ‘contol Spectacles ate problematic inthe context optical order ‘harisinesedin he seabily of signe end thac seeks maintain women inthe postion ofobjectaf the male pe? ‘Txay’sheaey metal emsiians muse negoriste dhe same contrac tion, Like dhe sory of Orpheus, heay metal ofen sages faa masculine vitwosty and contol. Musically ean tetl articulates 2 stalectc of controling power and transcendent redo, Metal songs ‘sully ince impeessive cnc and eto ets the electric gitar, counerposed with an experience of power ae eontrl that bu up through vocal eemes, guitar power chords, distortion, and sheer volume of bats nd drums. Visually, metl musicians pally 3p estas swaggering males, ping and suing aboos the sage, cl in yandes, sares, lather, and other visually noisy lching, puncte ing their performances with phallic truss of guitare and microphone ands The pecformess may se bypermasclinity orandrogva 2 ists {oactments of spectacueransgression Like oper, heaey meal rss ‘upon many sources af pawer: mythology, violence, madness, the co- ‘ography of horror. But none ofthese surpass gender te potential tosnspteanset and to amir it lem meta is neve, a discourse shaped by patriarchy. Circ Iasiag in the contexts of Westen capitalist and ptrchal societies, for rch of ts hiory mel hss bees appreciate and supported pinay yrange male uence, Bue eral to spinor only ge an gender bu the corresponding pola pesitin of ths constituency: isa group general aking soci, physi, and economic power but tbseged by cual mesages pemocing sich forms of power, insist ingom them athe wal aribates of an abligstory maseainiy. As Jobs Fike concluded fom his rudy of "ascalne™ TV shows such as "The |AcTeam” ou society denies most males adequate means of exercising the omer upon which thc mascliniy apparently depends. Mate lig s thus socal and psyhologkallyivecure; and its insecurity prosuces the nse rit coneanteacicrement”*T won emphasize in Fishes ambi he words apurendly advil, for ace sx roles ss coneradctory, table sil constructions rather than 3+ normative femations somehow grounded in biology oe an ahistorial pry ogy. Moreover it snot only misulinty that ie insecure; no compe ene of identity is sable or natural Hey mea, ikea eter eure ‘fer osisions for ding “idenitywork™—among other things, for “accomplishing gender" That is, notions of gender cle im he ext, onde, images and practice of henry metal aa Fas experience ‘confirmation and aeration of thet gendered identities through their involvement witht or Fe, the contradictions lt in mal ex oles ad hens iy that men feel a areal lp expan the episodic and generic pects ‘of male tre. Telewsion shows such ae "The A-Team” ave tracted 2 teposted enactments of paradigmatic naraives and epresctstions| brcne thee ineton isto addres anes that an never be resolved Fiske ides ane easy transferable to mas and misc video, where repettion nd genre ae alo crcl phenomens. The purpose ofa genre isto organize the reprodcton of 2 panculr ideology, and the gene ‘cohesion of hesey metal util the md=90s depended upon the dese “Fonninug Masculinity / yoo ‘of young white male performers an fs to hear a believe fa erin ‘stores about the mature of masa. Bue meals nepoistions ofthe amare of gender and power are neve: conse; thats wy a8 ike ‘ays, these imaginary seslutons of rel arxicties mst be reenact ‘over and over agin. That sch representations can never be defaiive ‘or totaly sting ao means dha they ae aways open to negotiation and transformation. But social circumstances may change so that pat ‘cular forms of culture ae no loge relevant for priclinivas metal fans tend mostly tobe young Besse nih of metal eas with ‘experiences of poneressnss that may be, to some ete, overcome AS they ge olde, fans may aqui some amount of economic owe, oF ‘they maybege’ childzen who replace tem athe hotom of the aia and social ladders, whose physical power and mobili ae fess than ‘thes and who tha asag some ofthc cull prodoced ansites” Sech a theoretical pespetive can be a compethensve one forthe stay of gender in heary metal, though, since there are many fea ‘etal fans, for whom such explanations are inadaat, Indes, ince around 2987, cancert audiences for metal shows have been roughly kender-alanced, Bur metal is overleinghy concerned with prevent Ing images and cooloniag ancien thathave bee tational nder- seood a5 peclieto men, though msi eas that have Bec eo vrentopally coded as masculine. Since te langage an trations of heaey metal have been developed by and are tl dominted by men, in dseusion of gender in metal will italy bean investigation | -nascliiy Iwi eeu late to ies ofthe ception ofthese male spectacles by female fas. For wo decides, heavy metal bas offered a vate of compensatory ‘perience and opportunites for bearing o resolving the conrad ‘ons of masculinity as eey hae been constrcted by soit that ae aligned by patiacehy,eaptlism, and mass medion, Tse of the ‘most important ens on the heavy meal agen as lng sen co del ‘with wae pacarey perennially perceives athe “trea” of women. Iwill be faming my discussion of heavy metal songs ad videos in terms of 2 loos listo strategies eonceening gender and power: mi sogyes,exseription, androgyny, an rans. Heavy metal micas snd fins have developed tactics for modeling male power and control within te context oF patraclcultre, and tals enctions of mas ents ares asl devas of heavy metal songsazc hardy hep she characterize hen metal “loud and unmelogioa.” fled wih “relatively meaningless creaming sounds" Thoogh masical discourses are invisible, chey are nonetheless maceptible wo analysis, and masial aly i rial fo mas Wie asst because aural teats ae indi tay primary they exist prior 10 videos and independent ofthe, Sn fan omens make sea that inthe nai of muse ideo that rics he primary afetve charge Thats the mse that i mostiy responsible for invoking the inal and corporeal investment etn teres bei, ation, commitment, and experince. The challenge of malyzing masc videos i tha of istepetig and accountng for br Iie advil scours, imlancoos bv erent eiulted tun assuming atc ofehation. fhe cinema as Laura Mulvey asters, “has structures of fascination strong enough to allow temporary ls of ego we sialaneous se inflorcing the ego? the ste war surly erucaf msiclong before ine ‘was invented? Musial eonsractions, in meal or esewber, ae power Fain part ocaue they are mide to seem so natural and nconserctes We experience rms storia pall apare fom language seemingly apart érom al soil erent, in Whats wsuallythowght pur, pet ‘Sowa, subjective wy. Yr that impression of naturals depends on our ‘responding unconsciously 0 complex dicursive stems that have developed historicly and vocally specie practes. cs not ony Iyis or vintl imagery but the musi ase tha constructs gendered experiences The masicians [wl discuss ave used musical codes to a tule visions of the world tht are il! with he plestres of nee, Freedoms, power, and # sense of commana. Discursively specie de tals of rythm, pte, an time ison of them chrough the conventions of heasy mal proper, same part of 3 comple, mabe tation of msi sete that etches back cena. Such ig hifetion aways oor in socal contents erated chrough pola ‘Gicgoris such as gender, clas, and race, musieal meanings are thus inseparbl from these fundamental onsite af social rea. ‘Only wih its complex onic reat and ethnographic contexts se gate asin analyses suchas Kaplan can vy metal be casaly char tera as both sexist and misc orasa monolithic, adolescent dvi ance For"heay metals gent abel that, by ae Ite 980s, inh ‘sential an growing fem autience, a umber of dsinctve and Sophisticated musi courses andl many diferent solos € com plex problems of gender rlasions. As I dscuss several heavy metal songs Boring Macaiity | 233 and ther videos, hope to dent theic sil and eological sete {bcs more precisely than is accomplished by sich vague bt pervasive terms of dismissal, AsT work shoul the various gender steps T bhave identi in hesy meta wil be arguing, on the one band that ‘asic videos cannot reasonably be analyze without he ensial com poncne of such ears beg examine and on the er hand, thats ‘ruil forthe cultural ric to devlop aa understanding of tcinteret and activities of te communities tha find meaning ia tir enone with hese tests, [No Girls Allowed: Eseripion in Heary Metal “The most disinctve festure of en met videos shat they typi sally present the spectacle of lve performance; bunds ae shown oa stage, performing in sch with ee sng. Other kinds of pop mie videos abo frequently Tatu: “lve” synched performs, tat pop songs ac les often “performed” on a sage tha mimed in font of an tus or arty backgrounds in unlikely lesions often only veal ae synched, as only he singer visible Inthe rypll metal vdeo, however, actual concert footage is often asd, and when iis st, bakes, snd musician posurings usually iitae the petal of an aroma cm cert. Ban as diferent in thei styles and coneitcncice as Guns N° Roses, Poison, and Metalic al rely scenes of “le” performance for most of chee videos. Heary meal as lng had the most loyal uring ‘support of any popalar musi genre, and ce arena conker experience ‘of collective and parcipation remain the deal that many videos eek toovoke Besides thevideos of met singles o be secon prams like MTV's “Headbangers Bal,” fulengeh hea metal concer re popular ren alsatvideo sores. Sines voi perlormer might come thrgh fawn ‘once yearar best an sisce many younger ans ar oe allowed by et patens to attend concerts, ary metal videos make more widely avai te the singulae exes thar ar aot highly vahied by fine. Te vdeo in x concert setng, with or without fins, presents the performers in all her plory 3 age thal gues wove presence vated by Feelingsof community and power, and evoke by ene a! msc ‘Many sich performance videos of forte pleavareof young males 2 faeasy noc unlike tha constructed by "The ATeam” a Jb Fiske describes i: a world of action, excess, eransgresson bt ite real vio Fence, one in whic men ae the only 2tors, an in which male bond Ing among the menber of “her team” i thecal portant socal stint. As Barbara Eves oiedou oryoungens ‘Singin ptt word ween doit thea we he omen ae hi, groming up are owing Sa fom won” Faber anda edevSon dw era eae fone boing fering on sor swe cing the tes te inne “Fomioenanary ener on ch chp an rods ae peneneon thts th tets marae apse Ne song the te ban saan trpenal depend ht Sacer ot tashipeeneel sn hn ees sesine peter iin of iene Exon my aoeperormance teins wheres anno Ped mo op “wee, th pour theme topes epee pos Ghrdpend orth appeaon the enepon of wee. Ther ception fe meal omer ie oma pa he crm Te Jas Pts Henig Ot oe Higa seg, om tat pps so 98 an 9, pee mame soe fal esate, Te ban wo ei pes dag teen an phigh mato er agony Shpee nbc mo sane psn an ging een cess tice promos ee re sat sing The snd the tng du edo an aetna we donee need {Remi mt elo wets abo peel ick often Tere anno soe t,t Stat teobe seanc cay, the ad te ete, the pes Se long ben coed mb mle slr, ei oF Dagens ntl oe ea Un Sh pun cin sl Teo and suits onan np the dose, punching i ahead of te Liye tn rns togcwng Ro ns ‘ooph poner voce ts apport sony as ht sound 3 ‘igo gan chr re up Mi ee the Et ofa cu in spay pone hat an conerar ne {Guu sl sein and he bs ped nde th ee Noel BS ‘Seb the singers wring al pong prove ape of mae fours fors anne age id sen a Frond meer ofc” oregon gy a ail o be constuedin 2 saftey fs Gay ony mel esis te ght She homowtoc at net ch dpa of ce msc $vetonng This cn been orem he se ae Ga Mes So, sol cis of oe ne hinded mete, bed onging Maseinly 05 (Chicago, ta ation to sponsoring and organizing pastes and nights ‘atom the sown for its members, GMS publishes heey ewtter that contains commentary on the history, crit, and iscography of heaey metal, The GMS Henge alo Rens 9s ova ft de bate of ssucs involving serskiy and music. Gay fas cele ted ‘musicians whom they Believe ae gay, such Jas Priest Rob Fal for, and eoafim and conest exh other’ "negoitec” realings of popular txts. They may see meal videos at erotic fans, while sight Fans resist che homoerotic implications and insist on identi ‘atin withthe power an feedom depicted." OF eure, sagt fans ust nego their readings, 00. Some of Accept ees ar expiily homesewusl if sued closely despite this, the bands quite pop among heteroseial, often homophobic, mn. As with ancl sie heterosenul and even homophobic audiences can negotiate thee ‘xption and find the consrutons of gay composers powerflly mean. inet. “Male bonding isc becomes crcl t the reception of metal that logically resol it For mor ofthe song, the grunge fares and con- sainsthe chorus. eseems more relic, since tremens dough evi table whenever Bon Jo's fervent vocalizing sop. The utopian promise is thus made cotingen onthe singe’ elfore. Only a the end of the song, where the chorus ender cepentscroagh the fade-oxt, dos it seem that che tanscendence might be maintzinet—and thn only ifthe ‘nger neverceates. Arte same ime thatthe magical power of romantic Jove, transcending material conditions, is being routed asthe solution ‘to what are in fact social problems, the Horacio Alger slation of ind idol hard work slo suggested Ince end the utopian moment wins ‘our, keping he realtic grunge a bay and even suggesting that an ‘seendence is more el, Bu al ofthis is possible only because Bon Jor RUWNING WITH THE DEVILS ma ‘has created tei realtisa bea, resonant social lindscape, the power ‘of romantic love vo offer tanscendenee anda ough but ssi ale ‘to make it work The patriarchal premise of Bon Jor fusion are cl. “Toward the end of the song the tanacendent moment i kepe Bes ‘rough ay change, up hal sep. Noc only doc the pitch tse, ce sing an overall alfeive cleason, but fas forces Ban Jow's voi higher, harping twit even more flor sinceriy and snes he mec the chillnge succes, weopian promise. Meceover the hey change ‘i made to coincide with 2 dropped bet, o the musi jumps forward suddenly, unexpectedly, onto this ne, higher harmonic plateau In he concert footage sein the Video of Livin’ ona Prayer Jon Ban Jo ssils out over the audience ona wire a preciely cis moment, pling the eranscendent eft ‘The rest ofthe video seems to have litle ro do withthe song Te consists mostly of grainy black-and-white faotge of Jon snd the Band ‘bcksage and in reheat, without any visual connection t the song’ mantic narrative. Neither sia ypial performance video ie the ‘ones I dscusel above, ins more camera tie s devoted to backstage and chearal sens than to actual or ete ike ech) perforate Yet the video is closely connected to the musi; the biggese viual ges ‘ureishe sudden switch o color fm and ive concetacence, which ‘occurs two thirds of the way though the song, preity atthe cima ‘rc moment of tanscendence indicated by te song’ chon. The video marginals the Iteral narrative ofthe iyi, in accordance withthe ‘way tha typical heavy metal videos ater ofan enjoyment of ive co certs. The transcendence consuucted bythe musi. riginally mapped ‘nto the sory of Tommy and Gina, as now become the triascendence available through Bon Jov: the music the concer, id even he grainy ‘ckcandowhie footage tha purport okt the fn inon the bhi the-sene lives of the musicians: What wat famed by theres asa ‘moment of transcendence foe romantic, etroveroal couple, ade possible by the male naestor, is now a celebration ofthe band mem: bees as objects of desire nd ofthe concert a an experience of collect pleasure. The “Livn’ ona Prayer vdeo i ls aromanic sory than A spectacle of masculine posturing, nd the msl contracted an sen of te song tn acy oughta and hasbeen argued thatthe cinemahas only recenely begun to present ‘he masculine as spect, in something ike te way that Wome have been so presented. This isin ona tothcorizatons of eater cine ‘macographic practice, where women were fypially presented 2 erotic Fong Maciniy | 03 7 objec of the male gave, bt representations of men fnctoned sem ‘owiments of «powerful, ie ego.” Soch a dewlopment of peat lero Becase the contacto historkally coded int representa tions of gender result nan alma andzogynous glamour beng atached tomae objects of dsice Bon Tov mage has Been catefilly managed So an simultaneously maintain two diferent kinds of appl mle da female far, Fee example, the lest order of singles rom Spey Wen Wer was carly balanced berwen coma and tougher song, tosszain reves inthe band om both genders” But we willee more enon problems of managing dese in the ace of ender bringin a Satgence of hear metal dsiaguithed by Blan vsal andro Nothing bw Good Time? Andry as Politi! Party Anogyy in heavy mst isthe adprion by male performers of the clement of appearance that have Been asia with women Fane tion ay objects ofthe male gaze—the val tyes tha connotes Lara Mulvey pot *w-be looked anes” The members of band ke Po fon oF Motley Cri wear garish makeup, jews, and xereorypialy texy clothes, icing fishnet stockings and sare, and spore fog, labore, "femning” hayes, Though they are normally included sith dhe gee of eary metal, such Slam? band are consieced by host fn eo be less “heavy” than te mains, This sd es t0| rusia iferences than to thie wit ye, which is moe amboyant fon androgynous than tht of hea met” ‘Anurogyay has a ng history i music; J have already mentioned peoblems of gender and representation i Baroque opers. (And one Coal sso mention the sevententh-cenury castrat pshaps the most ‘dedicated andeogynes in hittory:) Revnt example of male androgyny ‘ouside heavy metal ange fom Liberace to Ltt Richard to Los Ree, hott mention the andogynous glamour of many country-weser fhars® Some of this history has faded hough supecesion: some thoaghe che Beate? ir, for example, thrateningy andogynous in 94 vin glam metal, sg bss found popu success to de {bee unique inthe rock era, And i a paccuae sor of andogyeys Unlike the 1970s eat androgyne, David Bowie, heavy metal usally Tacks ironic dntance, eis ts abenee of irony more than anything el thot leads rock crc to scorn glam metal forthe ridcuows serousnes ‘of mers gener constructions i at odds wid he pacacha premises, tundergisling the ideologies and institutions of rock Poison ia good example of ccs la metal band: one that boasts millions of fans ad ao crcl approval "Nothin bu + Good "Time," fom Poso’sulpsna album Open Up end Say... Abb! (Go), soc almost ents aa performance video, one that presents the band as though acl perfeming the song we eat. Tinlad, however, ovo framing scenes, which Twill esrb and discus bri before focusing on Poe's androgyny, The opening scene shows ws 2 young an, With a mal fan's long ai, washing dishes in the back Sia remasane He s swamped with work surrounded by diy plates ft hot seam, athe alone except for a small aio, which play ing a sg by Rsy the founder of spectacular meta. Next we meet his toss, lod and ae, who has tompea ack apply a verbal wip be heats and insalla the dahwashe,fipping of the radi ase 3s Disgusted and exhausted, te id silly turns the ead bac on 38 soon asthe bos leaves, Then he kh open a nearby doo, 5 thosgh faba bitof ar before ceuring tothe grid When the doo opens, we Se instal pang neo a Poon performance, king place ast one ‘de *Nexhia but a Good Time” begs with that daor-opening ik, fan while it ast, te framing nacre i suspends we dont se the “Suhes,the washer, o the boss un he song ioe. Aftervard, we are {eeuaned eo the same scene mat the beginning. Having heard the msi the bos storms baci che fame oath again at che ki he sly tovice, however (a the same ime that We Notice i) tha all f the tishes, mizaclowsty, ae clan, Confounded, be puters and withleaws, tthe dishwasher elaes and sles. "The taming scenes ofthis video cal © mind culture rigs’ debares abou clas and resitane in poplar culture. The issic is whether or not popular nacarvs sich a that peesnted by this song and video con ‘ina oppostional potential ore peespetine, whether they oer ‘Viewers anything mor han an expeeneof rebellion thai uimatly ihewry and inconsequential, We mas be wary of simpy dismissing Sich “oral resotions of el socal antagonism as Fredric ames ‘as argued hough mass cakewe as conservative funtion, though ‘commonly arouse stopian hopes but perpetuates ther sonsinent ‘thin Begemonie cial forms, the very represenation of soil fant Fie sy, and mansance of dominant ideologies sneer complete.” lowever the overt pital son ofthe ideo’ aming narrative may bbe fares important than the impicaions ofthe band’s visual ands ‘al ser for notions of authenticity and geadec. “Noshin’ but a Good ‘Time’ can serve san eximpe of those scour challenges 0 hea ‘omy which as Dick Hebdige bas argued, are not sed rely bur rather are expressed obliquely in style ing Mriity | 225 In the “Nothin but a Good Time” video, eh song ils famed 2 a fanatic experience. Reality isthe wold ofthe fae, the woed of ‘work, stam, seat, and abuse in The Wisard of Os, the ral world {scot with its colors med w a to enable the fntaryto seem more ‘eal When the dabwasher Kicks open the door, Poion explodes ia color Sd musical sound snd the real Wed, che one thar supposed inchodes the fans, vanishes; ce fneasy takes over asa moe rel reality. Even the daar himself sappens for the duration ofthe song ia ind of disolucion ofthe ego in the fx of musical plerure, Tis fnrny ' credited with magical agency ae well a the end of the song, we ae renitned eo gray rely to ind he dahes done, the impossible tsk fl fled, The bos torent of abuse is plugged Something has been put cover on him, though he cat say what o: how. ‘When combined with dhe song’ Iris, the video's message seems ‘cy simple sc promotion: the good time being ng abou some thing that canbe acesed hough Poso's mus, no mater what the “real conditions: As with many TV advertisements, Pison’sfanasy Js repescned 8 more teal than mundane reality, andthe Faeasy i be enjoyed chrough involvement with acommertial proguct. Sch an appeal, though, must eve our desis foe community and fee greater ‘eeom and intensity of experience than are commen avaiable nthe ‘eal world, Piso, lke Peps uses naraie and image to arouse these Jongings and o present us with patcaar kindof consumption a he means of aising chem. ‘Bur it would bes miseake wo exaggerate dhe importance of the nae tive framing ofthe song; however obvicns te “poical” message of he feaming narrative may scem, it maybe ss important than the gender politics of the song and ite performance. Debates over the iverstony ossbltes of mass ult alto often peoceedintemsthat neglect the gendered character of all social experienc. Yee popular music polis src mos eactve in the realm of gendecand semi, where peasuze, ance, che body omnes, power, an subjective allmect with an ‘ctive charge. The significance ofthe mus section of the video may be overlooked beease ses toe simply representation of ite peeformance, whereas the fame is move arbitrary and thus presumably ‘more meaningful Bue itis the Dans performance that is privileged ‘sal through color, ree movement, and spectae—and chroaghthe | ‘ranagrsive energie of male apy and famboyancs. Mos ecingly [sche performance rather than the framing narrative hat benefits | the aflctiveinvigortion ofthe musi. Ifthe framing scenes adres labor eltons, they dos ina ater at pantie way: eit video oF nuawixe wit THE DEVIE/ 26 scent da vnc pen one aeeea eee oe eee oe Sooner andcogyny. a ce cme eat Beacon osteo ae coats Sea ae te ee Seo eee tee ee Sea ieee ooiieesaraeseee ee TE fete eens eae once eae ee pines ener pecan pronmsnainnractets eee Bier stato ata fesreae ee eee Satara ee esate eae pao cee Sean enact ren ee ales peetee teres oer Sarat ere Socticraenhe smn lee a as recent ionamee erate cieiiegcieeunantoe erate ee Sere Seer a Feaging Mosely | 227 spsctale and erangrsson with metals dominan aesthetic valviaion ‘of sonic power, freedom, an originality. Ths alignment of anérogy ‘ous spectacle wih a musical discourse rae licking in sonic go ‘ations of masuliniy crcl, for signals the extent wich ink age of “Feminine” semiotic instability With monolic, pallc powers ‘ered imposible ‘Tobe ute, if de music of glam mctal were septa fiom is visual ‘concer, it would sel sand like hardrock. Compared to other kinds ‘of poplar music, glam rock is eeplete with consttions of masca- line power Buc within the context of heay metal gm metals relative Ibekofvieeosity, comply, and oxiginalty are aural contributors | androgyny. Fan link visual signe ofandrogyy with an abdication of| ‘meta ual vieusic prowess. “He scm like f yu hive the makeup youre thought of ar les than a musica,” complains Poisons guia ‘ee. C, Deville. “It sem becae ofthe image we can't get par tht, Farle. Now we ty to stay aay from the gl thing, When we fst ‘came out we were ait exteeme."® Tdesd, when I atended a Poison concert I discovered that their drummer, Rikki Rocket, was actully an excllene musician, whose ‘Eatured solo wis marked by sophisicted polyrhythms and chetor- cl inteligence I warmups by eis becuse is playing on Poison's ‘eatdngs had alwaye been etremely simpe, however accurate ad spproprite. But Poisons simplicity scoestucted ike that of much “Arnerican popular music throughowits history. From Stephen Fosterso ‘Madonna (not vo mention Aaron Copland), many musicians have wed reat silo craft sia tet that communicate ger smpliiy. The {nusical construction of plicit pliys an importa arn many kinds ‘of ideological repression, fen the depiction of pastoral refuges fiom modernity to consrtons of race ae gender Poison acceded inagente dominsted by views beause their asia simpli com plemented their andeogynous vu sl ad helped hem forge fuiwenes. As Devil's comment indicus, che band now years be respected musically a well and though they have yer to make mach progress rowacd this goa, they have drasialy reduced the moun of | makeup they wean pit fi “Real Men Don’t Wear Makeup? Tnehe ease of bands such as Poison, we might understand androgyny sas yet another tatc for dealing with the arses of masculinity. An ‘drogynous musicians and fane appropriate the vss igs of feminine eae dent in order to chim the powers of specacliiy fo themsehes Bar while itis certainly important to unertand heey metal androgyny ‘as patriarchal, melas parti arock and al tradition of Oedipal re bellon as well: he musical and vil codes of henry metal may function 1 relieve amiecies abour male powes, bu heya iacompatble with the styles previous generations of men developed for doing the sme thing, Teenage boys and young men cafe unde pasar contol {ven as women do, and bos offen develop ianovatve ways of expres ing contol over women as smuitancous prof af thei achievement of ‘manhood and thei rebellion against dominant men. This internal en- sion is never eatiedy manageabe ex preditable, and heavy metal ns grees aginst patriarchal conto in ways char Someines Undermine, Sometimes aficm ts tenet. ‘Musicians themselves may notice how the ambiguities of andeogyny provoke compenssor strategies. Acronis itso an video "Dude Looks lie a Lady” (1987) confonts the gender anxieties aroused by ndrogyny, ang the problem with toe ofwock bysteria. And singe, David Lee Roth eleexively connects hs enthsiem fr bodybuld ing and maria ars raining co his "feinized image on sage: “A lof ‘hae Ido canbe construed a eminine. My fae, or the way I dance, or ‘the way T dress myself for stage... Buco prove cto msl, .oexab- lish his his mascliniy]}, Thad wo build se physically Thad to lea ‘to ight.” Roeh’s private regimen allows him to goon being andogy- ous in publi. His pewonal ances about masculinity reshaped by conventional patriarchy, yet the atraction of androgynous anagrsion is aio serong, Among the most lrg of rock’ Ici, Roth seems nether petsonally nor srtsically to have ried sexs bjectiestion ‘of women, a is atested by his notorious paternity insurance policy ‘nd the video for his swaggering remake ofthe Beach Boye °California Gist.” Yer Roch has also publ rtcized the sexism ofa society that, scourages women from becoming profsionl musicians "What if lide gpk up a tara aT wannabe arc ta Nine ines ‘out often her parents would never alow her w do it We do have so ‘many lead guitar women, not bese women dont have the ability to ay the instrument, be bens cept kep locked up, taught ea be ‘something els. I dat appreciate that." Roth's ideal of personal ee ‘dom isin confce with the limitations of conventional gender defi tions, though he does’ grapple with the problem af how pazriachal power rations might be further srengthened by tanggrssions that rely on objected reprsentations of women. Tn the journalism of heaty etl, the more heated debts are oser Sasi Meiiely I mew avthenticiy:? which often implcly revolves around iste of Be devant suai. Fan frequently wee tothe leer columns of metal fapurines vo denounce or defn ghammsalbands, Atackersabelsuch ‘eeepc mpying either thatthe band i alliage with 20 rusia ssbwance oc that they Bnd androgyny Fundamencaly OBE, perversion, As one fale fr comphne in a txt 2 in mag reel een don't wear makeup” On the othe side, defenders of {Ga meal ae quick 0 respond though dy rely defend deo eer wer “This is 0 Kim of Cathal Cy» who sid that ral men ese wear makeup. Ihave ust one question: Do you actualy bits 6 he mi, ox jus spend hours staring at album covers? Tr, Meta Ticnand Soyer kick Min’ se and Megadeth rules—but Poison, Mosley Tada Hanoi Rocks Pin jam too"™ Unwiling ro discus genes ‘Cincuctons diel or lacking clara precedent for doing 5, fs Gly defend ee escalabilts ofthe band’s members or argue fr the incnsity of expericoce provided bythe group. Bue they may also ‘pec he courage has equ of tore who rpc the embolic Sees through androgyny, tote who aim social pace by hang he (pu to beg” Mae of chard” sys of hem setae often antici cher denaneations of androgyny seeing ini subversion of male bee {esa pee and linking ico the threat of homoseraliy. On the feeer dan album by NX Machin (Sani Pani, 988) picture ofa {Gromacing boy wth his he aris accompanied bya ck ro- eepming "No Glam Fug! All Mal! No Makeup” Both omoserlisy ia aynbole crowing of gee boundaries thcten pascal con- ok sn they are hus coiled in the service of herr that strives (uta difeence and power, Mascians who wear makeup ofc Cmpenst in pivate for tei ransgretions wth homophobic ban: rar isting each othe in oder to all masculinity iar question aod frovde an opportunity fr cllectveafrmaton of heterorexaiy” ‘Ae iareretw with Chale Renan dummer in the thrash mea bad ‘pncheoe conte that even ineraments themaelves ae conventionally fender coded, ad thatthe we of fersisine coded instrument ia the aoe of heavy metal evoke the specter of homosexuality. When a uemicwer ake,“ Wool you ever conser wing keyboards as moe Pav of he song? Beant rele Tat i ga. The onl bond hat ever Td Keyboards chat was good was UFO. This a gitar band" “Homer, ince many “pla? metal performers appeal in particular to young women, an ans of ear etal tha ndeeseands it only PoGrodcton of male hegemony ras the ek of dupliaing thee RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL 30 secgton it describes. Heavy metal androgyny presents fiom she point ‘ew of women, «fasion ofthe sigas specific to current nocions of ‘ein with scl and sheacclly produced power an freedom tar are conventionally mie, Coll makeup; cabort,osteatous ‘doche, hai thats unhandy ong and Laborouly syed—these ae the cxeeve signs of one genders clea spectacle. But onsage in 2 inet show these sigs arc inverted with ce power and glory normally escrved to patriarchy. Asus, women ae offered male subject poss ‘fons a 4 condition of their participation in empowerment, but the Then wih whom they ares deni have been transonmed by hei fppropricons of women’s sign. In cher bid for greater wansgresion wae Grecraclary, the men onstage clevareimporant components of many women’s sense of gendered deny, fing cultura representa: ‘long of male power and female erotic surface” Acche bolic lve, Drestge-—male presence, geste, musical power—is conferred upon ‘icone sigs, which, beans they mask gender dfeence and are wed fo rat and manipulate, men pete are trivial but take very set asi. ‘mins scholars have lng been concesmed with ivetigating the gradered aspect ofthe raooship of symbolic and poll orders sd the longstanding inkage of women wih epimeral spectacle i Fighly sclvantto metal videos. Koja Sivan has pois! out that the intabiey of eae ftion bas historically marked women 2 a Table, wile male stor conservatam represents the table and ime- lesalignment of men wit the symbolic andsocia orders." Heavy metal landrogyny challenges this “arial” alignment, drawing on the power ‘Srna and vista pleasure. Tiere tha hee isn ihren ink ‘eoween subversive rem practices and subversive polis, but the Telnonaipe T have deine among the Iris, musi, images, fins, trusitans, and idcologie of easy metal pariculaly with spect r0 fender, af ineaded o make the case fora conventional ink * Glam ‘ctl has peompeed a rest deal of thought and dscssion about ge “Ter by demonseaing, even clebraig, the mutabiliy of gendc, by revealing the potential inability of the tmiotico symbolic elms that fuppoet current gender configuraons. In some wayss heavy met fects the inpct of wha Jane Flax has called the grates achievement foffeminio theory, the problemarization of gender* ‘Meta epics the dominant sexism of entemporsry sci, but ical allows a kind office space tobe opened up by and for cee ‘Nomen, performers and fa alike. Female fans idem with a Kind of Dower thats usualy understood in our culture as ale—beeane phys oring Mase | 130 cal power, dominance, zebelion, and rng with the dark side of ie areal cltarally designated as male provogatives. Yer women are ale so ccs thn power becuse ti chanled hough a dias nts, hat ‘simangible and citiul co police Female performers of heavy ml an Become enabled to prado ae cote very power wounds, i they meet other genre requirements and acquiesce inthe physical ai play that sso sexs and widespread i sociery generally bt may in face cm Js so in mca, where mon silly ply themes Thus, ‘when mecal guitarist and singe Lis For brags, “I wesr my balls oa sy chest she combines her seemingly inevitable sets a8 an obj of| seul spectace with her meaic stature asa subject embodying the spectacle of power" Wiemen’ ception ofthese spectacles is comples, ad female pe formers af hea metal maybe advancing provocative srgmints ot the nature and limits of male cms to power have observed and lnceeviewed female fans who cess, as interpet josie mle fs, fr example, pariclcy a concerts of bands ike Metalies—bands hat avoid refeenes to gender im dir rks, dealing insted with exper nats of alienation, ear, and empowerment hat may et aross gender lines. Bement of rock music that had been coded ss masculine, sucha ean beats are negotiable, insofiras female fans are willing a sep ost side tairionalconstitons of gene dent Ie may wel bs, the, that che participation of female metal fans ecficcts the infuence that, feminism has had in naruralaing, eo gest extent, the empowerment of omen. Even inthe 1970, fower some wold hae Been comfort ale identifying wich power, when poner was mae rigidly covet a male. The choiee was between being power and ing 4 worn, 3 Aichotomy that has since eroded somewhat Bur femal fos also mmntaia thei own disintive modes of engage ment with heavy metal inloing pects tht are offen too guy lismised as degrading adoration. Sus Wis has arged thatthe young women who seamed and swooned over Eli were no so sac woe shiping him, as 50 many male ock cis have assumed, a gy him Instead of sujec who caused his helps fans t0 go neo fez, Elvis was for many women an objet by means of which they explored tbeirown dsves and formed fendship Similar, many Feral eat met ans ake gre plea in collecting, owning, and oking st pic tures of male heavy meta musicians. Pedic, mal fins er 0 Be Sscornflo the pip magazines and their devotees" Hutte thus 23m of young women for glam ses of heavy metal snot simpy an ‘rample of masochistic submission ko male ols. Such spect ao RUNNING Wirm THE DEVIL( ge ‘nfs with power the ig of women’s hegemonic consrected gener ides, os vial plu slam sla o oreo ae fronds sem wih oppor fom crown sun ot ‘The channeling of mach macline prestige woughSentine forms thas epee ky seal polish one hit pee cel icrpreios. Hens metal aogyey canbe very dtsbngs not only beats he eaventionl sigs of le pay an oe tscaton ae made dani, aerial tases, bt ae «aie hegemonic gener bounar lered and echt

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