While debate rages on about Heavy Metal and its merits as a musical genre, most commentators agree that Heavy Metal kicked off in the 1960s with the blues-based rock of bands such as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. The evolution continued with harder rocking British bands Judas Priest and Motorhead, and the more punk-influenced Iron Maiden and Def Leppard. Over in America, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper and Kiss were strapping on the high heels and layering on the make up. The really theatrical era of Heavy Metal was embraced in the 1980s with bands like Motley Crue, and bands like Megadeth and Metallica developed yet another sub-genre: Thrash Metal. Following that we’ve seen the evolution of Progressive Metal, Speed Metal, Doom Metal, Black Metal, Gothic Metal, Nu Metal and Viking Metal to name a few... Now celebrating more than 40 years of independence from the musical mainstream, the ‘Elder Statesmen’ of Heavy Metal share their thoughts on life, love, the music, the bands, politics, sex, drugs, devil worship and keeping it unreal. We go backstage with Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, KISS, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Metallica, Motley Crue, Sharon Osbourne, Lordi, Bleeding Through.
