Is Helter Skelter the first "Metal" song?

[NickInMesa]

Please discuss...

[JoZac21]

Nope... this was:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0bcRCCg01I

[brickerenator]

I guess a Hofner is now the best bass for metal.

[NickInMesa]

Originally Posted by JoZac21

Nope... this was:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0bcRCCg01I

I mean... besides the neo-classics like Karl Orff and this dude.

[DistortedBass]

First song that could be called metal. Heavy guitar, tribal beats, etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU5uDozoSSM

Helter Skelter gets honorable mention!

[basskababble]

Hmmmmm. Metal... If you mean heavy, loud driving... maybe. It's real close to Black Sabbath's first forming... but according to the world (as translated and edited by wikipedia) HS predates Sabbath. If you even qualify that song as metal then yeah, but I agree with others that I've read in thinking that The Kinks should take credit for the idea of getting loud and basic.

[Ric5]

From Wikipedia ...

In 1968, the sound that would become known as heavy metal began to coalesce. That January, the San Francisco band Blue Cheer released a cover of Eddie Cochran's classic "Summertime Blues", from their debut album Vincebus Eruptum, that many consider the first true heavy metal recording. The same month, Steppenwolf released its self-titled debut album, including "Born to Be Wild", which refers to "heavy metal thunder" in the lyrics. In July, another two epochal records came out: The Yardbirds' "Think About It"—B-side of the band's last single—with a performance by guitarist Jimmy Page anticipating the metal sound he would soon make famous; and Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, with its 17-minute-long title track, a prime candidate for first-ever heavy metal album. In August, The Beatles' single version of "Revolution", with its redlined guitar and drum sound, set new standards for distortion in a top-selling context.

The Jeff Beck Group, whose leader had preceded Page as The Yardbirds' guitarist, released its debut record that same month: Truth featured some of the "most molten, barbed, downright funny noises of all time," breaking ground for generations of metal ax-slingers. In October, Page's new band, Led Zeppelin, made its live debut. The Beatles' so-called White Album, which also came out that month, included "Helter Skelter", then one of the heaviest-sounding songs ever released by a major band. The Pretty Things' rock opera S.F. Sorrow, released in December, featured "proto heavy metal" songs such as "Old Man Going."

[DJ Bebop]

Originally Posted by JoZac21

Nope... this was:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0bcRCCg01I

1+

[Reynoldbot]

I guess 1968 was the year for metal, since several acts seemed to stumble upon it at the same time.

Now here's a question: is 'My Generation' by the Who the first punk song?

[eSmith]

It's not metal at all. It's the Beetles. Metal bands may have covered it (is Motley Crew really Metal???) but that doesn't mean it's a metal song.

And dollars to donuts says the first metal songs had German or Scandinavian names and not an english word in them.

-eSmith.

[pbass2]

Link Wray pretty much kickstarted the whole distorted guitar thing---"Rumble" was freakin' heavy for that time!

[DONZI97]

No

[eSmith]

Here you go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_metal_music

-eSmith.

[MatticusMania]

Helter Skelter was the first alternative rock song.

[BassesForTheWin]

depends, it was "proto-metal"

[warnergt]

Originally Posted by DistortedBass

First song that could be called metal. Heavy guitar, tribal beats, etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU5uDozoSSM

Helter Skelter gets honorable mention!

Man, I was just listening to Blue Cheer last night. I just discovered this
band yesterday. This is a weird coincidence.

I heard a cool version of "Parchment Farm" by Jay Hook yesterday.
After band practice, the band went out to eat and I wanted the band to
hear this song. The club had one of those Internet-connected juke boxes
with a huge number of songs available. I searched for "Parchment Farm"
and one by Blue Cheer appeared. So I played it. Holy cow! I think I
shocked the whole club with this psychedelic acid-rock.

Despite being really weird, it had an element of coolness so, when I
got home, I was checking out more Blue Cheer. I can't believe I didn't
know about them already.

[hrodbert696]

I would have said "yes." Just because it's the Beatles doesn't make it not-metal -- the genius of the Beatles is that they drew on damn near everything and did a lot of experimentation that other groups took off from. But clearly several groups were shifting toward a heavier sound in 1968, all influencing each other, and you probably could never finger one song or band as the very first.

[Febs]

Originally Posted by eSmith

It's not metal at all. It's the Beetles. Metal bands may have covered it (is Motley Crew really Metal???) but that doesn't mean it's a metal song.

Originally Posted by eSmith

Here you go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_metal_music

-eSmith.

That article does not seem to support your argument:

In 1968, the sound that would become known as heavy metal began to coalesce. ... In August, The Beatles' single version of "Revolution", with its redlined guitar and drum sound, set new standards for distortion in a top-selling context. ... The Beatles' so-called White Album, which also came out that month, included "Helter Skelter", then one of the heaviest-sounding songs ever released by a major band.

[Gubna]

Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida?


Here's Slayer's version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E5Uj-4qn9g

HA!

[NickInMesa]

Can someone bring other sources than Wikipedia?

I do use Wiki and even added/updated articles myself (with sources!) but I have learned to look around for answers, like... asking people.

My question could be interpreted as "based on your own musical culture and experience, is Helter Skelter the first metal song?"

Thanks for your input!