Sex, drugs &Metal
Type in sex, drugs and metal into google and an endless list of websites come up. From pinterest boards to facebook fan pages, sex, drugs and metal seems to be a very popular saying. But what about sex and metal, what does it mean, and how do women play a part in it? Women in the metal scene can be viewed as sexual objects and men can enjoy their presence for the looks and sexual appeal, and because of this they are marginalized.
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"For me, the hours after the concert were a fog of alcohol, drugs, interviews and babes. I remember seeing Tom Zutaut’s girlfriend when I left the stage; she had been taking all her clothes off except for a leopard pattern bikini because of the heat. I grabbed her, pressed my sweaty face against hers and put my tongue in her throat" (Neil Strauss and Mötley Crüe, 2002: 123) (Nordström 454).
The connection of sex and metal is often seen in the lyrics of songs or in music videos, but, it can also be seen in the way the women dress and are viewed by the men in the metal scene. From the beginning, heavy metal has been criticized as a genre dominated by violence, aggression and rape (Barron 70). Heavy metal has been and is seen as sexist and having patriarchal oppression, the men of a society treating women poorly and having the control (Barron 70). The women in the metal culture are under a patriarchal society where the male gender dominates and they have the control, which causes women to be marginalized. Because of the patriarchal society of metal, Barron says metal music tries to avoid sexual violence because of the dominance of the male sex (Barron 71). Sexual violence can appear in the heavy metal scene, but it is rarely linked with metal music because a patriarchal society of men being in charge is a natural relationship (Barron 71).
Linking metal and sexual violence don’t occur often; however, sex and metal are linked when it comes to a woman’s physical appearance. Women are seen as sexual objects in music videos and at metal concerts (Walser 116). Men in the metal scene judge one another if they know some facts about the bands, meanwhile, men judge women if they have knowledge of the bands, they are act and the way they dress (Nordström 459).
Linking metal and sexual violence don’t occur often; however, sex and metal are linked when it comes to a woman’s physical appearance. Women are seen as sexual objects in music videos and at metal concerts (Walser 116). Men in the metal scene judge one another if they know some facts about the bands, meanwhile, men judge women if they have knowledge of the bands, they are act and the way they dress (Nordström 459).