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Well I'm looking for an exact answer and I'm sure you're gonna find it fast;
"When was heavy metal used as a musical term first?"

PS: I couldn't check all the topics, and I'm sorry if it's a repost...

as I learned my musical history I think the first time the term was used in a explicit musical context was in STEPPENWOLFs "Born to be Wild", which came out 1968 but the line "heavy metal thunder" wasn't intended to describe the music itself I guess.

as a definition of the genre that later became Heavy Metal I think it was invented by critics in the early 70s, without being able to quote him I would point at Lester Bangs, but am not sure.

I know it was used in Rolling Stone to describe Humble Pie (none less) in late 1970. I have also read a review of the first Sir Lord Baltimore album where the term is definitely used. That's from 1971 I think.

Lester Bangs probably made the term public though. He used it about Sabbath and Zeppelin in lots of articles.

Yeah the story I know is Lester Bangs on Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath and (?!) Rush.

Here's the article I refered to above. It seems it uses Heavy Metal consciously and expects readers to know what it entails.
http://www.creemmagazine.com/_site/Beat ... me001.html

I thought the thread title "When?" referred to the question when "Chinese Democracy" will be released. It's been said November 23 I think. Heavy metal was probably invented earlier.

Conventinal wisdom dictates that the phrase "Heavy Metal" was originally cribbed by Mars Bonfire from a William Burroughs book and used in his song "Born To Be Wild" as originally recorded by STEPPENWOLF.
You know the line, "...heavy metal thunder..."
Later Bangs is credited with allying the phrase with the style of music, although BLUE CHEER's "Outside Inside" LP was referred to by the HM name in a contemporary review which predates Bangs' usage.
As for "Chinese Democracy", it's out next month, although it's not Guns'n'Roses who are releasing it, but the reformed WARRIOR SOUL.
You snooze, you lose!

Metalipeiklo wrote:I thought the thread title "When?" referred to the question when "Chinese Democracy" will be released. It's been said November 23 I think. Heavy metal was probably invented earlier.

Hail the humor of Mr. Metalipeiklo!

wasnt the term said by a journalist after listening to Jimi Hendrix back in the day???

Here's the article I refered to above. It seems it uses Heavy Metal consciously and expects readers to know what it entails.
http://www.creemmagazine.com/_site/Beat ... me001.html

The word "Heavy" is spread there.. But not the phrase "Heavy ?Metal" or do I miss something?

StygianBlade wrote:

Here's the article I refered to above. It seems it uses Heavy Metal consciously and expects readers to know what it entails.
http://www.creemmagazine.com/_site/Beat ... me001.html

The word "Heavy" is spread there.. But not the phrase "Heavy ?Metal" or do I miss something?

It's in the first sentence of the second paragraph. "This album is a far cry from the currently prevalent Grand Funk sludge, because Sir Lord Baltimore seems to have down pat most all the best heavy metal tricks in the book."