Heavy Metal Parking Lot.

So what to write about? Graduation? Nah. Vacation? Maybe later. Something more important. Something epic. Something I had to wait 3 months for on Netflix. Something...

Heavy Metal Parking Lot is about a sixteen minute documentary filmed entirely in the parking lot of a Judas Priest show in Largo, Maryland in 1986. Have you ever gone people watching/mocking with a group of friends? Well if you haven't you should...it's an inexpensive way of boosting your self-esteem. I recommend going to the mall during Christmas and observe others shopping. You can learn a lot about people when they don't know you are watching (send all restraining orders to my P.O Box). If you don't have the time or believe that you are above such activities then this documentary is a good substitute.

Others will often label you according to the music you like. "Oh you like Phish? You are high right now aren't you?" or "So you are into Indie Rock? Would you care to join me in a pretentious conversation about the new Arcade Fire CD? I had the opportunity to break one of these stereotypes recently. While playing Guitar Hero 2, rather well I might add, A Shadow Falls song came on and I made a comment about how many metal songs made the game. A guy in the room then asked "You like metal? But you seem like such a nice guy." Ha, another mind blown by my hands. Until then he thought only jerks and the weird kids in high school liked metal. Not so.

I am a fan of metal. Not a Judas Priest fan, but a Metalhead nonetheless. It keeps me balanced I think. Though metal can be very angry and violent, it's a release. I don't get pissed off when I listen to Black Dahlia Murder or Black Sabbath, (can't say the same for Dave Matthew's Band or Young Jeezy) but when the song is over I feel like I just rid myself of a ton of burden. Listening to metal has been some of the best therapy I've ever received.

On the flipside of that argument: Stereotyping may be morally wrong, but sometimes it's accurate, saving you time and effort. I believe the images the creators of Heavy Metal Parking Lot bring to us are exactly what most people see when they think of hardcore heavy metal fans.
I could not be happier. There have to be a few people who fall in line to make a stereotype work and these folks were more than up for the task. The hair, the clothes, the language the attitude, all bring you back to the decade when metal was dominant. It may be the drugs or it may be the alcohol (maybe both?) but whatever it is, these people are ecstatic about their music and couldn't give a shit what you think about them. On second thought, you can learn a lot about people when they KNOW you are watching. A very educational documentary, worthy of The History Channel or college-level sociology classes.