We’re all stuck in an eternal revival, aren’t we? Rock, more than any other genre, is a master of reinvention while digging up its roots — or just flat-out ignoring the rules. This week, we got a little bit of everything: engineered rebellion, pathetic rebellion, and a few good doses of nostalgia that just prove the past is, sometimes, just a better version of the present.
Metallica: The Rebellion Nobody Expected (But Loved)
Remember when Metallica was synonymous with controversy? Well, they just proved they still have an ounce of anarchy in their blood, even if only for a few seconds. Last Sunday (28), in Cardiff, Wales, the Principality Stadium has a curious rule: Tom Jones’s song “Delilah” is banned. The reason? Its (pretty subtle, mind you) references to domestic violence led to a decree in 2023 as NME reported.
And what did Metallica do? During Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo’s traditional “free moment,” they dropped a snippet of “Delilah.” It’s the kind of thing that makes you think, “Damn, Metallica, you still got it!” It wasn’t a world-changing act of civil disobedience, sure, but it was a subtle middle finger to bureaucracy, and in rock, that’s pure gold. Roadie Crew documented the musical affront.
Still on Metallica, a Brazilian drummer, Marcelo Seghese, won a band contest using a washboard and a rubber chicken according to TMDQA!. If that’s not proof that rock is for everyone, I don’t know what is.
Morrissey: The Artist Who Never Understood His Own Legacy
While Metallica has its moments of glory, Morrissey remains a force of nature… but a self-destructive one. The chap decided to sell Smiths merch, but with his name in place of the band’s reports Consequence of Sound.
It’s painful. Imagine the cover of Meat Is Murder or The Queen Is Dead with “Morrissey” emblazoned in block letters. It’s like he’s saying, “Look, this band you love, I’m the one who matters, okay?” A classic example of how some artists simply can’t (or won’t) grasp what made them relevant. Ego, that treacherous beast, always finds a way to ruin the party.
Black Sabbath: Underrated? Seriously?
And since we’re talking about legacy, TMDQA! compiled a list of Black Sabbath’s 10 most underrated songs according to fans check it out here. “Underrated” and “Black Sabbath” in the same sentence already gives me a knot in my throat. It’s like saying water is wet, but nobody realized it. The band invented heavy metal. If there’s one thing that is not underrated, it’s their impact. But hey, fan discussions are the best part, right?
At the end of the day, rock rolls on, with its heroes defying prohibitions (even if for two chords), its villains self-flagellating in public, and the eternal quest for something “new” amidst what’s already been done. And we, between you and me, love every minute of it.