South of Heaven: Preface

... first cover ...

I have been trying to respond to myself – think of a better answer than the one I gave to the man who asked me this question at the first break in the symposium. “I don’t mean to be personal, but can you tell me why you are at this symposium?”

I looked at him. About my age. Earnest. Polite. He had on a pair of dress pants and a shirt, as opposed to everyone else in the symposium, the majority of whom were in black t-shirts with a Slayer logo of some sort. I made a note to myself. “Next time, at least come dressed in black.” Later, I studied a jean jacket carefully appliquéd with attractive metal logos, a massive number of studs on the left lapel, nothing on the right lapel, the sleeves cut out, the sleeve holes frayed. As a sewer I thought, I wonder if I could make myself one like that for the next time I come to a conference like this.

“No, I don’t mind telling you. My children used to listen to this music. I didn’t get a chance to really hear it. Now I am looking for what it was that was attractive to them.”

“What do you mean, they used to listen to it? Don’t they anymore.”

"They are older now. I don’t know what they listen to. I have a B.A. in Music History from the 1960’s, so I would also have some interest here that is purely academic," I continued.  "Now why are you here?”

“Oh,” he said, “I am in the wrong place. I met some people at Congress and wanting to speak to them again, I came to see if they were here. But what is going on in there is past me. I am leaving.”

I didn’t leave.

I stayed for the six talks which were prefaced by broader questions for all to think about.

Paul Bramadet asked people to consider these three themes: How does metal use religion? How does religion respond to metal? Ethnologically, how is metal like religion?

I was in the right place, at the right time,  dressed the wrong way.

Arta