I'll make it a career of evil.

So I am reading a book called This Ain't The Summer of Love:Conflict and Crossover in Heavy Metal and Punk. It's a pretty good read, very academic and for that reason at times so overthought that it's hilarious but still, a good read. Anyways, it touches on how in the 70s punk and metal weren't always diverging but at times meeting somewhere in the middle. Not something I've never thought about but I couldn't have written a huge chapter on it. They cite the Runaways and the Dictators as being two really good examples-and they are. However, this started me to thinking about 2 other bands, that in my opinion, are good examples of heavy metal bands who were pretty punk themselves.

The first BLUE FUCKING OYSTER CULT!!!

I'm not really talking about "don't fear the reaper" but the first 3 records had just as much in common with the mc5 and the stooges as it did Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath. I'm putting up my fave BOC record "secret treaties"-it's a great record, not super serious but, you know, not goofy. My fave jams are "career of evil" and the little nazi airplane that could "ME 262". But it's all good stuff. Garage-y but still heavy. It's as if the mc5 were better musicians and had a dark sense of humor. I dunno... Check it:

http://www.mediafire.com/?nurh0maama6cm98

Next is boston's finest (prior to dys and ssd, of course) DMZ. I know they are more associated with 70s punk but it's very much in the vein of early Blue Oyster Cult. The songs sound like the munsters theme with heavy guitars and some maniac shouting over it all. If that doesn't sound cool to you. Well, I feel sorry that you can't enjoy the finer things in life.

http://www.mediafire.com/?byi3bb0l7qyy4bj

OK. Enjoy the big dumb jams. I know I do.