I can’t remember which came first, the Heavy Metal Magazine or the Heavy Metal movie Soundtrack. For a long time I was getting the magazine, at least a year. I had a pretty good stack of them. If you’ve never seen Heavy Metal magazine, it is basically a sci-fi fantasy comic book that targets 16 year old boys away at prep school. There are a few differences when compared to a traditional comic book. Heavy Metal would carry several separate storys by different writers and artists rather than one story like X-men. It also had boobs.
The Heavy Metal animated film had been released although I didn’t know about it and would not see the movie until much later. I eventually ended up with it on VHS which was this video tape format that was just being introduced.
So what I can’t remember is if I was interested in the soundtrack because I liked the magazines or if I pursued the magazines after loving the soundtrack. I do remember hearing Veteran Of The Psychic Wars coming out of one of the dorm rooms in Jones Hall. I don’t remember who it was exactly. I’ll have to ask Matt because I was visiting him at the time. Anyway I gave the guy a blank tape and at dinner that night I had a copy of The Heavy Metal Soundtrack. It was awesome then and it is still one of my favorite albums. I remember being somewhat disappointed by the movie because they didn’t play all the songs all the way through.
Now with a name like Heavy Metal you probably expect a lot of thrashing music. Granted there are some hard rock songs on here but nothing I would call Heavy Metal. This was also a new kind of soundtrack for me. Up to this point my soundtracks were Star Wars and Star Trek type symphonic orchestral pieces. This one was a collection of songs from a bunch of different artists. This would be a format that I would be drawn to later in life. The cool thing about this style of soundtrack is that becomes a sampler plate for the artists involved. As you will soon see, I branched out and acquired other albums because of this soundtrack.
The whole thing is top notch. I know you are probably tired of hearing that but check it out there are so many great songs including what may be one of my all time favorite songs, True Companion. I could listen to that song just about anytime.
Sammy Hagar – Heavy Metal
Devo – Working In The Coal Mine
Blue Öyster Cult – Veteran Of The Psychic Wars
Donald Fagen – True Companion
Riggs – Radar Rider
Jounrey – Open Arms
Grand Funk Railroad – Queen Bee
Don Felder – All Of You
Let me ask you. Are there movies in your life where you like the soundtrack more than the movie?