I'll Wait: Heavy Metal Rules The School

On yet to be posted, but totally bitchin' episode of Vivid Technicolor Radio (find all episodes http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvMJmQ2IlqkAYx4mLyFZh1A) dedicated to Rainbow In The Dark by Dio, "Wicked" Nick & I touch upon how one of our favorite characteristics of heavy metal is how multi-faceted and nuanaced the song is. In Rainbow In The Dark, you have Dio's powerful, fantastical vocals accentuated by Vivian Campbell's muscular guitar riff, accompanied by Vinny Appice's hollow drum sound and the cherry on top is the signature keyboard hook that is the identifier of the song. These are four really distinct elements that meld together to deliver a hard-hitting heavy metal song that is considered one of the best ever. During this part, "Wicked" Nick brings up how much he loves the 80s hollow drum sound in metal and I assert on each listen of a metal song you can hear something different and appreciate another element.

She looks she has been dreaming of a White Christmas

 



Case in point, I was driving home tonight flicking the station around and I heard the beginning keyboard chords of "I'll Wait" by Van Halen. "I'll Wait" is the fourth single off of Van Halen's monster 1984 album and is stepped in Eddie's attempt to reinvent himself as a keyboard wizard in addition to being an all-time shredder. On a cursory listen, I felt this song completely relied on Diamond Dave's effusive charisma and the hitherto underappreciated Michael Anthony's background vocals (Like Cinderella says "Don't know what you got until it's gone") to hook in the listener. I always felt Eddie checked out of this song. I am an unabashed Roth fanboy and nobody does coy better than him. It is a fun song for him to play up a ham that has fell in love with a picture of a woman. "Such good photography" always cracks me up. However, this time I discovered something else that really put on this song and acted almost like the keyboard hook in Rainbow In The Dark: Alex's wicked sweet hollow drum sound. The drum roll to bridge into the chorus is the undisputed identifier of the song. It is something, I have always loved, but I have never actually actively listened to just the drum portion of the song. It is friggin's really sweet and simple. When you are in a band with Roth and your brother is Eddie Van Halen, it is easy to be overshadowed. I think Alex deferred to Roth on this song, but if you follow the drums in the song it just has such a great punch and groove that it made me appreciate the song in a whole new way.

That is why I love heavy metal. I can listen to the same song I have been listening to since I was 8 and find new things to love.