When someone mentions heavy metal music, what comes to mind?  Loud guitars, smoking in the boys room?  Long hair?  Swearing?   Black clothing with the name of a heavy metal band on it??

This type of music was popular back in the 1980s and lots of kids were listening to it, so it’s no surprise that  The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) launched a political campaign against any music that promoted such riff raff.

The majority of the music the PMRC was battling were heavy metal bands: Judas Priest, Mötley Crüe, Twisted Sister, W.A.S.P, Def Leppard, Black Sabbath, and Venom. Twisted Sister’s, Dee Snider, appeared before Congress in 1985 and accused the PMRC of misinterpreting his band’s lyrics and waging a false war against metal music.  Come to think of it, seems as if Snider was right.  Watch Dee Snider’s speech…..

Whatever happened to the 1980’s metalhead kids?  The PMRC would think they’re either dead, addicted to substances, or in prison, right? They couldn’t be more wrong!!  Psychology researchers at a handful of colleges and universities….Humboldt State, Ohio State, UC Riverside, and UT Austin studied 1980s heavy metal groupies, musicians, and even the fans at middle age.  There were 377 people studied.  The results may stun you, unless you are a well adjusted 80’s metalhead.  The results revealed that metal music lovers did in fact live riskier lives as kids, they were actually far happier in their youth and better adjusted currently than either middle-aged or current college-age youth comparison groups.  Fringe style cultures may enhance identity development in troubled youth. Not to mention that heavy metal lyrics don’t easily turn kids into damaged goods, as so many people, such as the PMRC, suggested.

Looks like Dee Snider was right!

Let’s jam out!!!