Jonathan Waters: Heavy Metal Gays

So, for those of you who don’t know – I work in the music industry and run an online magazine about heavy metal. Usually there’s some form of expletive between the “heavy” and the “metal” part, but I’ll keep this child friendly.

For anyone else who loves metal, which a few of us homos do, it kind of actually feels like queer and queer-friendly metal bands don’t exist! But never fear, I’m here to expose the best of the best faggot-friendly metal bands. Brutal, eh?

Upon researching this phenomenon, I actually found out that there’s a sub-genre of metal called “Queer-Core”, or “Homocore” depending on your sources. Truthfully, I thought the music was going to be terrible – but being the open minded (and awesome) person I am, I gave it a listen.

It. Is. Amazing. Some of the best lyrical inspiration, the messages conveyed and the brutality of the music made me want to explode, not with a fizzle but a bang, into a thousand rainbows and glitter.

Queercore’s central ideologies which are transcended through their music are really positive messages. Most of which centralise around the rejection of the disapproval of the LGBTIQ community, it’s also very feminist by nature and left-wing.

The genre of Queercore started in the mid-1980s as a sort of sub-genre of punk, and is characterised musically by the use of synthesizers, melodic riffs and hardcore drum breakdowns.  Many bands have emerged in the sub-genre of Queercore – some of which have... quite interesting names. One of my personal favourites that I came across was called Pansy Division, which was actually the best thing I’ve ever heard. Their lyrics were very pro-equality and they were musically amazing.

Other bands which have been associated with the Queercore movement are quite well-known bands: Riot Grrrl and Garbage. In more of the underground scene, there are also some pretty awesome Queercore bands – Filth Column, Nikki Parasite, Big Man – and even some from New Zealand – Gorse.

The term “Queercore” also transcended into the film industry, by adopting the name and ideals which are encompassed by Queercore – many of which movies have made it into mainstream popularity, The Curious Case of Chance, Not Another Gay Movie, The Lollipop Generation and several more amazing feature films were birthed from the idea of Queercore.

Keeping on a musical level, I’m telling all of you to get out there and open your orifices... Ear orifices that is, and get some of this amazing music into you! As I mentioned before there are some hilarious names of Queercore bands. To leave you on a happy note, here are some of my favourites: Drunk Granny, Fake Tan, She-Bitch, The Homewreckers, Gay for Johnny Depp and Gravy Train.

You’re welcome.

Jonathan Waters
Raging Homosexual