So Who Coined The Term "Heavy Metal" Anyway??

At some point in my sordid rock and roll life, I met and dated the rock producer Sandy Pearlman. (I know, I know, people roll their eyes because well, if you know Sandy and if you knew me, I've had people ask me, "what the hell?") But Sandy is one of the most brilliant men I've ever met. Some background, Sandy was not only a manager for Black Sabbath, but also one of the founders of the group Blue Oyster Cult. There is a reason why some of the lyrics you find on Blue Oyster Cult albums to be so esoteric and that is because Sandy is a rather cerebral type, prone towards talking at length about the supernatural aspects of physics and the universe. But no worries, he also loves the physical universe, especially if it involves a fancy restaurant that serves salmon heavily encrusted with garlic. Luckily for me, that is still one of my favorite dishes. I've learned the hard way that if you are with someone who is eating garlic, you must do so as well.

I get truly amused that Sandy is credited with the phrase "More Cowbell." But there is a better phrase in which he is credited with in coining and that is the relationship of the phrase "Heavy Metal" to music when in 1968 he wrote about The Byrds in a rock mag for their supposed "aluminium style of context and effect", particularly on their album The Notorious Byrd Brothers. How fitting that his love of science and metaphysical relationships would produce that type of association. For a long time, I have had a fight with Wikipedia about Sandy's involvement in coining that phrase, because they kept citing the use of the phrase in the song Born to be Wild, saying that was the first time it was used. I was not alone in this dispute. Other long time music journalists have also argued that Sandy was the one who originally coined the phrase. Finally I discovered that today, this wrong has been rectified. The page on Heavey Metal at Wikipedia has now been changed!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_metal_music

So kudos to Sandy for our love of "Heavy Metal!

I'm happy to report that Sandy is now basking in his role of professor at McGill University in Montreal, where he hangs out with another ex of mine, lol.

More on that later.