Loading ...Yesterday I wrote about the results of January’s question. It seems that most of the readers of this blog consider Metallica as the greatest trash metal band of the 80’s. In yesterday’s post we also mentioned about the new question that is running during February. See the question on the right sidebar? What do you think? Should mosh pits be banned?
First of all, what is a mosh pit? The good old Wikipedia says “Moshing refers to the activity in which audience members at live music performances aggressively push or slam into each other. Moshing is frequently accompanied by stage diving, crowd surfing, and headbanging. It is commonly associated with concerts by heavy metal, punk rock, and alternative rock artists, although it occurs at performances by musicians of all sorts of genres“.
Every now and then newspapers write how rock or metal concerts have turned into a chaos. Some people claim that such a chaos can be initiated from a mosh pit. As a friend of mine said, “there’s always one weirdo who starts hitting people and then the bomb is ready to explode“. Do you agree with my friend? Check out the video below. In the footage you can see a typical mosh pit during Lamb Of God’s gig. Should such mosh pits be banned or is it just overreacting?
Now, please tell us what you think about mosh pits. You can do it by leaving a comment and answering the question in the sidebar.
This article was written by Headbanger and its original location is in Metal-Music-Videos.Com blog. For more great metal music articles, please visit Metal-Music-Videos.Com!
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Mosh pits should no more be banned than any other activity or sport that may include the possibility of injury.
In fact, I disagree with the definition of a Mosh pit by Wikipedia.
What moshing itself represents, is the form of dance of extreme music. In the early days of hardcore, you would see the crowd standing still watching during fast parts, and then break out into mosh-like dancing while standing in place. Later on, as metal began to adopt it as it’s form of dance, circle pits, or swamp moshing began.
I think moshing would be even more misunderstood if it weren’t for bands like Anthrax who attempted to teach the true styles of this expression…which is not about slamming into one another. It is easy for the uninitiated to see it as a chaotic mess of violence. These are the people that the media focus on, making it that much more misunderstood by those outside of the metal or extreme music genre.
I was always a mosher at concerts. Picking up people who fell, patting people on the back as they went by expressing their style or brand of skank. Thats what you do. We really didn’t even want to bump into anyone if possible.
Also, any metal music fan who truly loves heavy riffs knows what and when the “mosh part” is. You feel it coming, building up, and when it breaks, man, you almost have to get out there and do some silly and groovin moves.
Ban moshing. My god man. Perhaps the youth of today have drifted off and lost the roots of what we were doing there. But while I don’t do many shows these days, I just know there are those who still feel what its all about. And no, that shouldn’t be taken away from them by those who don’t understand it or cause the problems that are in question on this issue.
I’m gonna go listen to Among the Living from Anthrax now. My wife doesn’t get it either, I’ll be in the garage.
Thanks John for your great comment! Very nice to read your opinion. I see your point, and I agree with you that media focuses on those who make it look like a violent act. I also like when you describe how metal fans know when most part is coming. I know how it feels. With great music you just can’t resist expressing yourself. I love gigs where you can freely express your feelings with fellow metalheads. It’s annoying when moshing turns to chaotic mess.
Where that violence comes from? From old-school punk? As John Bush has said, he didn’t go to punk gigs because he would have got beaten up due to his long hair. Punk fans used to be pretty aggressive in those days. Anyhow, I’m not 100% sure because I don’t know punk so well. I’m just speculating.
Among the Living is fabulous, I love it as well. My favorites are also Persistence of Time and Spreading the Disease. Tracks like In My World, Armed and Dangerous and Indians really make be bang my head. And yeah, garage is a great place to listen to music, my favorite place as well
I feel like it’s time to listen to Pantera’s Domination.