Who Invented Heavy Metal?
thin air but rather in synthesizing a lot of elements already in existence to concoct a new blend. Hence, the debate around “who created Heavy Metal” – or any other genre of music, for that matter, may never be conclusively settled. The debate itself can serve as fertile ground for speculation, however, and give credit to the many artists whose contributions made the difference. When old Delta and Chicago blues styles were galvanized with electric guitars, bass and pounding drums courtesy of bands like the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream, a blueprint was formed for all of the hard rock to follow. Any query into the origins of Heavy Metal should make a nod in the direction of those two bands (though Hendrix himself, referring to HM as “the music of the future”, denied paternity) and also make honorable mention of Blue Cheer. Particularly on their debut album, Vincebus Eruptum, Blue Cheer pushed the very bounds of blues-rock, with sheer volume and assault, to a degree that no band had
