Ozzy.
Damn Ozzy.
I got into Ozzy at that key point in growing up. And along with Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath, among many others, Ozzy gave me something to believe in.
Rock and Roll.
And I felt it. Big time. I wanted to rock.
And I do.
This is not about metaphysics. I have some. Everyone does.
This is about Heavy Metal. Hard rocking guitars, pounding drums, screeching powerful vocals at the edge of crashing into the next hard time change.
I love it loud. That's when I feel connected, part of something greater--ecstatic, barbaric, fucking crazy--whatever. If there are varieties of religious experiences, then mine is centered on music. I'd tell William James about hearing Ronnie James Dio sing, or about listening to Tony Iommi riff like the fires of hell live. That's pretty much all the heaven I ever expect to experience, in a spiritual sense.
Sure there are other great things in life. Even other music that can cause a rapturous experience. But that is not what the Church of Heavy Metal is about.
This is about metal music, and the concert experience. This is about rocking out and not being bashful about it. This is about the magic of Heavy Metal music.
