Saxon - Vocalist Launching A Campaign To Recognise Metal As A Religion
Saxon Vocalist Peter "Biff" Byford has teamed up with Metal Hammer Magazine for a campaign to call heavy metal fans in the UK to register their religion as 'heavy metal' in the 2011 census in the UK. In this case, heavy metal would be recognised as a religion in the UK along with other religions such as Christianity and Islam.
At the last census nine years ago, more than 400 thousand people in the UK stated 'Jedi', the fictional characters from the Star Wars series, as their religion thanks to a massive internet campaign. Jedi was ultimately ranked as the fourth most popular religion in the UK behind Christianity, Islam and Hinduism, although it is considered to be a joke, rather than a real reflection of the religious beliefs of people concerned. In 2011, it may be heavy metal's turn, the campaigners hope.
Metal Hammer editor Alexander Milas said "Ever since Black Sabbath made their debut 40 years ago heavy metal has grown to become one of the UK's most significant cultural institutions, and a global phenomenon. Hell, if the Jedi can do it, why can't metalheads? The force is strong in us."
Byford added: "Getting heavy metal recognised as a religion is a great bit of rebellion, isn't it? This really is going to be a very cool thing."
At the last census nine years ago, more than 400 thousand people in the UK stated 'Jedi', the fictional characters from the Star Wars series, as their religion thanks to a massive internet campaign. Jedi was ultimately ranked as the fourth most popular religion in the UK behind Christianity, Islam and Hinduism, although it is considered to be a joke, rather than a real reflection of the religious beliefs of people concerned. In 2011, it may be heavy metal's turn, the campaigners hope.
Metal Hammer editor Alexander Milas said "Ever since Black Sabbath made their debut 40 years ago heavy metal has grown to become one of the UK's most significant cultural institutions, and a global phenomenon. Hell, if the Jedi can do it, why can't metalheads? The force is strong in us."
Byford added: "Getting heavy metal recognised as a religion is a great bit of rebellion, isn't it? This really is going to be a very cool thing."
| gigwise.com | |
| Band profile: | Saxon |
Posted: 20.01.2010 by Account deleted
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| -DC-002- Mastercommander Posts: 1703  |
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| Kingface Posts: 335  |
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| Introspekrieg Totemic Lust Elite Posts: 2747  |
Metal is all about being accepted officially by society's standards and technical definitions.
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| oroboros Posts: 134  |
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| Warman Erotic Stains Posts: 7695  |
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| kaos666 Posts: 99  |
It would be cool, but wouldn't it need about 600,000 people to even reach 1%? And even if it does wouldn't a percentage that small be classified as other in census books? Anyways it's still an awesome idea and I hope it works out! 
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| corrupt With a lowercase c Admin Posts: 3136  |
Lol. I half expected Biff had gone insane from old age when reading the headline. But this is actually an awesome thing 
---- 
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| insanity.peppers Posts: 193  |
Bull-fucking-shit. The beauty of metal is that it cannot ultimately become a formal institution. Encouraging people to name it as their official religion, even for a laugh, pushes metal in that direction. Which is pretty friggen offensive when you think about it.
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| Ellrohir Heaven Knight Posts: 8662  |
Yes, yes...and there will be metal celebrations, every church member is expected to be in metal church once pro week, there will be list of go(o)d bands and list of (d)evil bands...great...but count me out of this 
---- My rest seems now calm and deep Finally I got my dead man sleep 
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| marinBG Posts: 362  |
It's strange how some people just can't get a joke 
---- ...cause I don't give a fuck if you hate me!
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| Kwis Posts: 133  |
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| iMorphball Posts: 279  |
Written by insanity.peppers on 20.01.2010 at 13:11 The beauty of Metal will stay intact no matter what you call it. Be it your religion, your god, your life, or your hobby, the music remains the same. Heavy Metal is my religion, and it's my favourite genre of music. Always. m/
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| Magatouve Account deleted |
Magatouve
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Manowar maybe should arrange a parallel campaign in USA: Brothers of metal know no masters Metal's our religion Take it to the grave Rulers of the earth Our dawn of glory All reborn we live again Hold true, ye sacred army Our last battle is at hand Sweep this dogs from our kingdom Bless this ground, our holy land Holy, Holy War 
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| Inlé Posts: 334  |
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| Overlord_PT Posts: 140  |
Written by oroboros on 20.01.2010 at 11:29
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| Overlord_PT Posts: 140 |
Since in my island there is no decent pubs, i wouldnt mind if metal turn out to be a "official" religion and they start to blast metal in the churches here xd xd
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| RafaRata Posts: 117  |
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| Baz Anderson Staff Posts: 13237  |
MarinBG is right. This is just a bit of light-hearted fun, so just laugh at it. It's not supposed to be analysed and taken seriously, come on people - lighten up.
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| Turpe Posts: 22  |
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071  |
Yes, it is meant to be lighthearted but still totally pathetic nonetheless.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| fade Son of Sweden Staff Posts: 3771  |
Yeah funny joke and even mentioning Manowar doing this in the US even makes me laugh more. Nice!
---- The troubles of avoiding horseshit. My Music database: http://www.racksandtags.com/northernsky/
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| +{Jonas}+ I R Serious Cat Posts: 4955  |
As stupid as proclaiming "Jedi" a religion. Age makes us do stupid things and/or go insane. Poor Biff.
---- "Nobody wants to be the weird kid, you just end up being the weird kid. You don't know how you ended up getting there" - Rob Zombie http://jonas-bs.deviantart.com My dA, mainly photography, go check it out!
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| Turpe Posts: 22 |
Written by +{Jonas}+ on 20.01.2010 at 20:35 I second that -.-
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| GT Coffee!! Staff Posts: 5101  |
Holy crap that would be funny...and stupid...and therefore funny 
----  Dreams are made so we don't get bored when we sleep
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| AiwiAstwihad AiryanaKhvarenah Posts: 1421  |
How retarded. Why the heck do people insist on belonging to a religion? Jedi, a religion...Heavy Metal, a religion...Therefore i guess STUPIDITY should be recognized as the most common religion.
---- You who will come to the surface
From the flood that's overwhelmed us and drowned us all Must think, when you speak of our weakness in times of darkness That you've not had to face
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306  |
Written by insanity.peppers on 20.01.2010 at 13:11 While agree with everything you say before mentioning metal "going in that direction", this is just nonsensical humor and shouldn't be taken seriously. Every metalhead knows (or should know) that this is a joke; how society views it -- be it forming an institution, as per your example -- is completely irrelevant because society has never dug deep enough to understand our culture. All this will do is provide the media with something to poke fun at for a while until it's forgotten and they move on to something else. Chances are it's going to be completely overlooked anyway. The state of heavy metal will in no way diminish as a result of this.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Insineratehymn Account deleted |
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by AiwiAstwihad on 20.01.2010 at 21:39 Acknowledging stupidity as anything but natural selection is just ironic. But it's true about people wanting to belong to a religion; it makes them feel unified, and strength can be found in numbers.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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