1. Remember that music reinforces verbal retention. The messages of com-
mercial advertisers are more easily retained in our memory because they
are set into a musical context. If you can still recall "See the USA
in your Chevrolet," (assuming you are old enough to remember it from
30 years ago!), we can conclude that the message was firmly stored in
your subconscious for later retrieval. Similarly, heavy metal lyrics,
especially "hook lines" like "We're not gonna take it anymore," or
"Lick it up," or "Eat me alive" are going to be stored in the current
teenager's subconscious. The teen may or may not act upon this in-
formation, but we can be relatively certain that the mind has stored
it away for future reference.
2. We said that repetition reinforces the message. With heavy metal, there
are two kinds of repetition. I refer to them as primary and secondary
repetition. Primary repetition is integral to a given song per se.
Catchy hook lines are repeated over and over within a song. For example,
in "Lick It Up" by KISS, the hook line (the title) is repeated thirty
times in this four-minute piece. That's an average of one time every
eight seconds. If I were to repeat a short message to you thirty times
in the next four minutes, I'll bet you would remember it for quite a
while! And remember that as an additional retention aid, the hook line
is set to music. The hook line (and title) "Eat Me Alive" by Judas
Priest is repeated eighteen times in 3½ minutes. Twisted Sister's line
"We're Not Gonna Take It" is repeated 24 times in three minutes and
forty seconds. Let's face it: you never beard "See the USA in your
Chevrolet" that often, yet your subconscious can still retrieve it.
Secondary repetition is more elusive. Adults often have difficulty
understanding the words to heavy metal rock songs. And guess what!
So do the kids. But they are determined to grasp every profound
nugget of wisdom their heavy metal mentors spew forth! So they put
on headphones and play the songs over and over, for hours if necessary,
in order to decipher the words. Often they write them down in note-
books. In the process, more repetitive listening reinforces the
message even further.
3. Recall that coordinated multi-sensory input also reinforces messages.
The message of heavy metal music bombards our senses from every direc-
tion. The album covers display Satanic symbols, portrayals of violence,
open and free sex, and angry defiance. The names of the groups, the
song titles, the names of the performers (e.g., Blackie Lawless),
the words of the songs, and the liner notes reinforce one or more of
the basic themes. The facial expressions, the hair, the clothes all
contribute to the same messages. The videos and the histrionic antics
of the live stage performance add a strong visual impact. The light
shows, the smoke devices, and the sheer volume add impact. One can
literally feel the music at a live concert, as the rib cage vibrates
with every beat. Heavy metal is a media expert's dream-come-true.
If the youngsters at the live concert happen to be smoking marijuana
(as a great many do), please add the senses of smell and taste. That
about rounds out all five senses: you hear it, you see it, you feel
it, you taste it, and you smell it!
4. As mentioned earlier, "exclusionary" input enhances the impact of a
message. The phenomenon usually results from the parents' yelling
for the teenager to "turn it down," or "turn it off," or "go to your
room to listen to that stuff!" Often, they do just that. They go to
their rooms, and put on the headphones (volume up, of course). When
that happens, exclusionary input takes over. Now all distracting or
competing input is blocked out. The heavy metal becomes the sole point
of concentration. Now the teenager's mind need not be distracted by
dishes rattling in the kitchen, little brother watching sitcoms in the
next room, the dog barking, or even the telephone ringing (now that's
a problem!). Literally, they can't hear it thunder! But heavy metal
now has a direct, unfettered freeway straight into the mind.
|