Diabolus in Musica

Nobody can really say what the Devil is for sure, or if it even exists. Hardly my place to try to figure that out; people have been trying for centuries and haven't gotten anywhere new. For one reason or another, he's a very interesting character. What is it about the devil that peaks everybody's curiosity? I'd be willing to bet that it's his ability to challenge people and have us grow. Without the challenges and temptations that we face in our everyday lives, we would never learn anything, and we would never continue to grow. Without growth we don't live.

When I was a younger child, I was never a fan of music. While everybody else spent their money on CDs and the like, I was spending my money on video games. While other students were toiling after school at band practice, I was hanging out with the rest of my friend who didn't know what quarter note triplets were. I didn't care much about music because it was nothing special to me; I didn't have that song or that band that meant anything to me. That all changed in high school. I don't remember how I got exposed to it, but I remember the song that changed it all: "Peace Sells" by Megadeth. I was probably in one of my friend's house when we were listening to it after school. I had visions of flaming cars rushing down streets while demons chased after them condemning the city to hell. It was pretty creepy at the time, but a few weeks later I found myself seeking even more of that music that loomed in the back of my head. From then on, I found myself searching for similar musicians like Anthrax, Pantera, Slayer, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Black Sabbath.

They say that the biggest artistic influence that most people have for them is the environment where they grew up. Van Halen has very cheerful and upbeat songs because they grew up in the glitzy glamorous scene of Los Angeles. Black Sabbath had such a dark sound because they were born and raised in the gloomy bluffs of Birmingham, England. What does that say about the writer? Will a writer's environment dictate how he or she will write? For myself, I'd have to say that I would have never bothered to write anything that wasn't for school if it weren't for the places around me. Each day I'd drag myself out of bed to go to a school that I didn't care about to get an education I never wanted. It was amazing fuel for some of my writing. I only wish I had published some of those letters. Or put them in the bathroom like I was planning. I guess I'm thankful most of the places I enjoy the least. If it weren't for those places I wouldn't have so much to write about. Music is something that people can relate to. Sometimes kids take comfort in soft fluffy bunnies; sometimes they take comfort in evil demons and zombies. I was able to relate to Heavy Metal and it's devilish twist. Likewise, without those challenges for me face, I wouldn't be here today either.

Whatever it is that he does, he's doing it right.