Entry Level: Persekutor Finds Metal Behind The Iron Curtain

September 29, 2020

Entry Level is a new series where musicians re-examine the records that piqued their interests in heavy and loud music as children and young adults.

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Editor’s Note: It was Vlad the Inhaler’s request that we do not edit his writing for comedic purposes.

Romania in 80s was not happy times. Everything is smelling like cigarette and farts. Ceaușescu is running country, making everybodies miserable. People maybe forgets that when Iron Curtain is falling, Romania is only country with violent overthrow of government. All other Soviet revolutions is peaceful. We was not so lucky.

Execution of Ceaușescu and wife is shown on state television when I am child. I remember seeing this at house of friend on day after Christmas, 1989—not live, but video recordination. We are listening to bootleg cassette of AC/DC Flick Of The Switch album in background. Was precious possession for we. “Rising Power” take on new meaning for us that day. Still one of favorite song.

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Scorpions is first heavy band to get music behind Iron Curtain in 80s. Older friend is maybe knowing guy with forbidden cassette, we all go listen to lyrics of Klaus Meine and mega riffs of Rudolf Schenker. “The Zoo,” “Another Piece Of Meat,” “The Sails Of Charon”… all these songs is classics for me.

I am having many happy memory of stumbling through forest with friends in teenage years, get drunks on Silva Dark and listening to heavy metal and punk musics on booming box. This is after Iron Curtain is falling so more musics is slowly becoming availables. Favorites for we? WASP, Motörhead, KISS, Venom, Celtic Frost… too many for namings.

WASP song “Animal (Fuck Like A Beast)” is still big time favorite. Blackie Lawless is singing, “I got pictures of naked ladies, lying on the bed” for opening line of song. Before I am moving to US and A, we are having naked pictures of famous Romanian actress Black Angelika in practice barn for maximum inspirations. I am not bringing with me to California, but maybe we are getting new naked fotografikations from Internet. The entire first WASP album is demanding this.

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Perhaps you are guessing from our musics that we are very much liking Venom. They are having killer songs and image yes, but also very big sense of humor. I am thinking these Norwegian black metal guys that is stabbing each other in head and burning church in early 90s is not understanding that Venom was just kidding about Satan worship stuff. Could be avoiding many problem and also prison if these guys is in on joke.

Point of story? Do not believe everything you are reading.

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