Just had a Metallica-based Flashback…

by John M. Ellison IV

I haven’t really done a personal story in awhile. Luckily, I have these in the midst of while working on features. I enjoy sharing these anecdotes because hopefully this kind of gives you a clue of who I am. I’ve told this story a few times. But, I haven’t shared it online…well maybe on a forum or two. I forget, anyway…

When I was in my early teens, around the holiday season I was sitting in the car waiting for my mom to finish shopping and during this time frame, I was becoming more acquainted with local rock station DC 101 and 98 Rock. Anyway, these two older gentlemen were loudly playing their respected music. Nothing unparticular, it was just the usual old school soul of their era and the other guy was playing some gospel. This elevated into a playful battle of the sounds. Which was cool, but don’t forget that the car I’m parked in between these guys with hulking sound systems.

Don’t get me wrong, I dig everything musically and the music wasn’t bad and would’ve enjoyed it as well, but I just wasn’t in that kind of headspace at the moment.

Anyway, the music gets louder and I’m slowly getting kind of annoyed. Interesting enough, on my end the intro to “Enter Sandman” by Metallica is playing. Anyway, I slowly cranked it up until it was audible outside of the car. I EQ’d the setting so the treble and bass were balanced to get that perfect thump of of Lars’s heavy drumming and I’m thrashing about in a goofy manner playing up the head banger stereotype. Then, by the first chorus of Hetfield bellowing “EXIT LIGHT/ENTER NIGHT!”, they had this look of confusion and shock for some reason, anyway those dudes peeled out. The thumping “evil disco” drums must’ve done it.

Honestly, it makes me wonder what would’ve have happened if I was bumping “Hammer, Smash, Face” by Cannibal Corpse.