Jörg Brüggemann’s Metalheads in Berlin
Apr 11th, 2012 by apartmentblogger
Listening to heavy metal has always been a controversial issue, especially because of this music’s connection to negative things, violence and, of course, Satan, the devil, Lucifer, or whatever word you prefer. Let’s get rid of these stereotypes once and for all. There’s no need for moms out there to worry because heavy metal music fans aren’t going to be made into devilish creatures by listening to King Diamond at midnight, they won’t sacrifice the cat for its blood, none of this type of thing.

The truth is that metalheads are one of most unified urban tribes on the planet. The heavy and fast riffs, the piercing, guttural vocals, the fast drums, and the technical guitar solos are what unite this type of rocker. Since the beginnings of hard rock, probably thanks to Cream, The Who, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, among others, the brotherhood of metal has become larger and larger.
For outsiders, heavy metal might seem unintelligent and full of noise, with grating vocals and without the least meaning. Technically speaking, however, metal is one of the most complicated and elaborate genres of music. With scales based in blues primarily, heavy metal accelerated the velocity of rock-n-roll as well as its decibels, making this type of music much more frontal and aggressive. From its start, metal has been modifying and evolving. From the best of Blue Cheer or MC5, who are excellent hard rockers, to the experimentation of Pelican or Emperor, it can be an adventure that is both rich and diverse.
The exhibition “Metalheads” which is being presented in the Gestalten Space in Berlin is the result of photographs taken by Jörg Brüggemann over the course of three years in locations all over the world. In these photographs Brüggemann portrays the global expansion of the metal phenomenon, which has existed some 40 years while managing to maintain its appeal among young people. It shows that there isn’t much difference between metalheads in Brazil or Egypt, for example, when it comes to looking at the attitudes they adopt in relation to the music, their passion and their dedication to their favorite musicians. One also can see the heavy metal style at festivals and concerts, which includes wearing leather clothing and tight jeans and sporting long hair and tattoos, something which identifies this brotherhood worldwide. If you want to discover the world that metalheads inhabit, visit the exhibition “Metalheads: The Global Brotherhood” and check out the exhibition catalogue, which is edited by Gestalten.
For more information: http://www.gestalten.com/space
Rent apartments in Berlin and discover the important underground and alternative rock scene there. If you’re a metalhead, Berlin offers lots of concerts and music stores where you can find everything you’re looking for to enhance your obscure collection.



















