FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF SOUND: VIGNETTES FROM THE BAY AREA THRASH METAL SCENE

Mosh, headbang, and stage dive deep into the historical, cultural, and psychological aspects of the underground thrash scene beginning circa 1982 in the San Francisco Bay Area. This story contextualizes the nascent scene by following the antics of four main characters who actively participated in the movement while growing up within a one-mile radius of each other in the Richmond District of San Francisco. Coming-of-age themes emerge in ghastly and comical ways.This book traces the birth of thrash metal by examining the influences of the genre in great detail, including European hard rock of the early to mid-1970s and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, or NWOBHM. Brief histories of NWOBHM bands are included, including bands whose fortunes were realized and many whose were not. Juxtaposed with thrash metal’s origins is the simultaneous story of the Glam Metal/Hair Metal scene emerging in the Los Angeles area.Arena and small-venue shows are discussed in detail, including important Bay Area shows instrumental in delivering novel sounds to scant groups of people, including Metallica’s early shows and the first San Francisco appearances by bands such as Slayer, Megadeth, Possessed, and Anthrax. Local Bay Area band Exodus is featured throughout and compared to the Big 4 of Thrash. A listening guide is included for readers who would like to explore the content further. Read more