As some of you may know ... VH1 just recently wrapped up their Month of Metal programming (entire month of May). I had a chance to watch some great shows and relive some "rockin'" memories of my childhood. But perhaps the greatest gift of joy I received was the afternoon I had a chance to sit down with my grandfather and watch "Heavy" a documentary on the history of hard rock music. Let me preface by saying my grandfather is 80 years old and has lived his entire life in the Deep South.
The following is a transcript of our conversation this one particular afternoon.
ME: Poppi, I don't mean to wake you up from your nap but do you mind if I change the channel? I think your golf game is over.
POPPI: Sure, I don't mind.
ME: Do you know where your pants are? I think the nieces are coming over and Mom might want you to get dressed.
POPPI: I'll get them in a minute. Whaddya watching?
ME: It's some documentary on the origins of heavy metal music.
POPPI: Ah, you still listen to that garbage? I remember you used to have all those posters in your room.
ME: Yeah, that was a long time ago.
POPPI: Shoot, it sure seems like it was only yester...
(my grandfather is momentarily distracted by the television)
POPPI: Holy shit, is that guy playing the drums with only one arm?!
ME: Yeah, he's the drummer for Def Leppard.
POPPI: Who?
ME: Def Leppard.
POPPI: Who?
ME (louder): Def Leppard.
POPPI: Hell, now I've seen it all.*
*Apparently my grandfather equates the sight of a one-armed man playing drums in a rock band to a revolution within the culture of society (i.e. - the Civil Rights Movement). I apologize, Mr. Rick Allen, to you and your family.
