The genre that I am presenting for my presentation is progressive metal. Progressive metal is a very interesting genre because it is a fusion genre that combines heavy metal aspects and progressive rock aspects. This genre of music is very well-known to be complex musically. This genre can basically use any instrument you can think of because since this genre of music is so complex musically that anything could fit in. Progressive metal isn’t a genre that really uses any screaming like a lot of metal is. Progressive metal really focuses on the musical aspects when it comes to crazy time signatures, long songs, and the use of many instruments. Progressive metal is very guitar driven so when you listen to this genre, the guitar is the one instrument that really stands out because it’s always kind of in your face when you’re listening to it. Some progressive metal bands include, Dream Theater, Trivium, Animals as Leaders, Haken, Iron Maiden, Mastodon, and Queensrÿche.

Progressive metal started to emerge in the late 1980’s with bands coming in like Dream Theater, Queensrÿche, and Tool, but didn’t really start to get popular until the 1990’s. I was introduced to the progressive metal genre when I was about 12-13 years old when I first started learning how to play the drums when I heard Dream Theater’s biggest hit, “Pull Me Under.” This is basically the only song that Dream Theater got famous from because it was a very energetic song that was playing on the radio many times a day back in the 1990’s. When I first heard “Pull Me Under,” I was very impressed with the musicality that this band brought to this song because it was very complex drumming, guitar driving, high singing, intense keyboard and bass playing. From there I started to listen to more Dream Theater and more progressive metal bands like Iron Maiden and Queensrÿche because I was still in that phase of the 1980’s hair metal bands when it came to myself learning how to play drums. My dad was a drummer also who taught me all the basics and he was big into the hair metal bands and that’s what he got me into when I first started. Once I learned all the basics, I pushed myself to learn this complex genre of progressive metal. Progressive metal music is a huge influence on me being a drummer and that’s the reason why I will be presenting on this genre of music.

Hello!

The megastar that I chose to nominate and talk about from the 1980’s is Bret Michaels. I have always been a fan of Bret Michaels for many reasons I will be sharing.

The first reason why I have always been a fan of Bret Michaels is because he is a local dude from the Pittsburgh area where I am from. He comes out of Butler, Pennsylvania and every time I’ve seen him perform live he is always repping the Pittsburgh home teams from wearing a Steelers jersey or a Penguins jersey. I can definitely respect a man for repping the home teams during their shows.

The second reason why I have always been a fan of Bret Michaels is because his band he was known for being in, Poison, has always been one of my favorite hair metal groups from the 1980’s. I love just about every Poison song because Bret’s voice is very unique from other groups from the 1980’s, and their music is so good! He always had this kind of country look to him when performing with his cowboy hat, but what made him look like a hair metal singer was the leather that he would wear with the cowboy hat. I have seen Poison play at First Niagara Pavilion (now Keybank Pavilion) a few times and they put on one hell of a show. The energy that Bret Michaels and the rest of Poison bring out when they perform gets the crowds hyped and certainly gets me hyped.

The third reason why I have always been a fan of Bret Michaels is because even today, since Poison doesn’t play as much as they used to, he formed his own band going as a solo artist. This band that he formed going as a solo artist plays nothing else but Poison songs. It’s basically seeing Poison perform except it’s not the original musicians. Poison is still together today as they are currently on tour with Def Leppard and Tesla, but when Poison isn’t on tour, Bret Michaels is still out doing what he loves and that is performing for people playing Poison songs. I actually got the chance last year to see Bret Michael’s band play at a place called Jergel’s. It was cool seeing him play there because I’ve played there a few times with my band so it’s cool to know that I’ve performed on that same stage as Bret Michaels.

I certainly have some respect for most artists of the 1980’s because that’s when music was so good back then in my opinion, but Bret Michaels was the one that sparked the most to me because of personal experience seeing him live multiple times and what he brings to the table when he is out there giving people a show to remember.