Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I need your help guys. I'm a grade 7 - 8 school teacher and I am teaching music this year. We've been lucky to get a class set of acoustics and I'm going to be doing some basic guitar, using recording/overdubbing/loops. I'm really looking forward to this. In addition, I need to cover "music appreciation." In the past, when I've taught music to younger kids (grades 4 and 5), I've always covered off this part of the curriculum by exposing the kids to a whole range of different music. A couple years ago, I even had the kids doing mini- drama productions to Close to the Edge which was a blast. The kids loved it. Anyway, this year, I'm going to start each class by taking about 10 minutes to play them a tune from a different genre and have them respond to these pieces - identifying instruments, telling me one thing they like about the music, one thing they don't like, etc. I'm trying to get as wide a range as possible in what they hear, and each day I'm trying to throw radically different stuff at them. So far, I have artists like Chet Baker, Frank Zappa, Oscar Peterson, Chopin, Nirvana, Flatt and Scruggs, Lennon, Beatles, The Ramones, The Pogues, Bob Marley, Buddy Holly, Klezmer music, a tune from JC Superstar, Grandmaster Flash, Johnny Cash, King Crimson. I'm trying to get a wide range of stuff, regardless of my own tastes.I don't know a lot about metal but I'd like to get a couple selections. I would need something, obviously, that's fairly clean, lyrically. I don't want any flak from parents!  This doesn't mean that the lyrics have to be sanitized but they should be free from profanity anyway. I would also like to get music by artists that have been influential in the genre -maybe cutting edge pioneers and the like. Or, bands that typify the genre. I know fairly little about metal so I was hoping you guys could recommend something to me. The obvious names that jumped to mind were bands like Sabbath or Metallica. I've even heard Zeppelin classed as one of the first metal bands (though I'm not sure I'd agree with that). Anyway, any recommendations?

Mr. Stubby,
I as well, am in the classroom with today's youth. What a tough gig! I've been thinking about this for awhile and have a few considerations, although, some may not be classified as heavy metal today, but hard rock. Regardless...here goes...
Metallica--take your pick c.d.
Alice Cooper--non death or morbid songs apply...Billion Dollar Babies album, Killer/You Drive Me Nervous, Clones!
Kiss--Dressed to Kill album...take your pick of songs! Also, Deuce off Kiss Alive--best opening of all time? Comments?
Judas Priest--Hot Rockin'
Def Leppard--High and Dry album...loads of good music!
Nugent--Stormtroopin', any other non-chasin' poontang riffs!
Stone Temple Pilots--Core c.d.
Soundgarden--Superunknown
Alice in Chains--Dirt c.d., but may be too death/drugs influenced...worth a listen, you decide.

Again, many of these will be classified as metal, hard rock, alternative rock, etc., but all up for consideration.
Strange Ways off Kiss Hotter Then Hell--Brutally powerful, but the album may not make it into your classroom. Ace at his best!
Good luck friend...wisdom!

Try some rebetika music. The songs are all about drinking, drugging, and debauchery but unless your kids speak Greek they'll never know. It's a fascinating mix of east and west influences from the 30's and my personal favorite folk music genre.
Good way to get 'em to class on time, your idea.

...and one to grow on...
Man on the Silver Mountain by Rainbow!
Great song that deserved a Paul!

Thanks for your recommendations everyone. I'm going to start hunting for some of these.