Brian Slagel
Encyclopedia
Brian Slagel is the owner and founder of Metal Blade Records
. Slagel is known for giving Metallica
their first break in 1982, with an appearance on Metal Massacre, a compilation album on Metal Blade, and has since released seminal albums by Slayer
, Mercyful Fate
, Cannibal Corpse
, Fates Warning
, Amon Amarth
and The Black Dahlia Murder, among others.
, began working at a rock record store, Oz Records, as a teenager. With the New Wave of British Heavy Metal
sweeping the underground metal scene, bands such as Iron Maiden
, Def Leppard
and Diamond Head
were virtually unknown in the US, outside of the tape trading underground. Slagel began importing NWOBHM records, and noticing a public interest in European metal, organized one of the first metal fanzine
s, The New Heavy Metal Revue. As the fanzine started to pick up steam, Slagel began working as a columnist for Kerrang!
, Sounds Magazine, and other music publications.
In 1982, Slagel organized the release of a compilation album
, featuring all local Los Angeles metal bands, called The New Heavy Metal Revue Presents Metal Massacre. The album featured the first recordings of Ratt
, Steeler
, Malice
, Avatar
, Cirith Ungol
, Bitch
and Metallica
. The album quickly sold all 5,000 copies that were printed, and led to a distribution deal with Enigma Records
in 1983. Slagel founded Metal Blade Records
in 1983, and released albums by Warlord, Bitch
, Armored Saint
and Slayer
's Show No Mercy, which sold 40,000 copies worldwide.
Metal Blade quickly expanded, signing bands such as Trouble
, Flotsam and Jetsam
, GWAR
, Sacred Reich
, and Corrosion of Conformity
, and although the label's roster expanded, Slagel ran the company alone until 1988.
With heavy metal's popularity exploding in the late 1980s, many Metal Blade artists began moving to major labels. After the expiration of their distribution deal with Enigma Records, Metal Blade entered a partnership with Warner Bros. Records
, who would distribute and market some of the independent label's releases, but Warner was soon bought by Time, Inc, and incorporated into WEA
. At the same time, Body Count
's "Cop Killer", also released on WEA, was causing controversy, and after public backlash, the band was dropped from WEA. Following Body Count's troubles, WEA introduced new policies regarding controversial lryics, and attempted to censor GWAR
's America Must Be Destroyed
. Not wanting to compromise the artistic integrity of any Metal Blade acts, WEA and Slagel parted ways in 1992, with Metal Blade giving WEA the Goo Goo Dolls
, and receiving a distribution deal with RED Distribution
.
Today, Metal Blade remains one of the top independent heavy metal record labels, with a current roster of over 30 bands.
Brian also appeared in the documentary
film Metal: A Headbanger's Journey
, concerning the album bans of Cannibal Corpse
in multiple countries.
Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...
. Slagel is known for giving Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
their first break in 1982, with an appearance on Metal Massacre, a compilation album on Metal Blade, and has since released seminal albums by Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
, Mercyful Fate
Mercyful Fate
Mercyful Fate was a Danish heavy metal band from Copenhagen. Initially active from 1981 to 1985, they reunited in 1992. The band went on hiatus again in 2000, when frontman King Diamond decided to continue his solo career...
, Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band from Buffalo, New York. Formed in 1988, the band has released eleven studio albums, one box set, and one live album...
, Fates Warning
Fates Warning
Fates Warning is an American progressive metal band, formed in 1982 by vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase, and drummer Steve Zimmerman in Hartford, Connecticut. Fates Warning has experienced numerous line-up changes...
, Amon Amarth
Amon Amarth (band)
Amon Amarth is a Swedish viking metal band from Tumba, Sweden founded in 1992, and takes its name from the Sindarin translation of Mount Doom, a location in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. The band comprises vocalist Johan Hegg, guitarists Olavi Mikkonen and Johan Söderberg, bassist Ted Lundström...
and The Black Dahlia Murder, among others.
Biography
Slagel grew up in Woodland Hills, California, and with an early love of heavy musicHeavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, began working at a rock record store, Oz Records, as a teenager. With the New Wave of British Heavy Metal
New Wave of British Heavy Metal
The New Wave of British Heavy Metal was a heavy metal movement that started in the late 1970s, in Britain, and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. The movement developed as a reaction in part to the decline of early heavy metal bands such as Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Black...
sweeping the underground metal scene, bands such as Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
and Diamond Head
Diamond Head (band)
Diamond Head are an English heavy metal band formed in 1976 in Stourbridge, England. The band is recognised as one of the leading members of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and is acknowledged by later bands like Metallica and Megadeth as an important early influence.-Early history:Formed by...
were virtually unknown in the US, outside of the tape trading underground. Slagel began importing NWOBHM records, and noticing a public interest in European metal, organized one of the first metal fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
s, The New Heavy Metal Revue. As the fanzine started to pick up steam, Slagel began working as a columnist for Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
, Sounds Magazine, and other music publications.
In 1982, Slagel organized the release of a compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, featuring all local Los Angeles metal bands, called The New Heavy Metal Revue Presents Metal Massacre. The album featured the first recordings of Ratt
Ratt
Ratt is an American heavy metal band that had significant commercial success in the 1980s. The band is best known for songs such as "Round and Round," "Wanted Man," "Lay It Down," "You're in Love", "Slip of the Lip", "Back For More", "Dance", "Body Talk", "I Want a Woman", and "Way Cool Jr." Ratt...
, Steeler
Steeler
Steeler was an early 1980s American heavy metal band from Nashville. Band members included: Ron Keel on vocals and guitar, Michael Dunigan on lead guitar, Bobby Eva on drums and Tim Morrison on bass. In 1982, they released the single Cold Day in Hell....
, Malice
Malice
Malice may refer to:* Malice , a legal term describing the intent to harm* Jerry Tuite , American professional wrestler also known by the ring name Malice-Entertainment:...
, Avatar
Avatar
In Hinduism, an avatar is a deliberate descent of a deity to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"....
, Cirith Ungol
Cirith Ungol (band)
Cirith Ungol was a Californian heavy metal band who formed in 1972 and split up in May 1992. They drew influences from other metal groups such as Black Sabbath and Thin Lizzy, as well as Iggy and the Stooges...
, Bitch
Bitch (band)
Bitch is a female-fronted American heavy metal band, formed in Los Angeles in December 1980. They gained notoriety as a result of their theatrical live performances inspired by Alice Cooper, which featured tongue-in-cheek sadomasochistic themes...
and Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
. The album quickly sold all 5,000 copies that were printed, and led to a distribution deal with Enigma Records
Enigma Records
Enigma Records was a popular rock and alternative American record label in the 1980s. It was initially a division of Greenworld Distribution, an independent music importer/distributor, which it split-off from in 1985 to become its own company...
in 1983. Slagel founded Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...
in 1983, and released albums by Warlord, Bitch
Bitch (band)
Bitch is a female-fronted American heavy metal band, formed in Los Angeles in December 1980. They gained notoriety as a result of their theatrical live performances inspired by Alice Cooper, which featured tongue-in-cheek sadomasochistic themes...
, Armored Saint
Armored Saint
-Early career:Armored Saint was formed in 1982 by brothers Phil Sandoval and Gonzo Sandoval , and guitarist David Prichard, while attending South Pasadena High School. Next to join were singer John Bush also a South Pasadena High School Alumni and bassist Joey Vera...
and Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
's Show No Mercy, which sold 40,000 copies worldwide.
Metal Blade quickly expanded, signing bands such as Trouble
Trouble (band)
Trouble is an American doom metal band noted as one of the pioneers of their genre, alongside bands such as Candlemass and Saint Vitus. The band created a distinct style taking influences of the British heavy metal bands Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, and psychedelic rock of the 1970s...
, Flotsam and Jetsam
Flotsam and Jetsam (band)
Flotsam and Jetsam is a thrash metal band that formed in Phoenix, Arizona in 1982.-1981-1986: The beginning:The band's original name was "Paradox" founded by Drummer Kelly David-Smith and two other guitarists, until 1982 when bassist Jason Newsted joined. Jason had come to Phoenix with his band...
, GWAR
GWAR
Gwar is a satirical heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia, United States, in 1984. The band is best known for its elaborate science fiction/horror film inspired costumes, obscene lyrics and graphic stage performances, which feature humorous enactments of politically and morally taboo...
, Sacred Reich
Sacred Reich
Sacred Reich is a Phoenix, Arizona-based thrash metal band that formed in 1985. Singer/songwriter Phil Rind's interest was in socially conscious and political speed metal. After several records on Metal Blade Records, they signed to Hollywood Records for a short stint, but later returned to Metal...
, and Corrosion of Conformity
Corrosion of Conformity
Corrosion of Conformity is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina formed in 1982. For almost the majority of its existence, the band has consisted of guitarist Woody Weatherman, bassist Mike Dean , drummer Reed Mullin and vocalist and rhythm...
, and although the label's roster expanded, Slagel ran the company alone until 1988.
With heavy metal's popularity exploding in the late 1980s, many Metal Blade artists began moving to major labels. After the expiration of their distribution deal with Enigma Records, Metal Blade entered a partnership with Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
, who would distribute and market some of the independent label's releases, but Warner was soon bought by Time, Inc, and incorporated into WEA
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
. At the same time, Body Count
Body Count
Body Count is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1990. The group is fronted by rapper and actor Ice-T, who founded the group out of his interest in heavy metal music, taking on the role of vocalist and writing the lyrics for most of the group's songs. Lead guitarist...
's "Cop Killer", also released on WEA, was causing controversy, and after public backlash, the band was dropped from WEA. Following Body Count's troubles, WEA introduced new policies regarding controversial lryics, and attempted to censor GWAR
GWAR
Gwar is a satirical heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia, United States, in 1984. The band is best known for its elaborate science fiction/horror film inspired costumes, obscene lyrics and graphic stage performances, which feature humorous enactments of politically and morally taboo...
's America Must Be Destroyed
America Must Be Destroyed
-Line-up:*Dave Brockie – Lead vocals*Pete Lee – Lead guitar, backing vocals tour only*Mike Derks – Lead guitar, Rhythm guitar, backing vocals...
. Not wanting to compromise the artistic integrity of any Metal Blade acts, WEA and Slagel parted ways in 1992, with Metal Blade giving WEA the Goo Goo Dolls
Goo Goo Dolls
The Goo Goo Dolls are a Grammy-nominated American rock band formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York, by vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik and vocalist and bass guitarist Robby Takac. Since the end of 1994, Mike Malinin has been the band's drummer, a position previously held by George Tutuska...
, and receiving a distribution deal with RED Distribution
RED Distribution
RED - An Artist Development Company is a Sony Music Entertainment-owned sales and marketing division that handles releases for over sixty independent record labels....
.
Today, Metal Blade remains one of the top independent heavy metal record labels, with a current roster of over 30 bands.
Brian also appeared in the documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
film Metal: A Headbanger's Journey
Metal: A Headbanger's Journey
Metal: A Headbanger's Journey is a 2005 documentary directed by Sam Dunn with Scot McFadyen and Jessica Wise. The film follows 31-year-old Dunn, a Canadian anthropologist, who has been a heavy metal fan since the age of 12...
, concerning the album bans of Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band from Buffalo, New York. Formed in 1988, the band has released eleven studio albums, one box set, and one live album...
in multiple countries.