Mosh pits!

[helix]

that innocent indie-looking girl they have as a vocalist has a fucking brutal scream on her

Good lord, she's something special.

[alphacat]

fwiw a little history of mosh pits from a Geezer who was there...

In the beginning, there was something that the mainstream called Slam Dancing that happened at punk shows. However, it was just a spot on the floor at a show where people were really getting into it and expressing it physically with little pretense of "dancing" or anything so structured - people would pogo (jump up and down in place,) people would kind of flail around spastically... but if it got to be too much, you'd better believe it got checked, quick.

Punk evolved into hardcore (not to be confused with the electronic music of the same name) which had a decidedly even more aggressive attitude and ethic than punk did. The spot on the floor with all the nutjobs got that much nuttier. People started calling it "The Pit." It was still definitely anarchic though, with people bouncing off each other erratically.

Hardcore hybridized with metal: metal has a more regimented and structured - some would say fascist - ethic to it. The music's emphasis on intricate structure & stylistic prowess over melody and hooks are a direct reflection of this. People started "Moshing," which meant walking around in a circle instead of dancing or bouncing, and some of them would swing arms, throw elbows, and goosestep; they all walked in the same direction in the circle though. The change from slam dance to mosh pit was complete.

I saw all of this happen in the period from 1985 to 1990, pretty much.

[helix]

fwiw a little history of mosh pits from a Geezer who was there...

In the beginning, there was something that the mainstream called Slam Dancing that happened at punk shows. However, it was just a spot on the floor at a show where people were really getting into it and expressing it physically with little pretense of "dancing" or anything so structured - people would pogo (jump up and down in place,) people would kind of flail around spastically... but if it got to be too much, you'd better believe it got checked, quick.

Punk evolved into hardcore (not to be confused with the electronic music of the same name) which had a decidedly even more aggressive attitude and ethic than punk did. The spot on the floor with all the nutjobs got that much nuttier. People started calling it "The Pit." It was still definitely anarchic though, with people bouncing off each other erratically.

Hardcore hybridized with metal: metal has a more regimented and structured - some would say fascist - ethic to it. The music's emphasis on intricate structure & stylistic prowess over melody and hooks are a direct reflection of this. People started "Moshing," which meant walking around in a circle instead of dancing or bouncing, and some of them would swing arms, throw elbows, and goosestep; they all walked in the same direction in the circle though. The change from slam dance to mosh pit was complete.

I saw all of this happen in the period from 1985 to 1990, pretty much.

[crackf]

i drink juiceboxes in the mosh pit cus im a g

[alphacat]

[mercules]

what's so gangsterrr about those big ol' timberland boots? does it show that you're a working man or just good for stomping people?

when people are jumpin about, it stops them stampin on my toes

[AxeD]

I saw Breakage live once but he played quite some crap dubstep.

His productions are insane though.

[wubstep]

I'm pretty sure moshing existed before '85. You tryna tell me people stood there for the first few Slayer albums? Unlikely.

[hasezwei]

I'm pretty sure moshing existed before '85. You tryna tell me people stood there for the first few Slayer albums? Unlikely.

im sure it didnt look like this


human rotors

[alphacat]

I'm pretty sure moshing existed before '85. You tryna tell me people stood there for the first few Slayer albums? Unlikely.

OK, if you really wanna get all technical and shit...

the term "Mosh" supposedly came from HR of Bad Brains (who were Rastas and arguably the first Hardcore band) in '82 or '83. It's the same thing as "Mash" in patois, like 'we gwan mash down Babylon' - but people spelled it the way HR pronounced it.

And back then - when metal and punk were still separate - the metalheads did NOT slam dance, mosh, stage dive or anything like that, at least not in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1985. In fact, the "heshers" (longhair rocker types) hated that shit initially and reacted over-violently sometimes.

But not long afterwards the two scenes started merging and it was quick to follow. Supposedly Southern California metalheads adopted it first (San Francisco is in Northern California if you don't know) and Slayer's from SoCal, so.. possibly. But at metal shows here in 1985 the metalheads did a lot of headbanging and that was about it.

But hey, don't believe Grandpa Alphacat... ... see for yourself. Any moshing in these?







So there.

[crackf]

Moshing was invented in the mid 19th century by Soloment Kolser, vetinary merchant from east virginia

[wubstep]

I already know every single thing you've said in this thread, do not underestimate lol.

I just can't imagine people every stood still to thrash, you can only headbang for so long.

[bolsty]

I'm pretty sure moshing existed before '85. You tryna tell me people stood there for the first few Slayer albums? Unlikely.

im sure it didnt look like this


human rotors

this is more "hardcore dancing" although it's still mosh essentially. I use to get down like this when i was 15 odd, looking back on it, seems fucking stupid, but it was fun.

[kingGhost]

hardcore dancing was fun as shit back in the days... people used to get real ignorant. hardcore crews goin at each other, people gettin pulled off in stretchers... crazy stuff..

ah how the times have changed

[alphacat]

I already know every single thing you've said in this thread, do not underestimate lol.

I just can't imagine people every stood still to thrash, you can only headbang for so long.

Yeah, but my point is - do you see anybody doing anything more than headbanging in those videos? Or can you find a video pre-1985 of people doing the circular motion mosh thing?

Listening to Slayer makes me make my mean metal face, but nothing close to what happens when I listen to Celtic Frost (they have the best rock & roll grunts.)

[DZA]

I'm pretty sure moshing existed before '85. You tryna tell me people stood there for the first few Slayer albums? Unlikely.

im sure it didnt look like this


human rotors

wtf

[*grand*]

In holland mosh pits are all the rage. I won't lie, the best party this year at oi in may, I got involved and I had the most fun ever. It added another dimension to the vibe.

Xhea!

Grand

[*grand*]

i drink juiceboxes in the mosh pit cus im a g

Haha bad man!

Xhea!

Grand

[semr]

Breakage is a badman but last time i saw him he played bare shitty filth tunes like sweetshop n shit. was well dissapointed..

[knell]

I'm pretty sure moshing existed before '85. You tryna tell me people stood there for the first few Slayer albums? Unlikely.

im sure it didnt look like this


human rotors

wtf

thats retarded...

i used to like hardcore, sure... but who the fuck would want to go to a show where everyone is drunk and pretending to be a UFC fighter? i mean sure energy blah blah blah fun blah meatheads blah,

but seriously, i dont need a $3000 dentist bill or a broken elbow for just wanting to go see a band perform