Why do metal musicians go classical?

Underscore

Sean Hayward, a composer/guitarist with roots in extreme metal, illustrates the intersections between metal and classical music, shares his love for Javanese gamelan, and gives us his top metal recommendations for newbies. Then, we watch a viral music video and discuss whether expensive instruments truly sound better than cheap ones.

Playlist

Here is a Spotify playlist to pair with Underscore episode #1! Co-hosts Chrysanthe and Thomas collaborated with guest Sean Hayward to curated these tracks with love, based on the conversations, guest, recs, and vibes of this episode.

Guest

Sean Hayward, a composer / guitarist with roots in extreme metal, talks to us about why so many metal musicians are attracted to classical music, getting involved in Javanese gamelan, and more.

• Echoes of the Old World by William Kanengiser
• The Black Moon EP by Sean Hayward. (Bandcamp / Spotify)
• S&M Album by Metallica, live with San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. (iTunes / Spotify)
• Metal and metal-inspired artists to check out: Opeth, Emperor, Nick Vasallo, Ulrich Krieger

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Lightning Round Questions

• What genre is your music?
  Quasi-minimalist music for an Indonesian haunted house
• Performance ritual?
  Brushing his hair in the car before the show.
• A modern/technological tool that’s extremely helpful to your practice?
  Amazon Echo.
• A failure that turned out for the best?
  When he broke a nail during a performance, which convinced him to start getting fake nails.
• Something besides music that you’re obsessed with right now?
  Breakfast tacos.
• A piece of art that changed your life?
  The Jejune Institute. There’s a documentary about it called The Institute.

Counterpoint

In which Chrysanthe, Thomas, and Sean watch a viral video and debate whether the monetary value of an instrument really matters.

• Video: Can You Hear the Difference Between a $500 and a $160,000 Violin Bow?
• Stradivarius test article: Million-dollar Strads fall to modern violins in blind 'sound check'.

Something Old

Whale Music (Remixed) (iTunes / Spotify)

Something New

Disney Parks episode on Twenty Thousand Hertz podcast.

Something Borrowed

Clapping Music App (iOS), a fun, addictive game based on the Steve Reich clapping piece of the same name.

Something Blue

12 Bit Blues by Kid Koala.

Music featured in the episode

• Playground Day by Chrysanthe Tan (iTunes / Spotify)
• Ameles Potamos by Sean Hayward (Soundcloud)
• 2 Bit Blues by Kid Koala (iTunes / Spotify)

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Connect

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