University of Huddersfield journalism teacher's book on heavy music nominated for award

In John’s opinion, heavy music began when The Beatles released Helter Skelter on what became known as the White Album in 1968.

“I am being slightly facetious when I say that Paul McCartney invented heavy music with Helter Skelter but you have to start somewhere,” he says. “There are similarities between Helter Skelter and a lot of Black Sabbath’s output from only a few months later, and there is even a krautrock vibe to it as it gets quite abstract in the middle. Nirvana producer Butch Vig says it’s the first grunge song.”

John veered into music journalism “as a distraction” while completing a PhD on 18th century history around a decade ago, and now shares his knowledge with music journalism students at the university.

For John, heavy music was a move away from the virtuoso-led music of guitar heroes like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Peter Green and Jimmy Page or the more whimsical psychedelia like The Beatles’ own Sgt Pepper... album towards an emphasis on feel and a ‘thicker’ sound.

“‘Heavy’ is a very broad church, there is no one way to define it,” says John. “In the book I say that ‘it is a combination of sonic power and sincere emotion of all kinds, and in various different genres, formed by those who value texture and density of sound above conventional technical prowess’.

“You did not have to be a technically-adept guitar god to create heavy music. A lot of the bands I cover revel in their simplicity, partly due to my own tastes. It is supposed to be the beginning of a conversation – it is not gospel.

“Some bands think they are heavy but when they get into the studio, it does not come out as heavy as they hoped. I touch on that struggle to catch that heaviness in the studio, compared to the concert hall with their chests out and the amps turned up to 11.”

While accounts of heavy metal have been written about a lot , it is not the case with “heavy music per se,” says John.

“I am flattered, honoured and delighted to be longlisted. You put a lot into a book, get it out there and you don’t really know how it is going to resonate or be received. I had some very nice reviews, and then this nomination really is the icing on the cake.”

Another nominated book is Ten Thousand Apologies by Adelle Stripe and Lias Saoudi. Adelle, who was born in York and lives in Calderdale, co-wrote the book with singer Saoudi about his band Fat White Family.

A shortlist for the prize is announced on March 13 and the winner revealed on March 27.