That video up there is the first episode of our new metal show, Heavy Dicks. In it, our valiant hosts Fred Pessaro and Jake Boyle join Weedeater's Dixie Dave to sample a well-curated selection of fine cough syrups and artisanal cheeses. When they got back, we hit up Fred to tell us what's going on with the show.Noisey: Hi Fred. So who are you guys anyway?
Fred Pessaro: I've been a writer, DJ, and photographer in various different incarnations for all of my life. Currently, I'm Editor-in-Chief at InvisibleOranges, Senior Writer at BrooklynVegan, DJ/Host on a radio show on East Village Radio, booker/promoter of gigs around the city, photographer at the aforementioned sites as well as places like NPR, Decibel, Terrorizer, VICE, and many other places. I've also written at places as varied as Time Out and even Fuse.Jake's viewpoint is less journalistic, but far more crucial. His experience as a back-patch-adorned, tattooed, worn-thin-Pentagram-shirt-wearing metal lifer is more important than any sort of bullshit resume I could give. Good music lives in the underground, and Jake and I have been part of that underground scene for years now.Plus, he's super handsome, has the best mustache in Brooklyn and can totally drink you under the table. I've got beer bong video of that to prove it.How did you become a metal fan?
After my early days following hair bands and the like, I found myself enthralled by youth-crew hardcore and straight edge. That phase didn't last long, but the DC music scene was pretty incredible. I still love Fugazi and much of Dischord, but eventually nothing felt "extreme enough." Then I came across Integrity, a hardcore band that dared to fuck with the dark side and dabble in metal riffs and imagery. From there it was punk-y metal bands and on into infinity. Bands like Slayer, Napalm Death, Cannibal Corpse, Mercyful Fate, Iron Maiden, Entombed, and of course Metallica all rearranged my head space.What's the concept behind Heavy Dicks?
Jake and I have been fans of metal for many years, but the thing that's always confused us is the rep that metalheads get as frightening people. In fact, its the opposite. Think back to high school. Most of the metal fans were usually painfully smart. We've always found those that devote their lives to metal to be affable, intelligent, and genuinely fun people, so we made Heavy Dicks to expose the very important side of their personality that most people cant see through all the tattoos and leather. This is a show about metalheads, musicians, and the people who make up our scene.So you're trying to save the reputation of metal heads.
Yeah. Metal isn't the frightening thing most people think it is. I'd say a lot of catharsis comes from putting on a Slayer record and cranking it to the top. That may be why metal guys are calm and respectful people as a whole. Ask any bar-owner or venue booker: metalheads are, more often than not, respectful of their surroundings.Yeah, you seem pretty nice. What kind of stuff will you be doing on Heavy Dicks?
We have some pretty fun episodes coming up with our friends in bands like Voivod, Saint Vitus, Neurosis, Pilgrim, and Black Tusk. We're doing some pretty hilarious shit. I'll leave some things to the imagination, but I'll leave you with two words—porn, and convention.
Fred Pessaro: I've been a writer, DJ, and photographer in various different incarnations for all of my life. Currently, I'm Editor-in-Chief at InvisibleOranges, Senior Writer at BrooklynVegan, DJ/Host on a radio show on East Village Radio, booker/promoter of gigs around the city, photographer at the aforementioned sites as well as places like NPR, Decibel, Terrorizer, VICE, and many other places. I've also written at places as varied as Time Out and even Fuse.
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After my early days following hair bands and the like, I found myself enthralled by youth-crew hardcore and straight edge. That phase didn't last long, but the DC music scene was pretty incredible. I still love Fugazi and much of Dischord, but eventually nothing felt "extreme enough." Then I came across Integrity, a hardcore band that dared to fuck with the dark side and dabble in metal riffs and imagery. From there it was punk-y metal bands and on into infinity. Bands like Slayer, Napalm Death, Cannibal Corpse, Mercyful Fate, Iron Maiden, Entombed, and of course Metallica all rearranged my head space.What's the concept behind Heavy Dicks?
Jake and I have been fans of metal for many years, but the thing that's always confused us is the rep that metalheads get as frightening people. In fact, its the opposite. Think back to high school. Most of the metal fans were usually painfully smart. We've always found those that devote their lives to metal to be affable, intelligent, and genuinely fun people, so we made Heavy Dicks to expose the very important side of their personality that most people cant see through all the tattoos and leather. This is a show about metalheads, musicians, and the people who make up our scene.So you're trying to save the reputation of metal heads.
Yeah. Metal isn't the frightening thing most people think it is. I'd say a lot of catharsis comes from putting on a Slayer record and cranking it to the top. That may be why metal guys are calm and respectful people as a whole. Ask any bar-owner or venue booker: metalheads are, more often than not, respectful of their surroundings.Yeah, you seem pretty nice. What kind of stuff will you be doing on Heavy Dicks?
We have some pretty fun episodes coming up with our friends in bands like Voivod, Saint Vitus, Neurosis, Pilgrim, and Black Tusk. We're doing some pretty hilarious shit. I'll leave some things to the imagination, but I'll leave you with two words—porn, and convention.