Martin Popoff

Last updated

Martin Popoff (born April 28, 1963) [1] is a Canadian music journalist, critic and author. He is mainly known for writing about heavy metal music. The senior editor and co-founder of Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles , he has written over twenty books that both critically evaluate heavy metal and document its history. He has been called "heavy metal's most widely recognized journalist" by his publisher. [2]

Contents

Career

Born in Castlegar, British Columbia, Popoff's interest in heavy metal began as a youth in Trail, British Columbia, in the early 1970s, when bands such as Led Zeppelin and Iron Butterfly were in the collections of the older brothers and cousins of Popoff and his friends. Black Sabbath played even heavier music, and became the group his circle of friends thought of as "our band, not the domain of our elders". [3] Other heavy rock albums of the era, such as Nazareth's Razamanaz and Kiss' Hotter than Hell , further shaped his emerging musical tastes. Angel City and April Wine were among Popoff's favourite bands as a teenager. [4]

Of popular music magazines around at the time, Popoff recalls being a regular reader of Circus , Hit Parader , and later, " Kerrang! blew our minds." He does not identify any specific writers as being particularly influential on his own writing style, saying "it never registered who wrote what." [4]

Popoff received a BA in English from the University of Victoria in 1984 and an MBA in marketing at McMaster University in 1987, working for Xerox before co-owning a print brokering company. [1] For a while in the 1980s, he also played drums in a bar band called Torque. In 1993, he released his first book, the independently published Riff Kills Man!: 25 Years of Recorded Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, a collection of 1,942 critical reviews of heavy metal records. [5] Shortly after its publication, he co-founded Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles , which released its first issue in 1994. He soon returned to his reviews book, releasing a revised and expanded version in 1997 titled The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal, which almost doubled the original book's number of reviews to 3,650. [5] In the book, he identifies three major stages in the early development of heavy metal. The first stage, "invention", took place in 1970 with the release of Deep Purple in Rock coinciding with debut albums from Black Sabbath and Uriah Heep. Stage two, "re-invention", occurred in 1976 with Judas Priest's Sad Wings of Destiny . The third stage, "re-intensification", happened in 1984 with the release of Metallica's Ride the Lightning . [6] The 1997 Collector's Guide received positive reviews from critics, [7] [8] with Johnny Walker of Addicted to Noise dubbing the book "the definitive guide to hard rock / heavy metal and its many related sub-genres". [5]

In the 2000s Popoff revised and expanded his Collector's Guide one more time, splitting it up by decade into three separate volumes comprising a total of 6,763 albums spanning three decades of heavy metal. [9] Volume 3: The Nineties was published in 2007. Volume 4: The '00s, published in 2011, was co-written between Popoff and fellow Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles writer David Perri. [10]

Popoff has stated that he considers the greatest record of all time to be Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti , followed by Black Sabbath's Sabotage . [11] He has also named Queen's self-titled debut as his personal favourite record of all time, [12] and often regards Max Webster as his all-time favourite band. [13] Newer groups that Popoff has spoken highly of include Mastodon, Opeth, Lamb of God and Dark Tranquillity. [14] [15] His Collector's Guide became rather notorious in some circles of rock fans for a particularly scathing review of Def Leppard's worldwide smash hit glam metal album Hysteria , to which he awarded a score of zero out of ten. Popoff continues to defend his opinion of it years later, citing "just awful production, lyrics, singing, clichés of every musical and lyrical sort." [16]

A number of Popoff's other books are biographies of notable metal bands, including Black Sabbath in Doom Let Loose and Dio in Light Beyond the Black. While the biographies are usually not officially authorized, a large amount of research consists of interviews between Popoff and members of each band. Popoff has said of his relationship with his subjects: "I censor myself because I don't want to write something to hurt people. You write a book on Sabbath and you don’t want to write something to hurt (their) families - I love those guys." [17] A Judas Priest biography, Heavy Metal Painkillers, was published in 2007.

In 2014, Popoff stated that he is working on a new book, entitled Who Invented Heavy Metal? [18] In March 2015, Popoff told Metal Shock Finland's chief editor Mohsen Fayyazi that he had finished writing the book and it will be published in approximately a month's time. [19]

Popoff is a reviewer for BangerTV [20] and also appears frequently on the many shows featured on the YouTube channel of music publication Sea of Tranquility.

Personal life

Popoff lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Partial bibliography

Collector's Guide series

Ye Olde Metal series

Rock biographies

Miscellaneous

Related Research Articles

<i>Blues for the Red Sun</i> 1992 studio album by Kyuss

Blues for the Red Sun is the second studio album by American rock band Kyuss, released in 1992. While the album received mainly favorable reviews, it fared poorly commercially, selling only 39,000 units. It has since become a very influential album within the stoner rock genre. It was the last Kyuss album to feature bassist Nick Oliveri, who was replaced by Scott Reeder shortly after recording had been completed. The album is dedicated to Oliveri's father who died in a car accident in 1991.

"War Pigs" is an anti-war protest song by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1970. It is the opening track from the band's second studio album Paranoid (1970).

<i>Born Again</i> (Black Sabbath album) 1983 album by Black Sabbath

Born Again is the eleventh studio album by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Released on 12 September 1983, it is the only album the group recorded with lead vocalist Ian Gillan, best known for his work with Deep Purple. It was also the last Black Sabbath album for nine years to feature original bassist Geezer Butler and the last to feature original drummer Bill Ward, though Ward did record a studio track with the band fifteen years later on their 1998 live album Reunion. The album has received mixed reviews from critics, but was a commercial success upon its 1983 release, reaching No. 4 in the UK charts. The album also hit the top 40 in the United States. In July 2021, guitarist and founding member Tony Iommi confirmed that the long lost original master tapes of the album had been finally located, and that he was considering remixing the album for a future re-release.

<i>Extreme II: Pornograffitti</i> 1990 studio album by Extreme

Extreme II: Pornograffitti is the second studio album by the heavy metal band Extreme, released on August 7, 1990, through A&M Records. The album title is a portmanteau of pornography and graffiti.

<i>Shades of a Blue Orphanage</i> 1972 studio album by Thin Lizzy

Shades of a Blue Orphanage is the second studio album by Irish rock band Thin Lizzy, released in 1972. The title is a combination of the members' previous bands: Shades of Blue and Orphanage.

<i>Sad Wings of Destiny</i> 1976 studio album by Judas Priest

Sad Wings of Destiny is the second studio album by English heavy metal band Judas Priest, released on 26 March 1976 by Gull Records. It is considered the album on which Judas Priest consolidated their sound and image, and songs from it such as "Victim of Changes" and "The Ripper" have since become live standards. It was the band's only album to feature drummer Alan Moore.

<i>Under Lock and Key</i> 1985 studio album by Dokken

Under Lock and Key is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Dokken, released on November 22, 1985, through Elektra Records. The album reached No. 32 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and remained on that chart for 67 weeks. Two singles also charted: "The Hunter" and "In My Dreams", both reaching No. 25 and 24 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock respectively, with "In My Dreams" at No. 77 on the Billboard Hot 100. Under Lock and Key was certified Gold on March 4, 1986, and Platinum on April 14, 1987.

<i>Fire of Unknown Origin</i> 1981 studio album by Blue Öyster Cult

Fire of Unknown Origin is the eighth studio album by the American rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released on June 22, 1981. It was produced by Martin Birch.

<i>Destroy Erase Improve</i> 1995 studio album by Meshuggah

Destroy Erase Improve is the second studio album by Swedish extreme metal band Meshuggah. It was released on 12 May 1995 by Nuclear Blast. This is the first studio album to feature rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström and the final to feature bassist Peter Nordin, as he left the band during the supporting tour due to vertigo.

<i>Wings of Tomorrow</i> 1984 studio album by Europe

Wings of Tomorrow is the second studio album by the Swedish rock band Europe. It was released on 24 February 1984, by Hot Records in Sweden, and by Epic Records in the United States. Wings of Tomorrow is the last album to feature drummer Tony Reno.

<i>Europe</i> (Europe album) 1983 studio album by Europe

Europe is the debut studio album by Swedish heavy metal band Europe, released on 14 March 1983 by Hot Records.

<i>The Revölution by Night</i> 1983 studio album by Blue Öyster Cult

The Revölution by Night is the ninth studio album by American rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released on November 8, 1983. The album was intended to capitalize on the success of Fire of Unknown Origin two years prior, hence the blend of straight-ahead rock and pop elements. This was the first BÖC album not to feature all of the band's classic members, drummer Albert Bouchard having been fired during the previous tour and replaced by roadie Rick Downey.

<i>Inferno: Last in Live</i> 1998 live album by Dio

Inferno: Last in Live is a live album released by the American heavy metal band Dio. It was recorded on their Angry Machines tour in 1996/97. Released in 1998 on Mayhem Records, it consists of tracks from the Ronnie James Dio eras of Rainbow and Black Sabbath, as well as Dio's own material plus a cover of the Deep Purple track "Mistreated".

<i>The Ultra-Violence</i> 1987 studio album by Death Angel

The Ultra-Violence is the debut studio album by American thrash metal band Death Angel, released in 1987. The album was recorded while all members were under 20, with drummer Andy Galeon just 14 years old. It was mixed at George Tobin Studios in Hollywood, California.

Contraband was a short-lived supergroup/side project that included members of several famous rock bands from the 1980s, such as Shark Island, McAuley Schenker Group, Ratt, L.A. Guns, and Vixen.

<i>Penetrator</i> (album) 1984 studio album by Ted Nugent

Penetrator is the eighth studio album by American rock musician Ted Nugent. It was released in February 1984 by Atlantic Records.

<i>Demolition</i> (Girlschool album) 1980 studio album by Girlschool

Demolition is the first studio album by the British heavy metal band Girlschool. It was released in Europe on Bronze Records in 1980.

"Victim of Changes" is a song by English heavy metal band Judas Priest, featured on their 1976 studio album Sad Wings of Destiny. Adrien Begrand, writing for PopMatters, claimed the song changed the course of metal history. Vocalist Rob Halford's performance is considered one of his finest ever. The guitar work is noted as well; Bob Gendron praised the song's "landslide riffs" in the Chicago Tribune. The song has come to be regarded as one of the band's classics, and Martin Popoff listed it at No. 17 in his "Top 500 Heavy Metal Songs of All Time".

<i>Absolutely No Alternative</i> 1997 studio album by Anvil

Absolutely No Alternative is the eighth studio album by Canadian heavy metal band Anvil, released in 1997. It is the first release with Glenn "Five" Gyorffy on bass replacing Michael Duncan.

<i>Coliseum Rock</i> 1978 studio album by Starz

Coliseum Rock is the fourth and final studio album by the American hard rock band Starz. The album was released in 1978. Recorded in Toronto, it was produced by Jack Richardson.

References

  1. 1 2 Popoff, Martin (1997). The Collector's Guide To Heavy Metal. Burlington: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 538.
  2. ↑ "Martin Popoff". Cgpublishing.com. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  3. ↑ Popoff, Martin (2006). Black Sabbath : Doom Let Loose : An Illustrated History. Toronto: ECW Press. p. ix.
  4. 1 2 Popoff, Martin (July 2000). "Martin Popoff... On heavy metal, rock criticism, and carpal tunnel syndrome". rockcriticsarchives.com (An E-Mail Interview). Steven Ward. Archived from the original on July 9, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 Walker, Johnny (August 1997). "How Heavy Is Your Mettle? - Page 1". Addicted to Noise . Archived from the original on September 19, 2002. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  6. ↑ Popoff, Martin (1997). The Collector's Guide To Heavy Metal. Burlington: Collector's Guide Publishing. pp. 280–281.
  7. ↑ Reger, Rick (February 26, 1998). "Volume on Volume". Chicago Reader . Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  8. ↑ Oomie (September 2, 1997). "The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal – Review | Lollipop Magazine" . Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal - Vol.2". Martinpopoff.com. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  10. ↑ BraveWords (April 13, 2011). "Martin Popoff / David Perri - The Collector's Guide To Heavy Metal: Volume 4: The '00s Shipping Now!". bravewords.com. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  11. ↑ Popoff, Martin (2006). Black Sabbath : Doom Let Loose : An Illustrated History. Toronto: ECW Press. p. 114.
  12. ↑ Popoff, Martin (2003). The Collector's Guide To Heavy Metal Volume I: The Seventies. Toronto: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 221.
  13. ↑ Popoff, Martin (2014). Live Magnetic Air: The Unlikely Saga of the Superlative Max Webster. Toronto: Power Chord Press. p. 13.
  14. ↑ "Maximum Metal Interview Results". Maximummetal.com. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  15. ↑ "GET READY TO ROLL!". Getreadytoroll.com. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Popoff Defends Some Of His Reviews". Heavymetal.about.com. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Rock Eyez - Martin Popoff (Bravewords & Bloody Knuckles) Interview". Rockeyez.com. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Future Plans". Martinpopoff.com. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Martin Popoff: "Who Invented Heavy Metal"; The Answer Will Come Soon". Metal Shock Finland. March 6, 2015. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
  20. ↑ "BangerTV Hosts | BangerTV".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.