This interview originally aired on In the Moment on SDPB Radio.
A few weeks ago, The New York Times ran this article: “Are You Ready? The Nu Metal Renaissance Is Upon Us."
Nu metal is basically heavy metal with elements of genres like hip-hop, funk, industrial, alternative rock and, of course, grunge. That means you're likely to not only hear singing, but also rapping, screaming and growling.
An iconic nu metal band, Slipknot, formed in Des Moines, Iowa, in the mid '90s.
Nu metal’s roots can be traced back to the early '90s. Korn’s first demo album "Neidermayer's Mind" was released in 1993. From there, a whole generation of nu metal bands emerged.
With that came a fashion component. For nu metal, baggy jeans were in—the bigger, the better.
Nu metal fans are considered to be the most loyal. It appears that there has been a resurgence among Generation Z.
One of the more interesting trends in the nu metal scene is the popularity of cover songs: Rage Against the Machine recorded Bob Dylan’s "Maggie’s Farm," Limp Bizkit covered The Who’s "Behind Blue Eyes" and Disturbed has a version of Simon & Garfunkel’s "The Sound of Silence."
It goes both ways. An establish country artist also reached into the alt pop world for a surprise cover late in his career.
