Likely Stories - A Heavy Metal History Lesson by Josh Putnam

The first chapter is devoted to 44 Minutes, a song released in 2009 by Megadeth. It was inspired by a shootout in North Hollywood in 1997, the result of a botched bank robbery.

I talked with Putnam a few weeks ago at a book-signing event at Blackbird Books and Spirits in Belton. He said the book idea came about when he and some high school buddies were standing around a bonfire, drinking cold beverages and listening to music. The song Run to the Hills by Iron Maiden came blasting through the speakers, and his friend Kyle said that Iron Maide is the best history lesson you’ll get.

“It was inspired by that moment, but it has transitioned into demonstrating heavy metal music's ability to convey history just as good as any other form of arts,” Putnam told me.

His favorite story in the book comes in Chapter Three, where he writes about King Charles XII of Sweden.

“There's an anecdote that suggests that at some point in his life, Charles found that hunting a bear with a musket in the 1700s was not adventurous enough, and so he endeavored to capture one alive,” Putnam said during his Belton visit. “And he may have done so because there's an anecdote that he got a bear so intoxicated on alcohol that it fell out of the third story window of the palace.”

Charles’ story inspired the song Carolus Rex by Swedish power metal band Sabaton, he said. It’s the title track of the band’s sixth record, a concept album based on the Swedish Empire. That album, Putnam said, opened his eyes to an entirely new concept of history, “because we’ve never had an empire.”

Putnam grew up in the Shenandoah Valley and served in the U.S. Army from 2011 to 2020. After an honorable discharge, he then earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Maryland Global Campus in 2022. The reception to A Heavy Metal History Lesson has been “better than I ever expected,” he said, and there may be a couple of follow-up volumes as well.

Iron Maiden, the band that initially combined history and heavy metal for Putnam, has a place in Chapter Eight with its song The Trooper, which was inspired by the Battle of Balaklava which took place in 1854, during the Crimean War, the “last major European conflict in which religion played a primary role,” Putnam writes.

Each chapter of the book highlights an historical world event, and then relates it to a song, so if you go in looking for a deep dive into heavy metal, you’re going to be disappointed. However, the history lessons and their ties to the songs totally makes the book worthwhile. It’s a small volume, just 162 pages with detailed endnotes and an exhaustive bibliography broken down by chapter if you’re looking to do additional research into the history behind the songs.

 A Heavy Metal History Lesson by Josh Putnam is a must-read for history buffs and fans of heavy metal. I give it five head bangs.

RECENT EPISODES OF LIKELY STORIES

Teaching Under the Influence by Sandra Walters

"Every Kid Deserves a Champion" is a famous quote by educator powerhouse Rita Pearson. For years, teachers have been considered champions for students regardless of their economic background, academic growth, race, or behavior. History.

Likely Stories - Katabasis by R.F. Kuang

Hello. My name is Douglas Henry, Dean of the Honors College at Baylor University, with this week’s edition of Likely Stories. Fantasy writer R.F. Kuang published her sixth novel last year. It’s called Katabasis, an odd but fitting Greek word for her story of academic misadventure.

Likely Stories - A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon

Have you ever felt overwhelmed, and maybe just a bit freaked out, by the absurd enormity of inhabiting a fragile body in a rapidly-changing and dangerous world? George Hall has, a little too often. I’m Gia Chevis, and for this week’s installment of Likely Stories on KWBU, I’m recommending A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon, author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Likely Stories - A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst

A married couple’s long awaited adventure at sea becomes a disaster and a nearly four month long deperation to stay alive.

Likely Stories - The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I don't know if there is a more perfect book. I've read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern five times (unheard of for someone like me who does not ever reread books), and each time I find myself utterly captivated by this beautiful, mystical story of love, magic, sweeping talents and mystery, and the ties that bind us to each other.

Likely Stories - The Book of Light by Lucille Clifton

This is Guilherme Feitosa de Almeida, senior lecturer in music theater at Baylor University. I'm here with this week's edition of Likely Stories.

Likely Stories - The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

Have you contemplated spring cleaning? When this bug hit me, I turned to the grand-master cleaner, Marie Kondo, for inspiration. This best-selling author has sold 9 million copies of her classic book: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up – the Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. Ok, add me, Maggie McCarthy, to the ranks of readers as I set out on my decluttering journey with this instructive read.

Likely Stories - Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur by Jeff Pearlman

I'm Kevin Tankersley and this is likely stories on KWBU. I first learned about the book 'Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur' when I heard the author Jeff Pearlman on 'The Pete Sousa Show' podcast last year. I knew of Pearlman from his writings at Sports Illustrated and ESPN. He was a sports guy. Why would he be talking about Tupac?

Likely Stories - Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle

I can remember a number of truly incredible meals in my life, whether cooked for me at home or in restaurants locally or while traveling. Some of the food stands out in my mind: a perfectly-cooked piece of meat, a well-crafted cocktail, a side dish that pairs perfectly with the entree, a dessert that caps off the wonderful meal. But in all those epicurean events, what I recall most are the people with me around the table, loved ones sharing a gustatory experience always seems more important than the food itself.

Likely Stories - A Short History of a Small Place by T.R. Pearson

"Some books stay with you for decades. For me, that’s A Short History of a Small Place by T.R. Pearson. First published in 1985, it’s a funny, Southern tale of Neely, North Carolina, told through the eyes of young Louis Benfield, Jr. From quirky townsfolk to a chimpanzee companion, the story blends humor and heart in unforgettable ways. I first heard it on The Radio Reader in 1986—and I’ve never forgotten it."