Dee Snider wants to Take Back The Horns
OK I’ve been following this story for a bit considering it’s about the rock horns which are the RiO!B’s official symbol. I didn’t want to cover it since I thought it was an elaborate joke but it seems that it’s 100% true. Dee Snider is on a mission to reclaim the rock horns for metal music.
The website known as takebackthehorns.com was made by Snider in order to raise awareness about how the rock horns are being misused. “The rampant misuse and overuse of the metal horns is an insult to true fans of the music form it represents,” says Snider. “They were never intended to be thrown by members of the hip hop, country and pop communities. We fought long and hard for the music we love to be recognized. They have no right to use our sign!”
In addition to raising awareness about the horns homicide, the website also provides a history lesson as to how the horns originated, a place where you can rate pictures of people putting up rock horns to see if they’re “Metal or Not” and will hopefully be a place where metal fans can gather to discuss how they can stop the exploitation of the horns.
Now I’m a rock fan and I like heavy metal but I wouldn’t consider myself to be a metalhead. Am I in violation? I was recently at a Dead Weather show in Brooklyn and throughout the performance I noticed hipsters throwing up the symbol to a band that falls into a blues-rock sound. Is that a misuse of hornage? I’ve even seen people use it as a greeting between each other when no music was present. Should these people be thrown in rock music jail?
While the horns started in rock music, it’s a symbol that has branched out because its turned into a whole new meaning. Throwing up rock horns nowadays simply means that something is awesome. Could be good music, a good movie or even good sex. If other genres want to use our rock n’ roll symbol then I say let them. All it does is further the rock music brand. People still call them rock horns and not pop horns or hip-hop horns so the job has been accomplished. Rock music still lives on through the horns and will continue to do so.
Now throw your rock horns up and say it with me: Rock it Out!
Tags: Dee Snider, Rock Horns
