# Proof that metal kills? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 29, 2001, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923 "2001-05-29T22:38:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Roger\_the\_Shrubber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@Roger\_the\_Shrubber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_the_Shrubber)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/1 "2001-05-29T22:38:20Z")
[http://www.newsherald.com/EDUCATION/ROCK86.HTM](http://www.newsherald.com/EDUCATION/ROCK86.HTM) [http://www.relfe.com/hard\_rock.html](http://www.relfe.com/hard_rock.html) [http://www.tns.lcs.mit.edu/harp/archives/1997.10/0840.html](http://www.tns.lcs.mit.edu/harp/archives/1997.10/0840.html) [http://www.universalway.org/Foreign/hardrock.html](http://www.universalway.org/Foreign/hardrock.html) [http://www.suncoast.com.au/kenilworth/voice/97-11-12/p11a.html](http://www.suncoast.com.au/kenilworth/voice/97-11-12/p11a.html) Wednesday, August 3, 1997 Teen proves hard rock’s bad for you LORRAINE EATON The Virginia-Pilot SUFFOLK, Va. - Your mom was right. Rock ‘n’ roll really does rot your brain. _snip_ The results: The control group shaved five minutes from its original time. The mice that navigated the maze with Mozart knocked 8 1/2 minutes off their time. But the group listening to hard rock bumped through the maze, dazed and confused, taking an average of 30 minutes, tripling the amount of time it previously took to complete the maze. Most noticeably, the hard rock mice didn’t sniff the air to find the trails of others that came before them. “It was like the music dulled their senses,” David said. “It shows point-blank that hard rock has a negative effect all around. I can’t think of a positive effect that hard rock has” on learning. In fact, David thinks that the negative effects go well beyond learning. During the four-month experiment David housed each mouse in separate aquariums. That’s because last year, for a similar project, he kept each group together. The results were horrific. “I had to cut my project short because all the hard rock mice killed each other,” David said. * * * © 1997 The News Herald Oh man. I first got something along these linesin an e-mail fwd. I thought it sounded false, and asked the sender for some cites. I got send the list of links (top.) This sounds… interesting, yet infuriating. I, personally, hate metal. I prefer punk. But this just sounds… something. Wow, I sound articulate. Anyway, I just wanted to share this with you guys. I hope this is, or will become(at least) a great debate. ---
**Author:** ![SisterCoyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SisterCoyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SisterCoyote)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2001, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/2 "2001-05-29T23:27:58Z")
> [@](#): > > **David Merrell, a 16-year-old Nansemond River High School student whose science experiment supports what parents have been saying for years** Okay. So high school science experiments, with _no_ peer review are now acceptable proof of a fact? I read all your links; all of them are from around the same time period, and only one of them says “U.S. Researchers” and is later amended to contain the fact quoted above (and which I note was left out of the OP). Right. And D&D causes suicide, too. :rolleyes: Find me a more recent article following up on this particular study (such as it is) and I might begin to believe there’s something to it. Otherwise, we have a newspaper reporting something on a slow news day that other outlets picked up on because it “proved” something they desperately wanted proven. (Yes, I suppose this kid counts as a researcher - even a U.S. Researcher - but, please.) ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2001, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/3 "2001-05-30T00:09:18Z")
> [@](#): > > Right. And D&D causes suicide, too. Yes, it does. _Spiritual_ suicide. Here, have a copy of this tract . . . it will explain everything. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2001, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/4 "2001-05-30T15:13:06Z")
I’ll bet he was using Anthrax’s Attack of the Killer B’s CD or something bad like that. If he HAD to use Anthrax he could have at least used Sound of White Noise. Actually I think that he should have used something more musical, like Iron Maiden or Virgin Steele and not some crap. I’m also willing to bet that all of ONE mouse died and he wanted to blame it on the music. :rolleyes: maybe I should do something like this and see what I get. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2001, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/5 "2001-05-30T16:00:16Z")
Who wants to bet he played Mozart at a nice, pleasant background volume, but played the metal cd at 120 dB? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2001, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/6 "2001-05-30T19:02:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joe\_Cool \* > \*\*Who wants to bet he played Mozart at a nice, pleasant background volume, but played the metal cd at 120 dB? \*\* That’s exactly what I was thinking while reading this, Joe. Intense loud noise **can** cause confusion and disorientation, and possibly mess with your balance. Did he control for the possibility of the volume being the culprit rather than the type of music? jayjay ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2001, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/7 "2001-05-30T19:25:13Z")
I guess this isn’t the Mercury poisoning thread. ---
**Author:** ![SisterCoyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SisterCoyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SisterCoyote)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2001, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/8 "2001-05-30T19:31:00Z")
But, doesn’t everyone know that Heavy Metal must be played as loud as the speaker will go, and Classical no louder than a whisper? (again with the :rolleyes: ) So of course those are the volumes that should be tested at. Pity this kid never met the guy who used to live down the street from us in IV - we always knew when he was done with finals, because he played “Ride of the Valkyries” loud enough that it could be heard almost down to the beach (7 or 8 blocks). We kinda enjoyed it, though. Oh, and **Scylla** - I actually checked the web for articles on “heavy metal” and “health” and all I got was information on Mercury and other heavy elements. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/9 "2001-05-31T00:27:31Z")
jayjay wrote: > [@](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Joe\_Cool \* > > \*\*Who wants to bet he played Mozart at a nice, pleasant background volume, but played the metal cd at 120 dB? \*\* > > That’s exactly what I was thinking while reading this, Joe. Intense loud noise **can** cause confusion and disorientation, and possibly mess with your balance. Did he control for the possibility of the volume being the culprit rather than the type of music? Not only that, but since the mice were running in mazes, there’s another factor he should have accounted for. According to [http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/cargocul.htm](http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/cargocul.htm), an experiment performed by Young in 1937 demonstrated that rats rely at least partially on _auditory cues_ from the creaky floor they are running on to remember how to run a maze. If the mice in the high schooler’s experiment were subjected to music loud enough to impair their hearing, it would take vital auditory clues away from the mice as they were running the maze. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/10 "2001-05-31T00:32:50Z")
andros wrote: > [@](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Right. And D&D causes suicide, too. > > Yes, it does. _Spiritual_ suicide. Here, have a copy of this tract . . . it will explain everything. At this juncture, I feel it is my solemn and patriotic duty to inform you that the tract you are referring to has been **MSTed** – that is, subjected to the _Mystery Science Theater 3000_ treatment. See for yourself at [http://www.planetadnd.com/humor/DD-MST3K/dd-mst3k.php](http://www.planetadnd.com/humor/DD-MST3K/dd-mst3k.php). ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/11 "2001-05-31T00:38:28Z")
Everyone that ever watched “Rock and Roll High School” knows that the Ramones can make laboratory mice explode. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/12 "2001-05-31T00:40:25Z")
One of the best Chick parodies yet, Tracer. Steve Jackson had a few decent ones, too . . . As to the metal/classical issue, though . . . what about crossovers? I mean, Metallica played with the SF Orchestra. Trans-Siberian Orchestra is comprised of members of Savatage. So, what . . . do the mice develop multiple-personality disorder listening to them? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/13 "2001-05-31T09:18:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Scylla \* > \*\*I guess this isn’t the Mercury poisoning thread. \*\* No, it’s the Freddy Mercury poisoning thread… [sub]Sorry. Just couldn’t stop myself…[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/14 "2001-05-31T10:34:51Z")
Metal music causes apathy! The metal-mice didn’t _care_ about running through the damn maze anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/15 "2001-05-31T10:59:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jayjay \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Joe\_Cool \* > > \*\*Who wants to bet he played Mozart at a nice, pleasant background volume, but played the metal cd at 120 dB? \*\* > > That’s exactly what I was thinking while reading this, Joe. Intense loud noise **can** cause confusion and disorientation, and possibly mess with your balance. Did he control for the possibility of the volume being the culprit rather than the type of music? > > jayjay \*\* Good point, but I’d be willing to bet that the avearge Mozart listener has the volume set lower than the average metal listener… ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/16 "2001-05-31T11:22:45Z")
Well, geez. First, they tell me cigarettes will kill me. Then it’s drugs. Now they’re trying to take my music away? The hell with that. I guess I’m just gonna die young. Hopefully listening to some very loud Pantera. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Cool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@Joe\_Cool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Cool)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2001, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/17 "2001-05-31T19:06:09Z")
The MST3K thing was funny, but it’s just not the same if it doesn’t end with “Push the button, Frank.” I haven’t watched it since TV’s Frank left. Let alone Dr. Forrester. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Opengrave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@Opengrave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opengrave)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2001, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-that-metal-kills/66923/18 "2001-06-01T21:33:43Z")
120DB? How can anybody even think at that SPL? Me - well I can’t even start functioning til about 140DB!!! Scream for me Long BEAch! Scream for me Long Beach AreNA! (that wasn’t typo - go back and listen to it!)