Parents need to be educated on the good influences of heavy metal music and how to deal with teenagers listening to the odd "bad" songs, an artist said on Thursday.

Cliff Crabb, vocalist of the South African heavy metal band Agro, said most metal music sympathises with teenagers who are outsiders and teaches children to think for themselves about social issues.

"It is outsider music for the outsider," said Crabb, adding that most metal bands teach children that even though life may seem unfair, they need to "be strong and fight the good fight".

"Parents have this fear of music which they themselves don't understand."

heavy metal bands that do not have positive influences.

"There are bad apples on the scene. There are bands playing on shock tactics to sell records, purposely trying to mess with kids' minds and upset parents."

Is Slipknot, the US band that has been mentioned in the sword killing of a 16-year-old Krugersdorp school pupil, one of the bad ones? Crabb replies: "I do not agree with the way in which Slipknot projects themselves... I cannot speak for a child that is mentally unstable. In the wrong hands, it [Slipknot's music] could be dangerous."

One of Slipknot's songs state: "I wanna slit your throat and f*** the wound".

If one of his children arrived home with a Slipknot album, he would listen to it with them, said Crabb.

"There are some lyrics out there which are against the grain of what is healthy for a developing child.

"If they came home with a Slipknot album, I will sit down and listen to it with them and say: 'Shame, they [Slipknot] are clearly very angry. But you know, this doesn't fit into our family lifestyle'.

"But I would certainly not ban the music because then you are basically admitting that it will influence them," said Crabb.

Almost all the band members of Agro, which has released six albums - three of them internationally - have children, added Crabb.

"Our children are perfectly normal and incredibly loved and cared for. I've been able to share the beauty of our music with them, which teaches one to think honestly about social issues," he said. - Sapa

Source: iol.co.za