Majoring in Metal: Q&A with Parker Jameson

Unless you're GWAR or Venom, there's nothing terribly metal about going to school. It's a place that typically frowns on the disregard for societal norms that makes metal so attractive to so many kids, and as a result they're stuck wearing their metal shirts, blasting their headphones between classes, and learning about subjects that some old white guy in a suit says are important.

Through Indiana University's Individualized Major Program (IMP), however, students are allowed to choose to major in anything their mind can conceive, so long as they get a faculty sponsor. Parker Jameson, a sophomore at IU and the guitarist for Bloomington death metal act Ballistika, decided to channel his love of metal into a course of study. Interview follows.

Tr00 Media: What is the official name of your major?
Parker Jameson: The registered title was "The Art Of Metal Music" but when you are in the program, it can change multiple times over the course of your studies. Mine is currently taking a more cultural approach to the study and understanding of metal and its people. So probably something along the lines of "The Culture of Metal Music." I'll have to think of something with a little more zazz to it though.

TM: What made you choose this unique major, and what influential figures or events helped inspire your love for this subject?
PJ: I honestly did not want to study anything, and college seemed ridiculous to me. Then I read up on the IMP, and when I learned I could major in practically anything I wanted to study, I knew I could seriously pursue my passion for metal music. I was obviously influenced by my love for the metal genre and how musically it is my favorite thing to listen to. My progression in musical life, from a saxophonist playing jazz and classical in 4th-8th grade, to then guitar from 9th till present, along with my transition from rock, to 80s, to hair metal, to metal, and then touring with my own metal band happened in a short period of time. I was quickly drawn toward metal from a sonic aspect, and it resonates with me. I just wanted to be able to study and pursue a career relating to something I am so passionate about.

TM: What special classes does your major require, and are there any special requirements to get into this major?
PJ: You have to go through all the classes and such and plan out your entire college career, which was a little stressful, but since you know your major, you know what to look for. Obviously, majoring in metal, you look for music related courses, cultural things, and the people who run the IMP program help you with all that. It was recommended that I take classes like Modern Scandinavia and the Baltic States, to better understand the situations of countries where lots of influential metal comes from. They also made recommendations on intensive writing courses, to aid with possibly getting a job writing for metal websites/magazines, and that sort of thing. Taking a class on critiquing poetry was not something I would have initially thought pertained to metal, but with the IMP I looked at it as a lyrical analysis type of thing. You also get to design your own courses. Currently with Mark Deuze I am studying and tracing the causes for the formation of the metal fanbase, as in, why American youth was able to so quickly and firmly grasp onto metal culture. It's a lot of reading and making connections between different books and different authors' theories, but later I'll be conducting plenty of interviews with bands, fans, parents, and a lot of people - and that is something I never would have thought a regular college course could offer.

TM: What role has your sponsor played in the program you've chosen?
PJ: Andrew Hopson was my intro to recording teacher, and I loved his course. We shared a common ground on musical interest, so we had talked a bit about my aspirations. He offered a realistic outside view on my goals, and helped me shift the focus to more of a study, more of a major, than a loosely connected bit of things I related to metal. Andrew Hollinden is another co-sponsor, and he was just a really cool guy who was enthusiastic and encouraging about everything. After beginning my work with Mark I'd like to add him as a sponsor. Your work with them can be as personal as you need it to be. If you're stuck with studies or don't know what direction to go in they're there to help you along.