Video: Watch 1989 BBC Documentary, 'Arena — Heavy Metal,' Featuring Performances by Metallica, Black Sabbath, Megadeth and More
Below, thanks to the wonders and mysteries of YouTube, you can watch a classic BBC documentary called Arena — Heavy Metal from 1989.
The 48-minute video, which originally was shown on the U.K.'s BBC Two as part of its "Heavy Metal Heaven" series, features live footage of Metallica (They kick things off the clip with "Seek & Destroy"), Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Iron Maiden, Jimi Hendrix, Kiss, Led Zeppelin, Megadeth, Motörhead, Napalm Death, Slayer, Steppenwolf and more.
There also are then-current interviews with Tom Araya, Geezer Butler, Bruce Dickinson, Malcolm Dome, Steve Harris, Ozzy Osbourne, Jimmy Page, Axl Rose, David Lee Roth, Lars Ulrich and many others. Enjoy!
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
![Tom Shemer kneels before his Lee-la Baum as the Damn Truth perform live onstage. He wears a red shirt and plays a Les Paul while Baum plays a retro single-cut electric and screams into the mic.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MJQGpmP9KrLTzJZ7eE5csH-840-80.jpg)
“There’s a lot of power to our band name… we weren’t part of any scene, so it was like, ‘Who are we? We are The Damn Truth’”: Meet the Canadian quartet bringing their raucous sound to the masses – with a little help from Bob Rock
![Megan and Rebecca Lovell of Larkin Poe sit on vintage Silverface Fender tube amps as they are photographed against a deep red background, with roses strewn on the floor in front of them.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Eu5gLpqXFQCtzGh9WSUcda-840-80.jpg)
“I grew up playing bluegrass… it’s taken me years to lighten up my right hand to where I’m not breaking strings every 30 seconds!” Larkin Poe have worked on music together since they were toddlers – and their guitar sisterhood has never been stronger