Hard as it may be to imagine in these genre-blurring times, four decades ago, music fans were as siloed and separated as the genre sections of a record store. Back then, a rock fan wandering into the country or “soul” section (and vice-versa) was often like wandering into a neighborhood where people would look at you funny. Even within rock, the subcultures were divided — and none more so than the punk and heavy metal crowds.

Of course, it was absurd, because the genres were so similar — loud guitars and aggression — and because most of the musicians in both crowds initially started playing music because of bands like Kiss and Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith. But for the most part, they hated each other like rival gangs: A punk musician joining a metal band would be mocked mercilessly by his f

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