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Origins of heavy metal



I was recently discussing about this subject on another mailing list
some months ago. The main subject was the fact that what was known in
the early seventies as heavy metal was different from what's called
heavy metal now (since the eighties). Then a discussion about the first
aspects of "modern" heavy metal. Someone cited "Helter Skelter" from the
Beatles, which, as in modern heavy metal, had similar use of power
chords, square drum lines and linear guitar riffs (different from the
bluesy riffs which sometimes appeared in 70's heavy metal). In fact, the
song can be cited as one of the first ones to show important
characteristics of modern heavy metal (and it's probably the heaviest
song of its time, i.e. mid-60's). Much later I remembered one of the
most exaustely used characteristics of modern heavy metal in another
song. I'm talking about the "galloping bass", so famous for Steve Harris
of Iron Maiden (which I think is a Who fan) and a trademark of modern
heavy metal (it's very hard to find a metal band which never used it). 
Well, the galloping bass can be found on Melancholia, a song from The
'Oo in 1968. This makes me think that the who was the first band to use
the galloping bass in rock music. Am I right?