Sign of the horns: Difference between revisions
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A March 31, 1985 article in ''[[Circus (magazine)|Circus]]'' by Ben Liemer states that [[Gene Simmons]] of [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]] was influenced by [[Blackie Lawless]] of [[W.A.S.P.]] in 1977 after watching [[Sister (band)|Sister]] perform in [[Los Angeles]]. Blackie had come across a hand salute known as the ''corna'' in an occult book and had started using it during live performances. Though this is thought to be untrue as Gene can clearly be seen making the gesture in a well-known 1975 live concert filmed at the Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco.{{fact|date=August 2012}} |
A March 31, 1985 article in ''[[Circus (magazine)|Circus]]'' by Ben Liemer states that [[Gene Simmons]] of [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]] was influenced by [[Blackie Lawless]] of [[W.A.S.P.]] in 1977 after watching [[Sister (band)|Sister]] perform in [[Los Angeles]]. Blackie had come across a hand salute known as the ''corna'' in an occult book and had started using it during live performances. Though this is thought to be untrue as Gene can clearly be seen making the gesture in a well-known 1975 live concert filmed at the Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco.{{fact|date=August 2012}} |
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[[Ronnie James Dio]] was known for popularizing the sign of the horns in [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]].<ref name=appleford/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/columns/junkyard/the_devils_horns_a_rock_and_roll_symbol.html |title=The Devil's Horns: A Rock And Roll Symbol |publisher=Ultimate-Guitar.com |date=September 7, 2005}}</ref> His Italian grandmother used it to ward off the [[evil eye]] (which is known in the Italian culture as ''[[Evil eye|malocchio]]''). Dio began using the sign soon after joining (1979) the metal band [[Black Sabbath]]. The previous singer in the band, [[Ozzy Osbourne]], was rather well known at using the [[V Sign|"peace"]] sign at concerts, raising the index and middle finger in the form of a V. Dio, in an attempt to connect with the fans, wanted to similarly use a hand gesture. However, not wanting to copy Osbourne, he chose to use the sign his grandmother always made.<ref>Ronnie James Dio interview in the 2005 documentary ''[[Metal: A Headbanger's Journey]]''. In the interview he also ridicules Gene Simmons for taking credit for originating use of the sign in heavy metal, attributing the claim to Simmons' well-known egotism.</ref> The horns became famous in metal concerts very soon after Black Sabbath's first tour with Dio. The sign would later be appropriated by heavy metal fans under the name "maloik", a corruption of the original ''malocchio''. |
[[Ronnie James Dio]] was known for popularizing the sign of the horns in [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]].<ref name=appleford>{{cite web |url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=1216&IssueNum=66 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071122030548/http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=1216&IssueNum=66 |archivedate=November 22, 2007 |title=Odyssey of the Devil Horns |first=Steve |last=Appleford |publisher=Los Angeles City Beat |date=September 9, 2004 |quote=A friend arranges a meeting with Clinton. I hand him a photograph of Dio making the hand signal, and tell him this is the man (or one of them) credited with bringing it to rock. Clinton stares at the picture for a long, silent minute, breathing heavily. Another minute passes. He's never heard of Ronnie James Dio. It's the P-Funk sign, man.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/columns/junkyard/the_devils_horns_a_rock_and_roll_symbol.html |title=The Devil's Horns: A Rock And Roll Symbol |publisher=Ultimate-Guitar.com |date=September 7, 2005}}</ref> His Italian grandmother used it to ward off the [[evil eye]] (which is known in the Italian culture as ''[[Evil eye|malocchio]]''). Dio began using the sign soon after joining (1979) the metal band [[Black Sabbath]]. The previous singer in the band, [[Ozzy Osbourne]], was rather well known at using the [[V Sign|"peace"]] sign at concerts, raising the index and middle finger in the form of a V. Dio, in an attempt to connect with the fans, wanted to similarly use a hand gesture. However, not wanting to copy Osbourne, he chose to use the sign his grandmother always made.<ref>Ronnie James Dio interview in the 2005 documentary ''[[Metal: A Headbanger's Journey]]''. In the interview he also ridicules Gene Simmons for taking credit for originating use of the sign in heavy metal, attributing the claim to Simmons' well-known egotism.</ref> The horns became famous in metal concerts very soon after Black Sabbath's first tour with Dio. The sign would later be appropriated by heavy metal fans under the name "maloik", a corruption of the original ''malocchio''. |
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[[Geezer Butler|Terry "Geezer" Butler]] of Black Sabbath can be seen "raising the horns" in a photograph taken in 1971.{{fact|date=August 2012}} This would indicate that the "horns" and their association with metal occurred much earlier than either Gene Simmons or Ronnie James Dio suggests. The photograph is included in the CD booklet of the ''[[Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970–1978]]'' compilation album. |
[[Geezer Butler|Terry "Geezer" Butler]] of Black Sabbath can be seen "raising the horns" in a photograph taken in 1971.{{fact|date=August 2012}} This would indicate that the "horns" and their association with metal occurred much earlier than either Gene Simmons or Ronnie James Dio suggests. The photograph is included in the CD booklet of the ''[[Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970–1978]]'' compilation album. |
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Revision as of 05:43, 29 November 2012
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2008) |
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The sign of the horns is a hand gesture with a variety of meanings and uses in various cultures. It is formed by extending the index and little fingers while holding the middle and ring fingers down with the thumb.
European and North American popular culture
Heavy metal subculture
 | This section possibly contains original research. (June 2008) |
It also has a variety of meanings in heavy metal subcultures, where it is known by a variety of terms, most commonly maloik[citation needed], metal sign[citation needed], horns[citation needed], Leviathan Horns[citation needed] or metal horns[citation needed], among others[clarification needed].
A March 31, 1985 article in Circus by Ben Liemer states that Gene Simmons of Kiss was influenced by Blackie Lawless of W.A.S.P. in 1977 after watching Sister perform in Los Angeles. Blackie had come across a hand salute known as the corna in an occult book and had started using it during live performances. Though this is thought to be untrue as Gene can clearly be seen making the gesture in a well-known 1975 live concert filmed at the Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco.[citation needed]
Ronnie James Dio was known for popularizing the sign of the horns in heavy metal.[1][2] His Italian grandmother used it to ward off the evil eye (which is known in the Italian culture as malocchio). Dio began using the sign soon after joining (1979) the metal band Black Sabbath. The previous singer in the band, Ozzy Osbourne, was rather well known at using the "peace" sign at concerts, raising the index and middle finger in the form of a V. Dio, in an attempt to connect with the fans, wanted to similarly use a hand gesture. However, not wanting to copy Osbourne, he chose to use the sign his grandmother always made.[3] The horns became famous in metal concerts very soon after Black Sabbath's first tour with Dio. The sign would later be appropriated by heavy metal fans under the name "maloik", a corruption of the original malocchio.
Terry "Geezer" Butler of Black Sabbath can be seen "raising the horns" in a photograph taken in 1971.[citation needed] This would indicate that the "horns" and their association with metal occurred much earlier than either Gene Simmons or Ronnie James Dio suggests. The photograph is included in the CD booklet of the Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970–1978 compilation album.
From a 2001 interview with Ronnie James Dio on Metal-Rules.com:
Metal-Rules.com – "I want to ask you about something people have asked you about before but will no doubt continue to talk about, and that is the sign created by raising your index and little finger. Some call it the "evil eye." I would like to know if you were the first one to introduce this to the metal world and what this symbol represents to you?"
R.J. Dio – "I doubt very much if I would be the first one who ever did that. That's like saying I invented the wheel, I'm sure someone did that at some other point. I think you'd have to say that I made it fashionable. I used it so much and all the time and it had become my trademark until the Britney Spears audience decided to do it as well. So it kind of lost its meaning with that. But it was...I was in Sabbath at the time. It was a symbol that I thought was reflective of what that band was supposed to be all about. It's NOT the devil's sign like we're here with the devil. It's an Italian thing I got from my Grandmother called the "Malocchio". It's to ward off the Evil Eye or to give the Evil Eye, depending on which way you do it. It's just a symbol but it had magical incantations and attitudes to it and I felt it worked very well with Sabbath. So I became very noted for it and then everybody else started to pick up on it and away it went. But I would never say I take credit for being the first to do it. I say because I did it so much that it became the symbol of rock and roll of some kind."[4]
Electronic communication
In electronic communication, the sign of the horns is represented with the \m/ or |m| emoticon and sometimes \,,/ and /,,/.
See also
- ILY sign is sometimes confused with this gesture because many users tend to do the sign improperly by extending their thumb.
References
- ^ Appleford, Steve (September 9, 2004). "Odyssey of the Devil Horns". Los Angeles City Beat. Archived from the original on November 22, 2007.
A friend arranges a meeting with Clinton. I hand him a photograph of Dio making the hand signal, and tell him this is the man (or one of them) credited with bringing it to rock. Clinton stares at the picture for a long, silent minute, breathing heavily. Another minute passes. He's never heard of Ronnie James Dio. It's the P-Funk sign, man.
- ^ "The Devil's Horns: A Rock And Roll Symbol". Ultimate-Guitar.com. September 7, 2005.
- ^ Ronnie James Dio interview in the 2005 documentary Metal: A Headbanger's Journey. In the interview he also ridicules Gene Simmons for taking credit for originating use of the sign in heavy metal, attributing the claim to Simmons' well-known egotism.
- ^ "Dio - Interviewed By EvilG". Metal-Rules.com. March 9, 2001.
External links
- Rock and Roll Confidential on their logo
- Haverty, Neil (2002-05-30). "Ronnie James Dio Re-Claims the Devil Horns". Chart. Retrieved 2009-09-27.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - President George W. Bush, gestures the "Hook 'em, horns," the salute of the University of Texas Longhorns.(...)
- Odyssey of the Devil Horns: Who is responsible for bringing metal's famous hand signal to the tribe? Los Angeles CityBeat, Sept. 9, 2004