• takeda@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    The devil horns are basically a symbol of Satan. The metal folks were doing it for performance reasons (to look badass, kind of similar as many hip hop artists want to look as if they are criminals in gangs). They were also used to stick it to the satanic panic of the 80s where they were labeled as Satan worshippers.

    What is that symbol supposed to mean in this context? With a politician? In a cementary? Next to a grave? Of a soldier that is of a Christian faith?

    • pyre@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      the horns were popularized by Dio. his grandmother used it to ward off the evil eye, as it is traditionally done in several parts of the world. nothing about Satan.

      pretty sure that association was popularized by the satanic panic crowd because they were desperate to make whatever connection they could

      • takeda@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Yeah he said this in 2001, it might be a different meaning he had, but other heavy metal bands had their own meaning.

        Besides, the way Dion did it is actually offensive in Italy, for example https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1874098_1874099_1874139,00.html

        The sign he is taking about supposed to be with fingers tilting downward or in level position, not point at specific person and without movement.

        Also while he popularized it, he wasn’t first one it looks like it was first used by a rock band that was into occult in 1967.

        https://vinylstories.ca/wp-content/uploads/image-asset.jpeg

        Lol, also in the debut album of Coven, the featured song was called Black Sabbath, the name of the band Dio was in when he used the sign for the first time.

        Ozzy was known for using a peace sign, Dio wanted something similar, but didn’t want to copy it, so he used the devil sign from Coven and then in 2001 came to with the grandma’s story to not make it look like he ripped it off.