BEYOND THE BEER
Ever wondered about the who’s behind your brews? Our staff, although small, is mighty. Here’s a glimpse into their lives beyond the beer they brew, pour, and enjoy.
“If you like Heavy Metal and Beer, we could be friends and talk for hours about either, over both.”
Meet Andy our Keg Orator.
Fun Fact: He’s the oldest and the oldest.
Throughout my life, there have been few constants. My Dad was in the Air Force so we moved around quite a bit when I was younger. With each move came a new circle of friends, hobbies, and regional norms. In that, one thing did remain constant with me and the people I tended to befriend as I grew up. It was Heavy Metal music. As a proud metal head, I can assure you that despite the noise, imagery, theatrics, and darkness associated with metal, you will find some of the most compassionate and friendly people. While I can’t speak for everyone, for me the metal scene and aesthetic was a form of social armor, and with that look, an easy icebreaker to meet new people with similar interests.
Growing up in England during the early ’80s, the very first cassette tape I owned was Iron Maidens’ “Number of the Beast”. Iron Maiden has legendary album cover art, which initially grabbed my attention. Luckily, my parents were open-minded (and cool) enough to buy me, at 7 years old, this life-changing album. I was hooked after my first listen. Beyond that super cool cover art was incredible storytelling, musicianship, and performance. So began my love of metal.
My Dad was stationed in Washington D.C. in the mid-’80s, so it was time for new friends, hobbies, and regional norms. It was around that time I discovered thrash metal and bands like Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax, and Sepultura (along with Minor Threat and Bad Brains…not metal, I know). This faster and more aggressive style of metal was really appealing to an angsty 4th grader, who was also just getting into skateboarding and playing guitar.
Our family moved back to Colorado in '89 which again meant new friends, hobbies, and regional norms. I began to dabble a little in the punk and hardcore scene, but metal was still my true passion. Colorado Springs had a surprisingly vibrant metal scene with Independent Records hosting shows in the skatepark behind the record store and Mosh Pit Records and Pit Magazine on Circle Ave. introducing me to more extreme Death and Black metal. I saw my first stadium shows (thanks for driving Dad) and got my first music venue bar job at Pure Energy (now Black Sheep) on Platte Avenue.
It should be known that there are probably equal amounts of metal I scoff at (Glam, Cradle of Filth, and pretty much anything played on KILO 94.3) as metal I truly love. To dive into the different genres and sub-genres of metal while defending my personal taste would be an entirely separate 20-page essay. That said, if you like Heavy Metal and Beer, we could be friends and talk for hours about either, over both.
Cheers! \m/ \m/
-Andy, Elevation Beer Co.