From: andrews@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Andrew Shires)
Newsgroups: rec.music.industrial
Subject: Re: Moshing? What the fuck...
Date: 18 Aug 92 14:06:58 GMT
Organization: University of Sussex, England

In article <1992Aug18.005211.3431@cmcl2.nyu.edu> galanter@nyu.edu (Philip Galanter) writes re: MOSHING . . .
>
>I am not sure where then term "moshing" turned up first, but I tend to  
>associate it with the time that metal and punk crossed (something that  
>would have been unthinkable in earlier years in terms of club scenes, but  
>not so much as musical styles, at least among punk musicians who  
>understood what they were doing at a more, -ahem-, cerebral level).   
>Suddenly we seemed to have thrash, speed-core, speed-metal, skate punks,  
>and .... mosh pits.
>
>It would be an interesting exercise in pop culture research to find the  
>first printed use of the term moshing...it might provide some subcultural  
>and regional clues...
>
>As an old punk, I have to admit that I too bristle a bit at the term  
>moshing...and I know others who do too...its as if someone has stolen your  
>dog and given it a new name...
>
>Phil
>
>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>Philip Galanter         New York University    phone:    212-998-3041
>Research Associate      251 Mercer             fax:      212-995-4120
>Academic Computing      New York, NY 10012     internet: galanter@nyu.edu

The thrash metal origins of the term `mosh' are almost certainly the result
of Anthrax's championing of the word, as has been said before.  Guitarist
Scott Ian apparently had some placards with `MOSH!' written on them which 
he used to play around with during shows, as well as his `NOT!' signs (I
haven't seen them live but I saw many pictures of him and his placards 
around 87-88.  There was also the song `Caught In A Mosh', which, as a previous
poster remarked, is not about moshing but uses it as a metaphor.

However, Anthrax have often been in trouble for bandwagon-hopping, and their
appropriation of the word `mosh' is no exception.  They also swiped the
NYHC logo for use on merchandise, and the combination of these two things
got them in trouble with people like Agnostic Front (not _serious_
trouble but voices of disapproval were raised) in the long run, for various 
reasons such as commercialising hardcore paraphernalia and some of their more
closed-minded fans believing they'd made it all up themselves (i.e. moshing).

Eventually, Anthrax spoke to the press and attempted to clear the whole thing
up, with Scott pointing out that he first heard the term from Vinny of 
Agnostic Front, etc. etc.  I don't think Anthrax's use of the term was meant
to be anything more than good fun, and reflects their general crossover 
approach to what they're doing (their album of the time was very hardcore 
influenced), but all the same they ended up stepping on the toes of a few 
snobs and caused us a little historical confusion.

This is all as I remember it, so if anything's wildly wrong don't flame me . . .


Andrew



-- 
Andrew Shires, COGS, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, ENGLAND
email: andrews@uk.ac.sussex.cogs    and    andrews@uk.ac.sussex.syma