As I was reading Alice Cooper's new book on the treadmill today, I was struck by his loving description of his pet snakes, especially one named Yvonne, who he calls the "sweetest thing in the world" (Cooper, 2007). I've known many friends, and friends of friends, who love metal and have some kind of animal buddy living with them.Over the years I've met white rats, cockatoos, snakes, bearded dragons and plenty of snugly kitties and pups who belong to heavy metal fans. When I was in high school, one of my buddies was quite a skilled amateur herpetologist and he owned a Savannah monitor. With enough handling from a young age, this species of monitor can become quite docile. One day I was ushering at church and my pal came through my line for the bulletins. He leaned over and opened the top of his jean jacket a bit. A pair of beady eyes peered out and a stubby snout rested against his black t-shirt. The monitor was so still that he went unnoticed for the entire service, unlike the giant Slayer patch on the back of my pal's jacket, which caused quite a stir amongst the parishioners.
For some reason, metal heads seem drawn to pets. Maybe its because pets are non-judgmental. They don't care how long your hair is, how many earrings you have, or that you decided to go to Music Tech of Minnesota to learn how to be a roadie instead of majoring in business at St. Thomas. Not only headbangers, but most people could benefit from that kind of unconditional acceptance.
A quick side note:
Oscar, the Savannah Monitor pictured here, is a rescue animal who was fostered and placed with a reptile-ready family by the California organization Reptile Haven.
Cooper, Alice with Zimmerman, Keith. 2007. Alice Cooper, Golf Monster. New York: Three Rivers Press.
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