Background
Slagel, Brian Nelson was born on February 14, 1961 in Los Angeles, California, United States. Son of James Hurley Nelson and Maren Rose (Tinkham) Slagel.
Slagel, Brian Nelson was born on February 14, 1961 in Los Angeles, California, United States. Son of James Hurley Nelson and Maren Rose (Tinkham) Slagel.
Associate of Arts, Pierce College, 1981.
Slagel is known for giving Metallica their first break in 1982, with an appearance on Metal Massacre, a compilation album on Metal Blade, and has since released seminal albums by Slayer, Mercyful Fate, Cannibal Corpse, Fates Warning, Amon Amarth and The Black Dahlia Murder, among others With the New Wave of British Heavy Metal sweeping the underground metal scene, bands such as Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and Diamond Head were virtually unknown in the United States, outside of the tape trading underground. Slagel began importing NWOBHM records, and noticing a public interest in European metal, organized one of the first metal fanzines, The New Heavy Metal Revue.
As the fanzine started to pick up steam, Slagel began working as a columnist for Kerrang!, Sounds Magazine, and other music publications.
In 1982, Slagel organized the release of a compilation album, featuring all local Los Angeles metal bands, called The New Heavy Metal Revue Presents Metal Massacre. The album featured the first recordings of Ratt, Steeler, Black "n Blue, Malice, Avatar, Cirith Ungol, Bitch and Metallica.
The album quickly sold all 5,000 copies that were printed, and led to a distribution deal with Enigma Records in 1983. Slagel founded Metal Blade Records in 1982, and released albums by Warlord, Bitch, Armored Saint and Slayer"s Show Number Mercy, which sold 40,000 copies worldwide.
Metal Blade quickly expanded, signing bands such as Trouble, Flotsam and Jetsam, GWAR, Sacred Reich, and Corrosion of Conformity, and although the label"s roster expanded, Slagel ran the company alone until 1988.
With heavy metal"s popularity exploding in the late 1980s, many Metal Blade artists began moving to major labels. After the expiration of their distribution deal with Enigma Records, Metal Blade entered a partnership with Warner Brothers Records, who would distribute and market some of the independent label"s releases, but Warner was soon bought by Time, Incorporated, and incorporated into Western Economic Association, USA. At the same time, Body Count"s "Cop Killer", also released on Western Economic Association, USA, was causing controversy, and after public backlash, the band was dropped from Western Economic Association, USA. Following Body Count"s troubles, Western Economic Association, USA introduced new policies regarding controversial lryics, and attempted to censor GWAR"s America Must Be Destroyed.
Not wanting to compromise the artistic integrity of any Metal Blade acts, Western Economic Association, USA and Slagel parted ways in 1992, with Metal Blade giving Western Economic Association, USA the Goo Goo Dolls, and receiving a distribution deal with RED Distribution.
Until 2010, Metal Blade was one of the top independent heavy metal record labels, with a roster of over 30 bands. Brian also appeared in the documentary film Metal: A Headbanger"s Journey, concerning the album bans of Cannibal Corpse in multiple countries, as well as the thrash metal episode of Metal Evolution.