Post by dangerzone on Jun 7, 2006 15:11:52 GMT -5
When Huw Doolan was shot to death by his own infantrymen in Basra two weeks ago he left behind him the biggest individual killing spree in United States armed forces history. Doolan, 35, gunned down twenty of his own infantry, as well as thirteen civilans in an act unparalleled in any war undertaken by the US military. What caused Doolan to commit such an act has been speculated upon for more than a week now, but the recent revelation that he was killed listening to Iron Maiden's 'Number Of The Beast' on his walkman suggests heavy metal might be at fault. What else could explain Doolan's seemingly random actions? The horror of his spree has led to to widespread accusations of letting mentally ill men into the army. There was nothing to suggest Doolan would go so far however. It's all little consolation to the grieving families back home in the US and the enraged families of those Iraqui's gunned down innocently.
Huw Doolan was born on July the 17th 1969 in Duluth, Minnesota. Family members remember Doolan as 'a quiet kid with a love of sword and sorcery imagery' from an early age. Doolan grew up with a liking for seventies rock bands like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, a fascination which failed to win him friends. A former classmate, Lance Brogan recalls Doolan prefering to sit in his room rather than play football outside with the other local boys. 'He'd sit in his room and listen obsessively to Black Sabbath's 'Paranoid' album' says Brogan. 'We all knew there were occult influences behind their music' continues Brogan, 'and this made Huw somewhat of an outcast. This was around the 1980 period before all the other Satanic bands like Motley Crue and W.AS.P. became popular'.
The emergence of heavy metal in the 80's as a major commercial enterprise only strengthened Doolan's love for the music. His parents, who refused to be interviewed for this story, reportedly beat their son for his refusal to dispense with the music. One of Doolan's only acknowledged fiends, Dan Jochem described at length Doolan's growing obsession with heavy metal music. 'Huw took some hard knocks from his father Turk for listening to metal. Aside from that all Huw seemed to like was Dungeons And Dragons and NWA Wrestling. He used to play 'Gauntlet' for hours at the local arcade wearing a Motley Crue shirt and AC/DC cap. He insisted on being Merlin. If he wasn't Merlin he didn't play. We used to hang out at the local playground and get high to Judas Priest, especially 'Beyond The Realm Of Death'. He once told me if he ever killed himself it would be to that song.'
As the decade progressed Doolan fell deeper into the heavy metal subculture while satisfying his lust for Dungeons and Dragons. 'He really thought he was the characters' said Jochem. 'He attempted suicide more than once, believing he lived in a battle between ogres and knights and he was about to be caught.' Doolan meanwhile embraced a new breed of occult based heavy metal bands. 'Huw really got into Iron Maiden. 'Number Of The Beast' was his favourite album in 1982. I was too young to realise they were singing about worshipping Satan, otherwise I would have stopped him. He also listened to Ozzy Osbourne's 'Suicide Solution' repeatedly, which we all know is about shooting yourself'. Jochem says there was no end to Doolan's fevered obsession'. 'I watched him sink into the abyss. He blasted AC/DC's 'Night Crawler' as if he were Richard Ramirez himself. Then was Motley Crue's 'Shout At The Devil', as evil as it gets. I'd sit in his room with him and watch him headbang to W.A.S.P's 'Animal (Fuck Like A Beast), knowing full well it was an ode to Satan raping virgins.'
At high school Doolan was more interested in listening to Dio on his walkman says Jochem, than getting an education. 'He'd sit there in class like a zombie while Dio's 'Holy Diver blared. I became tired of 'Ace Of Spades' and The Scorpions as well. By then Huw didnt even watch wrestling anymore.' In 1986 Doolan left school before graduating. His parents kicked him out, finally tiring of his love for heavy metal, it's demonic forces infesting their household according to Jochem. Doolan worked a succession of jobs without holding any down. 'He refused to work' says Jochem. ' All he wanted to do was sit and home and watch TV listening to metal. After that I didn't see much of him. It was the band Motley Crue which drove me away. Total evil.'
Doolan joined the army in 1995 after years of wandering. A fit young man, he was known to annoy his fellow cadets by launching Kiss' 'War Machine' on his boombox. Corporal Michael Visceglia commented on Doolan's penchant for weighlifting. 'He could bench press 580. I believe it was the metal music which pushed him. As much as I disliked the music, it was a sight to see him lift.' Doolan stayed on in the army after his service was up and was sent to Iraq in January of 2004. Dan Jochem says for once his parents were proud of Doolan. 'They didn't speak anymore but I knew his dad was proud.' With his thinning hair and thick rimmed glasses Doolan was quiet and unassuming. But that all changed on October the 12th. While his battalion was on patrol in the war torn streets of Basra Doolan left his post. 'No one knew where he was' says Jochem. Doolan according to military intelligence took post in a damaged second story buliding and waited for his patrol to commence their scheduled march down the street.
At approximately 4:06 PM Doolan opened fire on his visible platoon, killing ten of the thirty strong guard. Heavily armed it was a barrage no one expected. Doolan fled to the street, where in the confusion he escaped as it was assumed rebels were attacking. Doolan then resumed fire, gunning down anyone in his path. Civilians and soldiers were massacred by the lethal aim of Doolan who was known to subscribe to Soldier Of Fortune magazine. With his 1995 Sony Walkman in his hand, and Iron Maiden's 'Number Of The Beast' ringing in his ear he made an escape while firing at will, killing twenty three more people, women and children included. Doolan hid in a remote sand dune where he was spotted and killed with one shot by Sgt Tab Holton.
After an investigation it was determined this random act was fueled by the violent heavy metal imagery of Iron Maiden. Maiden's Steve Harris could not be reached for comment. Lance Brogan wasn't surprised to hear of Doolan's actions. 'Explosive' is all Brogan would say. This dark chapter in US history has caused Heavy Metal and its potentially fatal consequences to come under scrutiny. Should we tolerate a brand of music that embraces Satan and devil worship? With bands like Twisted Sister and their ghastly imagery should we be concerned for our children? Songs that promote suicide and murder? Only Huw Doolan knows why he turned on his own men and went on a shooting spree. But we can learn from this. And if that means banning WASP or AC/DC, so be it.
Huw Doolan was born on July the 17th 1969 in Duluth, Minnesota. Family members remember Doolan as 'a quiet kid with a love of sword and sorcery imagery' from an early age. Doolan grew up with a liking for seventies rock bands like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, a fascination which failed to win him friends. A former classmate, Lance Brogan recalls Doolan prefering to sit in his room rather than play football outside with the other local boys. 'He'd sit in his room and listen obsessively to Black Sabbath's 'Paranoid' album' says Brogan. 'We all knew there were occult influences behind their music' continues Brogan, 'and this made Huw somewhat of an outcast. This was around the 1980 period before all the other Satanic bands like Motley Crue and W.AS.P. became popular'.
The emergence of heavy metal in the 80's as a major commercial enterprise only strengthened Doolan's love for the music. His parents, who refused to be interviewed for this story, reportedly beat their son for his refusal to dispense with the music. One of Doolan's only acknowledged fiends, Dan Jochem described at length Doolan's growing obsession with heavy metal music. 'Huw took some hard knocks from his father Turk for listening to metal. Aside from that all Huw seemed to like was Dungeons And Dragons and NWA Wrestling. He used to play 'Gauntlet' for hours at the local arcade wearing a Motley Crue shirt and AC/DC cap. He insisted on being Merlin. If he wasn't Merlin he didn't play. We used to hang out at the local playground and get high to Judas Priest, especially 'Beyond The Realm Of Death'. He once told me if he ever killed himself it would be to that song.'
As the decade progressed Doolan fell deeper into the heavy metal subculture while satisfying his lust for Dungeons and Dragons. 'He really thought he was the characters' said Jochem. 'He attempted suicide more than once, believing he lived in a battle between ogres and knights and he was about to be caught.' Doolan meanwhile embraced a new breed of occult based heavy metal bands. 'Huw really got into Iron Maiden. 'Number Of The Beast' was his favourite album in 1982. I was too young to realise they were singing about worshipping Satan, otherwise I would have stopped him. He also listened to Ozzy Osbourne's 'Suicide Solution' repeatedly, which we all know is about shooting yourself'. Jochem says there was no end to Doolan's fevered obsession'. 'I watched him sink into the abyss. He blasted AC/DC's 'Night Crawler' as if he were Richard Ramirez himself. Then was Motley Crue's 'Shout At The Devil', as evil as it gets. I'd sit in his room with him and watch him headbang to W.A.S.P's 'Animal (Fuck Like A Beast), knowing full well it was an ode to Satan raping virgins.'
At high school Doolan was more interested in listening to Dio on his walkman says Jochem, than getting an education. 'He'd sit there in class like a zombie while Dio's 'Holy Diver blared. I became tired of 'Ace Of Spades' and The Scorpions as well. By then Huw didnt even watch wrestling anymore.' In 1986 Doolan left school before graduating. His parents kicked him out, finally tiring of his love for heavy metal, it's demonic forces infesting their household according to Jochem. Doolan worked a succession of jobs without holding any down. 'He refused to work' says Jochem. ' All he wanted to do was sit and home and watch TV listening to metal. After that I didn't see much of him. It was the band Motley Crue which drove me away. Total evil.'
Doolan joined the army in 1995 after years of wandering. A fit young man, he was known to annoy his fellow cadets by launching Kiss' 'War Machine' on his boombox. Corporal Michael Visceglia commented on Doolan's penchant for weighlifting. 'He could bench press 580. I believe it was the metal music which pushed him. As much as I disliked the music, it was a sight to see him lift.' Doolan stayed on in the army after his service was up and was sent to Iraq in January of 2004. Dan Jochem says for once his parents were proud of Doolan. 'They didn't speak anymore but I knew his dad was proud.' With his thinning hair and thick rimmed glasses Doolan was quiet and unassuming. But that all changed on October the 12th. While his battalion was on patrol in the war torn streets of Basra Doolan left his post. 'No one knew where he was' says Jochem. Doolan according to military intelligence took post in a damaged second story buliding and waited for his patrol to commence their scheduled march down the street.
At approximately 4:06 PM Doolan opened fire on his visible platoon, killing ten of the thirty strong guard. Heavily armed it was a barrage no one expected. Doolan fled to the street, where in the confusion he escaped as it was assumed rebels were attacking. Doolan then resumed fire, gunning down anyone in his path. Civilians and soldiers were massacred by the lethal aim of Doolan who was known to subscribe to Soldier Of Fortune magazine. With his 1995 Sony Walkman in his hand, and Iron Maiden's 'Number Of The Beast' ringing in his ear he made an escape while firing at will, killing twenty three more people, women and children included. Doolan hid in a remote sand dune where he was spotted and killed with one shot by Sgt Tab Holton.
After an investigation it was determined this random act was fueled by the violent heavy metal imagery of Iron Maiden. Maiden's Steve Harris could not be reached for comment. Lance Brogan wasn't surprised to hear of Doolan's actions. 'Explosive' is all Brogan would say. This dark chapter in US history has caused Heavy Metal and its potentially fatal consequences to come under scrutiny. Should we tolerate a brand of music that embraces Satan and devil worship? With bands like Twisted Sister and their ghastly imagery should we be concerned for our children? Songs that promote suicide and murder? Only Huw Doolan knows why he turned on his own men and went on a shooting spree. But we can learn from this. And if that means banning WASP or AC/DC, so be it.
