The Story Behind the Speed Metal Swirl. (Banzai Records)

[@brooksrownd2275]

Megaforce, Metal Blade, Noise, Combat, Neat, Roadrunner...such important labels of my youth!

[@johnbush5347]

Relapse also

[@TalesFromTheCrypt13]

I’m a huge Banzai Records collector! I have more than half of the Banzai LP’s and more than half of the Banzai Cassettes all in VG+ to Near Mint condition… and I’m from Dieppe, New Brunswick, Canada! (About a 10 minute drive away from Shediac) I’m actually really close friends with the guy that took that picture of the Swirl on the Shediac phone book (his name is Claude Doiron)… it was his parents phone book back in the late 70’s and they still have that exact phone book with the Swirl on it to this day! He was actually just at my house a week ago talking to me about it and saying that in the early 80’s they had a shower curtain in their bathroom with a bunch of little Speed Metal Swirls as the pattern! Anyways glad that you mentioned the Shediac connection because Gunther and Michel definitely just took that logo and added the words Speed Metal on the top and bottom… they didn’t actually create the logo.

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Ah, that's cool, I've learned something today. :)

[@TalesFromTheCrypt13]

@@RuthlessMetalYT Cheers! 🤘😈🤘

[@progfox]

what are the odds i see a random person in yt comments from my same city wtf

[@thesnapperkeeper]

Best Metal channel on KZbin 🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

thanks boss! 👍

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

If you enjoyed the video then make sure to smash that LIKE button 👍 and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE 🔔 if you're new! 🔴 Patreon: www.patreon.com/user?u=54741783 💬 Discord: discord.gg/B8NvuuSPMX 💳 Ruthless Merch: merch.streamelements.com/ruthlessmetal 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/groups/176669589198816 🐦 Twitter: twitter.com/JimRuthless 🤘 Spotify: open.spotify.com/user/nla1154q1kamkscnp5z1d79h3?si=K1ujpPh_SLujafZ_WUHFwQ 💲 Donate: streamelements.com/ruthlessmetal/tip Stay Heavy! 🤘

[@nazzasutir3534]

0:41 Him: Banzai Rekords Me: Banzai Kecokus

[@johnzavradinos4677]

Montreal is my hometown and growing as young Metal head in the early 80's ,we were fortunate to have the record store, Rock en Stock (who started Banzai records as a distribution label). That was the place where I bought the first 2 Metallica and Slayer plus Venom's first 3 records. All of them had the Banzai label on it. I miss that store and Banzai but it's great to see the Speed Metal logo live on!

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!

[@None_More_Metal]

I got a bunch of Banzai releases from back in the day and my prized possession is Canadian Assault which I got autographed by all 3 members of Venom in 1985.

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Sweet!

[@deanleslie3269]

Man,you're quite well researched. Being a Quebecer who lived an hour away from Montreal I grew up with and loved that speed metal swirl,still do! Michel Meese was also the owner of a great record store called Rock en stock,roughly translated as rock in stock. It was basically a lot of imports of metal albums of the day. Michel,despite the,to my ears,Dutch sounding surname of Meese,was a Francophone who spoke English with a French accent,(we are mostly of various European descent in Canada!)So it's Pronounced Meeshell Mees.I had some of those albums,like Morbid Tales and possibly also Haunting the Chapel and Infernal Overkill may have had the swirl as well. I noticed Fenriz of Darkthrone has a speed metal swirl tattoo on his arm. I'd love to have a t-shirt with one. Nice short little episode. Keep up the good work,buddy! Cheers!

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Thank you sir, and thanks for clarifying. Cheers!

[@deanleslie3269]

@@RuthlessMetalYT My pleasure!

[@Canuck1000]

Indeed, I lived across the Jacques-Cartier bridge and went to Rock en Stock almost every weekend. I knew Michel and several employees. I will another comment about the label above, which is unfortunately not positive.

[@zinjx]

Very very short. The Symbol is about 3000 years old and is today called Kolovrat and is related to the well-known 4-legged and 8-legged. Thanks for another great video Ruthless.

[@Northdracula]

Speed Metal is awesome. I’m glad to be a Speed Metal musician. And I’m glad to be a part of a family of which you guys are there and the Metal is eternal! 🤘🏼🔥❤️

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

good stuff! 👍

[@phoenixzappa7366]

Speed metal is class.

[@gandalfthewhite623]

I own a Canadian copy of Helloween’s “Walls Of Jericho” who was the banzai label on it! 🤘🏻

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!

[@Canuck1000]

As others have pointed out, it is well researched (I am also a native Montrealer). I need to point out that not all albums were officially licensed and some were actually bootlegged. In the early 90s, Rock en Stock (the headquarter of Banzai) at 1238 Crescent street was raided by the police for selling bootlegs and imports where Michel did not pay the duty taxes. This led to the demise of Banzai and his record store, which shortly shutdown thereafter. Note that not everyone has a high opinion of Michel Meese (ask Martin Popoff).

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!

[@Flets72]

Oh! That explains why Sodom's Obsessed by Cruelty sounded like s**t on the Banzai version... Years later, I heard it on cd and thought they had done a great remastering job but I realize now it was just the original sound... I'm glad to learn that Rock en Stock was the head office of the Banzai brand... Going there was the highlight of any trip I used to make to Montreal...

[@burkevilleproduction]

I grew up in Saskatchewan, Canada. I owned several of these releases in the 80's. Awesome.

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!

[@l.i.v.v4835]

Brilliant as always!

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!

[@viniciusleaoa]

That's cool 🤘 I had never heard of that before

[@tales-of-fossegrim]

very happy to say that i have this swirl as a tattoo on my bicep!

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

cheers

[@venetiria]

I got the same tattoo as well, on my arm.

[@MetalCollision]

Reminds me on my school books at the 80's... drawed full off this logo, skulls, logos of Slayer, Anthrax, Metallica, Nuclear Assault, Hallows Eve, Destructor etc... 🤘

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!

[@chriswilson4525]

Bütcher's albums and merch rock the swirl.

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

cheers

[@SubwaySweden]

I used to have "Endles Pain" with the speedmetal swirl on it.... I had a bunch of valuable vinyls back in the days but a move to the US and stressed for time I put my record collection out for auction and got 500SEK for it. At least ten albums where +5000SEK each out of the ones I "gave" away. So whatever you do, don't inform me of the value of that record

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

think of me next time. ;)

[@jaymars3370]

Logo looks like the record adapter that you use to play the smaller 45 rpm record on a record player. Yes, I’m old 😕

[@paulosicne8498]

Hi brother. You should do a video on Savage Grace. Their Master of Disguise is still one of my all time favorite records. It was always an enigma how the vocalist on that album, Michael Smith, left after that record released, right before them embarking on their European tour. Very underrated album and band.

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Great band for sure, been a while since I listened to them.

[@DahmerJ17]

Awsome!! I think of Iron Angel when i see that symbol...Keep up the GREAT work!

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Thank you, Jag tror jag såg dej var det i eurotalk chatten eller kanske fz. :D

[@DahmerJ17]

@@RuthlessMetalYT Det ver i Fz chatten. Hehe..

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

@@DahmerJ17 ah, bra live de där. :)

[@Catonius]

"Well, it all goes back to the old testament...." lol Glad you can make it clear to the pearl-clutchers that the Speed Metal Swirl is nothing for them to get upset about. Always qvality, cheers!

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!

[@anthonyw5261]

This stuff is fixing to skyrocket because of this video.

[@SaintMartins]

Soundgarden's BadMotorFinger album cover clearly was inspired by the Speed Metal logo. I remember Banzai was smart enough (at least with early Megaforce releases) not to put their logo on the back of the imported albums. Instead they preserved the original U.S. pressing design by just slapping a sticker on the back of the 'shrink wrap" all my original Metallica, Anthrax albums are identical to the U.S. albums.

[@offermoord]

Good you mention the Shediac connection, not many people know this. Unfortunately I don’t have any Banzai albums, l guess they’re rare in europe. l do have some albums with the swirl, Witches Hammer, Cranium, and the Thrash Metal Blitzkrieg 7” compilations to name a few.

[@archangelofcoffee922]

Fenriz of Darkthrone has a tattoo of it. Also, the dreaded "is that a swastika?" Moments in public with shirts and patches of the Speed Metal swirl.

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!

[@dj_devil_corpse]

Arabian countries ,,swastika,,. ,,What are you afraid off,,(like in song stolen from my Rok/Art by ,,clawfinger,, brigada)

[@AberranceMetal]

I have this tattoo too

[@paulosicne8498]

I remember the large Banzai logo on the Venom "Canadian Assault" record.

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Yes! :)

[@omarcortes4667]

I had a couple of tapes Warhead"s Speedway and Witchtcross"s Fit For Fight on Attic Records

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!

[@necrosadotor]

thanx for info, have wondered this sometimes. have it tattooeed and didn't know who came up with it, haha

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

hehe, nice. ;)

[@johnercalisanga5300]

Speed metal is one of my favorites genre's of all time, heavy and cool though😎👊//.

[@abboed.4076]

I'm familiar with this speed metal logo, but didn't know it was Banzai records. 🤔 My 1984 Anthrax 'Fistfull of Metal' album is a Banzai release, but unfortunately it hasn't the speed metal swirl on it. 😌

[@metalmystro7513]

Out of all the reissues that Banzai did thit was one band that was signed to the label and that band is Canada's own Aggression with thei debut "The Full Treatment" one of their more aggressive releases with no swirl from 1987 so maybe by that time the label had a better understanding of what speed metal is since Aggression played death/thrash whats your opinion?

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!

[@CounterRhythms]

I'm from the Montreal area and have quite a few Banzai albums and a few tapes. I have the Bathory S/T which has the swirl. Unfortunately, it's the only album I have with the swirl but it's a great one to have! I bought it in the 80's from a bargain bin at Rock en Stock (same owner as Banzai) for around $7. It has since gone up in value!

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cool stuff! 🤘

[@Exsteeler]

I always thought that logo looked like a record playing/spinning

[@cman600000]

I've got more shit with the Speed Metal symbol on it than I could remember. I always referred to it as the Speed Metal wheel, speed wheel, sun, or sunwheel since a lot of people assumed it was based on the Japanese rising sun. It's odd that no one branded it with a proper title back in the day. HAIL MAUSOLEUM CULT TILL DEATH!!!!

[@josepasher]

Vertiginoso! Un saludo.

[@rikuhaukka6610]

I have an album "Repulsor - Caught in a nightmare" which has the swirl behing the disc

[@rikuhaukka6610]

*trapped

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

yeah, in some cases it's used for nostalgic reasons, to show that this is the real stuff. :) Cheers!

[@MoonlitSlime]

I always loved the look of the swirl, though I've never owned any records that have it. Fun fact, the character Slayer from Guilty Gear has something like it hidden in a frame of animation for one of his attacks!

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!

[@godetonter4764]

I owned Tokyo Blade - Warriors of the Rising Sun on the Banzai Label I had no idea that the Label was Canadian, but being that Tokyo Blade was not Speed, Thrash, Black, or Death Metal it had no swirl. I got kicked out of a stereo store for trying out a stereo with Venom - Canadian Assault because they said Satanic music was not allowed in their establishment , and I needed to purchase speakers elsewhere. The joke was on them Canadian Assault was a lot more popular than I thought it was as I just found out from this video, and they lost money on a possible sale. My Canadian Assault was sadly released on the Combat Label so no swirl

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Haha. ;) Cheers!

[@JoeyCheex0583]

a very familiar logo thru out my life

[@aftermathau]

I’ve got a few of them. We only got imports here in au so banzai was semi common.

[@metalmanmidnite8132]

I've seen that logo on a handful of Metal cassettes, a whole bunch in graffiti form around outdoor summer party sites, here in the Pacific Northwest, America (when I was a kid back in the 80's!!) ⚡🤘😎👍🙂

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers! :D

[@Avalk9724]

That symbol looks a lot like Schwarze Sonne. Coincidental? Maybe...

[@dingdong6069]

Nope. Never saw that logo growing up here in the UK. In fact today is the first time! In the UK we had releases directly by the likes of Roadrunner, Noise, Music For Nations etc... In fact the latter were Metallica's label so for KIll Em All, Ride and MoP's they were indeed an 'indie' band before signing to Elektra.

[@mightykelu]

If I'm not mistaken Fenriz has it tattooed on one of his arms also

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

I think so, Cheers!

[@leonielsen1684]

Can you do a top 10 list of your favorite albums of all time?

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

maybe some day. ;) Cheers!

[@KevinOrtega1980]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen the speed metal swirl yet

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!

[@mrnoobgaming6051]

Can you do a van halen marty friedman jason becker voivod and skull fist ranking

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

we'll see what happens. I don't listen much to friedman or becker but well see.

[@glenkepic3208]

Wow ! I saw Metallica for Ride The Lightning, Still Megaforce then. Label freak since being a kid of like 3 in '61 and seeing a single of the original Wailers....can't recall a title but seeing a record label with a band shot was pretty amazing.... btw, Jimi's Spanish Castle Magic was named for a place he saw this band play as a kid in Washington. Not 'metal' but i can dig it :)

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!

[@bobbyturkalino8470]

The only one I have is Cryptic Slaughter - Convicted.

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!

[@karlmikhailtibule1481]

Speed metal is fast and less aggressive. Thrash is fast and aggressive.🙂🤟

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!

[@burnoutzzz]

Oh damn i live like half an hour away from shediac

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

cheers

[@metalmystro7513]

My banzai copy of kreator pleasure to kill cassette tape doesn't have the speed metal swirl like the lp does so what gives? 😮

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

cheers

[@stevetremblay9323]

SODOM obsessed by cruelty really deserved the speed metal logo .and maybe venom welcome to hell

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!

[@RocketEightEight]

I would make a tatoo of a swirl, but... you know =))

[@franciskocher200]

👍✌😀

[@andresmarmolejodiaz8864]

I have it tattooed

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Is that so? Cool. :D

[@char63r517]

I was surprised i'd never noticed or knew about this symbol. But living in a country just south of Canada may be the reason. Meat packing? I got jokes, but i'm already on bad joke probation, so ...... cheers.

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Yeah, it's kind of an underground thing. cheerios

[@jaymars3370]

Warrant - The Enforcer !?! Cherry Pie Warrant? Hmm

[@malakasquad2214]

No, the German Warrant, The Enforcer is a cool Thrash album from 1985.

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Not the same band

[@_zoinks2554]

Never saw this before not do I care about an obscure Canadian record distributor using a swirly.

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Its a classic

[@_zoinks2554]

@@RuthlessMetalYT I guess it is somewhat interesting :) I have a large collection of speed/thrash/death LPs, cassettes and CDs from the 80's to mid 90's. We are talking over 2000. I have many imports too, mainly from Europe. Not one of them has the "swirl". I suppose in the US that Canadian imports would be unnecessary when you could just drive there.

[@judaspriestfan]

im thinking about getting a t shirt with that symbol on it, but normies at school will probably think it is a neo naz! symbol.

[@brooksrownd2275]

It's a variation of archaic sun symbols, which come in a variety of wheels, spirals and pinwheels

[@jmagowan12]

Aye I know this symbol, it's a celtic spiral as far as I know in reality, they say its related till a chariot wheel and a Celtic spiral in general.

[@RuthlessMetalYT]

Cheers!