The Guardian - US

Part of the effect is me, though. You get a guy my size, hairy and bearded playing death metal, it has a fairly predictable range of effects. I start playing something like that, a different effect occurs.

It shifts from being a claim of space into being something people can get all offended over.

The goal is to play something brutal, but largely unintelligible to "plebes", as a statement of "this is what you get when you disrespect shared public spaces". Because if one person can decide for all, it turns into who can play the loudest, and that's no fun for anyone.

That specific track is more of a nod to other metal heads combined with its sonic aggression. It's pretty notorious, so I get laughs and nods, plus the horns from folks in the know. They get what I'm doing, and appreciate the way it's done.

But, it shocks the ears and makes people playing loud music or shows have to decide how to approach the issue. Do they try and get louder? Back off their volume and hope everyone else does too? They aren't likely to complain because big dude privilege exists, even when you're another big dude.

But you come out with something that has clear sexual undertones, and it's clearly audible, you're the creepy big dude, and that ain't fun.

Hammer smashed face, as an alternate pick, is a little too aggro. The bits and pieces the average person is going to catch read too far into violence, and could be taken as a threat.

It really is a delicate balance of social signals, otherwise it's just me being equally obnoxious rather than making a point in a plain but non confrontational way (which is where big dude privilege becomes big dude prejudice). Not that it's not obnoxious for me to do it too, it is, but calculated obnoxiousness is a tool rather than assholery for its own sake.