 Towards the end of the 1970s , British metalheads coalesced into a closed community of peers that exalted power and celebrated masculinity . According to Deena Weinstein 's analysis , their male camaraderie and the general absence of women in their ranks did not turn into machismo and misogyny . In the same article , she wrote that British heavy metal : " is not racist , despite its uniformly white performers , and its lyrics are devoid of racial references . " Another characteristic of the subculture was its latent homophobia , less violent but not dissimilar to British skinheads ' disposition ; in his book Running with the Devil : Power , Gender and Madness in Heavy Metal Music , Robert Walser calls it a " collective affirmation of heterosexuality " , and in a journal British sociologist John Clarke regards it as " a reaction against the erosion of traditionally available stereotypes of masculinity " . Headbangers showed little interest in political and social problems , finding in each other 's company , in the consumption of beer and in the music , the means to escape their bleak reality ; for this reason they were often accused of nihilism or escapism . In contrast with punks , they loved musicianship and made idols of virtuoso guitarists and vocalists , viewing the live show as the full realisation of their status . The fans were very loyal to the music , to each other and to the bands with whom they shared origins and from whom they required coherence with their values , authenticity and continuous accessibility . To depart from this strict code meant being marked as a " sell out " or " poseur " and being somewhat excluded from the community . The lyrics of the song " Denim and Leather " by Saxon reflect precisely the condition of British metalheads in those years of great enthusiasm . Access to this male @-@ dominated world for female musicians and fans was not easy and only women who adapted to their male counterparts ' standards and codes were accepted , as attested by Girlschool and Rock Goddess , the only notable all @-@ female metal bands of that era . 
