I Wish At the Gates’ Tomas Linberg Had Been My Social Studies Teacher

When I think of Tomas Lindberg, the scraggly-haired gravel-voiced frontman of melodic death metal pioneers At the Gates, I imagine him striding across the stage with furious purpose, commanding a crowd. Rarely do I picture him grading a test about the Incas.

But in a firm reminder that even the most storied of metal gods is actually a person with genitals and tax fears, Lindberg recently spoke to EMP Live about his other job: as a social studies teacher in Sweden.

“[My students are] really excited about [me being in the band]. I mean, they’re not metalheads at all. They’re, like, 11, 12 years old right now. But they came to a show when we played Gothenburg, and they got backstage and everything and got to take pictures with the band, and they were super excited. So, I guess, in that way, I might be the cool teacher, but I try not to be.”

When asked if he was strict or mean, Lindberg responded with the progressive-minded approach of actually engaging his students on a personal level. As though they were people!

“No. I’m probably the good teacher, I guess. We have a good relationship. I think all education starts with a relationship with the students.”

Man, it’s probably just because I’m some chud metal blogger, but the idea of having Tomas Linberg as my teacher seems incredibly cool… or does it? No matter how crazy your band is, being someone’s teacher automatically makes you a little lame. Maybe Mr. Snyder, my fifth Grade teacher, was a brutal death metal guitarist in his spare time, but I don’t know, and I’m not sure it would’ve mattered, because he was also the dude who busted my ass for not handing in my homework.

Anyway, we salute Mr. Lindberg and his students. This is why Sweden beats the US in education — because they have metalhead teachers.*

*Who probably make an actual living teaching due to the Swedish government’s high standard of living and comprehensive taxation system.

[via]