Imagine if we suddenly formulated a United Nations of Music and every genre had to send an ambassador to take part in the proceedings. For many types of music there would be a great deal of debate about who should represent them. For Hard Rock and Heavy Metal there’d be no need to even take a vote. The position is already filled. Jose “Metal Ambassador” Mangin not only owns the title but is doing the job better than anybody else could.
Mangin was nicknamed “Metal Ambassador” when a friend called him that at a party in the late 2000’s. He says, “It fit perfectly and just stuck. I’ve used it religiously ever since.” But talk to Mangin for more than a few minutes and you instantly discover it’s not just a nickname or hyperbole. It’s a role he takes seriously.
His work as Ambassador includes programming and hosting shows on several SiriusXM radio channels. They include Octane, Liquid Metal, and Ozzy’s Boneyard. Mangin also hosts the Danny Wimmer Presents Hard Rock festivals across the country such as Aftershock, Sonic Temple, and Welcome to Rockville. Each represents a four-day non-stop commitment with bands performing all day long and fans waiting to meet the Ambassador.
Being front and center at huge events for the Rock and Metal community does benefit his SiriusXM channels. It’s great to get on stage and mention the channels by name, but even more important is the opportunity to interact with listeners.
“My favorite thing about doing these festivals is talking to our SiriusXM subscribers and being able to say thank you to their face,” said Mangin. “Remember this isn’t something they get for free.”
But there’s more to it than just shaking hands. Jose is also attempting to reinvent stage announcements for a new generation. Instead of going on just before the band comes out, Mangin has pressed to do more video pieces backstage to run on the big screens at the shows. He wants to give the fans a window into a part of the festival they never see.
“I want to show them what it looks like backstage,” added Mangin. “People in the industry, we take it for granted. Seeing what’s happening back there is not normal to 99.9% of the people. It’s cool to show that.”
While this new approach may be his idea, Mangin is clear that the focus is on delivering for the fans.
“It’s not about me,” Mangin expressed. “I’m not trying to say, ‘hey, look what I’m doing.’ I’m just trying to do some fun stuff. Make people smile, and help the bands feel comfortable. I just want to be a positive voice.”
That leads back to how seriously he takes the role of Metal Ambassador.
“I love being the leader of a family. I want to be a positive person in our scene,” said Mangin.
He wonders about the negativity that sometimes crops up in the Rock and Metal community, especially from other professionals in the business who get to avail themselves of the experiences and benefits that come with working in the industry.
“They’re so sour. Everywhere I go, every day I’m smiling. I get to talk about metal, and I get to hang out with metal heads,” Mangin points out.
He also takes issue with those who would proclaim that Rock is dead. “God, that makes me want to throw up when I hear it. People who say that are sadly out of touch.” Jose doesn’t engage with those people because arguing would produce more negative vibes and that’s not his style. Instead, he hoists the banner even higher. “Rock is not dead. It is stronger than ever. Our music is the biggest that it’s been in decades and our festivals are the biggest they’ve ever been.”
While he could pull out numbers and research to prove his assertion, he prefers to back up his point by talking about what he experiences when he’s out with fans. “I’m an energy person. I feel Octane and Liquid Metal getting bigger. I can feel the love for this music and the community getting stronger.”
The other reason he’s positive Rock and Metal are alive and well is the sheer amount of new music and new artists he consumes and champions on the airwaves. As an example, Mangin talks about the success of Spiritbox, an artist he championed early on.
“We were their biggest supporters,” shared Mangin. “They were number one on the Devil’s Dozen (countdown on Liquid Metal) while they were still working at a call center. Nobody was playing Spiritbox. Then we put it in heavy rotation and boom, three Grammy nominations three years in a row.”
To find the bands that are the future of the genre, the Ambassador is constantly listening to new music, “It’s twenty-four-seven. This job doesn’t have office hours. I get so much stuff sent to me.” But to be clear, it’s not a burden. “It’s hard, but it’s fun, and it’s cool. ‘What’s your job? I get to listen to metal.’” That includes the recent discovery of the first band he’s ever managed, Ladrones from Guadalajara, Mexico.
The band, which mixes metal, hip hop, and Mexican regional music, sings in Spanish which doesn’t always go over well with listeners, one of the few things that makes the ever upbeat Mangin a little gloomy. “If I play stuff in Spanish, people complain and that’s sad. It’s been that way from the very beginning but it’s getting a little grosser now.”
He of course deals with it like a true ambassador. “I’m going to kill them with kindness. I continue to play more Spanish metal, play more music in Espanol, and talk in Espanol on the radio.” That’s important to him because, as someone who has seen the genre change over the years, he feels continued growth is going to come from crossing genres and cultures.
“Metal is beautiful because it’s a universal language. People understand the music, the vibe, and the energy. They don’t have to understand the language to get into something. I don’t know what Babymetal is saying or what Rammstein are saying. I don’t care, I just love their music. And I feel the same for Ladrones. They’re a band that’s leading the way. I think they’re going to start a whole movement.”
Mangin’s role as Ambassador wouldn’t be complete without having a way to give back. During the pandemic he felt helpless and wanted to do more. That’s when Headbang for Science was born. Established in 2021, each year the foundation awards scholarships to three students with good grades who are pursuing a career in healthcare or physical sciences and, of course, love Metal.
To prove they are metal fans students must submit a video and an essay, each of which is reviewed by Mangin. “It’s very emotional reading some of these stories.” He says he cried when he watched the video from one of this year’s winners, a shy, Native American student from New Mexico. “She doesn’t do videos. You could tell she doesn’t talk on camera. But I knew I was going to help her because I want to help people who care about metal and science. I want to help people who care about their education.”
He also has dreams of perhaps starting his own festival someday. But whether that takes shape or not, you can be sure that the Metal Ambassador will be out representing the music he loves.
“This is a dream job for me. I never want to take advantage of it or take it for granted. Everywhere I go, I have the weight of metal on my shoulders. This music has changed my whole life, so I try to give back to and that’s why it makes me proud to see the world getting more metal.”
To learn more about Headbang for Science, click here. You can also follow Jose Mangin on X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. To learn more about his work on SiriusXM click here.
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Mike Stern is a Classic Rock columnist and Features writer for Barrett Media. He has been with Jacobs Media consulting stations in the Classic Rock, Rock, Alternative and AAA world for more than a decade. Prior to that he programmed stations in Chicago, Detroit, Denver Las Vegas and other markets. He also worked as News/Talk Editor for Radio and Records, wrote about Top 40 Radio for Billboard Magazine and had his own radio talent coaching business called Talent Mechanic.
