Jim Breuer: I Marked Road Trips by Metal Albums

For many, road trips tend to be measured in hours, or perhaps the number of states driven through.

For comedian Jim Breuer, many were measured by the heavy metal albums he listened to on the way.

In his 2010 book I'm Not High (But I've Got a Lot of Crazy Stories about Life as a Goat Boy, a Dad, and a Spiritual Warrior), he notes a trip to Washington, D.C., was measured "in two [Queensryche] Operation: Mindcrimes' and one [Metallica] ... And Justice For All."

"I was a huge Queensryche fan," Breuer said, noting his disappointment  locally at , because he was going to be performing in Germany. "Operation: Mindcrime, I listened to it 10,000 times," he said.

The Long Island native and 12-year Morris County resident will be back in the area soon, however, 

It is actually the 44-year-old's lifelong affection for heavy metal that takes him to Germany this month. Breuer will perform alongside such metal legends as Judas Priest and Ozzy Osbourne in the Wacken Open Air Festival, one of the biggest metal-based festivals in the world.

Growing up in the pop-themed, big-hair era of the 1980s, Breuer said he had a natural attraction to heavy metal music.

"Judas Priest led the way," he said. "They were a gateway metal drug. Then, a friend introduced me to Metallica. I never really turned back.

"I learned more about American history in [Iron Maiden's] 'Run to the Hills' than in four years of high school," Breuer said.

Breuer's Morristown show is being promoted on the Mayo Performing Arts Center website as "an evening of laughs about family, friends and everyone we love in this non-vulgarity show featuring material that relates to anyone between the ages of 18 through 80," a switch for some that might not have seen the former "Saturday Night Live" cast member since his role as a stoner in the late 1990s cult-comedy film Half Baked.

"I'm not holding back," Breuer said, noting that the best way to describe his current routine is "a modern-day Cosby but in a Metallica shirt."

His routine took its current turn in 2008, when Breuer, now a married father of three, began to tour material with a new family outlook.

He says it's his best material ever.

"It's so family-based: marriage, being a father, son, uncle."

In his 2009 Comedy Central special, "Let's Clear the Air," Breuer did just that.

"I said, 'Get used to it,'" he said, referring to his new family-centric routine. "And it's brought in my audience. Guys that used to follow me, they're imbedded for life."

Breuer notes his 1999 move to Chester Township, following the birth of his oldest daughter, as the beginning of the turn.

"I absolutely love where I'm at," he said. "I love this area, love the people. I don't see myself ever leaving here."

The former "Goat Boy" on SNL has embraced the rural suburban life with his kids (ages 12, 9 and 6) and with Dee, his wife of 18 years.
"We bike ride, hike, fish, camp ... I never did anything like that on Long Island," Breuer said.

While the confident comedian never really doubted fans would warm up to his latest routine, Breuer said it's great to know he still has the ability to make people literally lose their breath with laughter.

"It doesn't matter what movie I was in, these are the best shows I've had," he said. "People have come to see Goat Boy, Half Baked, and I'm still getting a standing ovation.

"They're just coming to laugh," Breuer said.

Comedian Jim Breuer performs at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, at . Tickets are between $32 and $67. For more information, visit .