A rant about the metal community

[KingsEvilScreamer]

Why is it that even into the 21st century, there are still groups of people among the metal community who still live under the mentality that if it's not "fast and brutal", it is not metal? Why are there still people out there who think that in order to be "metal elite", you have to dress a certain way, or act over the top? I was reading a review for the Opeth dvd, and someone actually said they took the dvd back, because Opeth was "too polite". Just in my own 20 year lifetime, I've seen the genre of heavy metal grow in ways that no one could ever imagine, yet there are still people who believe that in order to be a metalhead, you have to act like a big, dumb, aggressive jerk. Doesn't that just further the thousands of stereotypes we already receive? Just because a person is into metal, doesn't mean they have to carry the attitude of "Oh, I'm metal, so I'm gonna act like a jerk." If you're gonna return your Opeth dvd because the guys in Opeth don't act like complete dicks, then be my guest. But don't get terribly mad when you become the target of ridicule for acting like just another dumb metalhead.

 

[Øjeblikket]

Another thing that is totally wierd about the whole metal crowd is the wearing of metal shirts...

it's kind of like our (the metal community's) version of the red hat ladies.

in answer to your question, then, it is my guess that all those big dumb jerks really want to be petite intelligent ladies, with red hats and purple dresses.

 

[Kenneth R.]

word to that. i'm sick of people trying to be so kvlt and tr00 that they can't even admit they listen to björk.

 

[speed]

Another thing that is totally wierd about the whole metal crowd is the wearing of metal shirts...

it's kind of like our (the metal community's) version of the red hat ladies.




in answer to your question, then, it is my guess that all those big dumb jerks really want to be petite intelligent ladies, with red hats and purple dresses.

Thats funny. Yeah, I refuse to wear the stereotypical metal look. it seems odd that a music based on isolation, angst, and aggression resorts to such a superficial and not very attractive, cliquish look. When I went to concerts, I always came in whatever attire I felt like, and jesus did I get looks and questions.

 

[RookParliament]

I buy metal shirts at shows because I know the band gets a big cut of that money, often more then from records sales. I usually dress all in black, but its more from comfort, though this summer I have taken to wearing khaki short a lot.

 

[NeverIsForever]

My interaction with people that like metal is almost nonexistent, as I only know a handful. So I haven't really run into any jerks. However, I do hate the stereotype of metalheads as being stupid.

Gotta agree with RookParliament--while I like wearing black, practicality usually wins out in the summer :Spin:

 

[infoterror]

God, Opeth sucks.

 

[Iridium]

Indeed - mediocrity being presented as if it was greatness with an ego to boot.

I look somewhat metal on the generic-metal scale. I usually wear normal blue jeans, although with a leather jacket (unpolluted with stickers and other such nonsense) and occasionally a metal shirt. Of my 15 or so shirts, about 5 are metal (Master of Puppets, Damien, Burzum, Bathory, Venom). I do not consider myself a metalhead out of a musical preference context.

The majority of the "metalheads" I have met have not been too bright, aside from occasional sparks of brilliance. As far as I'm concerned, having poor stereotypes attributed to one is the price to pay for associating oneself with a scene.

 

[Forest of Åsatrú]

God, Opeth sucks.

nah, your listening frequencies just aren't in tune with Opeth's brilliance. The day may come, or not. Some of us get lucky enough. :Spin:

As far as metalheads. The metalheads who have a more universal liking of metal are great to sit and talk music with. The metalhead elitist who think that faster, heavier, louder=better are morons and usually get on everyone's nerves.

 

[infoterror]

The metalheads who try to be prog-rockers without going prog are as bad as the faster, heavier, louder, better types (who I'd hoped had died out with the second Napalm Death CD).

 

[Arch]

While the metal community have their fair share of elitests, I have to say that the punk community are worse when it comes to this elitest culture. What's worse is when these young surburbanite punk teenagers tell someone older what "punk" is or isn't. I personally like the metal "community" because most metalheads can listen to various styles of metal without taking this "metal-ness" mentality too seriously. I mean, there was this Norwegian commercial making fun of this bearded metalhead wearing a pink tu-tu and prancing around in his apartment listening to pop and we can have a good laugh at it.

 

[NeverIsForever]

God, Opeth sucks.

Where'd that come from??? I didn't say anything about Opeth...unless you were referring to the fact that the quote in my sig came from the new Opeth forum?

Oh well. You're entitled to your opinion. It's past midnight and despite the fact that I'm a flaming Opeth fangirl, I'm honestly too tired to care that you think they suck, let alone argue the point

Edit: and yes the punk thing is stupid, however I can see where they're coming from. You get a lot of people that think artists like Avril Lavigne or Simple Plan are "punk," or that emo is essentially the same as punk, and after a while it's rather annoying. To put it in context, this confusion is analogous to people calling Linkin Park a metal band.

 

[KingsEvilScreamer]

Here's my biggest problem with the punk scene. (Keep in mind that Rochester, New York has the shittiest metal scene ever, and all the bands that claim to be metal are either nu-metal, or post-dillinger escape plan bands) Any band who wants to play anything that closely resembles metal, like thrash metal, has to go through the punk scene. Punk kids are the most hypocritical kids you will ever meet. They're politically correct in the sense that they hate racism and homophobia, but they still rip on jocks like theres no tomorrow for absolutely no better reason than because they don't like jocks. For being supposedly so open minded, they're really the most ignorant people Ive ever met.

 

[Øjeblikket]

I buy metal shirts at shows because I know the band gets a big cut of that money, often more then from records sales.

Werner Herzog is brilliant!


ps, I own an OPETH shirt that I bought at one of their concerts! hehe.

 

[Kenneth R.]

imo many metal fans are just as guilty as top40 suckers for being closedminded to other styles of music. many members of this forum are an exception.

 

[Iridium]

Let it be written and let it be spoken: anyone who refers to themselves as open-minded is a faggot. You probably confuse "open-mindedness" with the lack of an ability to discriminate. I was going to say that a large number of metal fans are as guilty as the top40 suckers for listening to music solely for the effect it has on their auditory system, who do not consider meaning and ideology, but that's another topic entirely.

 

[Kenneth R.]

not giving something a chance purely because its outside a favorite genre is closedminded, not giving something a chance because you know it offers no meaning or idealogical value is good taste... imo.

 

[infoterror]

Punk kids are the most hypocritical kids you will ever meet. They're politically correct in the sense that they hate racism and homophobia, but they still rip on jocks like theres no tomorrow for absolutely no better reason than because they don't like jocks. For being supposedly so open minded, they're really the most ignorant people Ive ever met.

I agree, they're angry, passive morons. Death to the undermen.

 

[RookParliament]

Werner Herzog is brilliant!


ps, I own an OPETH shirt that I bought at one of their concerts! hehe.

I am so glad I found out there is a Landmark theatre only 30 minutes away from me so I don't have to drive to Chicago to see good independent and foreign films. Just got back from watching Broken Flowers with Bill Murray and that was quite good.Unfortunately they will not be playing Grizzly Man by Herzog at that location so a trip to Chicago will now be in order. Sigh. Oh my pain.

 

[Hubster]

Anyway, back to the topic.

It's funny in a way with the metal crowd: (in my opinion / how it works for me) metal is a genre which is a bit leftist, it's not mainstream. Aside from the fact that I love the music, I have no problem with someone dressing "metal". All black, long hair, band shirt, thats fine with me.

What I find amazing though is the attitude of many metalheads... I'll explain in a somewhat "slightly long winded" way:

I am not "metal looking": I keep myself extremely clean, am of ethnic origin, and am very feminine in nature as a person. I don't get into "macho stuff" at all, most of my friends are women.

I started listening to Metal in 1986, when I was 11 years old (I'm now 30). Back then, I did get into all the jackets with patches etc etc, and then at the end of high school (early 90's) I went into punk & grunge, but was also heavily into dance music as well.

As the years went by and my self confidence increased, I started to go to more "pretentious" places. I started to really look after my appearance, dress well, and dare I say it I probably became pretty shallow myself.

Thankfully, "I came to" and snapped out of all that crap, and have "humbled" myself into becoming simply happy with who I am, truly realising that I cannot stand comforming to trends, "herd movements" or things which are "socially acceptable".

I've come full circle in a way, because I am into metal again more than I ever was in my teens. With all this life experience behind me now, I have been shocked to find that an amazing level of shallowness and pretentiousness exists in the metal community.

From an "older" persons POV, I enjoy being part of a metal community because it has a higher concentration of leftist people who seek different things in life from what the "materialistic/fashionable herds" do. However, I'm starting to find out that even metalheads are so up themselves its not funny. If you dont wear black and have long enough hair, you're frowned at or treated as an "intruder".

Of course, this doesn't happen all the time, nor does it happen with all metalheads. I notice mostly, it happens with younger ones (although, I do know an older metalhead who works in a shop nearby, and has to be one of the most elitist pigs I've ever known).

It amazes me, this occurrence that is happening. I've hung out in some of the most pretentious places in my day, where people use their money and flash clothes to talk, yet, in some instances, they were never as pretentious as some of the metalheads I've seen.

As one great friend of mine once said to me "I don't spend time with metalheads anymore, they don't seem to love the music for it's artistic side, and are too busy being pretentious and sceney. I prefer to spend my time with MUSIC LOVERS instead".