Fan? - What is a fan?

[Mocika]

I wonder what means a fan for you? Is it somebody who buys every release from a band or somebody who knows every little details about the band and its members, or somebody who wears band's T-shirt or somebody who just likes that band and their music.. when you say ' I'm a fan of ... band' what does it mean exactly for you?

 

[nevershine]

Have you seen the movie fan?
Hopefully not that...

 

[Orchid]

I'd define "a fan" of a band as a person who likes the band in question more than most of the other bands he or she listens to. The fan loves the band's music.

 

[Taliesin]

I'm with Orchid here, adding that a fan should own most of the releases, singles not included, maybe some shirts as well...

 

[Orchid]

Oh yeah, I forgot about the albums-thing.

I also thought about adding the shirts there, but is that really necessary? Aren't shirts just external signs of "fanhood", and a sort of call for attention or acceptance amongst other metallists?

For example, I'm a fan of Dimmu Borgir (meaning, I really love their music), but I don't have a single shirt by them. Am I just a semi-fan?

 

[Cyclonus]

If you like it, you're a fan. Like can be variable... you can love it or just like to listen to it occasionally... but you're still a fan if you like it...

You don't have to own all their albums and have 10 shirts to be a fan... just like the music...

 

[Weapon X]

A fan to me is someone who likes music that the band plays, even if they have no shirt. A person who has lotta shirts and no CD's are just plain weird. Why would one waste money on a shirt and not the CD's.

There are different range's of a "fan".
Gotta have every album.
Gotta have every album, but will wait before getting, just to make sure it's good.
Likes to hear the bands songs, but not stressing to get the album.

 

[Mocika]

why are tshirt so important? does it really matter what we wear? ok, at a concert its nice to see what band the others like.. but any other `special` meaning of this tshirt-madness? just because i know some ppl who are crazy about metal tshirt and i have only 2... but cant really wear at work

 

[Mocika]

Anohter thing... as i fan... am i supposed to know the name of the band members and more details about them?

 

[~UlvedaL~]

@Soulburner... I agree...

 

[Infinite Reach]

If you will buy the next CD release of a band the day it comes out without even thinking of sampling it first, then you are fan.

 

[SculptedCold]

A fan (manual version) is a hand-held instrument that is used in a flapping motion to propel air, most commonly with the aim to cool.

Electronic/automatic fans are far more complex things though, I don't have space here unfortunately, to explain the possibilities and methods of application available.

 

[Mocika]

Originally posted by SculptedCold
A fan (manual version) is a hand-held instrument that is used in a flapping motion to propel air, most commonly with the aim to cool.

Its very useful in the sommer months...

 

[Lutz]

fan2 Pronunciation Key (fn)
n.
An ardent devotee; an enthusiast.

 

[Ziller]

Words are nasty buggers, aren't they?

I would probably only call myself a fan of something if I was sure the other person understood the word "fan" in roughly the same way What's the use of rigidly defining a meaning for fandom? Off the top of my head, I can come up with two possibilities:

• The need to know whether or not you can call yourself a fan. Boy, is this the wrong way to build an identity or what? To quote "Iso-Antti," a finnish national hero: "Not with words, but with deeds."
• The need to measure whether someone else is "fan enough *)" People who think this way should get their heads checked or grow up.

For further discussion I refer you to any and all past threads about clothes, hair, identity and general metalness ;-)

*) sorry, horrible pun, but what a great opportunity for a Clawfinger spoof!