How can we "help a brother out"?

[woosta]

Ok, I don't intend this to be insulting to folks around here buuut...how is it that we have bands with a nice catalog of cds out that NOBODY around here seems to know? I mean, ok, Thunderstone only has 3 cds out, but for god's sake, they are on Nuclear Blast which is by most accounts one of the top 2 labels in the world for metal/rock bands. They rule Europe and thus set the tone for what goes over there (and ultimately here). Then, there's Freak Kitchen with a guy who's been in bands since the late 80s, they have, what, 5 cds, there are a lot of people here who plug them and yet when these announcement posts come it's "thanks for introducing me to another band", "jeez, I've never heard of them", etc. I don't understand this. No, you shouldn't know every band, but WOW, these are fully established bands.

So, what is it that we can do to help people "discover" these bands more easily? Can we do the work and develp a "link" page just for this forum? There has to be a way to direct people to stuff that they aren't taking the time themselves to do. Should we include a link every time we discuss a band that we like? Any ideas?
Damn, folks, it's not like Glenn is announcing unsigned bands from Guam or something here.

 

[trentdk]

lol, I like this post a lot. I'm one of those people. I would LOVE some sort of managed sticky thread that just contained a living list of "bands you should know"

 

[Angrafan]

This usually doesn't happen to me, as I am pretty well informed about the scene usually...
But I own ONE cd from the six bands announced combined =P That is, I have one Freak Kitchen CD...

Out of the other bands, I've never heard Wastefall, Thunderstorm and Savage Circus.. I've hears some Epica and Pyramaze, but never really cared for either one of them! Although I've heard some stuff from the new Pyramaze that blew me away!

 

[Rider of Theli]

Should we include a link every time we discuss a band that we like? Any ideas?

that's what I typically do. And I see that from other folks most of the time here as well. This link for example has already slipped halfway down the page. Granted, this band is a bit too proggy for my tastes, but I'm sure they'll gain a few potential fans from this link alone. And if nothing else, I sometimes 'Google' a band's website.

Damn, folks, it's not like Glenn is announcing unsigned bands from Guam or something here.

wait... is that a cryptic clue?

*Googles unsigned bands from Guam*

 

[The_Kinslayer]

I didn't know of either Freak kitchen, Thunderstone, or Wastefall. I guess I have to apologize for my ignorance now?

 

[woosta]

No apologies are needed. I guess I'm just shocked that FK and Thunderstone are big bands on the scene and so few know them. Doesn't anyone have the chance to see the European tour dates or the lineup for Wacken, Bang Your Head, Summer Breeze or others? I mean, that's where you'll constantly see the hot bands listed. I see someone on there I don't know and I think to myself "hey, this may be a band worth checking out if they can land this gig". Prog stuff is hardly ever on there so not knowing Wastefall or other Prog bands is a little more excusable to me. But Thunderstone? I'll have to agree with Glenn when he asked if someone was "living under a rock".

 

[Curufin]

You seem generally insulted that people don't know who Freak Kitchen and Thunderstone are. I find that amusing.

 

[Harvester]

Let me clarify my specific "don't get out" comment. It was directed specifcially at Rifkin who I have known long enough to feel comfortable insulting.

And besides...he really doesn't get out much.


Glenn H.

 

[Sumeet]

Ok, I don't intend this to be insulting to folks around here buuut...how is it that we have bands with a nice catalog of cds out that NOBODY around here seems to know? I mean, ok, Thunderstone only has 3 cds out, but for god's sake, they are on Nuclear Blast which is by most accounts one of the top 2 labels in the world for metal/rock bands. They rule Europe and thus set the tone for what goes over there (and ultimately here). Then, there's Freak Kitchen with a guy who's been in bands since the late 80s, they have, what, 5 cds, there are a lot of people here who plug them and yet when these announcement posts come it's "thanks for introducing me to another band", "jeez, I've never heard of them", etc. I don't understand this. No, you shouldn't know every band, but WOW, these are fully established bands.

So, what is it that we can do to help people "discover" these bands more easily? Can we do the work and develp a "link" page just for this forum? There has to be a way to direct people to stuff that they aren't taking the time themselves to do. Should we include a link every time we discuss a band that we like? Any ideas?
Damn, folks, it's not like Glenn is announcing unsigned bands from Guam or something here.

I think you're a little too worried about this, dude. I mean, I don't go out of my way to find out about every single band in existence, but there's never been a band that Glenn has announced for ProgPower that I've simply never heard of... and the majority of them have been bands that I owned albums from. It's tough to imagine that a person who hangs around the underground prog and power metal scene has never even heard of, say, Thunderstone, but I don't think any massive effort is going to be effective in making them more well known. The existing avenues are more than sufficient as far as I can see... it's just a matter of how much time and interest people have in hanging around the internet, etc.

And, after all, the whole idea of coming to the US to play ProgPower is to gain stature in the metal scene, right. So whether people around here knew about them before ProgPower or not, they will afterwards...

 

[No-Mercy]

be familiar with....

Iron Maiden, Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, Dream Evil, Tad Morose, Falconer, Brainstorm, Stratovarius, Freedom Call, Hammerfall, Helloween, Edguy, Luca Turilli, Kamelot, Finntroll, Dragonforce, Gamma Ray, Sacred Reich, Dio, Nocturnal Rites, Rainbow, Drakkar, Accept, Queensryche, Warlock, Angel Witch, Imperanon, Silver Mountain, Firewind, Bloodbound, Savage Circus, Nightrage, Mystic Prophecy, Odins Court, Angel Dust, Metal Church, Pain Of Salvation, Metallica, Nightwish, Angra, Stormgarde, Wolfcry, Dragonlord, Holy Dragons, Symphony X, Morgana Lefay, Megadeth, Demons And Wizards, Dragonland, Manticora, Blackmore's Night, Tesla, Mercenary, Tarot, Orphaned Land, Nevermore, Wind Wraith, Intense, Yngwie Malmsteen, Shaman, Rhapsody, Pantera, Motorhead, Fates Warning, Rage, Savatage, Evergray, Into Eternity, Testament, Saxon, Overkill, Judas Priest, Synesthesia, Riot, Bruce Dickinson, Slayer, Sonata Arctica, Human Fortress, Magistral, Pagans Mind, Labyrinth, Vanden Plas, Lost Horizen, Dark Empire, Aquaria, Symphorce, Jag Panzer, Adromeda, Thunderstone, Pyramaze, Dark Tranquility, Dream Theater, Kings-X, Anthrax.

//greg

 

[Angrafan]

You guys are talking about Thunderstone as if they were the biggest thing in Metal..
I swear to got I never heard about them until very rencetly (Actually, when someone told me they were playing progpower last week..)

And I attended a few Euro fests last year.. I buy a good 20+ Cds a month and receive a good deal of promos (not from Nuclear Blast, though!)

And the name is fairly generic.. Even if people posted about them on this forum, there are a gazzion bands with similar names..

 

[lady_space]

Damn, even when I was a total fangirl back in the day, I couldn't keep up with all the bands some of y'all do, much less now that I have a job and stuff. I'm not sure whether to say kudos or roll my eyes.

Shaye

 

[Harvester]

(Actually, when someone told me they were playing progpower last week..)

You have no idea how much shit like this pisses me off. There are a very limited number of people with the knowledge of the roster and the band/management itself. I will find the leak and that person will pay thanks to you.

Glenn H.

 

[Angrafan]

Sorry about that, I should have not posted that... and I posted in the wrong way, was I heard a rumor, I could not confirm 100%...
But I guarantee you it was not anyone close to the band(I never even heard the band!) that told me, just a regular fan.... I have no clue how it got out!
But rumors flow aroung about various bands.. And lots of them actually happened.. It's been like this since prog power 4... every year..
Out of the 6 bands announced so far I knew about 3... But I kept my mouth shut..

And It;s not like I am doing research like crazy.. I am pretty patient.. But it is hard to keep information from arriving to the public! And you do a tremendous job doing it...

 

[General Zod]

No apologies are needed. I guess I'm just shocked that FK and Thunderstone are big bands on the scene and so few know them.

Part of the reason I don't know Thinderstone is I've never seen them discussed... anywhere. I mean, I'm sure people have mentioned them before, but not to the point where I'd say it's surprising people are unfamiliar with them.

Zod

 

[MetalFury]

My fiancee and I are pretty knowledgeable about alot of the "Euro" bands as we run a Metal related website and get LOTS of promo type stuff. We also know several people from the New York/New Jersey area that also run Metal sites. It's pretty funny really, whenever we go to a "Metal" concert in the area, we always run into people we know from different websites...it's like we're all long lost cousins or something and only see each other at these shows! That's why we are already so excited about PP this year. We were already familiar with 4 out of the 6 bands so far announced. We weren't familiar with WasteFall and Freak Kitchen but from what we heard on the sounds page, we really like the sound of WasteFall...not that crazy about Freak Kitchen but who knows, it might grow on us....

 

[Greykiller]

Part of the reason I don't know Thinderstone is I've never seen them discussed... anywhere. I mean, I'm sure people have mentioned them before, but not to the point where I'd say it's surprising people are unfamiliar with them.

Zod

I have no time to listen to music or research new bands. Thank god for a friend like Burke who knows a ton about prog--he hooks me up regular with new groups, and got me into PP a few years ago. Now the damn guy can't get rid of me...but I keep feeding off his knowledge, and trust Glenn to provide me a smorgasboard of great bands to digest every year.

Great. Now I'm hungry again.

Anyway, I love this genre and I give props to the people who let me know what quality really means in music. Yeah I will never know everything, but nobody does--music is like a great journey that never ends. What is the fun in knowing everything?

 

[AngraRULES]

We also know several people from the New York/New Jersey area that also run Metal sites. It's pretty funny really, whenever we go to a "Metal" concert in the area, we always run into people we know from different websites...it's like we're all long lost cousins or something and only see each other at these shows!

Wonder where I know you from, cousin...

 

[MetalSeamstress]

Should we include a link every time we discuss a band that we like? Any ideas? QUOTE]

Yes! Yes! That would be a great idea! Most of the time people pass it up because they would have to search for the bands site and they don't have the extra time to do it like me for one, not that I am lazy or anything, just been too busy

Another idea would be, if possible is to directly link a song or two from the band for a quicky listen.

I recently started to listen to live365.com for variety of mixed Metal music, while I work in my studio(not a recording one). I did not realize that there are a ton of bands that I have not heard of that are out there(mostly from Europe) that are totally cool.

PS:I still listen to BEC of course!

Cristen

 

[Sumeet]

Should we include a link every time we discuss a band that we like? Any ideas?

Yes! Yes! That would be a great idea! Most of the time people pass it up because they would have to search for the bands site and they don't have the extra time to do it like me for one, not that I am lazy or anything, just been too busy

Another idea would be, if possible is to directly link a song or two from the band for a quicky listen.

I recently started to listen to live365.com for variety of mixed Metal music, while I work in my studio(not a recording one). I did not realize that there are a ton of bands that I have not heard of that are out there(mostly from Europe) that are totally cool.

PS:I still listen to BEC of course!

Cristen

I have to say, even the prospect of getting more people into something isn't going to make me hunt down web info or potentially-copyright-infringing music clips every time I happen to mention a band on an internet message board. And it's really unnecessary... if there's a conversation about a band that sounds interesting to you, all you have to do is type the band's name into google.com, and any number of informational sites will come up... many containing music clips. Considering that's a process that takes about 10 seconds, it's rather illogical for you to state that you don't have the extra time to do that when discussion of one particular band interests you, but assume that others have the time to find and link info about every band they talk about.