Is there truly a "metal community?"

[lizard]

Crimson Velvet mentioned its existence a couple of weeks ago and I poo-poohed it as my first reaction is to recall people constantly mocking other people's favorite bands (and yes I have been guilty of it...)....then I recalled the attack on Joachim Cans (sp?) a few years ago by a guy and a woman who apparently didn't think he was appropriately "metal"...

but then I realized some things that tilt the scale in the other direction...when I see a guy with a metal shirt on, I'll usually nod to him as we pass each other in the produce section or wherever...

so....

is this a topic worthy of debating ~or~ ???

Discuss.

 

[cthulufhtagn]

i think there's a metal community...maybe not a very tightly-knit community, but there's a sense of brotherhood; if i meet somebody and find out they're into good metal i tend to assume they're a cool person.

 

[lizard]

but see, you qualify that by saying if its "good" metal. in other words it has to meet your criteria for what is worthy or not. what if, say, the guy says, oh yeah man, Rhapsody fucking rocks!

 

[cthulufhtagn]

good point, but i meant good metal as in not "oh yeah i love metal, metallica and dimmu borgir are my favorites..." as for rhapsody, they...don't count as metal

 

[lizard]

however....if you have a Rhapsody fan, he is more metal than 98 % of the general population, who are more concerned with American Idol bullshit.

 

[Crimson Velvet]

This seventeenth of may, our national day, I was on the bus, on my way towards the festivities. And guess who comes on the bus and stands right to the left of me! No other than the percussion master himself, Fenriz! I'm wearing my denim as usual, with the Bathory patch on my left shoulder. Fenriz, probably having noticed that a fellow long-haired man is on the bus, and turns discreetly towards me. As his eyes passes over my shoulder he smiles slightly, and then notices that I'm looking in his direction, before proceeding to nodding slightly and giving me "thumbs-up"! I try to act as cool and restrained as possible, and just gives him a quick nod, hastedly followed by a nonchalant smile.

The truth was, I peed about three drops due to excitement.

So yeah, there defininately is a metal commmunity.

 

[NAD]

but see, you qualify that by saying if its "good" metal. in other words it has to meet your criteria for what is worthy or not. what if, say, the guy says, oh yeah man, Rhapsody fucking rocks!

Yeah that's where I can see a problem being. Just look at the GMD for 5 minutes and you'll find some thread where people throw around insults like "you like Children of Bodom, you know NOTHING about music" like morons.

I talked with a dude about The Black Dahlia Murder at a Vital Remains show once, I can't stand the Black Dahlia Murder but the dude was still metal as fuck and a pretty decent guy. Then he got annoying so I sorta made my way to the bar and never came back, haha.

 

[lizard]

I tend to get noticed by metal fans, and bikers. the bikers alway see the beard and hair and say something like, "hey brother, how's it hangin'."

fortunately they don't realize that I am a puss in heathen's clothing.

 

[spaffe]

if i meet somebody and find out they're into good metal i tend to assume they're a cool person.

Nah, I disagree. Even if people share my taste in music they're more often than not pretty uninteresting, like most people on the other hand. Any moron can enjoy the same bands as I, so sharing a taste in music is not worth very much I think.

Perhaps there's still a metal "brotherhood" or community though, but I'm certainly not, and don't want to be, a part of it

 

[Crimson Velvet]

Well, normally, if I see someone with a metal shirt, I tend to give them a nod and a smile. Only if I'm carrying my bag stuffed with patches and pins or my denim with a Bathory patch, of course. Otherwise, they have no idea why I'm nodding, and looks at me like a crazy person... Just to be nice, I suppose. It makes me feel good!

 

[E-bortion]

Ugh, this ties into the whole "What is metal?" question. It's really too subjective. Metal is what you want it to be, despite the obvious. A community? Definitly.

Although, one must realize that you shouldn't just give a thumbs up to a person for wearing a particular band shirt. For all you know, that very person is a misguided mormon who is completely analytically inept.

 

[E-bortion]

Yeah, I suppose I am being a bit pretentious about it. Heh.

 

[NAD]

Nah, I disagree. Even if people share my taste in music they're more often than not pretty uninteresting, like most people on the other hand. Any moron can enjoy the same bands as I, so sharing a taste in music is not worth very much I think.

Perhaps there's still a metal "brotherhood" or community though, but I'm certainly not, and don't want to be, a part of it

This is like the most depressing post I've ever read, go have a wank and a beer man, sounds like you need it.

 

[DE]

This seventeenth of may, our national day, I was on the bus, on my way towards the festivities. And guess who comes on the bus and stands right to the left of me! No other than the percussion master himself, Fenriz! I'm wearing my denim as usual, with the Bathory patch on my left shoulder. Fenriz, probably having noticed that a fellow long-haired man is on the bus, and turns discreetly towards me. As his eyes passes over my shoulder he smiles slightly, and then notices that I'm looking in his direction, before proceeding to nodding slightly and giving me "thumbs-up"! I try to act as cool and restrained as possible, and just gives him a quick nod, hastedly followed by a nonchalant smile.

The truth was, I peed about three drops due to excitement.

So yeah, there defininately is a metal commmunity.

so is oslo the hollywood of the metal world or something, just brimming with metal celebs?

 

[Crimson Velvet]

You meet many metal celebrities here in Oslo.

Fenriz is a rather common sight here, as is Satyr. I went to a Gorgoroth concert a while ago, and there I see Frost. Tons of others, as well. Oslo is Black Metal Mekka, after all.

Black metal artists were more common before, though, when they played at clubs and smaller venues than they do now.

 

[unhinged]

Perhaps there's still a metal "brotherhood" or community though, but I'm certainly not, and don't want to be, a part of it

says he posting on a metal forum - an online community of a metal nature

 

[Demonspell]

I really don't think there's a metal community outside of the musicians and their closest supporters, unless you're spreading word of mouth or handing out information, social interaction at shows doesn't really go beyond just being friendly. I'm not the type to respect people more just because they share my musical tastes, there's enough assholes in the scene (can you really call it one scene when it's often so difficult to get followers of subgenres on the same page?) though I applaud them for being among the enlightened.

 

[Ayeka]

I'm wondering how exactly you mean 'community', is the tricky bit here...

I know for sure that friends with similar music tastes will usually bind together, definately true in my case.

 

[General Zod]

I believe there is. But like any community, we're not always well behaved.

When I go to a Metal show, I feel like I'm among friends, regardless of what type of Metal show it is. I can't tell you how many Metal shows I've been to, and how few fights I've seen. Honestly, I don't recall ever seeing a fight at a Metal show, and I would guess I've been to at least 250 shows. Given how agressive the music is, given how much people are drinking, given that there's usually a pit, it's almost mind boggling that there aren't three or four fights a night. I've always chalked up the lack of fights to the sense of community/brotherhood that we all feel. So few people get this music. We get it. We feel passionate about it. So regardless of what may be different about us, we're the same on some level.

Zod

 

[spaffe]

This is like the most depressing post I've ever read, go have a wank and a beer man, sounds like you need it.

Haha, thanks for the tip. Pretty spot on actually, right now I feel I've kind of lost interest in both those activities, but we'll see what summer brings

Anyway, I don't feel at all attracted to the "classic" metal culture, as in beer, chicks and concerts, that's simply not my cup of tea, and thus not something I'd want to be associated with