Mentality of a beginning metalhead.

[CiG]

I do get really annoyed by 'metal culture' to be honest. People who are balls deep in the scene and show up to my place in full battle jacket and boots wanting to listen to metal the whole time, and I'm just like Motherfucker, I told you we're all eating taco bell and playing Mario party, don't be a fag. Take that silly shit off, you're scratching up my couch, and no, there aren't any single girls coming.

I'd show up in a patch jacket demanding we play Mario Party. Get better friends, bitch ass.

 

[Carpe Mortem]

Lol. That happened like once but I felt it was relevant.

 

[Master_Yoda77]

I mean, I wear my kutte often. It's part of who I am. However, when I do go to places wearing that I don't demand to hear metal or anything like that. I'm perfectly fine with whatever is normal. I just like the way I look when I wear those sort of things. I feel more like myself in black jeans, black boots, black shirt, and my riding jacket. When I wear blue jeans and a non-metal t-shirt (which is what I normally teach in) I feel a little out of my element, but I can't walk into class with a Von "Satanic Blood Angel" shirt now can I?

As far as the metal culture goes. It is silly, but I have a lot of friends from west coast to the east, and beyond, that I enjoy spending time with. There are few things more enjoyable in life than hitting up a 3 day metal festival with a handful of friends I see only once or twice a year, getting drunk with them, and seeing awesome bands live. I don't take the music all that seriously, but I do value those friendships and those experiences more than life itself.

I recently described my idea of heaven after I told a friend what CS Lewis's idea what heaven was like (he said it was reading Italian romance in a garden or some shit) and mine was sitting in a hot-tub with a couple of good friends, several half-naked chicks, a tap of beer or three next to me, and Motorhead playing a few feet away.

 

[CiG]

My idea of Heaven would get me beaten up in most metal circles.

 

[Draehl]

Metal isn't objectively better than other genres, but it gets a bad rap for NOT being intellectual or having depth. The general thought from non-believers is that it's either "hair metal" or "screamo". Knowledge levels vary of course, but if I share some atmoblack with a friend they really don't even know what to make of it with it being so far out of their comfort zone.

 

[Vilden]

When I wear blue jeans and a non-metal t-shirt (which is what I normally teach in) I feel a little out of my element, but I can't walk into class with a Von "Satanic Blood Angel" shirt now can I?

I teach at local school for train drivers here and I frequently wear metal shirts like Dismember, Godflesh, Bathory, Unholy, etc and I've only gotten positive comments about it!

 

[Master_Yoda77]

I don't even bring up metal around non-metal people. I know they don't care for it and I don't give a shit if they do or don't either.

 

[CiG]

Same. Even though I do think it's the greatest (fuck objectivity when it comes to music anyway) I really see no reason to endlessly bring it up. I talk about movies more than anything else.

 

[RedStorm]

Yeah you guys are lucky you even have friends who like to listen to metal

 

[Vilden]

I don't bring it upp either, but I usually wear band shirts so I don't see why I would make an exception just because I'm at work.

 

[RedStorm]

Don't

 

[Mort Divine]

BTW the soundtrack for tonight is Yoshi saying his name repeatedly so fuck off.

 

[Master_Yoda77]

Yeah you guys are lucky you even have friends who like to listen to metal

They aren't hard to find. Just go to a show, find the dude wearing the Manilla Road or Pagan Altar or whatever shirt and tell them how rad their shirt is and be like "I fucking love that band too. One of my favorites. You ever see them live?"

 

[Onder]

Same if you want to suck on some cock in a gay bar tbh.

 

[The Butt]

Yeah you guys are lucky you even have friends who like to listen to metal

I've grown to avoid befriending metalheads IRL, as the ones in my area listen nearly exclusively to bad metal (usually "melodeath"-extreme-power metal, and folk metal bullshit), and I hate talking about that shit.

Tbh you guys are lucky to be in areas where metalheads with half-decent taste are more than a rarity.

 

[Omni]

I've met a few people with decent metal taste, but I only got along with maybe a couple of them at most. Most of them were just annoying.

 

[requiem]

I don't even bring up metal around non-metal people. I know they don't care for it and I don't give a shit if they do or don't either.

Me neither. Because for civilians I think whenever I mention metal they think of either Metallica or hair metal bands. I've tried to explain the scope and artistry of bands like Emperor/Opeth (whether you like them or not) to non-metal listeners but of course that's futile because they're seeing images of Whitesnake and Beavis and Butthead.

I'm happy to live and let live when it comes to people's personal tastes, but there's no denying that whatever genres of metal you personally happen to enjoy, the form has a scope and aesthetic to it in both music and lyrics that transcends a lot of the elevator music that people like my parents, for instance, claim to enjoy.

I think a compelling way to judge something like that is to witness the dedication of its adherents. Classical, blues and jazz fans are similarly obsessive about the music they love - just as much as metal, and this to me suggests that these genres have just as much going for them. I, from my observations, however, could fairly comfortably generalise and suggest that people who claim to prefer pop and modern r'n'b may not be committed body and soul and instead see music as something you play in the background while having dinner or chatting (again, a nod to my beloved parents).

I'm 36 now and, regardless of where a person's interests lie, it is clear as day that some people simply lack passion and excitement, the thrill of enquiry or the breathlessness of artistic triumph. Fans of metal, like everyone here, are oftentimes my preferred social bedfellows. EDIT: Although to claim that other forms of music fail to live up to this addictiveness would be entirely wrong.

 

[Serjeant Grumbles]

Although to deny that other forms of music fail to live up to this addictiveness would be entirely wrong.

I think you phrased this wrong, unless you really do mean that other forms of music fail to live up to the addictiveness of metal.

 

[Cadaver The Great]

People who are balls deep in the scene and show up to my place in full battle jacket and boots wanting to listen to metal the whole time, and I'm just like Motherfucker

I will admit, I feel pretty awesome when I deliberately dress up to look "Metal as fuck"

 

[requiem]

I think you phrased this wrong, unless you really do mean that other forms of music fail to live up to the addictiveness of metal.

You're right. I typed that late last night before I went to sleep and even looking at it now it took me a while to figure out what I was saying.

I certainly do mean that other genres are just as addictive and valued as metal.