That is no racist statement but...
- Thread starter abyssofdreams
- Start date
If you think there isn't a race issue in certain areas of the metal scene, then you're just being plain ignorant. I used to play in a band with a half-Jamacian chick screaming up front, and you could hear people making racist comments about her between songs.
The black and death scenes in particular still have a fair amount of white-supremicist fuck-nuts in them - where I live, they're verging on the majority. Sadly, it seems that as the rest of the metal crowd seems to be getting more tolerant, the people with those viewpoints are all getting pushed into closer and closer groups.
Still, I don't think racism is the reason for the majority of metallers being white - I think it's just one of those things.
As for this:
Are you actually claiming 55/45 splits? Based on 180 people visiting the merch stall in a 5000 capacity venue? I've seen a couple of R'n'B acts there and even then I've never seen anything like that number of black guys/gals. Besides, Brixton is always going to have a fairly exotic clientele just because of it's location (Brixton is like 75% afro-carribean) - I've seen Public Enemy twice in Norwich with probably less than 20 black guys, just because Norwich is all inbred farmer types.
Steve
Steve,
I am not claiming any kind of splits, that's my point. I picked those numbers to illustrate a point. My point being: When does the absence of black people stop being because they might not be into the music, and start being a race. It's un-quantifiable.
Those numbers were hypothetical, I thought that was obvious.
ps: A lot more than 180 out of 5000 visit those merch stands
Why would Brixton have anymore of an exotic clientele than other places? Are you trying to say that because Brixton has a higher density of black tennants, that Brixton gigs would be more frequented by them? Maybe you're not saying that, but I don't think its right.
In London because of the underground, you're never more than an hour away from getting to a venue or just to another place in London with different crowds of people.
I don't listen to black metal or death metal, so I couldn't comment. But I don't think that's ignorance, that's just not having experiences that you've had - and people at those same gigs you've been to, they might have different experiences also.
All I'm saying is, it's not this massive issue that people are trying to paint it to be.
That's because their beliefs are being threatened. What do people do when their beliefs are attacked? They club together and wait for the final blow.
SentinelSlain
Suck my joined date.
- Nov 21, 2007
- 10,015
- 151
- 63
I remember when the only black kid in my school got into metal for a little while. it was pretty funny how tough he had to be/act to make up for being the only one. He still got teachers subtly taking the mickey sometimes though.
PhilR
Studio Scapegoat
One of the bands that rehearses at my studio has a black singer, and also a black ex-singer. As do a band I recorded a couple of weeks back.
I guess it all comes down to conditioning, usually beginning with your home upbringing. The same reason their really arn't that many girls in rock/metal or just guitar/bass/drums type bands in general. They are simply never introduced to that kind of thing when growing up. Hell even I never was. Music was never really any part of my upbringing, I picked up a guitar on a personal whim and just carried on from there.
I guess it all comes down to conditioning, usually beginning with your home upbringing. The same reason their really arn't that many girls in rock/metal or just guitar/bass/drums type bands in general. They are simply never introduced to that kind of thing when growing up. Hell even I never was. Music was never really any part of my upbringing, I picked up a guitar on a personal whim and just carried on from there.
I think they are force fed from the womb they gotta keep it realz. They are brainwashed into believing if they don't excel at sports and only listen to hiphop then they are not true to their roots and blah blah blah. Just like every black person I know voted for Obama but when you ask them what was it he said that made you vote for him they answer "nothing hes black. I had to vote for my boy" black people use racism to their fullest advantage. Without it Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton would be out of a job. There's always exceptions to the rules though and that why you have a small number of people that are non white playing metal. Plus they have to get weaves if they want long hair. Not so much any more but metal usually is associated with long hair. They invented piercings and tattoos so shruggs. Society is slowly changing so I think we will see more boundaries being broken as time goes on though. This is my view for the USA. I cant comment on anywhere else. I dont have experience elsewhere.
Heres a 4 step guide modern society, and the answer to the question.
Step 1:
You are born and before you can even think you are labelled with so much shit it's not even funny. Your label reads - first name, surname, religion, sex, colour of your hair and eyes and skin, length of your dick, height, weight, inny or outy, whatever etc...
Step 2:
As you grow older you find more and more labels for yourself, oh my! with so many labels you way to vulnerable to defamation
so
As a defensive mechanism, you develop this thing called pride:
I'm proud to be black, I'm proud to be white, I'm proud to be an American, I'm proud NOT to be American ...
These statements are only justified by those good emotions you feel when you repeat them in your head.
Step 3:
Mass-media and culture uses your 'pride' to 'educate'/twist/distort your mind on what you should be doing with yourself. You begin to build a picture of yourself in your head and actually think you represent and belong to this image
YOUR BLACK so you should listen to rap. YOUR WHITE but your not part of the 'majority crowd' (but your proud of it) so you should listen to metal and you either should grow your hair long or shave it off.
Step 4:
You get angry and confused when someone attacks your pride, and dont have a clue why, because you dont even know why your proud of what you are. All because pride is a state of mind, a sense of euphoria, a self-indulgent belief that you can actually belong or be categorised. Pride is as fake and man-made as time itself. Its a patronising pat on the back for accomplishing nothing.
A small amount of people are somehow slightly immune or have enough rationality to ward off wrongly associated thoughts and feelings and this counts for the current number of black people in metal bands.
I cant see anything changing anytime soon.
P.S. yes this is a massive over generalisation.
Step 1:
You are born and before you can even think you are labelled with so much shit it's not even funny. Your label reads - first name, surname, religion, sex, colour of your hair and eyes and skin, length of your dick, height, weight, inny or outy, whatever etc...
Step 2:
As you grow older you find more and more labels for yourself, oh my! with so many labels you way to vulnerable to defamation
so
As a defensive mechanism, you develop this thing called pride:
I'm proud to be black, I'm proud to be white, I'm proud to be an American, I'm proud NOT to be American ...
These statements are only justified by those good emotions you feel when you repeat them in your head.
Step 3:
Mass-media and culture uses your 'pride' to 'educate'/twist/distort your mind on what you should be doing with yourself. You begin to build a picture of yourself in your head and actually think you represent and belong to this image
YOUR BLACK so you should listen to rap. YOUR WHITE but your not part of the 'majority crowd' (but your proud of it) so you should listen to metal and you either should grow your hair long or shave it off.
Step 4:
You get angry and confused when someone attacks your pride, and dont have a clue why, because you dont even know why your proud of what you are. All because pride is a state of mind, a sense of euphoria, a self-indulgent belief that you can actually belong or be categorised. Pride is as fake and man-made as time itself. Its a patronising pat on the back for accomplishing nothing.
A small amount of people are somehow slightly immune or have enough rationality to ward off wrongly associated thoughts and feelings and this counts for the current number of black people in metal bands.
I cant see anything changing anytime soon.
P.S. yes this is a massive over generalisation.
More Than Ever
Member
- May 23, 2008
- 176
- 0
- 16
- 52
I love the sound of Lajon Witherspoon's voice in Sevendust. One of my favorite bands. I actually wish more african americans were intrested in metal.
R-Stuur
Member
- Mar 17, 2007
- 445
- 0
- 16
Kenny Lee
Member
That cd is so frikking awesome
Yeah, Dug is Bad Ass! I went to school with one of his Brothers!! Hahaha... I
just can't remember which one!! He has like 15 or 16 Brothers and Sisters!!!
scorpio01169
Member
WOW Just every black person you know....how many do you know? or should i say how many have you seen?...cause if you know any than you know thats not true. you should have just came straight out and said we are good at nothing but sports and eating chicken and watermelon. that was a round about way of saying you don't like Black people.
I hate no one. I live in a predominantly black city. I know a lot of black people. I didn't say anything about chicken or watermelon. Nor did I say black people were only good at sports. You are twisting my statement around to suit an argument. Perhaps I was wrong stating "all" but its true, all the black people I personally know. I don't make the numbers, the news told me that most of Obamas votes came from the African American community. I highly doubt the majority of those voters voted for him on his political views. They even stated this was the highest turn out for black voters in history. I don't make this up. Perhaps the news did. Do you think we would have had that many black voters if both candidates were non black? Even my friend from Haiti voted for Obama because hes black and will tell you that is why. He says " i dont like the guy but I had a chance to help make history" No one can win an argument about race. No matter what a person says, if someone opposes one thing you say then you become racist. It's a no win argument. That's the problem with religion, politics and race conversations they become perpetual arguments. Racism is in our every day life. No matter how much any of us despise it. I showed my black coworker your comments today to get his perspective. This is a guy who says he doesn't like white people but hes not racist because hes black and black people cant be racist. He said "that guy ain't black if he listens to whiteys devils music." I didn't say it. He did. But I suppose I'm a racist and hate black people if I oppose his views. Like I said its a conversation that leads to nothing good. I apologize if you are offended. It is not my intention to offend you. There are stereotypes across the board no doubt. Its true though metal music is mostly white. I don't care who you are as long as you make music I can enjoy. My actual point to this whole thing is, like I said people push the envelope and as time goes on more people will break boundaires and do what they want without society telling them otherwise. Not to offend you, cause ill feelings, or make you sick over statements. Racism sux.
Chryst Krispies
Vanilla Gorilla
JeffTD
Senhor Testiculo
scorpio01169
Member
iekobrid
Authorized XSr Dealer
Most of the votes from the African American community went to Obama, not "most of Obama's votes came from the African American community." Roughly 95% of black people who voted on November 4 did vote for Obama (as estimated by exit poll analysis), but they did not constitute the majority of his electors.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27582147/page/2/
* 61 percent of Obama's votes came from white voters; 90 percent of McCain's came from white voters.
* 23 percent of Obama's votes came from black voters; only one percent of McCain's came from African American voters.
* Latino voters accounted for 11 percent of Obama's vote and six percent of McCain's.
* Twenty-three percent of the Obama voters were under age 30 but only 13 percent of McCain backers were.
Just sayin'.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27582147/page/2/
* 61 percent of Obama's votes came from white voters; 90 percent of McCain's came from white voters.
* 23 percent of Obama's votes came from black voters; only one percent of McCain's came from African American voters.
* Latino voters accounted for 11 percent of Obama's vote and six percent of McCain's.
* Twenty-three percent of the Obama voters were under age 30 but only 13 percent of McCain backers were.
Just sayin'.
Mendel
Lag Arkane
At a lot of shows i play with my band people come up to me after the show and tell me that they think it's very cool to see a black person in the metalscene.
Mostly i just thank them, sometimes i say: Well... i have this pigment disease that gave me large black spots. So i took plastic surgery, and have a black pigment now.
Their faces then... omg..
A funny thing is that Black Sabbath, led zeppelin and deep purple ( like, the ones from the first kind of metal ?) all have some blues influences.
And if there's a black culture music, then it's blues.
So if you take metal to the roots, everyone on this forum is black...
Mostly i just thank them, sometimes i say: Well... i have this pigment disease that gave me large black spots. So i took plastic surgery, and have a black pigment now.
Their faces then... omg..
A funny thing is that Black Sabbath, led zeppelin and deep purple ( like, the ones from the first kind of metal ?) all have some blues influences.
And if there's a black culture music, then it's blues.
So if you take metal to the roots, everyone on this forum is black...
scorpio01169
Member
Similar threads
