Wannabe? Need some clarification

[Iron Hanger]

Hello. Since this is the first time ever posting on this forum, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Dan, I’m 17 years old, and I reside in America. I’m not the average dipshit teenager that hangs out in malls, or wears name brand designer pants with those ridiculous pre-made holes and stains. To be honest, I would rather wear nothing but I would prefer not getting bear maced by some cop. Anyways.. Before I was even introduced to real metal, I never enjoyed listening to todays music. I thought it was bland and a waste of time, that all changed shortly after I found metal (and thank god I did). I began really listening to metal around 7 or so months ago. I started off listening to COB and worked my way through various bands and genres of metal. Although I mostly listen to Melodeath, I generally enjoy all types of metal. No one around me really listens to metal, I took interest into it on my own and immediately took a liking to it. You couldn’t really call me a full blown “metal head,” because I have never really gone to any gigs and my musical library isn’t that large. I hate modern day “popular” music, known as that MTV crap. I refuse to listen to that hideous garbage, and can’t understand how that shit can be referred to as art. I also do not care for the people that look down upon metal because I think it’s by far, the greatest type of music. (Sorry for the lengthy intro, I didn’t realize how much I wrote). Now to the main point of this post..
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While browsing this forum the other day, I noticed a very interesting word, “wannabe.” I would like to know how someone would be categorized as a metal “wannabe.” I myself do not listen to a wide variety of metal, but I do enjoy listening to it. I respect the artists, listeners, and of course metal itself. I cannot stand people that stereotype anyone with long hair or fans of metal as “dirt bags,” or uneducated baboons. I also believe in defending the style of music to whatever means is necessary. I think people must try to understand it first, then begin to judge it. I would just like to know from some of you guys what would classify someone as a “wannabe.” I know some of you are die hard metal fans and have been listening to this style of music for years, hell, even decades. Would you throw me in the “wannabe” category since I have never been to a concert, or because I just started listening to it? I pretty much just wanted to know what exactly makes someone a wannabe as apposed to metal. Thanks for taking the time in reading this (that is if you did). I just wanted to get a real answer by some real metalheads.

(If you were wondering why I’m on the AA forums, I do listen to them and I think they are an amazing band. I have not read any Norse mythology, but I definitely plan on doing so. I'm pretty unfamiliar with it because I live in the U.S, but hopefully that will change)

 

[Ikki]

I actually do not label anyone as wannabe, but hell, you wrote so long post that i get you deserve answers..so here is mine.i do not label myself even as *metal whatever, i just listen to it( or to what i want) and that´s it, dont care about others, in fact only care about my mum and she long time ago realized that metal music is not better or worse than any other thing, it´s just an option..
there´s always people who will try to tell you that they are more whatever, true metalers just because they have been to thousands of gigs..well, as most things in life is quality and not quantity which matters, and the fact that you have been to gigs more often than other people does not make any difference and it´s probably caused by circumstances than by any other thing.

So ok, you 17, start listen to metal and like it, and never been to a gig, so what..there has always to be a beginning of everything, so no worries.

I guess that those wannabes are people who stay in the surface, wear metal t-shirts or buy albums just because they are on Metalhammer or kerrang and are not capable os saying things like "I dont like Slayer", "Dream theater is boring" or statements like that because those may him/her be rejected by a group...I guess that is a wannabe..

 

[Blodørn]

Dream Theater IS boring!

 

[AmonAmarth]

Just a quick tip: Fix your sig.
It's "Amon Amarth" not "Amonth Amarth"

 

[Ikki]

Dream Theater IS boring!

see..my friends always tell to me that i do not appreciate it, fuck, they play nice but they are booooooooring!!

 

[Blodørn]

I heard a random DT song from my iPod just now, then turned on Pursuit of Vikings.. guess what Amon Amarth eates DT any day

 

[Bates]

Never really was a DT fan. Where I came from, you had two sides to the scene... One side was the kids who learned 3 chords and more or less relied on channeling emotion to make decent music, and the other was the kids who went to Berklee School of Music. Me, I like stuff that gets me going, not so into the stuff where all I do is go "Wow, that guy sure can play fast."

 

[Blodørn]

DT is not about "wow that guy plays fast".. It's about "wow.. this is REALLY boooring"

 

[Iron Hanger]

Just a quick tip: Fix your sig.
It's "Amon Amarth" not "Amonth Amarth"

Wow, I feel like a moron, lol.

I guess you shouldn't play with Photoshop at 3 in the morning.

Thanks for all the replys, I'm going to read them all.

 

[Babydollcybergoth]

I guess that those wannabes are people who stay in the surface, wear metal t-shirts or buy albums just because they are on Metalhammer or kerrang and are not capable os saying things like "I dont like Slayer", "Dream theater is boring" or statements like that because those may him/her be rejected by a group...I guess that is a wannabe..

Despite however wannabe-esque it is to just buy albums because it was in some magazine, I think that you should applaud them for even reading a metal magazine and making the effort to go and check out this genre over others.

As for not being able to form their own opinion and letting their lives be ruled by the fear of rejection, then they deserve a good kick in the arse.

I also believe in defending the style of music to whatever means is necessary.

I'm afraid that is an uphill battle. Unfortunately sometimes you have to learn to just walk away. If someone tries to tell you that your opinion is shit... it really is not worth the time or effort to argue.

All in all I think that you shouldn't worry so much about this idea of being a "wannabe". In fact, I think it's even pointless to even worry about the idea of being a "true" metalhead. What is a metalhead but just some pointless label that will not better your life?

You'll meet all sorts in your life. A lot of metal fans (at least with my encounters) in North America tend to feel that they are at a certain status or are better than you just because they listen to a certain band or have gone to so many shows. It's all crap. At the end of the day what does that prove? NOTHING.

I think you should focus more on living your life in terms of what you think is worthwhile.

 

[Belgar]

Wannabes are everywhere in every style of music, fashion, cars, work, ....
To me a wannabe is someone who will try adapt to a certain lifestyle,... to get a feeling of being accepted by his/her peers. Very often they only have a surface idea of this lifestyle.

I really don't care if you dress in a suit everyday and headbang to AA if this is in your guts. As for age, we all had to start at a certain age.
Metal especially, to me a true metalhead is not someone who will ever grow tired of the music and listen to a band for a summer. This is the statement that the corporate crap like rock radios, mtv, bet, ... want you to join and be another sheep in an ever growing flock.

Metal is in your guts, you either feel it or don't, should it be from power metal to black metal, metal has some of the most dedicated fans you will ever see. If you don't have it in you, you will never understand this culture.

 

[Tranquillian]

To me a wannabe is the same as a poser. The kind of "fan" that would rather buy a shirt of a band to show off with at high school than a cd of the actual music they play. They listen to metal as a part of a rebellious phase of their life.

Of course, that's mostly how it starts for all of us, but the poser will leave that path of life pretty quickly.

It seems it's very popular for the wannabes that have reached some degree of metal knowledge to start bashing bands that are popular to bash. Many bands that are regularly bashed deserve it in some way, but I see a lot of kneejerk reaction from kids who think it's the right thing to do instead of forming their own opinion.

 

[RunicSymbolDeath86]

To me a wannabe is the same as a poser. The kind of "fan" that would rather buy a shirt of a band to show off with at high school than a cd of the actual music they play. They listen to metal as a part of a rebellious phase of their life.

Of course, that's mostly how it starts for all of us, but the poser will leave that path of life pretty quickly.

It seems it's very popular for the wannabes that have reached some degree of metal knowledge to start bashing bands that are popular to bash. Many bands that are regularly bashed deserve it in some way, but I see a lot of kneejerk reaction from kids who think it's the right thing to do instead of forming their own opinion.

100% truth.

Also to the thread starter, i started out at 17 too listening to metal. All the kids i grew up with got into rap while i was NEVER able to relate so i became sort of a loner. My brothers who are about 10yrs older then i (im 21) were really into bands like poison,motly crew,twisted sister,dokken, wasp so when i got into my schools guitar class, i started remembering some of my fav childhood songs and started trying to play them. the more i got into the music the more i found myself in my own world that no one else could fuck with no matter what. Metal is in the blood it just takes poeple some time to figure it out. my 10-12th grade years no one ever seen me without headphones on no matter where i went. To me metal is about that FUCK OFF mentality so if youre really a metal head and someone calls you a poser and you find yourself having that sort of "fuck off mentality" then you shouldnt worry.

 

[Pessimism]

Wow, I feel like a moron, lol.

I guess you shouldn't play with Photoshop at 3 in the morning.

Thanks for all the replys, I'm going to read them all.

Hey, at least you know how to type; and if we are going to be honest here, knowing how to spell correctly in an online community = instant visual gratification.


Welcome to the board.

 

[Bates]

Hehe, yeah, that goes a long way. I'll be honest, I don't have any real criteria on how I tell a metalhead from a wannabe. I guess, if you're still a sick bastard with a penchant for loud and aggressive music when no one is looking, you're probably a metalhead.

 

[\m/Vanaheim\m/]

I guess youre a metalhead when your musical preference is metal. I call myself a metalhead because my musical preference is metal ( I dont really like anything else).

I am not wearing band shirts or growing my hair because i want to be part of a group.(being a metalhead somehow left me with fewer friends, but that may also be because most others of my age are mentally less mature than me (i dont like to brag or anything, and im not trying to, but its what others say as well ;P)) They accept me for who I am, and I like to stick up for the music i love. (plus not looking metal will leave me not being able to get into the concerts )

 

[Blodørn]

If a person rejects you because you wear cloths with heathen motives and grow long hair, then he or she is not worthy of your friendship.

 

[RunicSymbolDeath86]

if metal riffs give you a boner then youre prob a metalhead

 

[Looka]

Hehe!

Anyway, this is something I think about sometime, specially because all of my metal friends dress "metal" and I don't. I have some metal t-shirts, but I don't dress in black or have long hair, because it just doesn't fit me. And I really don't care if I look metal or not. I find it very stupid to think that you should dress or act a certain way if you want to be a "true metalhead". I listen to metal all the time and love it, I have for some time now and I don't really care what other people think. Thats why I think if your not a wannabe, you simply don't think about things like that and what other other people think, you listen to the music you like and fuck everyone who disagrees with you.

So just listen to what you want and not what people around you like, and you will know in your heart that your not a wannabe and that's all that matters!

 

[Blodørn]

And I really don't care if I dont look "meat" or not.

You dont want to look like meat? WHAT?