What happened to metal in the UK?

[LucioArgento]

Originally posted by Wanderingblade

I guess the best thing we can do is spread it at the grass-roots... get our friends listening, and break down the barriers of ignorance...

I knew someone once who loved the first Iron Maiden album and Keeper of the Seven Keys pt II. Thing is, he could never admit that to anyone else because he was SO ashamed of the bullet belt and tight jean imagery portrayed by Maiden and Helloween. He ended up becoming a raver, but it was almost as if he forced himself to not like metal anymore, just because he was ashamed of the image. To this day, he sometimes admits to missing the music of metal, but the hysteria it would create amidst his 'friends' would make him an outcast.

And unfortunatley, that's what bands like Hammerfall and Rhapsody do too. Regardless of what their music is like, their 'fashion statment' just does not help the cause. They exaggerate the joke that Spinal Tap or Bad News spoofed upon. Somehow, in the non-metal world, all metal music seems to fall into the stereotypical 'Spinal Tap' category with the 3 inch stone henges and cucumbers wrapped in tin-foil etc. Of course that is untrue.

For metal to make any form of comeback, people need to stop feeling embarrased by it (the unwanted party guest syndrome). And people like Rob Halford and Kerry King have to shut the fuck up and stop saying metal is dead and then calling bands like Sum41 the new face of metal. They should know better.

 

[dreamwatch]

I really wish that people could discuss metal without slagging off other forms of music. Don't blame other bands/musicians/DJ's for the short fall of your favourite genre. They have about as much say in what get's bought in record stores as you do. It's the suits pulling the strings of all of these people, telling the kids what to spend their pocket money on. You don't like a particular style of music? Fine, but stop ragging on it.

 

[LucioArgento]

Originally posted by dreamwatch
I really wish that people could discuss metal without slagging off other forms of music. Don't blame other bands/musicians/DJ's for the short fall of your favourite genre.

Who are you addressing this towards? Are you even in the right forum? How ridiculously irrelevant.

 

[dreamwatch]

I'm addressing it to the people who can't discuss their favourite genre of music without dragging other forms of music into the discussion. And yes, I'm in the right forum, but thanks for asking.

 

[maestro_al]

Originally posted by dreamwatch
I'm addressing it to the people who can't discuss their favourite genre of music without dragging other forms of music into the discussion. And yes, I'm in the right forum, but thanks for asking.

I'm a little lost here - can you pull out a quote of when someone did that please?

Would you prefer for us to stop these discussions? Wow, talk about putting a damper on other peoples discussions...boo fucking hoo miss center of attention.

 

[Wanderingblade]

Lucio: Thats crap... I also guess it shows why Metal is filled with the image of 'no comprimise' as only that sort of people get past people's opinions...

And as for the state of metal being declared dead by its so called Eldars... its sickening. If these people thought to look past the commercial side, they'd see its very much alive...

 

[LucioArgento]

Originally posted by Wanderingblade
Lucio: Thats crap...

...what is?

And as for the state of metal being declared dead by its so called Eldars... its sickening. If these people thought to look past the commercial side, they'd see its very much alive...

Oh metal is thriving - just not in the UK. That's the theme of this thread isn't it?

 

[Wanderingblade]

Its a crap thing that your friend is denying the glory of metal because hes afraid of the image...

 

[madgirl]

the idea of older heavy metal bands taking 54 on the road.....

they have so far played with Blaze, and Saxon and supported the GIlby clarke gig at the underworld.... and will be supporting U.D.O at the underworld next month.
the gigs that they have done went down so well....

i did wonder if the support might have been given to them for the maiden gig- i gotta say why the hell did they juts get a dj in? yes ok krusher is heavy metal dude... but a support band would have been a top idea...... and 54 really would have been mighty!!!!!!!!!!!

oh well... they are getting there !!!!!!!

as ever its that age old problem of proper exposure and getting people to listen to them!!!!!!!!!!

 

[TimPhallicide]

I agree with you guys, pretty much on everything you've said.

However, there are loads of band across the country, playing in shitty pubs that need your support.

How many of you have heard of these bands (other than me mentioning them elsewhere on this messageboard):

Phallicide
Nailstorm
Tangaroa
My Cross To Bare
Kachana
Fourwaykill
From The Ashes
Madman is Absolute
Co-Exist

Every band on there is very talented, and they all deserve a lot more recognition than they are getting now. If all the Metal fans could be arsed to come out for small, local gigs, we might be able to build something back up.

 

[maestro_al]

Originally posted by Wanderingblade
Its a crap thing that your friend is denying the glory of metal because hes afraid of the image...

Too right. Here's a quick story: I was at a wedding reception in the UK recently, and the best man speech brought out some 'skeletons in the closet' of the grooms past. Apparently, when the groom was about 18 (he's now 30) he used to be a big Helloween fan, and so the best-man brought out a 'joke' present - it was a CD of Keeper of the Seven Keys part II.

The reaction from the audience was unbelievable - all 200 people in the wedding group (all made up of 30 year old men and women) jeered and laughed. For some reason, it was all one big joke that anybody could STILL conceivably like "heavy metal" with its long hair and tight jeans etc. Of course it is so much more fashionable to like dance music in the UK now right? Well, whatever.

I must have been the only person in the hall that didn't jeer - instead, after the speech was over and everyone went back to their dinner and drinks, I told the groom jokingly that if he didn't want the CD then I'd be happy to take it off him . Without hesitation, he gave it right over - he didn't even want it near him!

The thing that made it so bizarre is that his own past made him resentful of what he used to listen to, and it was used in a best mans joke speech. I've never witnessed this in any other country where people will actually give up the things they like because of 'what the friends and neighbors might say'. It goes back to what we were saying about Sweden, Greece, Germany, Italy, Norway, France etc. and how these countries so closeby to England can be so different musically. And they're all greatful to the UK for spawning the original metal gods!! How fucking ironic.

Thankfully you're close enough to cross the channel and see your bigger gigs on the continent - some of which will never even make it to the USA. I cannot believe we are only just getting Gamma Ray, Edguy etc coming to the states this year for the first time ever!

 

[Symphony]

Let's get behind the bands who are trying to keep some of the traditional metal elements in their music.

Look out for new albums this year from DragonForce, Shadowkeep, Power Quest and Intense. Power metal, traditional metal..with...(gulp!) guitar solos!?!?!?! I'll have some of that!

It's all too easy to be spoon fed by the likes of Kerrang and Metal Hammer...bin those mags (or be green and recycle them!) Check out Powerplay, Terrorizer or Canadian mag Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles.

The whole of Europe (exlcuding UK) can't be wrong!!

 

[TimPhallicide]

If you want solos, then check us out (link in my sig).
But you have to like screamy vox too.

 

[MattBlack]

Phallicide? Killing your dick?

 

[veil the sky]

no i think it means killing a very hot indian curry.

i could kill a hot indian curry right now actually.

mmmmmm chicken phall............

 

[PaulRawNerve]

hey tim ,, good call on the list of bands there ..

people , you can find tangaroa, phallicide, my cross to bare , kachana, madman, and co-exist all on mp3.com

and can i add a few more to that list of awesome english bands currently stirring up a whirlwind in the english metal scene ..

we have
unsanctum
anaal nathrakh (on mp3.com)
kevorkian solution (on mp3.com)
desolation (on mp3.com)
nadir (on mp3.com)
churn (on mp3.com)
brody (on mp3.com)
gutworm (on mp3.com)

i know there are loads more but that will do for now ,, i hate it when people say that the english metal scene isnt that good, its the best its ever been i think, with more diversity than ever before ,, and more talent than ever before ..

 

[jenfa]

i just noticed that FROM THE AHSES!!! AND FAIL-SAVE-FAILED!! and of course the lovely SIKTH!!! werent on that there list, bad man paulie p bad man!!

 

[PaulRawNerve]

this is true, i was waiting for you to notice them ..

there are millions of bands that i wont be able to think of , on first think ..

d-rail
set in silence
psp
red stars parade
thirty seconds until armageddon
sutta kane
hecate enthroned
sermon of hypocrisy
zeus
narcosis


more more more more more!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Wanderingblade]

I think we're just too lazy to look at the underground much...

 

[PaulRawNerve]

well, thats what i try and do for a lifestyle, i wont say living cos i dont make a living from it, but this is what i do, i hunt out all the underground bands.