When metal goes mainstream - at basketball and church!

[metalprof]

I always wonder what old-timers like Ozzy and AC/DC think when they hear their music arranged for marching or pep bands. It's pretty funny to hear Crazy Train played anemically by the half-size Valparaiso University Pep Band at a women's basketball game!

And the last two years, my wife's church's Christmas Eve service has opened with a younger college age member playing the instrumental medley Christmas Eve / Sarajevo from Dead Winter Dead, er um, I mean from Christmas Eve and Other Stories. This year, it got a nice round of applause. When this happens, I do a Barry Horowitz and pat myself on the back because I know the longer history of the tune beyond, "It's a cool Trans Siberian Orchestra song!" I wonder how many people in the church who applaud when the song is done would do the same if they knew its real origin on Dead Winter Dead, by the same band who featured a character called "DT Jesus" on a different record.

Just stuff I thought about the last couple of weeks...

Ken

 

[Jasonic]

When this happens, I do a Barry Horowitz and pat myself on the back

 

[DuchessOfDork]

I'm hoping that when I get old, I'll hear Bucket Full of Hate at a hockey game.

One can dream...

 

[Prog_Please]

And the last two years, my wife's church's Christmas Eve service has opened with a younger college age member playing the instrumental medley Christmas Eve / Sarajevo from Dead Winter Dead, er um, I mean from Christmas Eve and Other Stories. This year, it got a nice round of applause. When this happens, I do a Barry Horowitz and pat myself on the back because I know the longer history of the tune beyond, "It's a cool Trans Siberian Orchestra song!" I wonder how many people in the church who applaud when the song is done would do the same if they knew its real origin on Dead Winter Dead, by the same band who featured a character called "DT Jesus" on a different record.


Ken

I think the same thing when that one song from Mindless Self Indulgence is played at all the sporting events on TV and what not. I bet 99% of the people just think its a catchy song (it kinda is when they leave out the lyrics). It always cracks me up when songs are played without context on the songs / bands.

 

[sh0kr0k]

I used to work at a sheet music retailer and always chuckled when people bought these metal and rock arrangements for their high school groups. More amusing was what the publishers would put out. Crazy Train for string orchestra??! Really?! I remember pushing some of these when asked for recommendations. "Well, you've already got the Queen song, why don't you take one of the Quiet Riot's too. We only have 3 left and they're permanently out of print, but it's a hot song for marching band. You ought to get your copy now before it's too late!" Just think of the school board chairs throwing a fit!

 

[ConnieOH]

It is a strange phenomenon. I think the way things are marketed has a lot to do with it - look at TSO. Marketing it as a Christmas light and music show gets all kinds of people there who would never actually listen to metal music - but yet they are, and they love it. In that context.

 

[TribunalRecords]

And the last two years, my wife's church's Christmas Eve service has opened with a younger college age member playing the instrumental medley Christmas Eve / Sarajevo from Dead Winter Dead, er um, I mean from Christmas Eve and Other Stories. This year, it got a nice round of applause. When this happens, I do a Barry Horowitz and pat myself on the back because I know the longer history of the tune beyond, "It's a cool Trans Siberian Orchestra song!" I wonder how many people in the church who applaud when the song is done would do the same if they knew its real origin on Dead Winter Dead, by the same band who featured a character called "DT Jesus" on a different record.

Just stuff I thought about the last couple of weeks...

Ken

isn't the main melody of that Savatage track just the traditional song "Carol Of The Bells"? i am pretty sure Jon Oliva didn't write that melody - he just put it into a rock arrangement.

this is just George Winston's interpretation of same thing.

 

[ApolloFC]

It is a strange phenomenon. I think the way things are marketed has a lot to do with it - look at TSO. Marketing it as a Christmas light and music show gets all kinds of people there who would never actually listen to metal music - but yet they are, and they love it. In that context.

^

When I was in my concert lighting class our teacher(s(they had their own company and the wife would teach on occasion)) would not shut up about TSO. I kept on wanting to ask them what other metal bands they liked but then I just assumed that they didn't listen to metal. I have classmates who'd go to TSO shows who have some interest in metal, but didn't have any idea that TSO is just Savatage & Orchestra until I told them.

 

[edgeofthorns]

isn't the main melody of that Savatage track just the traditional song "Carol Of The Bells"? i am pretty sure Jon Oliva didn't write that melody - he just put it into a rock arrangement.

Your statement isn't quite accurate either. Paul O'Neill was actually the one who put the song into a "rock" arrangement.

~Brian~

 

[Bryant]

I'm hoping that when I get old, I'll hear Bucket Full of Hate at a hockey game.

One can dream...

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate !!!!!! (in my best gang vocal voice) HATE !!

Bryant

 

[Bryant]

I always wonder what old-timers like Ozzy and AC/DC think when they hear their music arranged for marching or pep bands. It's pretty funny to hear Crazy Train played anemically by the half-size Valparaiso University Pep Band at a women's basketball game!

Ken

Back when Ozzy first started Blizzard and AC/DC FTATR and earlier, those bands were playing for "their fans" not the "radio," so I am sure both bands would be extremely proud to know they were playing music from the heart and it bacame uber famous.

Bryant

 

[MetalAges]

And the last two years, my wife's church's Christmas Eve service has opened with a younger college age member playing the instrumental medley Christmas Eve / Sarajevo from Dead Winter Dead, er um, I mean from Christmas Eve and Other Stories. This year, it got a nice round of applause.

We do this every year in our Christmas time services/programs - it's the one time I get to whip out my guitar and rip at Church haha (I usually play bass but grew up playing guitar). This song easily gets the best audience reaction. I'm trying to get them to add more of the TSO tunes in!

 

[TribunalRecords]

Your statement isn't quite accurate either. Paul O'Neill was actually the one who put the song into a "rock" arrangement.

~Brian~

i didn't actually feel like wandering downstairs to get out my CD to see who did actual arrangement, hahaha, so i went with best guess. i should have known it was Paul. it's always his fault.

 

[metalprof]

isn't the main melody of that Savatage track just the traditional song "Carol Of The Bells"? i am pretty sure Jon Oliva didn't write that melody - he just put it into a rock arrangement.

Right, but that particular specific arrangement (a combination of Carol of the Bells AND God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) is unique to Savatage / TSO. Other interpretations of Carol of the Bells are all over the place. Great song.

Ken

 

[TribunalRecords]

Right, but that particular specific arrangement (a combination of Carol of the Bells AND God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) is unique to Savatage / TSO. Other interpretations of Carol of the Bells are all over the place. Great song.

Ken

oh trust me i know how unique it is, having worked at a record store the Christmas Dead Winter Dead blew up on NPR. hahaha. i was like who are all these people buying Savatage?!?!?! hahaha. they knew it was special too back then.

i was commenting on how someone was shocked to hear it in church, that's all. when it's based on traditional material.