Where are the metalheads now?

[Nuzzolese]

Metal was HUGE. But it's almost gone now. Does this music still speak to people or was it only effective in its historical context, kind of like the movies Slapshot or Soylent Green? What was the mindset that latched on to metal and where are these people? Who are they? They must still be listening to metal, waiting for its return like unrequited young lovers gazing out to sea, waiting for their sailors to return home. What was it about that music anyway? Aggression, anger, drunken buffoonery, womanizing, living life like a pirate - jewelry, drinking, excess, puffy shirts and such. This music at the time spoke to teenagers and young adults. Was it only a teenage music or does it stay with those who grew up with it? Does it still affect people the same way, or do you think they now only like it out of nostalgia? This ever-changing world we live in makes you give in and cry LIVE AND LET DIE!

[Echewta]

How funny. I was listening to Master Of Puppets on the way to work this morning. You know, since Howard isn't on anymore and I wanted to get in the holiday spirit.

GNR's Live and Let Die is a perfect example of the down fall of metal. Nothing metal about it. Glam bands certainly weren't metal.

When I was in college, I had two good friends who were skinny, wore the same pair of jeans every day, had a dozen black shirts with some sort of band on them, and crazy long hair. One took a trip to potsville and never came out. The other is clean cut and owns a boat on the lake. Me, i'm just keeping it middle class and waiting for operation mindcrime.

[Nuzzolese]

We need Lemmy's Liver to step in and give us the latest.

[Rock]

I still sport the same jeans everyday...an Anthrax or AC/DC or Black Sabbath or Motorhead or Slayer T-shirt...and I'm not cutting my hair until my wedding.
I don't smoke Marlboro Reds anymore but still throw the metal horns at every chance I get.
And at any given time you are guaranteed to find at least two Metal CDs in my cd carrying case that is in my car.
Most of the other "metalheads" i knew are either into HIP HOP, in some sort of long term rehabilation program, have a corporate job, or work in a garage.
VIVA LA METAL. \m/

[Nuzzolese]

So what happened? Did the music change with you or are you just nostalgic or stuck in the same mindset as before. Stuck sounds bad, have you simply found your niche in metal? What is it about metal that means so much to you?

[insertnamehere]

my friend ted listens to iron maiden and similar bands pretty much all the time. sometimes while makng his "metal face" hes way into metal. he loves it.

once he did a search on facebook (kinda like myspace for those who arent familiar with it) for girls that listened to iron maiden. they were all fat, which made him sad.

[Nuzzolese]

Those metal shows used to be full of hot ladies, or so their videos would have us believe. They were pretty trashy though, probably just out for money, not for the music.

[Echewta]

yea, that bass player was kinda cute in White Zombie. Errr, not really but what can you do?

[Nuzzolese]

drink some more and appreciate how she also loves your music. Was she in any of Rob Zombie's movies? Satan's Carnival Titty Death Ride 5000?

[Echewta]

http://www.his.com/~seandr/pictures/seansean.jpg

I have no idea if she was in any of his movies. She looked much better on stage than that picture.

I hope i get a death titty ride for christmas.

[Rock]

So what happened? Did the music change with you or are you just nostalgic or stuck in the same mindset as before. Stuck sounds bad, have you simply found your niche in metal? What is it about metal that means so much to you?
I wasn't like "metal isn't just music maaan, its a way of life" or anything. I was more like a "this shit is thrashin', dude! Pass me a PBR and check out my jean jacket with this 'metal up your ass' patch on it" kind of guy (minus the PBR, using the word thrashin' unless referring to the classic movie with Josh Brolin, and the jean jacket).

Even when I was listening to a lot of metal I still had my minor threat, weird al, de la soul, james brown, so on and so forth tapes that got played.....just not as much as my metal ones. Then once all the new metal that was coming out started sounding stale, I just started getting more and more of the other types of music. I was happy leaving "metal" where it was with me at that time.

[Rock]

Those metal shows used to be full of hot ladies, or so their videos would have us believe. They were pretty trashy though, probably just out for money, not for the music.
I think you have cock rock confused with metal.

edit: oh yeah..I should have put "Viva La Metal pre 1993! \m/

[Nuzzolese]

Maybe I do. Please explain.

[Rock]

Cock Rock = Hair "Metal" (i.e.; Poison, Warrant, Slaughter, etc.)
I'm guilty of owning an album or two by some cock rock artists...and shit....some of the songs still get me.

Metal = Flying V Guitars, 20 piece drumsets, a lot of power chords (i.e.; early Metallica, Testament, Anthrax, Pantera, Megadeth, etc.)

[Echewta]

And then there is Rush.

[DIGI]

All the fans are too busy lifting weights or changing the oil in their sweet, rusted '84 Camaro to represent. :(

[Nuzzolese]

I thought that was all metal. I guess the metal fans were always kind of low key. Maybe the music helped them channel their dark thoughts into creative and constructive pursuits that they now employ daily so we don't always recognize the darkness behind their public facades. Like Echewta for example, having an inner prince of darkness, and inner fascination with anger and loathing? Inconcievable.

[Echewta]

Like Echewta for example, having an inner prince of darkness, and inner fascination with anger and loathing? Inconcievable.

Tequila or hash is apparently the key to unlocking that inner side of me.

[Tzar]

i consider myself a metalhead. a young one though. :o
i think it's a good thing metal has died down though. metal never wanted/wants to be commercial and popular, exceptions lay for hair metal which is dead now.

lately i've been listening to more metal than hip-hop. i have more metal/hard rock cds than i do hip-hop. and if i had the patience i would grow my hair and have it tailored to Jason Newsted's hair circa The Black Album tour. \m/

metal hasn't died at all though. it's still there. you just have to look for it.

[Kid Presentable]

i consider myself a metalhead. a young one though. :o
i think it's a good thing metal has died down though. metal never wanted/wants to be commercial and popular, exceptions lay for hair metal which is dead now.

lately i've been listening to more metal than hip-hop. i have more metal/hard rock cds than i do hip-hop. and if i had the patience i would grow my hair and have it tailored to Jason Newsted's hair circa The Black Album tour. \m/

metal hasn't died at all though. it's still there. you just have to look for it.

The 'Full Metal Racket' show on Triple J shows there is still a thriving metal scene, perhaps they've just moved underground.

[Documad]

I have nothing but my personal opinion, but metal fans have always been underestimated. Metal doesn't get the press because it's never really been as cool as other types of fad-ish music. Critics never like it. The kids who like metal aren't cool and they apparently don't have as much disposable income so the advertisers don't chase them, but the fans are still there and as rabid as ever. At least that's what I see whenever I travel to the suburbs or to rural Minnesota.

[Tzar]

The 'Full Metal Racket' show on Triple J shows there is still a thriving metal scene, perhaps they've just moved underground.
oh indeed. The Furor = (y)

[Tzar]

I have nothing but my personal opinion, but metal fans have always been underestimated. Metal doesn't get the press because it's never really been as cool as other types of fad-ish music. Critics never like it. The kids who like metal aren't cool and they apparently don't have as much disposable income so the advertisers don't chase them, but the fans are still there and as rabid as ever. At least that's what I see whenever I travel to the suburbs or to rural Minnesota.
and i suppose also that, the "tough" kids/blokes don't listen to metal anymore. the "tough" kids/blokes listen to 50 cent and all that crap. back in the early 90's/later 80's; it was the bogans and rednecks who were the tough ones. nowadays... you associate metal-music-fans as being goths, or pale-skinned freaks who play Warcraft all day.

[Trimm Trabb]

and i suppose also that, the "tough" kids/blokes don't listen to metal anymore. the "tough" kids/blokes listen to 50 cent and all that crap. back in the early 90's/later 80's; it was the bogans and rednecks who were the tough ones. nowadays... you associate metal-music-fans as being goths, or pale-skinned freaks who play Warcraft all day.

There has always been skinny spotty loners, and fat pastey girls into metal in britain- they seem to make up a large proportion. But now that there is alot of alternative types of metal then more and more people seem to be becoming fans.

BUT! Give me sabbath any day (y)

[The Notorious LOL]

emo faggots love metal now but its because its kitschy and ironic.

[Trimm Trabb]

emo faggots love metal now but its because its kitschy and ironic.

some emo girls are hot though.

[Miss Mudhoney]

i'm still here!

Metal = Flying V Guitars, 20 piece drumsets, a lot of power chords (i.e.; early Metallica, Testament, Anthrax, Pantera, Megadeth, etc.)
i agree, the above bands aren't primarily about women/sex like the hair-metal bands of the 80's (who had a massive emphasis on groupies etc). that metal seems really passe now, although at the time it was the cool thing. it was another trend.
although there is a certain sexual element to metallica, pantera, anthrax. to me, as a fan of metal, it's more about power and aggression.
don't get me wrong, i love these bands, but im really aware of how little female input there is in metal these days. and when i go to gigs and club nights, it always seems to be about hero worship (guitar gods and all that stuff) - boys playing air guitar and thrashing their heads around, while the girls who are into it stand on the side and bob their heads about. it's like boys have the monopoly in metal. that's how i see it anyway.

[Documad]

Metal was HUGE. But it's almost gone now. Does this music still speak to people or was it only effective in its historical context, kind of like the movies Slapshot or Soylent Green? What was the mindset that latched on to metal and where are these people? Who are they? They must still be listening to metal, waiting for its return like unrequited young lovers gazing out to sea, waiting for their sailors to return home. What was it about that music anyway? Aggression, anger, drunken buffoonery, womanizing, living life like a pirate - jewelry, drinking, excess, puffy shirts and such. This music at the time spoke to teenagers and young adults. Was it only a teenage music or does it stay with those who grew up with it? Does it still affect people the same way, or do you think they now only like it out of nostalgia? This ever-changing world we live in makes you give in and cry LIVE AND LET DIE!
I can't believe that I didn't read this post carefully the first time around. That is a well-crafted post.

I guess that Zeppelin was quietly sponsored by spotty kids--never getting the love or attention of the media, until about 5 albums in. Even though they had to be greatly outselling the Stones and others that got more attention. Floyd also kept it surprisingly quiet for years while having the biggest arena tours. See also Rush. You would never see an article on Rush but they would pack the arenas. My comments aren't on point, but I'm fascinated that say Beck gets loads of media attention when he wasn't selling all that much. That's also why the crowds at his shows always suck--they're not music fans. I'd rather hang with the NIN kids.

btw, Those movies were campy when released, but in a faux timely way. I'd add And Justice For All to the list. :)

[Kid Presentable]

I went from liking Pantera as a teenager to Superjoint Ritual.

A Perfect Circle are my Warrant.

[Trimm Trabb]

i'm still here!

i agree, the above bands aren't primarily about women/sex like the hair-metal bands of the 80's (who had a massive emphasis on groupies etc). that metal seems really passe now, although at the time it was the cool thing. it was another trend.
although there is a certain sexual element to metallica, pantera, anthrax. to me, as a fan of metal, it's more about power and aggression.
don't get me wrong, i love these bands, but im really aware of how little female input there is in metal these days. and when i go to gigs and club nights, it always seems to be about hero worship (guitar gods and all that stuff) - boys playing air guitar and thrashing their heads around, while the girls who are into it stand on the side and bob their heads about. it's like boys have the monopoly in metal. that's how i see it anyway.213.78.199.214.

Leeds isn't a bad place to be if you like metal. They'res a growing amount of local metal bands aswell as that leeds is now attracting outside bands such as hatebreed, dillinger and trivium. My freinds are very into metal so i'm sometimes at these gigs :)

[Nuzzolese]

Thank you Documad!

I sometimes think metal can sound so complex and deep, almost like some classical music styles. The Fucking Champs are good. Although it uses guitars and tight compacted notes - lots of fast notes in a short time, it sounds smooth and almost light - not as abrasive as you would think for METAL.

Do you think some of the intrinsic aspects of metal music are the very things that maintain it as something underground? I mean, the sentiments that metal music expresses - (often) isolation, fear, power, control, serious thoughts about mortality - are not usually analagous with being open, inviting, public and sharing with everyone else. Is it a kind of music that is difficult to enjoy with other people? Hip hop is such party music, and folk music is all about connecting with the audience on a personal level. But maybe metal is fundamentally a music for the subjective mind alone. These are just theories. I don't know much about metal AT ALL, obviously. I'm just wondering why this music isn't more out there anymore, if it's just a cultural thing, a trend, or if this kind of music is just so specific that you either love it or hate it and it doesn't naturally appeal to as wide an audience as something like jazz or country.

Funny I should mention jazz and country though, which are never at the height of popularity anymore but have always had a massive and steady following.

But then there are these meticulous distinctions and I never quite know where to draw the line. There's industrial metal and speed metal and death metal, and it's not like someone made a chart like the scientists did for animals where you classify them into species and genous and so on.

[BangkokB]

I grew up on thrash and still represent. I'll give you a play by play the best my memory serves me. As to what happened
Metallica~Cliff died and producer Bob Rock killed what remained. They put out And Justice for All which followed the same formula as Master almost verbatim. Good LP but no bass can be heard. They put out the Black LP and that was horrible I lost all respect for them after that
Megadeth~Guitarist/singer MegaDave Mustaine released Rust in Piece which was a brilliant record. But since he felt jilted for being kicked out of Metallica, he always followed their lead and when Metallica put out the Black LP they then released the weak commercial friendly Countdown to Extinction in 92. I quit listening to them bc of that record
Testament were strong for 3 records then rushed on the record Souls of Black in 90 and I lost interest in them after that record. They had many changes in their lineup over the years~the original lead guitarist Alex Skolnick went on to form a jazz band. The lead singer, Chuck Billy, got cancer about 5 years ago and they are now back with the original lineup and released a DVD back in October playing their classics
Death were solid their whole tenure but Death was really just Chuck Shudliner died from some sort of brain problem
Exodus were solid for 4 LPs then put out Force of Habit in 92 and it was so bad they broke up....I remember they covered Love's a Bitch and even had horns it that catastrophe. On a side note: they reformed in 2001 with original vocalist Paul Baloff and he too died from some sort of brain problem a short time later.
Venom released Prime Evil in either 90 or 91...I loved it but never heard from them again.....
Nuclear Assault turned into a pumpkin after Handle w/ Care
and of course there's Slayer~they stayed the course and I've been following them the whole ride since 85

The '90's weren't good for metal. During that time I listened to Pantera up til Far Beyond Driven and don't like anything past that
Their was Sepultra, great band, but I believe it was after Roots that Singer/guitarist Max Cavellera left that band~mostly due to his wife~and formed Soulfly....Mario Caldato Jr. produced some tracks on their 1st record. They're OK but no Sepultra
I listened to Biohazard and believe they are partly responsible for the metal/rap fusion...They were good up til State of the World Address then crap after that
Alice in Chains tapped into a multilayered market and I followed them while they were around
And I really got into 70's music and Hip Hop during the 90's so I went that path when I wasn't listening to the bold music listed previously. New genres like Rage Against the Machine came to be so I hopped on board for that ride as well.
The good news was that 90's did kill Hairmetal though...Which is great bc I'll take a Nirvana over an idiot cockrock band anyday. Lesser of two evils if I'm going to sit through some videos

So to summarize the music for the thrash genre went downhill and noone filled the void

Right now though is a great time for Metal and I'm having a field day. Currently I'm into Lamb of God, Chimaira, Exodus released Tempo of the Damned last year and then lo and behold put out Shovel Headed Kill Machine in October~although singer Steve "Zetro" Souza quit after TotD and a cookie monster vocalist is now in his spot. I like Slipknot~but most metal heads don't get into them bc they won't/can't play solos. And there's Children of Bodom, Opeth, Superjoint Ritual, Meshuga and some others I can't think of right now. Some of the thrash bands from the 80's have reformed ie Death Angel and Kreator. So I guess it's come full circle. Metal is alive and well. 20 year cycles

[Tzar]

I grew up on thrash and still represent. I'll give you a play by play the best my memory serves me. As to what happened
Metallica~Cliff died and producer Bob Rock killed what remained. They put out And Justice for All which followed the same formula as Master almost verbatim. Good LP but no bass can be heard. They put out the Black LP and that was horrible I lost all respect for them after that
Megadeth~Guitarist/singer MegaDave Mustaine released Rust in Piece which was a brilliant record. But since he felt jilted for being kicked out of Metallica, he always followed their lead and when Metallica put out the Black LP they then released the weak commercial friendly Countdown to Extinction in 92. I quit listening to them bc of that record
Testament were strong for 3 records then rushed on the record Souls of Black in 90 and I lost interest in them after that record. They had many changes in their lineup over the years~the original lead guitarist Alex Skolnick went on to form a jazz band. The lead singer, Chuck Billy, got cancer about 5 years ago and they are now back with the original lineup and released a DVD back in October playing their classics
Death were solid their whole tenure but Death was really just Chuck Shudliner died from some sort of brain problem
Exodus were solid for 4 LPs then put out Force of Habit in 92 and it was so bad they broke up....I remember they covered Love's a Bitch and even had horns it that catastrophe. On a side note: they reformed in 2001 with original vocalist Paul Baloff and he too died from some sort of brain problem a short time later.
Venom released Prime Evil in either 90 or 91...I loved it but never heard from them again.....
Nuclear Assault turned into a pumpkin after Handle w/ Care
and of course there's Slayer~they stayed the course and I've been following them the whole ride since 85

The '90's weren't good for metal. During that time I listened to Pantera up til Far Beyond Driven and don't like anything past that
Their was Sepultra, great band, but I believe it was after Roots that Singer/guitarist Max Cavellera left that band~mostly due to his wife~and formed Soulfly....Mario Caldato Jr. produced some tracks on their 1st record. They're OK but no Sepultra
I listened to Biohazard and believe they are partly responsible for the metal/rap fusion...They were good up til State of the World Address then crap after that
Alice in Chains tapped into a multilayered market and I followed them while they were around
And I really got into 70's music and Hip Hop during the 90's so I went that path when I wasn't listening to the bold music listed previously. New genres like Rage Against the Machine came to be so I hopped on board for that ride as well.
The good news was that 90's did kill Hairmetal though...Which is great bc I'll take a Nirvana over an idiot cockrock band anyday. Lesser of two evils if I'm going to sit through some videos

So to summarize the music for the thrash genre went downhill and noone filled the void

Right now though is a great time for Metal and I'm having a field day. Currently I'm into Lamb of God, Chimaira, Exodus released Tempo of the Damned last year and then lo and behold put out Shovel Headed Kill Machine in October~although singer Steve "Zetro" Souza quit after TotD and a cookie monster vocalist is now in his spot. I like Slipknot~but most metal heads don't get into them bc they won't/can't play solos. And there's Children of Bodom, Opeth, Superjoint Ritual, Meshuga and some others I can't think of right now. Some of the thrash bands from the 80's have reformed ie Death Angel and Kreator. So I guess it's come full circle. Metal is alive and well. 20 year cycles
alot of truth right here.

although... Black Album isn't horrible :( it's completely fucking different to everything metallica had ever done, and did suit radio, but.... c'mon... some of the tracks on that album crank harder and phatter than any MOP track.