Hologram784

2 hours ago, Airaux said:

  The first thing that comes to mind is to say this is relatively new thing for me, although I've been listening to it since my mid-to-late 20s - I'm now 63! - How time flies!

  I used to be into long, instrumental pieces.  Metal expresses powerful, deviation from the norm, often discordant, using rough, rather than smooth, textures, overall creating a sense of hardness and "things not being right".  This I've come to find interesting and fresh.

Thank you so much for this!

Really cool to see someone involved so long into the community!

18 minutes ago, JonoBlade said:

Man, that is spooky because it accurately describes me too (not #metoo).  

I've recently been doing a bunch of interviews for a new job. Probably about 10 in all of first, then second interviews and have ended up with multiple offers. I can charm the pants off people in an interview, and especially at a distance via zoom etc. But, yet I fucking hate people and don't like socialising much unless I really have something in common with someone. Then I'll be your best friend.

If I have to go to a networking gathering or the like I am counting the minutes until I can respectfully disappear. Pining for the exit. 

To the wider question "What does being a Metalhead/listening to Metal mean to you?"

As a youngster I guess the sense of identity was important: black t-shirt and mullet uniform that was consistent with others you felt most comfortable hanging around with: i.e. your mates.

As some stage I rebelled against the image a bit. Throughout 2000s I'd be the one at the metal gig wearing short shorts and a plain white t-shirt. Now I wear black t-shirts with band logos again, even in business zoom meetings.

Still though: Image is nothing; metal is everything.

While I consider myself pretty open-minded on most things I have a real stubbornness when it comes to even entertaining the possibility that I might enjoy some other form of music. When people hear you are a musician or really into music they'll try to find common ground by rattling off some names of popular rock bands they are into that are "awesome." It gets a bit of a blank stare from me. 

So, what does metal mean to me? Everything...not necessarily to the exclusion of all else - you gotta function adequately as a father, husband, colleague and friend with others that don't feel the same way - but mostly everything.

Thank you so much for your response.

I especially resonate with what you've said in your conclusion.

10 hours ago, Dead1 said:

Firstly the music - I love the bombast, the juvenile aggression and the glorious riffs as well as occasional bouts of bile, outrage and anger.  

 

Secondly it's certainly a sense of identity even though my hair is long gone.  I still wear band t-shirts as much as I can.  I call them my colours.

I still identify as a metalhead and 95% of my listening is metal.  The rest is hard rock, alternative rock or hardcore and very, very, very occasionally something non-metal/non-guitar orientated!

I still view being a metalhead as being a member of an exclusive group with a set of cultural norms.  I believe metal should be accepting of anyone but it should not be popular or normalised in the mainstream.    It needs to dwell in the shadows. 

 

The only time it rears its head in the mainstream should be on its own terms without compromise - so no pretty girls singing sugary pop over muted guitars or whiny pretty boys moaning about their emotions.  But if Napalm Death or Cannibal Corpse is going to pummel the shit out of the mainstream, then so be it.

 

Yes I have spoken like a true zealot!

 

 

In any case there's one song I think really sums up what it is to be a metalhead and it's by Pantera (love em or hate em).

.

 

 

 

 

There is a part of me that's always sixteen
I've found the secret of eternal youth
Some get high on life or money
But there's an escape, drop out of the race

To walk through world by one's self, you can't be protected
Your trust is in whiskey, weed and Black Sabbath
It's goddamn electric

Don't waste your time
Embrace it
And then you will know yourself
The change in you is goddamn electric

The weight of the world has lifted and parted
My eyes roll blind to sights that distracted
Through tunnel vision and dope-hair blinders
I'll cut a path and evoke my will

To walk through the world by one's self, you can't be protected
Your trust is in whiskey, weed and Slayer
It's goddamn electric

Don't fake your life
Inhale it
And then you'll know yourself
The change in you is goddamn electric

Don't waste your time
Embrace it
And then you'll know yourself
The change that is goddamn electric will focus the mind's eye

One hand on the bottle, the other a shaking fist
Rejuvenated, yet isolated, no pressure from the outside
My sight is goddamn electric
And these eyes have seen a world
Goddamn electric system

Don't waste your time
Embrace it
And then you'll know yourself
The change in you is goddamn electric

 

 

I especially relate to the lyrics in bold.  It's that moment in a metal gig when the adrenaline is pumping, the riffs are blasting and you feel fucking amazing!

Rad answer, thank you so much. I also love Pantera, so was glad to hear and read them again. And zealousy is exactly right, my friend, never lose that.

4 hours ago, KillaKukumba said:

Listening to metal or being a metal head means nothing to me. Never really cared if people called me a metal head, I never changed my behaviour because I listened to metal and I never sit down and think "oh I'm a metal head I must...."

Maybe I never got the memo on how to act or feel while listening to certain bands but to me listening to metal is not like being a vegan, I don't feel the need to let the entire world know of my choices whenever there is a lull in a conversation.

Very intriguing and strong-willed answer. This will very much expand my analysis, thank you so much.

22 hours ago, FatherAlabaster said:

Hey man, no, I was trying to say that I think some of these students who join up with their survey questions look at us as lab rats. Haha interesting subculture you have here, I have heard your people can be insular, do your horns fall off after mating season, etc. It's all good but I guess I have limited patience for things that strike me as tourism. There's that concern for legitimacy rearing its ugly head, a personal failing for me to work on.

Don't worry, I was merely joking around.

And I can definitely understand your caution, fear not, as we've converses elsewhere, hopefully my credentials as a metalhead, albeit a younger one are sufficient.😁

18 hours ago, H34VYM3T4LD4V3 said:

Hello and welcome! what are your favourite metal bands?

 

To me metal means an escape from all of the everyday crap we put up with, life in general and the shitty manufacutred music that is forced into our ears in shops/radio etc. just feels so much better than pop music 

 

it's also a way of life for me, nearly everything I do, I have my metal playing, keeps me motivated and concentrated when I need to do something

Thanks so much for your response and question mate!

My favourites currently are Bound In Fear (British Blackened Deathcore), Ghost Bath (North American Black Metal), and Landmvrks (French Metal/Deathcore).

23 hours ago, JamesT said:

Sure thing!  Always great to connect with a fellow metalhead.  Good luck with your dissertation!  Hope you knock it out of the park!

Thank you so much, mate!

23 hours ago, JamesT said:

Hey there, suspected "lab rat"!  I'm not sure how informative my answer will be, but to me, metal means everything.  It's not just a style of aggressive music that doesn't necessarily lend itself to mainstream popularity, but rather, it's an entire lifestyle.  It means not bowing or caving to what society might label as "normal".  It's the abiding appreciation for the unbelievable skill and musicianship that it takes to execute it well.  It means not being afraid to stand by and defend something that might be countercultural in some ways.  And because it is scoffed at and dismissed by many as being "just noise", and it is looked down upon by many as something only for misfits to rally behind so they can feel better about themselves, that makes it all the more near and dear to those of us who love it.  Metal has been a huge part of my life for the majority of it and has really helped pull me through some tough times.  I'm a metalhead for life!

Thank you so much, James, and don't worry, any answer is informative in my book.

Appreciate your time and effort to write this, you have helped immensely.

Hello, fellow forumers,

I am Hologram, a suspected 'lab rat', as FatherAlabaster has nicknamed me already, or at least attempted to😆.

I am a final year Bachelor's student and I have posted a discussion here yesterday to help me out with a project I am doing for my dissertation.

Let me assure you that my credentials are Metal indeed, started listening at the age of 9 thanks to my oldschool Soviet defector of a father and have been fully loyal to the music ever since - and I am 21 now. 

My objective at the moment is to gather responses to this question: What does Metal mean to you?

And the objective of my research is to show the wider academic public that metal is not merely a defective subculture, it is a much more valuable cultural and social phenomenon, that plays a significant positive role for us as fans of the music.

I hope you will be able to assist me on this noble quest.

For now, farewell, and I wish you a pleasant day.

Just now, GoatmasterGeneral said:

I would think that many people probably feel much the same way about whatever kind of music it is that they like best. Maybe not necessarily the feelings of superiority (or rebellious spirit, depending on how you look at it) and belonging to a community of like minded outsiders, but definitely as far as how their music makes them feel when they listen to it. 

Gotta say I've never felt alienated or ostracized from society at large or from my peers as seems to be the norm with a lot of metalheads. I've just always felt superior to the masses or the "normies" since a very young age so I've always been careful to choose my smallest and closest circle of friends carefully so as not to waste time with any more idiots than absolutely necessary. My father drilled it into my head at a young age every night at the dinner table that most people are incredibly fucking stupid, and I guess I took that to heart. I think that metal, and before metal 'heavy music' in general has always appealed to that aloof loner side of me. Guess that makes me naturally arrogant, or narcisssistic or something as well as a loner by choice and I've come to terms with that. I've worked hard over the years, especially as I've gotten a bit older, at getting over myself, humbling myself as it were and toning that dickhead side of me down a notch or two.

I was perhaps fortunate in my teenage years to have learned the abilty to 'cross over' between the different groups or cliques and I found it relatively easy to "fit in" at least to a certain extent, or just enough to get by let's say, when I thought it was to my benefit or to my advantage, without ever having to commit to being a part of any one group. In my mind I was my own little group of one (even though I had a couple of close friends) but I could be a chameleon and blend in quite well in different situations when I wanted to or thought I needed to. Fake it til you make it in other words, but you'd be surprised how easily most people will be willing to accept you, unless you're just completely socially inept. 

I read an article just a few years ago that described a 'social introvert' as someone who is an introverted loner by nature who lives in his own head much of the time, but who also has that outgoing gregarious side that enjoys socializing with others. As long as it's on his own terms and he can control the frequency and duration of the socializing as he prefers. He makes sure he always has an exit strategy so he can abort the mission at any time. And I thought yes that desribes me perfectly. So like don't come knock on my door unannounced and disturb me in my home environment and stay indefinitely, that's not cool. I'll come to you, or we can meet on neutral ground and I'll make sure I have a plan to get away and leave when I've had enough. 

It wasn't until I was well into my 40's in the late 2000's and began joining a series of internet metal forums that I started to really fully embrace this feeling of community with my online metal buddies. I found it was so much easier to let my guard down and open up and just be myself when I'm just at home typing and feel like no one could possibly infiltrate my personal space or hurt me in any way. And again, it lets me control exactly when and for how long I choose to interact, and I know I can shut it off and walk away at any time. But I still really enjoy the in-person meetups at MDF or various shows and stuff when we take those online relationships and cross them over into real world friendships.

You guys are spoiling me with all of this in-depth responding.

Thanks so much, will be properly getting into your stories soon.

Just now, eternalcrypt said:

id say being a metalhead means quite alot, if not everything to me. most people, normal people dont understand this and thats the idea. no matter how shit a day im having it makes it better, it makes me feel not alienated and different, but the SAME as my heavy metal idols. i feel its both a rejection of the adidas tracksuit and an acceptance of the denim and leather (reference intended) at the same time, if you get what i mean. if im gonna listen to music, im gonna listen to metal. 

Wonderfully said, I specifically agree with the emotional support metal provides and the rebellious spirit it cultivates so wonderfully 

Thank you so much for your input.

1 minute ago, markm said:

Confident there are plenty of voyeurs on the net who like metal and stay away from shows and forums. 

Indeed, I am myself quite reluctant to go to shows for a variety of reasons.

Financial is king, but the next no less important one is distance, with safety concluding my list.

Have broken my oath to stay out of forums as of today, however, albeit for educational reasons😅

Thank you for the engagement, guys, really helping me out here.

7 minutes ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

I have a hard time picturing our beloved Marky Mark in a heavy metal getup with a leather jacket and pair of Doc Martens.

I never saw being a metalhead as a lifestyle. To me it just always meant I was passionate about heavy metal music in a world where so many people don't seem to care all that much about music, they just listen to whatever's on the radio. And apparently there even some people who claim they don't listen to music at all.

Yeah, I had the long hair and leather jacket back in the 80's & 90's and I even wore the bullet belt and occasionally a spiked leather wristband to shows, but that's not what made me a metalhead. It was the fact that I loved metal so much and that so much of my free time was devoted to thinking about and listening to metal and going to see it played live whenever I could.

And yeah nowadays it seems the D&D nerd militia have taken over certain factions of the metal world, but that really wasn't the case 40 years ago. But I think it's pretty easy to see at shows that metalheads come in all shapes and sizes, all ages, and from all walks of life. There is really no such thing as the quintessential metalhead anymore. Like the dude above me said, now that your average metalheads have gotten a bit older and many are balding or whatever and have regular adult jobs there are probably a lot more of us who just look like typical citizens and don't feel the need to look the central casting metalhead part.

The only common theme I've noticed about metalheads on forums over the years is that most of us (not all sadly) seem to be of above average intelligence. But who knows, maybe there could be heaps of other metalhead dummies out there who are just too stupid to type and use a forum. Or maybe they simply aren't interested in having any interaction with fellow metal fans unless that means throwing 'bows in the pit. I do listen to some rough sounding stuff and I've made jokes about knuckledragging music but I'm no meathead dimwit knuckledragger, I'm just a regular old guy. 

Now that I think about it the black band t-shirts do seem to be a common theme as well, and sometimes I feel like I'm the only metalhead in town who doesn't feel the need to wear one of them every single fucking day at all times. I actually wear them more frequently in the winter for layering purposes, but as the bottom layer of 3 or 4 or 5 total you can never see them. Which defeats the purpose obviously, but they're usually on the thick side and so too hot to wear in the summer, and they're not warm enough to wear in the winter where I live without something over them or under them. And in between on those 27 days a year when it's not too hot and not too cold I do wear them sometimes, but some days I just want to wear regular clothes.

Wow, what a detailed response, thanks so much!

There's a lot to unpack there and I will make sure to pay your response the attention it deserves.

2 minutes ago, markm said:

Metal is just so much more diverse now. There's a much bigger nerd culture that gets into metal these days. But then again, metal always appealed to the outsider/outcast. 

Oh, definitely, my secondary objective is to at least slightly contribute to Metal being brought out as a wider collection of genres.

Haha, no I'm not a weirdo lab rat for sure😆

I am also an experienced Metalhead, around the age of 9 I got into Ronnie James Dio, Sabbath, and Judas Priest, mainly thanks to my old-school Soviet defector of a father.

As a result, I faced a lot of prejudice in school and in my daily life and thus my objective is to show Metal in a positive light and prove that it is a pivotal cultural phenomenon. 

Thank you so much for your response, @markm!

I can definitely feel the indifference to the style, I only have band tees and a Thor necklace, that's about it😆

And I also can't grow hair out cause I'm balding rapidly 😅

And I aggree, jazz is a pivotal genre in discovering metal imo, so good to have you here and thanks so much for your response and story.

Thanks so much for your response! 

And thanks a lot for your point, I'll definitely look into the other threads.

My only big caveat is that I can't use the other responses in my dissertation if I don't have the permission of the users posting them and if I don't have ethical approval from my uni to do so.

But I'll definitely use this knowledge to inform my wider points.

Thanks again and I hope you enjoy your day.

Hello fellow metalheads,

My name is Alex and I am currently on my last year of uni.

I have chosen to write my dissertation on the cultural value of Metal for metalheads and the wider public.

So, I would really appreciate your responses to this question, the list is never exhaustive.

And if you are not happy with me using any of your data please feel free to either send me a private message or type "No" before or after your response.

Thanks so much for your participation and time. 😃