gus666

Jeez! I was at that gig Dave-10th Anniversary at Hammersmith Odeon. Brilliant! Other old bands worth checking out (with recommended albums): Gillan-Mr Universe UFO-The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent Thin Lizzy-Jailbreak Accept-Balls To The Wall Deep Purple-Machine Head Samson-Shock Tactics Blue Oyster Cult-Secret Treaties Saxon-Strong Arm Of The Law Rainbow-Rising

The first time I saw them was at Brixton Academy on the Sphinctour. They were awful. The gig was recorded and some of the tracks made the live album later on, but the gig was roundly panned by the metal press. Saw them a couple of years later and they were brilliant. But Al was totally clean by then. I don't know how many times I've seen Motorhead, 20 maybe, but the first time was Iron Fist and they were awful that night. Some 7 new songs from an album not yet released. When I look back at that gig and read about the friction in the band at the time, we were witnessing the death of the 'classic' line-up right before our eyes.

Sometimes the best bands deliver the best shows: AC/DC, Thin Lizzy, Deep Purple, The Scorpions, Rob Zombie, Saxon, Dropkick Murphys (when they were an Oi! band), Sham 69 (rare, admittedly), Sepultura, Slayer, Sick Of It All, Judas Priest, Rammstien, Ozzy, Twisted Sister.... And sometimes you get sensational live shows from the unexpected: Murphy's Law, Agnostic Front, Dog Eat Dog, Biohazard, Peter and The Test Tube Babies,, Toy Dolls, Hard Skin, King Prawn And somehow there's major dissapointments: Motorhead (not always great, but not often bad), Iron Maiden (seen 'em at Ayr Pavilion twice and Glasgow Apollo once-poor stuff, even though I like them), Fear Factory (you've had your chance, lads), Ministry (going through the motions IMO), Faith No More (patchy), Entombed, Crowbar, The Ramones (no, there is nothing clever about playing so fast that your singer can't keep up).

Is that what this guy had on his hand... A powerglove? And where did it end up?

'Metal' has always suffered from an image crisis with the music press (I'm not meaning the general media, but 'serious' music journalists), and yes, whilst the 2nd Ghost album in particular has serious Beatles influences (so does Ozzy's 'Ozmosis' album and Motorhead's 1916), it can only be good when you see the silly fun Papa and The Ghouls are having, playing at Satanism and producing great and very talented, rock music. The 'gimmick' is great fun! Lighten up guys! It's not meant to be taken that seriously!! But I reckon the guys 'n' ghouls are very good song writers and may be around for a lot longer than even they think....

I agree, Blut, especially the 'punk' analogy coz I'm steeped in it. But the parallels you draw are obvious. Of course Good Charlotte aren't punk, but for some to say that Slipknot, Machine Head and Trivium aren't metal is utterly preposterous. They may not fit into some folks 'photo-fit ID' of metal, but they're metal. They may have 'image' issues for some folk, but they're metal. And they get slaughtered by some metal fans that should be 'supporting' them them (note-I said support, not 'like' nor buy their records. I hate Metallica, but I support them and stick up for them coz they're metal, and important to the scene). I will not, nor ever be, part of the Metal Taliban. The music's too important to look at. It should be listened to.

Maybe it's a regional thing, Dude, but 'rock' music (very loosely termed-AC/DC, Bon Jovi, G n R, Led Zep) are probably getting recognition from the mainstream media and music press in the UK for the first ever. If you flick through the UK tabloids for instance, these bands are starting to get mentioned in the gossip columns!!! Metal and hard rock will always be popular, though stadium bands may be thin on the ground. However, my point about 'metal' fans shooting themselves in the foot with elitism still stands-that's maybe why we won't see stadium metal bands like Metallica, GnR, AC/DC again-'metal' (very broad term I'm using here) has become split within itself, and polarised. It wasn't in the past, certainly not to the extremes is it now. Folk like myself turned their noses up at thrash etc when it came out, but we were open minded enough to admit we were wrong and to give it a second listen. That's how popularity spreads. We never said 'oh that's not metal so I'm not listeneing to it'. But that 'it's not metal' attitude is prevelant in the scene now, and that's why I think it's bad for 'metal'. There's some folk on here and elsewhere who say Machine Head aren't metal!!! That's just preposterous, and bad for the metal scene as a whole. Remember-the biggest selling 'metal' band ever are AC/DC, and they were slaughtered at the peak of their creativity for being 'metal-just a bloody racket'. Those same folk now class them as 'classic rock' and have bought their entire back catalogue. That's why AC/DC sell out Wembley Stadium in 30 mins. They would have done in 1980 as well if those folk had been open minded.

As an old fart, I'll bore the knickers off you with another history lesson (or maybe it's just a reminder to other old farts?): Metal/hard rock has always been underground. Even in the '70s and '80s. It's always been treated with contempt but it's always been popular. AC/DC, Lizzy, Sabbath etc were all selling out venues in Europe and the USA etc. But they were effectively underground bands, snubbed by the music press and media in general. When Slayer and the thrash bands hit the scene most metal fans at the time said "christ-that's too much". I include myself in that. But Metallica and Slayer etc soon became, if not stadium bands, then arena bands. I see no reason why another 'wave' of metal can't come through and be popular/big again. That's because, IMO, the things that make metal popular will always be there-the music. It's that simple! Loud, fast, aggressive rock 'n' roll was first (AC/DC, Lizzy, Sabbath etc), this evolved into metal as we know it (Saxon, Maiden, Motorhead etc) and this evolved into/influenced the thrash/death/black/more extreme stuff and so on. It's a 'blood-line' and it continues to this day. Sure, Deathspell Omega ain't gonna sell out a stadium, but just look at the size of some of the metal tours and festivals that sell out-it's maybe just as popular as ever? What I do find disturbing though, is posters on here saying they don't want it to be popular!!??? Why??? I certainly don't want phonies latching onto my bands, but if metal becomes too 'underground' it will cease to exist. These bands have to feed and cloth themselves, for god's sake! I've said it before and I'll say it again-the biggest threat to metal is elitism within it's own scene.

I'm glad you agree with me, Scullion. I always felt I was judging bands a bit harshly thinking that way! Fear Factory were a band I really like, then seen them supporting Ozzy at the Barrowlands in Glasgow and they were shite. Gave them another chance, headlining their own show a few months later and they were marginally better. But not much. Still listen to them but haven't bought an album since.... Funny you saying that about In Flames-I went along to see White Zombie with a mate, just for the night out/drinking. I didn't like them, but they were absolutely fantastic live. Never bought an album of theirs, but it made me more open minded to Rob zombie's solo stuff when it was released, and I love those albums.

I must admit to being surprised at the original post. I grew up in the '70s and '80s when the live show was everything. I just thought that was still the case! The volume, the atmosphere, the sound, the show...Everything!!! If you can't do it live for me, I tend to 'fall out of love' with a band.

Well we're all entitled to an opinion, even if it seems contradictory. Of course, in the modern sense of metal, Ghost aren't really metal, but the first time I heard them was 'Ritual' and I thought "That's BOC, and that solo has got Buck Dharma's fingerprints all over it...". The new stuff definitely has a feeling of "The Beatles have found Satan", but I like it. And my lugs were absolutely BLASTED when I saw them last month, so fuckin' loud I couldn't believe it!

Nothing wrong with Rush, didn't say there was, Restless, just that their style of music doesn't lose any impact if the sound isn't heavy and loud, whereas I reckon Mastadon need it loud. And outdoor gigs can be notoriously dodgy sound-wise. Rain can completely ruin the day (Donnington 1981 for example). And, as I stated, being windy can also bugger it up too.

FFS guys (and gals) this is the best metal/hard rock band on the PLANET right now!!!!!! I've told you about them, now suckle from Satan's teet...

Is that the Black Album by The Damned? 10 x better than ANY Metallica album....

I really fancy going this year, never been and would be going on my own. Heard the campsites can be full of nuisances, but can't really see how that is, coz metal fans are easy going. Anyone been on their own before? BTW I need to do a joby regularly-what's the toilets like?

Lou-you should be! Go to Youtube and search for Primo Victoria Full Album-brilliant stuff!!!!

I never realised that it's an exploding Snaggletooth, Blut, not until I read about it. It's without doubt THE most tattooed band logo in the UK, with, IMO, more punks that metal fans having them!!! Me included (but I'm 1/2 punk, 1/2 metal anyway). BRILLIANT thread, BTW! Though March Or Die is my least favourite cover AND least favourite Motorhead album.

There is! Mine! And nobody admitted to liking Eurovision....

Just my thoughts, Dude. Even allowing for that, he'd still be good I reckon.

Strange indeed Blut. I've only seen him on the UK leg of the Hellbilly 2 Tour and he was sensational. In saying that, 10 years previous (last time he was scheduled to play the UK) he stepped down venues to 'big clubs'. Maybe that was the tour you seen? Of course you may just have thought he was shit no matter when you saw him, but I doubt that.