Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

I've always pretty much thought metal to be quite far from a dead genre, yet I hear people allude to it all the time. I try to ignore it, however, the argument for the other side does make sense... Our greatest headliners are gone, going soft, or overstaying their welcome in the public eye, being too far past their prime. I have often wondered, where is the super-band that will bring metal back to the masses? What's more is, will metal even benefit from hitting the mainstream with an act or two? It's been done before, with some good and bad results... But nowadays it's pretty easy to find a few heading in the right direction, like Unearth, or perhaps Dragonforce, to name a couple, not to mention other previously unknown bands that broke, or will break, into the scene on the bigger metal tours. Also with the addition of European metal into the mix, and the metal crowd starting to look for their fix across the pond, who knows who will spawn metal's coming back into the spotlight. Is metal dead? Thoughts anyone?

Metal was never dead, but Mtv pulled the plug on it in 1992, for the sake of some of those inferior Lallapaloser bands. Nirvana sure lowered the bar when it came to song writting, technique and musicianship.
Then again bands like Poison, Jackyl and Trixter helped kill Metal with their posing and lalagaging.
I was a technical wiz back on the fret board and I used to throw my stainless steel pick at those posers .
You should check out a Metal band from the U.K. called Marshall Law on mySpace , you'll be glad you did

Metal is a strange thing around these parts. There a gazillion metal bands here, and new ones being formed all the time, but whenever I go out to see it locally (I do actually stay aware of all sorts of music played here) the joints the metal bands are playing are DEAD. Ghost town city.

I talked to some of the venue owners and asked if it's usually like this. The answers I mostly got were that they don't make money on metal bands at all, in fact lose money, but they don't know what else to book and they don't want country. Here's the kicker - country music clubs here are PACKED almost all the time.

It's a mystery as to why this is. Why are there so many bands in a genre that doesn't appear to generate any interest or revenue for the clubs?

I think that Irmy has an interesting point. My take on it is that, basically, Country has a more mainstream appeal. Lyrically speaking, Country is pretty much grounded to the experiences of the common man. Metal has an appeal that is much more suited to the musician. Case in point is the previously mentioned Dragonforce. Wow! Incredible musicianship. Unfortunately, unless you live in a neighborhood that rents exclusively to musicians, you are unlikely to see a club packed when a band like that is playing. They will draw in an audience of musicians who appreciate their technical skill, and a few "non-musicians" who appreciate the sonic value. Otherwise, most folks wouldn't want to think that hard about what they are listening to.

joseph6 wrote:............... They will draw in an audience of musicians who appreciate their technical skill, and a few "non-musicians" who appreciate the sonic value. Otherwise, most folks wouldn't want to think that hard about what they are listening to.

*LAUGH* - Well put!

There a gazillion metal bands here, and new ones being formed all the time,

same here in Maine.
eesh

Here, too , in WV. These are places that you wouldn't really expect metal bands to be popular anyway. (surprizingly, country isn't really drawing them that much around here, either.)

While I agree with Jo, I also think it's partly due to ppl being tired of the genre, & partly due to the expectation that the music will be too loud to order a drink or pick someone up. Volume is a huge issue when you are playing feedback & screaming or growling in your mike with that banging & crashing thing going on with the drummer in a club, no matter the size pf the room.

The very nature of the music is killing it.

I don't think metal is dead, it's always been around since the first Sabbath album in 1970. It is definitely more of an underground thing now, but is still alive and well. I go to a lot of the festivals (DirtFest, Warped Tour, etc) and local original clubs and metal is the prevailing style of music. I myself have gone back to the style again, it's the music of the young. Older folks tend to like blues, c&w, classic rock and oldies and don't go out as much as younger people. If it's too loud you're too old!

jimmydanger wrote:Older folks tend to like blues, c&w, classic rock and oldies and don't go out as much as younger people. If it's too loud you're too old!

Jimmyd, I have to disagree with you on these points.

1st, I see as many or more younger ppl being attracted to classic rock as the "older folks", & attending the clubs that play it, around here, anyway. If metal was so popular, the younger folks would attend the metal shows, wouldn't they? But we can see that they aren't.

2nd, I also hear younger ppl complaining when the music is too loud to chat up a cutie or get a simple drink. (I think that younger ppl are possibly more aware/concerned about thier hearing, but I could be wrong.)

Metal seems to draw only in the concert scene & festivals, & not in mainstream bars. I still think that volume is a huge part of the reason. Dancing for territory works better in a concert/outside venue, too. ( I've wanted to pop more than a few ppl at concerts for the elbows & knees & shoulders banging into me as they "dance for territory!")

Raves (which draw the young) tend to lean toward industrial/techno that is also played very loud, but it's usually in large venues, from what I've seen. Why isn't metal played here, too? Oh, yeah...it's all DJ work, isn't it?...LOL...no work for metalheads there, either.

Personally, I think that if it's too loud, you're too loud & should turn it down, & I don't think that age has much to do with it.

AJ6stringsting wrote:Metal was never dead, but Mtv pulled the plug on it in 1992, for the sake of some of those inferior Lallapaloser bands. Nirvana sure lowered the bar when it came to song writting, technique and musicianship.
Then again bands like Poison, Jackyl and Trixter helped kill Metal with their posing and lalagaging.
I was a technical wiz back on the fret board and I used to throw my stainless steel pick at those posers .
You should check out a Metal band from the U.K. called Marshall Law on mySpace , you'll be glad you did

Yeah, I pretty much agree.

I think also much of today's mainstraeam metal (nickelback, godsmack, etc..) is also pretty dumbed down, much like the pop rock, and folks who go out to see a band want more than that, not so much dragonforce, but remember the days when metal was BIG?

Metallica, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Wasp, Celtic Frost, Slayer, Judas Priest, etc... NONE of them sounded alike. I think were at that point in time when the bands are starting to sound the same, I can't tell the difference between Disturbed and Nickelback to save my life. And when that happens, usually a huge underground movement of more intelligent music comes out to kick some ass and the genre changes, for the better.

Kramerguy wrote:I can't tell the difference between Disturbed and Nickelback to save my life.

WHAT!!??

I do agree that a LOT of modern metal bands are all sounding alike.. That is just a good thing though for new bands like ours, who has a unique sound to themselves.

Metal is FAR from dead though..

Volume has nothing to do with it... I've seen bands from every genre play too loud.

Metal is dead. lol Isn't that why Britt Michaels has his Rock of Love show on MTV? His career is dead too.

In my area rap is what the young ones listen to.

There have been quite a few interesting points brought up and made here about the form of music that I love the most (and I've been involved with just about everything except for country and rap crap). From the truth that metal shows usually draw other musicians to the fact that country bars are packed all the time to the fact that most people (at least outside of metal) don't want to concentrate too hard on what they are hearing. All very good points and I must say that metal will never die because of musicians like myself and most of you guys as well.

This is coming from a dude that was classically trained on piano and guitar as well. I went to college for 2 years for performing arts classical guitar until I realized that they never taught me anything in that 2 years that I didn't know by the time I was 8 years old playing piano. What a waste. During that time however, I was lucky enough to fall into the jazz crowd and added my own metal edge to their stuff which was really different and new sounding. In the end metal is one the only genres that can be what anyone wants it to be if forethought and uniqueness are implemented. Metal lives on....

As I always say everyday..."Keep Shreddin!"

[quote="jimmydanger"]I don't think metal is dead, it's always been around since the first Sabbath album in 1970. (snip)

Jimmy,
I am aware of your never ending devotion to Sabbath, but I would have to say that, in my opinion, the genesis of heavy metal was laid down in the good ol' 60's. Some of the progenitors could be said to include,

The Doors - Listen to Robby's howlin' guitars on "When the Music's Over".

Alice Cooper - I was heavily into them in 68! Did you ever hear Glen
Buxton Rip it up on "Fields of Regret" from the "Pretties For You" album?

Robin Trower was playing with a Fat tone as far back as 66, with Procol Harem.

Don't forget about Jimi, 68 or there about.

Last but not least, the mother of all heavy trios, BLUE freakin' CHEER!

NOW we're
Howlin'!