OK - I understand why the Maiden fans are peeved at their passing over for Arctics, but they cannot see outside the box.
Sure, some of this is down to taste (and I have no problem in admitting I find "pure" Metal completely and utterly drab and mindless - some cross over stuff is more interesting) - but the show was about eccentricity, British quirkyness, what sets us apart. Sure IM have sold a lot of records, but then so has Cliff Richard (2.5 times as many, if wiki is to believed). Why didn't we have "Living Doll" instead of "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor"? Or even HRH Elton John, who has sold 3 x.
Boyle obviously wanted something to wake up the stadium after the athletes' procession, and IBYLGOTD was perfect (and despite what has been said, I've never seen them do it better). As for "underground hit" as somebody called it - it was (I believe) the fastest selling UK single of all time and beat Robbie Williams to No 1.
I understand why metal fans think it should have been represented, but then you could make the case for lots of genres/artists. IM would have been as dreary as ditchwater. Musical proficiency is fine, but you need the tunes, the tunes.
I understand why metal fans think it should have been represented, but then you could make the case for lots of genres/artists. IM would have been as dreary as ditchwater. Musical proficiency is fine, but you need the tunes, the tunes.
The thread has long since moved on from that. I don't think there has been a metal or Iron Maiden fan yet who actually agreed that Iron Maiden should have been the band to play the opening ceremony. I think it's a bit remiss to say they lack the tunes, as they're one of the more melodic metal bands and songs like 'Run To The Hills' are far from dreary. But nevertheless, metal fans understand that the Olympics needed something more accessible.
Now, the real debate is whether Arctic Monkeys provided that. You talk about them being a British band singing about life in Britain, but 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' has little to do with that. I enjoyed the song and performance, but was it the absolute best choice?
And I don't think you really understand why metal fans are a little bit peeved about not being represented at the ceremony in some way, mainly the British music section in which it was totally ignored. You can't make the case for other genres because they weren't born and bred in the rough streets of Birmingham. Metal has bucked the past 40 years of trends and remained incredibly popular, and perhaps most importantly, has never lost its relevance with the world's youth, who are constantly rediscovering it. Whether you personally enjoy metal or not is irrelevant - millions do, and it was born right here in Britain. To ignore such a rich part of our musical heritage was a mistake.
Of course a metal band would never get a slot on national TV,but they should have been played in some respect,or Sabbath AC/DC,Def Leppard(from Sheffield).
Punk got a look in when it was nowhere as succesful as rock/metal.Incidentally someone tweeted it was brave of Danny Boyle to include Sex Pistols-no had they had played God Save The Queen that would have been brave.
Which is an opinion you are perfectly entitled to hold, but it is not an opinion based either on fact or knowledge of the music, because Heavy Metal / Rock is far from "dumb"..... :rolleyes:
Now, the real debate is whether Arctic Monkeys provided that. You talk about them being a British band singing about life in Britain, but 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' has little to do with that. I enjoyed the song and performance, but was it the absolute best choice?
Ironically there was a band that did sing in a British accent about life in Britain - and one of their members squandered his chance to do so on the night. McCartney could have sung Penny Lane, She's Leaving Home, Lovely Rita, Eleanor Rigby or even Taxman (not one of his but very British). Or maybe I Saw Her Standing There - the Beatles' own I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor. But he sang the dreary Hey Jude, which is as British as an Olympic route traffic jam - and about as much fun.
And I don't think you really understand why metal fans are a little bit peeved about not being represented at the ceremony in some way, mainly the British music section in which it was totally ignored. You can't make the case for other genres because they weren't born and bred in the rough streets of Birmingham. Metal has bucked the past 40 years of trends and remained incredibly popular, and perhaps most importantly, has never lost its relevance with the world's youth, who are constantly rediscovering it. Whether you personally enjoy metal or not is irrelevant - millions do, and it was born right here in Britain. To ignore such a rich part of our musical heritage was a mistake.
That is exactly the point.
Globally a band like Black Sabbath or Iron Maiden are very well known and they should have been included in the montage of British music. Black Sabbath because they were one of the founders of HM and Iron Maiden because they have their roots in London's East End and are still one of Britain's most successful band's on the world stage.
The thread has long since moved on from that. I don't think there has been a metal or Iron Maiden fan yet who actually agreed that Iron Maiden should have been the band to play the opening ceremony. I think it's a bit remiss to say they lack the tunes, as they're one of the more melodic metal bands and songs like 'Run To The Hills' are far from dreary. But nevertheless, metal fans understand that the Olympics needed something more accessible.
Now, the real debate is whether Arctic Monkeys provided that. You talk about them being a British band singing about life in Britain, but 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' has little to do with that. I enjoyed the song and performance, but was it the absolute best choice?
And I don't think you really understand why metal fans are a little bit peeved about not being represented at the ceremony in some way, mainly the British music section in which it was totally ignored. You can't make the case for other genres because they weren't born and bred in the rough streets of Birmingham. Metal has bucked the past 40 years of trends and remained incredibly popular, and perhaps most importantly, has never lost its relevance with the world's youth, who are constantly rediscovering it. Whether you personally enjoy metal or not is irrelevant - millions do, and it was born right here in Britain. To ignore such a rich part of our musical heritage was a mistake.
How precisely has the thread moved on from that? I've done little else but explain why I think the Monkeys were the appropriate choice.
With the greatest of respect, you sound like the typical metal fan. Of course some young people are into it, as some are into the nose flute. I have already conceded that a metal track may have been appropriate in the music medley, but you have to understand Boyle, who was given free reign. I have no doubt he considers metal music like I do - completely unprogressive, uninventive, predictable. A minority of people like it, as a minority of people like indie music. I would argue that the spirit of punk has been far more resilient and a thousand times more influential than metal. One can trace the family tree of most "alternative" contemporary music back to that explosion, no matter what genre. Punk removed The Box, and metal remained firmly within it.
And I grew up in the roughest backstreets Northampton had to offer. So please don't patronise.
Iron Maiden would have been fun but the band I'd have invited for the opening cermony would have been Swindon legends XTC, who's back catalogue is full of superbly written "Englishness" of a quirky type.
Iron Maiden would have been fun but the band I'd have invited for the opening cermony would have been Swindon legends XTC, who's back catalogue is full of superbly written "Englishness" of a quirky type.
Yes, but they've had it performance wise. Partridge (bless him) is 50% away with the fairies these days (a bit like the ceremony!). We ended with one geriatric - the other live performances HAD to be from young artists. Personally, I've always though "Bonkers" to be the biggest non-tune ever recorded, but I'm glad Dizzee did it.
TBH Hey Jude is one of the very few songs that everyone around the world can sing along to so it was the right choice, even though sadly Paul's voice was quite rough on the night. This is what I think he should have performed, and not just the two lines at the end!
Yes, but they've had it performance wise. Partridge (bless him) is 50% away with the fairies these days (a bit like the ceremony!). We ended with one geriatric - the other live performances HAD to be from young artists. Personally, I've always though "Bonkers" to be the biggest non-tune ever recorded, but I'm glad Dizzee did it.
I'm 52 btw.
Oh I know there would have been no chance of actually getting them to perform - its been decades since they played live. But I can dream! Just nice to see Mike Oldfield getting a big audience again. In the mid 80s his shows were on the telly quite a bit.
I have no doubt he considers metal music like I do - completely unprogressive, uninventive, predictable. A minority of people like it, as a minority of people like indie music.
You are fully entitled to your view, of course, but your description is far removed from the metal scene i know.
To say bands like Tool, The Mars Volta, and Opeth, for example, are "unprogressive", or "uninventive", or "predictable", is laughable.
As for "A minority of people like it", in terms of UK population you could apply that to every genre of music. However Metal still draws over 100,000 people to Download every year, making it the second biggest festival in the UK, and certainly the biggest "single" genre music festival, although I use the word "single" in a very loose sense given the myriad of sub-genres Metal has now evolved in to, something that can only happen within an inventive, progressive, music genre. And then there are all the other Metal festivals here in the UK as well as the many other festivals in just about every other country in Europe, such as Rock Am Ring, Wacken Open Air, etc. Sonisphere alone is now run in something like 20 European countries.
For a "minority" genre to sustain all those festivals, either those 100,000 who go to Download go to every festival both here and in Europe, or Metal is far from a "minority" and is the largest music genre, in terms of following, in the World. I think you'll find the answer is most likely the latter....
How precisely has the thread moved on from that? I've done little else but explain why I think the Monkeys were the appropriate choice.
With the greatest of respect, you sound like the typical metal fan. Of course some young people are into it, as some are into the nose flute. I have already conceded that a metal track may have been appropriate in the music medley, but you have to understand Boyle, who was given free reign. I have no doubt he considers metal music like I do - completely unprogressive, uninventive, predictable. A minority of people like it, as a minority of people like indie music. I would argue that the spirit of punk has been far more resilient and a thousand times more influential than metal. One can trace the family tree of most "alternative" contemporary music back to that explosion, no matter what genre. Punk removed The Box, and metal remained firmly within it.
And I grew up in the roughest backstreets Northampton had to offer. So please don't patronise.
Punk died on its arse after a few years. The genre is all but dead even underground now, with most popular 'punk' bands singing about first dates and boulevards of broken dreams :rolleyes: Don't get me wrong, I appreciate a good punk track as much as the next guy, but to suggest it has stood the test of time better than metal is ridiculous.
As is your assertion that a 'minority' of people like metal. A minority of people like every genre, but with metal, it is certainly a sizeable minority. As Glawster pointed out, Download is one of the largest festivals in the UK, as is Ozzfest in America. Up until this year we had Sonisphere as well, which arguably only didn't run this year because the Download festival had one of the best line-ups of all-time and it couldn't possibly compete.
Even in record sales, Iron Maiden's last album went to No. 1 in 27 countries worldwide, Metallica's last album was one of the Top 5 selling albums of the year, as was AC/DCs. Then the new guys like Slipknot, Lamb of God, Bullet For My Valentine, Avenged Sevenfold, Mastodon and Opeth are securing Top 10/20 chart placings (and often much higher in certain countries) with no radio backing or publicity.
The BBC got 400 complaints at Live Earth for cutting away during Metallica's set, which was more complaints than anything else during the concert. Good on the BBC for making it back up to them though with numerous invites to Jools Holland and their own culture show special!
I'm sorry if I sound like a "typical metal fan", but you sound like a typical hipster who tries to downplay the popularity of a genre they don't like or understand.
Punk died on its arse after a few years. The genre is all but dead even underground now, with most popular 'punk' bands singing about first dates and boulevards of broken dreams :rolleyes: Don't get me wrong, I appreciate a good punk track as much as the next guy, but to suggest it has stood the test of time better than metal is ridiculous.
As is your assertion that a 'minority' of people like metal. A minority of people like every genre, but with metal, it is certainly a sizeable minority. As Glawster pointed out, Download is one of the largest festivals in the UK, as is Ozzfest in America. Up until this year we had Sonisphere as well, which arguably only didn't run this year because the Download festival had one of the best line-ups of all-time and it couldn't possibly compete.
Even in record sales, Iron Maiden's last album went to No. 1 in 27 countries worldwide, Metallica's last album was one of the Top 5 selling albums of the year, as was AC/DCs. Then the new guys like Slipknot, Lamb of God, Bullet For My Valentine, Avenged Sevenfold, Mastodon and Opeth are securing Top 10/20 chart placings (and often much higher in certain countries) with no radio backing or publicity.
The BBC got 400 complaints at Live Earth for cutting away during Metallica's set, which was more complaints than anything else during the concert. Good on the BBC for making it back up to them though with numerous invites to Jools Holland and their own culture show special!
I'm sorry if I sound like a "typical metal fan", but you sound like a typical hipster who tries to downplay the popularity of a genre they don't like or understand.
You can't be a "hipster" at 52.
I appreciate there is a diversity within metal (even if it does all sound very samey to anyone who prefers their music more nuanced), but it's diversity within narrow genre. Of course pure punk died, but it was the fertilizer for a thousand other blooms. There are countless artists from clever pop through rap through new folk through alt country though Britpop that can trace a lineage back to punk - some more obviously than others. It's not hard to see the trail from punk to the Arctics. Or Blur. Or Oasis. Via New Wave.
Who does the razor sharp pop duo Rizzle Kicks (also heard on the ceremony) name as a major influence? Arctic Monkeys.
I know there's a lot of metalheads - I encountered most of them at the M1 services the Monday after Download, covered in mud. Not a pretty sight Indie boys are miles prettier. Frankly, I couldn't care how many records Iron Maiden have sold. Popularity is no indicator of quality or worth. The Sun outsells every other newspaper, etc etc.Maybe Boyle thought it would be interesting for people around the globe to see/hear something with which they were not familiar.
The simple fact is that he would be a Latitude person rather than a Download.
I know there's a lot of metalheads - I encountered most of them at the M1 services the Monday after Download, covered in mud. Not a pretty sight Indie boys are miles prettier. Frankly, I couldn't care how many records Iron Maiden have sold. Popularity is no indicator of quality or worth. The Sun outsells every other newspaper, etc etc.Maybe Boyle thought it would be interesting for people around the globe to see/hear something with which they were not familiar.
Little unfair, you're taking my point way out of context. You originally said that metal was a minority genre - I gave you record sales statistics to disprove that point, not to suggest quality.
Oh, and you may like to know that the Arctic Monkeys are fans of Black Sabbath
Little unfair, you're taking my point way out of context. You originally said that metal was a minority genre - I gave you record sales statistics to disprove that point, not to suggest quality.
Oh, and you may like to know that the Arctic Monkeys are fans of Black Sabbath
Well bless em for that. I didn't detect any Sabbath on the record, unless you count the fact that they used electric guitars.
The IM records sales do nothing to alter the fact that metal is a minority genre, and as you rightly say, are all genres of music. I doubt a majority of the population has ever bought a particular record. It has a large following, that is undeniable, as does the Murdoch Press, Justin Beiber and Dixie Fried Chicken.
My experience is that metalheads rarely stray out of the genre, which may also be a difference. Other forums with music sections have the ability for a youtube link to be embedded in the "what are you listening to now" thread. I can always predict what the metallers on there are going to post. It's like someone who likes hot curries and cannot taste anything else. Maybe I'm wrong - I would guess you know a lot more than I. I know nobody at all into metal.
Well bless em for that. I didn't detect any Sabbath on the record, unless you count the fact that they used electric guitars.
The IM records sales do nothing to alter the fact that metal is a minority genre, and as you rightly say, are all genres of music. I doubt a majority of the population has ever bought a particular record. It has a large following, that is undeniable, as does the Murdoch Press, Justin Beiber and Dixie Fried Chicken.
My experience is that metalheads rarely stray out of the genre, which may also be a difference. Other forums with music sections have the ability for a youtube link to be embedded in the "what are you listening to now" thread. I can always predict what the metallers on there are going to post. It's like someone who likes hot curries and cannot taste anything else. Maybe I'm wrong - I would guess you know a lot more than I. I know nobody at all into metal.
I'm a metal head and I like a wide spectrum of music from Metal to Folk to Classical to Country.
Well bless em for that. I didn't detect any Sabbath on the record, unless you count the fact that they used electric guitars.
The IM records sales do nothing to alter the fact that metal is a minority genre, and as you rightly say, are all genres of music. I doubt a majority of the population has ever bought a particular record. It has a large following, that is undeniable, as does the Murdoch Press, Justin Beiber and Dixie Fried Chicken.
My experience is that metalheads rarely stray out of the genre, which may also be a difference. Other forums with music sections have the ability for a youtube link to be embedded in the "what are you listening to now" thread. I can always predict what the metallers on there are going to post. It's like someone who likes hot curries and cannot taste anything else. Maybe I'm wrong - I would guess you know a lot more than I. I know nobody at all into metal.
Well this proves my point that it's more popular with the younger folk haha
There are a lot of close-minded metalheads, probably more so than any other genre, I'll give you that.
But also some of the most intelligent people I've ever met are metalheads. I know a brain surgeon who went to a Metallica gig I was at! Strange as it may seem, a lot of metal fans I know love to read, good fiction as well, not Dan Brown bubblegum stuff. There's some very sharp metal fans on these forums as well, I always enjoy reading Glawster's posts.
And then you have the metal musicians themselves - Roadrunner posted interviews with some of their acts talking about their Top 10 albums of 2011, and you wouldn't believe the variety. Guys like Rob Flynn of Machine Head putting Jay-Z and Ray LaMontagne in their lists, and guitar shredder John Petrucci putting the likes of Adele and Bon Iver.
85 million records sold ,formed in East End of London and better than the appaling Artic Monkeys.
Oh sorry they're heavy metal and that just wouldn't do on mainstream TV
I'd have settled for anyone that could have actually sung in tune, is it too much to ask for?
what this thread should've been called is "Iron Maiden are my favourite band and i'm annoyed that they are not recognised by the stupid mainstream public" (despite the fact theyve sold 85 million)
Well this proves my point that it's more popular with the younger folk haha
Skewered, well and truly! Respect.
There are a lot of close-minded metalheads, probably more so than any other genre, I'll give you that.
{/quote]
I guess that's all I'm saying
But also some of the most intelligent people I've ever met are metalheads. I know a brain surgeon who went to a Metallica gig I was at! Strange as it may seem, a lot of metal fans I know love to read, good fiction as well, not Dan Brown bubblegum stuff. There's some very sharp metal fans on these forums as well, I always enjoy reading Glawster's posts.
And then you have the metal musicians themselves - Roadrunner posted interviews with some of their acts talking about their Top 10 albums of 2011, and you wouldn't believe the variety. Guys like Rob Flynn of Machine Head putting Jay-Z and Ray LaMontagne in their lists, and guitar shredder John Petrucci putting the likes of Adele and Bon Iver.
All very fair points. Sure - I've never got it myself, so my view is coloured. I think it's the contrived histrionics, as I love loud guitars so long as there is a fragile melody buried somewhere and some minor chords involved. I guess it's what separates, say, the Pixies and Guns and Roses.
Above all, just imagine the headlines around the globe had IM have played.
Queen of England Dies Of Boredom At Olympics Opening Ceremony - Boyle Says "At Least the Pistols Wanted To Save The Queen"
Comments
Sure, some of this is down to taste (and I have no problem in admitting I find "pure" Metal completely and utterly drab and mindless - some cross over stuff is more interesting) - but the show was about eccentricity, British quirkyness, what sets us apart. Sure IM have sold a lot of records, but then so has Cliff Richard (2.5 times as many, if wiki is to believed). Why didn't we have "Living Doll" instead of "I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor"? Or even HRH Elton John, who has sold 3 x.
Boyle obviously wanted something to wake up the stadium after the athletes' procession, and IBYLGOTD was perfect (and despite what has been said, I've never seen them do it better). As for "underground hit" as somebody called it - it was (I believe) the fastest selling UK single of all time and beat Robbie Williams to No 1.
I understand why metal fans think it should have been represented, but then you could make the case for lots of genres/artists. IM would have been as dreary as ditchwater. Musical proficiency is fine, but you need the tunes, the tunes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bW6USsmR70
I would have paid a not inconsiderable amount of money (as J Major would have said) to have seen the looks on global faces.....
The thread has long since moved on from that. I don't think there has been a metal or Iron Maiden fan yet who actually agreed that Iron Maiden should have been the band to play the opening ceremony. I think it's a bit remiss to say they lack the tunes, as they're one of the more melodic metal bands and songs like 'Run To The Hills' are far from dreary. But nevertheless, metal fans understand that the Olympics needed something more accessible.
Now, the real debate is whether Arctic Monkeys provided that. You talk about them being a British band singing about life in Britain, but 'I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor' has little to do with that. I enjoyed the song and performance, but was it the absolute best choice?
And I don't think you really understand why metal fans are a little bit peeved about not being represented at the ceremony in some way, mainly the British music section in which it was totally ignored. You can't make the case for other genres because they weren't born and bred in the rough streets of Birmingham. Metal has bucked the past 40 years of trends and remained incredibly popular, and perhaps most importantly, has never lost its relevance with the world's youth, who are constantly rediscovering it. Whether you personally enjoy metal or not is irrelevant - millions do, and it was born right here in Britain. To ignore such a rich part of our musical heritage was a mistake.
Punk got a look in when it was nowhere as succesful as rock/metal.Incidentally someone tweeted it was brave of Danny Boyle to include Sex Pistols-no had they had played God Save The Queen that would have been brave.
I am a metal fan
Ironically there was a band that did sing in a British accent about life in Britain - and one of their members squandered his chance to do so on the night. McCartney could have sung Penny Lane, She's Leaving Home, Lovely Rita, Eleanor Rigby or even Taxman (not one of his but very British). Or maybe I Saw Her Standing There - the Beatles' own I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor. But he sang the dreary Hey Jude, which is as British as an Olympic route traffic jam - and about as much fun.
I misunderstood your reply, for which I apologise.
That is exactly the point.
Globally a band like Black Sabbath or Iron Maiden are very well known and they should have been included in the montage of British music. Black Sabbath because they were one of the founders of HM and Iron Maiden because they have their roots in London's East End and are still one of Britain's most successful band's on the world stage.
How precisely has the thread moved on from that? I've done little else but explain why I think the Monkeys were the appropriate choice.
With the greatest of respect, you sound like the typical metal fan. Of course some young people are into it, as some are into the nose flute. I have already conceded that a metal track may have been appropriate in the music medley, but you have to understand Boyle, who was given free reign. I have no doubt he considers metal music like I do - completely unprogressive, uninventive, predictable. A minority of people like it, as a minority of people like indie music. I would argue that the spirit of punk has been far more resilient and a thousand times more influential than metal. One can trace the family tree of most "alternative" contemporary music back to that explosion, no matter what genre. Punk removed The Box, and metal remained firmly within it.
And I grew up in the roughest backstreets Northampton had to offer. So please don't patronise.
Yes, but they've had it performance wise. Partridge (bless him) is 50% away with the fairies these days (a bit like the ceremony!). We ended with one geriatric - the other live performances HAD to be from young artists. Personally, I've always though "Bonkers" to be the biggest non-tune ever recorded, but I'm glad Dizzee did it.
I'm 52 btw.
The Beatles - Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qP4Ye15J0Y
Oh I know there would have been no chance of actually getting them to perform - its been decades since they played live. But I can dream! Just nice to see Mike Oldfield getting a big audience again. In the mid 80s his shows were on the telly quite a bit.
You are fully entitled to your view, of course, but your description is far removed from the metal scene i know.
To say bands like Tool, The Mars Volta, and Opeth, for example, are "unprogressive", or "uninventive", or "predictable", is laughable.
As for "A minority of people like it", in terms of UK population you could apply that to every genre of music. However Metal still draws over 100,000 people to Download every year, making it the second biggest festival in the UK, and certainly the biggest "single" genre music festival, although I use the word "single" in a very loose sense given the myriad of sub-genres Metal has now evolved in to, something that can only happen within an inventive, progressive, music genre. And then there are all the other Metal festivals here in the UK as well as the many other festivals in just about every other country in Europe, such as Rock Am Ring, Wacken Open Air, etc. Sonisphere alone is now run in something like 20 European countries.
For a "minority" genre to sustain all those festivals, either those 100,000 who go to Download go to every festival both here and in Europe, or Metal is far from a "minority" and is the largest music genre, in terms of following, in the World. I think you'll find the answer is most likely the latter....
Punk died on its arse after a few years. The genre is all but dead even underground now, with most popular 'punk' bands singing about first dates and boulevards of broken dreams :rolleyes: Don't get me wrong, I appreciate a good punk track as much as the next guy, but to suggest it has stood the test of time better than metal is ridiculous.
As is your assertion that a 'minority' of people like metal. A minority of people like every genre, but with metal, it is certainly a sizeable minority. As Glawster pointed out, Download is one of the largest festivals in the UK, as is Ozzfest in America. Up until this year we had Sonisphere as well, which arguably only didn't run this year because the Download festival had one of the best line-ups of all-time and it couldn't possibly compete.
Even in record sales, Iron Maiden's last album went to No. 1 in 27 countries worldwide, Metallica's last album was one of the Top 5 selling albums of the year, as was AC/DCs. Then the new guys like Slipknot, Lamb of God, Bullet For My Valentine, Avenged Sevenfold, Mastodon and Opeth are securing Top 10/20 chart placings (and often much higher in certain countries) with no radio backing or publicity.
The BBC got 400 complaints at Live Earth for cutting away during Metallica's set, which was more complaints than anything else during the concert. Good on the BBC for making it back up to them though with numerous invites to Jools Holland and their own culture show special!
I'm sorry if I sound like a "typical metal fan", but you sound like a typical hipster who tries to downplay the popularity of a genre they don't like or understand.
You can't be a "hipster" at 52.
I appreciate there is a diversity within metal (even if it does all sound very samey to anyone who prefers their music more nuanced), but it's diversity within narrow genre. Of course pure punk died, but it was the fertilizer for a thousand other blooms. There are countless artists from clever pop through rap through new folk through alt country though Britpop that can trace a lineage back to punk - some more obviously than others. It's not hard to see the trail from punk to the Arctics. Or Blur. Or Oasis. Via New Wave.
Who does the razor sharp pop duo Rizzle Kicks (also heard on the ceremony) name as a major influence? Arctic Monkeys.
I know there's a lot of metalheads - I encountered most of them at the M1 services the Monday after Download, covered in mud. Not a pretty sight
The simple fact is that he would be a Latitude person rather than a Download.
Little unfair, you're taking my point way out of context. You originally said that metal was a minority genre - I gave you record sales statistics to disprove that point, not to suggest quality.
Oh, and you may like to know that the Arctic Monkeys are fans of Black Sabbath
http://www.nme.com/news/arctic-monkeys/44813
Well bless em for that. I didn't detect any Sabbath on the record, unless you count the fact that they used electric guitars.
The IM records sales do nothing to alter the fact that metal is a minority genre, and as you rightly say, are all genres of music. I doubt a majority of the population has ever bought a particular record. It has a large following, that is undeniable, as does the Murdoch Press, Justin Beiber and Dixie Fried Chicken.
My experience is that metalheads rarely stray out of the genre, which may also be a difference. Other forums with music sections have the ability for a youtube link to be embedded in the "what are you listening to now" thread. I can always predict what the metallers on there are going to post. It's like someone who likes hot curries and cannot taste anything else. Maybe I'm wrong - I would guess you know a lot more than I. I know nobody at all into metal.
I'm a metal head and I like a wide spectrum of music from Metal to Folk to Classical to Country.
Well this proves my point that it's more popular with the younger folk haha
There are a lot of close-minded metalheads, probably more so than any other genre, I'll give you that.
But also some of the most intelligent people I've ever met are metalheads. I know a brain surgeon who went to a Metallica gig I was at! Strange as it may seem, a lot of metal fans I know love to read, good fiction as well, not Dan Brown bubblegum stuff. There's some very sharp metal fans on these forums as well, I always enjoy reading Glawster's posts.
And then you have the metal musicians themselves - Roadrunner posted interviews with some of their acts talking about their Top 10 albums of 2011, and you wouldn't believe the variety. Guys like Rob Flynn of Machine Head putting Jay-Z and Ray LaMontagne in their lists, and guitar shredder John Petrucci putting the likes of Adele and Bon Iver.
I'd have settled for anyone that could have actually sung in tune, is it too much to ask for?
God I wish Freddy Mercury were alive.
It's ok, no worries