Too Old for This ****?

Motley Crue

I'm 25, and I'm a Metal fan - I've been a Hard Rock and Metal fan since I was 6 or something - seriously, at 6 people would find me listening to Meat Loaf and Queen. Sure, I also spent a lot of time listening to bands I shouldn't have been, but as my tastes progressed it was the theatrical complexity of a Queen song and the theatrical vocal nature of a Meat Loaf song that led me to bands who have been so inspired by these artists.

I bought my first Guns N' Roses album in 1999 (got it in Golden Discs on Grafton Street, the one that used to be near the Grafton Arcade) and the guy behind the counter let me off with a £1 as I didn't have enough to buy it and afford the bus fare home!

The reason I say this is because, at almost 26, there is a noticeable age gap at the majority of concerts I attend. Failing a lot of the stalwarts of Metal and Rock such as GNR, Faith No More, Alice In Chains, Slayer and so forth - a lot of the newer bands, who play cheaper gigs in smaller venues, seem to be crammed with "young people" from about 13 upwards. While this is great for the genre, and would have been representative of what I was doing when I was that age, there seems to be a considerable age gap present.

It seems that for most, by the time you hit your mid 20s, your tastes have changed (people I know as metal-heads then just couldn't stand it now) and even the most hardcore goths standing in Stephen's Green have gotten jobs as Accountants and resigned themselves to a life of adding the numbers but I sometimes almost feel, especially when the majority of the crowd sees the Junior Cert as trouble ahead, that I'm a little old for the genre. But of course, that's all madness, isn't it?

I mean, when you think about it, what makes you - as a rock and metal fan - continue to listen to the music you do having left your teenage years. If rock and metal is a genre based around the idea of a non conformist world and finding yourself for some (which doesn't end when you hit 20) and is just a heavy and brutal assault on the senses for others, then what makes some people just stop listening to it?

chin_grin

I was listening to a Brian Posehn stand up bit there the other day and he had a great point. You never see fans of any other musical style be so aggressive (hyper, not anger) and passionate about their taste. For example you never see someone going "F*CKIN' R N' B!".

But taking in to account that he's <googles> 44, I've no worries about 'losing touch' with metal.

It's a great catharsis that you won't get out of any other style of music on the planet. But then again I'm biased. And I'm 29 and have the suit&tie job and regularly attend the local metal gig. So it's up to the individual as well as the group-mentality. I've been in an office surrounded by f*ckin' Oasis and Kings of Sh!te-on fans but it never swayed me from sticking to my guns (I could turn that in to a joke, but I hate GnR too.....).

So really it's not just the music it's the people. I mean yeah it's inevitable that you'll butt and clash heads with people. We're not all meant to get along. Imagine that. We all had the same ideas. Terrible. But, what's my point? Yeah, metal heads seem to take it in their stride and have a better understanding of the darker side of humour and sarcasm. At least I hope so the way I get on!

So metal it is then. \m/

DrumSteve

I am the same age as you OP and I actually listen to heavier music now than I did a few years ago.

Sure I remember the first tiem I heard Limp Bizkits "chocolate starfish" album and I thought it was the heaviest thing ever. Now I listen to Nile lol.

chin_grin

DrumSteve wrote: »

I am the same age as you OP and I actually listen to heavier music now than I did a few years ago.

Sure I remember the first tiem I heard Limp Bizkits "chocolate starfish" album and I thought it was the heaviest thing ever. Now I listen to Nile lol.

It could be the yearning for something heavier. Like a gateway band that just gets you hooked. Mine was Dying Fetus. Now I still would listen to most stuff, but now it's the heavier the better. (Prostitute Disfigurement, Amputated, etc. Great bands!).

Zombienosh

chin_grin wrote: »

It could be the yearning for something heavier. Like a gateway band that just gets you hooked. Mine was Dying Fetus. Now I still would listen to most stuff, but now it's the heavier the better. (Prostitute Disfigurement, Amputated, etc. Great bands!).

I actually started the other way round, my teens were listening to the heaviest **** i could find, lots of death metal, now i dont listen to stuff like that too much and if i do its the old classic stuff or else its deathcore crossover stuff, I'm a nut for hardcore now, but also my taste has expanded to cover almost everything I love hip-hop, classical, post rock/ambience, and a lot of prog stuff.
I'll always go back to something heavy though.

DrumSteve

For me it would be Nile Deicide and Slayer... still remember the first time I heard angel of death. Still get that chill.

chin_grin

Zombienosh wrote: »

I actually started the other way round, my teens were listening to the heaviest **** i could find, lots of death metal, now i dont listen to stuff like that too much and if i do its the old classic stuff or else its deathcore crossover stuff, I'm a nut for hardcore now, but also my taste has expanded to cover almost everything I love hip-hop, classical, post rock/ambience, and a lot of prog stuff.
I'll always go back to something heavy though.

Ooh yeah don't get me wrong I like a lot of stuff too. (Meshuggah, Cloudkicker, Crowbar, Down). Also I've been trying my ear at drone. By jebus it's tough! The only style that is still having to prove itself with me is thrash. Can't get liking it at all. The old school thrash now........the tinny guitar sound n'that. I'm not making any sense am I?

Being an amateur drummer I've listened to a bit of jazz (Buddy Rich,etc), but it ends up wrecking my head! The music, not the beat.

DrumSteve wrote: »

For me it would be Nile Deicide and Slayer... still remember the first time I heard angel of death. Still get that chill.

<dun dun dun> Yeah. With you there.

Somnus

I know what you're saying Motley. I'm 21 and I would have noticed the huge amount of mid teen fans at most gigs. There is a definite trend with the fans being younger I think.

Maybe people go off because they get into metal at an age of rebellion. The image is certainly appealing for those who don't want to fit in. If that's peoples main reason for listening, and unfortunately I think it is for a lot of people, then they're going to grow out of it and end up not listening to metal anymore.

On the other hand, people who appreciate the music, the instrumentation and expression, I think will be more inclined to stick with it.

I started off with SOAD and such, very "f*ck the system" (;)) but the band that really took me to another level was Metallica with Master of Puppets. It blew me away in terms of the melodies and well written songs. That was in second or third year maybe.

But anyway, since then my musical taste has expanded a lot and I listen to almost anything. I like Nile, Suffocation and a few other death metal acts, getting into some Doom lately as well. But on the other side of things I've gained a big love for old prog rock like Camel. And other lighter stuff like Porcupine Tree (probably my biggest love since I started listening to them) and Wishbone Ash.
And of course I enjoy Opeth who have great elements of both.

I'm with chin grin in not liking thrash though.

I was thinking a good bit lately about how disheartening it must be to be an accomplished metal band and looking out and seeing the crowd as mostly people nearly half your age or more... It makes it seem like the music is juvenile, when it's often far from it.


Basically, I agree with you that there are more young fans than older, but that's no reason to stop listening and loving some rock and metal!!

What keeps me listening depends on the style, for the heavy death metal I guess it's just the energy within the heavy sound. For the more melodic side it's just the feelings the music can evoke (which is how I started moving more into the lighter side of things). Basically I like music that can create an atmosphere and evoke some sort feeling, and metal does this in many ma ny cases (except thrash )

GrizzlyMan

Im a bit older then you OP, got into metal around sepultura arise era! and still listen to that alot along with the underground metal scene!!

but the younger kids at concerts dont bother me as i remember i was one of the kids myself thinking i knew all out paradise lost or whatever gig i was at , it progression, most of them will end up laughing at them selves in a few years thinking cant believe I listened to that/look liked that etc, phases come and go!! its the real metal fans that understand it early on and its with them for life

But at the end of the day metal is for anybody regardless of age, too many people worrying about others instead of the music!!!! fu$k conformity!

darconio

Metal is not a question of age or music appeal.
Metal is a way of living and a way of thinking, being a metal fan I feel part of a huge brotherhood.
Whenever I go somewhere I feel immediately connected to these guys with leather jackets and long air.
It doesn't matter if I shave the few hairs left on my head, it doesn't matter if I wear a suit from 9 till 5 because the rhythm of my heart is a Dave Lombardo double bass drum solo.

chin_grin

darconio wrote: »

......because the rhythm of my heart is a Dave Lombardo double bass drum solo.

Get thee to a doctor!

PeterIanStaker

The first music I became interested in was the Beatles when I was about 10 and I played a cassette of them to death. The next step up the food chain was Queen, and I nearly wore out their Greatest Hits, followed by Led Zeppelin IV and Dark Side of the Moon. Then the old man allwed me borrow his Sabbath cassetes and Doors vinyls.

I hit secondary school the year after Kurt Cobain died* and was exposed to Seattle grunge plus Metallica, Maiden etc. And even some of the Britpop wasn't bad. Got into Slayer, Death etc a bit later. Also a huge Neil Young fan.

After that my tastes just kind of mushroomed out, and yeah heavier music will always be a big thing for me. I'm not going to start wearing beige chinos and listening to whatever it is people listen to anytime soon. Never going to be too old for it.








*Courtney did it.

Beruthiel

Motley Crue wrote: »

The reason I say this is because, at almost 26

Spring chicken.
I'm in my 40's and still listen to Alice in Chains/Rammstein/Metallica while doing the housework. Nothing like a load of heavy guitars for getting you moving!

As for change, it was mostly metal back in the day, but now, I'll listen to just about anything, if it's good.

I went to two Rammstein gigs last year, in Birmingham and Budapest. Age range was from 12 to 60.

LK_Dave

I’m an old boy at this stage, hitting 40 in a couple of months, but me and my mates still listen to heavy metal and try to get to see the touring bands once or twice a year at least. I’ll admit that I never heard of Prostitute Disfigurement but just youtubed them and although i couldn’t tell yea what the lyrics are about the music was great. I remember when i was in school you were either a Rocker or Ska, on a school tour to some castle and the lines were drawn, madness was high in the charts and there were more Ska heads than us – got the **** kicked out of us, black eye torn jeans but we were the rockers and we still held on to the back of the bus.

Never too old/young to be a Rocker.

DrumSteve

Beruthiel wrote: »

Spring chicken.
I'm in my 40's and still listen to Alice in Chains/Rammstein/Metallica while doing the housework. Nothing like a load of heavy guitars for getting you moving!

As for change, it was mostly metal back in the day, but now, I'll listen to just about anything, if it's good.

I went to two Rammstein gigs last year, in Birmingham and Budapest. Age range was from 12 to 60.

Can I live with you?

Malice

Motley Crue wrote: »

It seems that for most, by the time you hit your mid 20s, your tastes have changed (people I know as metal-heads then just couldn't stand it now)

I for one cannot understand how this happens. I'm 32 and still love the albums I loved when I started getting into music in my early teens.

Motley Crue wrote:

I sometimes almost feel, especially when the majority of the crowd sees the Junior Cert as trouble ahead, that I'm a little old for the genre. But of course, that's all madness, isn't it?

Yes it is .

Motley Crue wrote:

what makes you - as a rock and metal fan - continue to listen to the music you do having left your teenage years.

Why do I continue to listen to the music I listened to when I was a teenager? Because it rocked then and it still rocks now! I still can't listen to Fight Fire with Fire by Metallica without remembering where I was and how I felt when I heard it the first time.

Motley Crue wrote:

what makes some people just stop listening to it?

People's tastes do change I suppose. I know that I listen to a much wider selection of genres than I used to. I just can't ever imagine saying "Right, that's it, I'm not listening to metal any more." Maybe they weren't metal fans to begin with but more into the look or something?

Beruthiel

DrumSteve wrote: »

Can I live with you?

Do you keep a tidy house and can you cook?

DrumSteve

Beruthiel wrote: »

Do you keep a tidy house and can you cook?

Ah but then If i did that you'd never have a chane to listen to them!

And purely because it was mentioned above I'm going to listenin to RTL now.

*Bangs Head*

Kess73

Malice wrote: »

I for one cannot understand how this happens. I'm 32 and still love the albums I loved when I started getting into music in my early teens.

Yes it is .

Why do I continue to listen to the music I listened to when I was a teenager? Because it rocked then and it still rocks now! I still can't listen to Fight Fire with Fire by Metallica without remembering where I was and how I felt when I heard it the first time.

People's tastes do change I suppose. I know that I listen to a much wider selection of genres than I used to. I just can't ever imagine saying "Right, that's it, I'm not listening to metal any more." Maybe they weren't metal fans to begin with but more into the look or something?

37 yo and your answers have summed it up nicely for me.

Angron

chin_grin wrote: »

It could be the yearning for something heavier. Like a gateway band that just gets you hooked. Mine was Dying Fetus. Now I still would listen to most stuff, but now it's the heavier the better. (Prostitute Disfigurement, Amputated, etc. Great bands!).

My gateway band (of all things) was Rage Against The Machine, and now I mainly listen to Death metal, Black metal and Grindcore. Naturally I still listen to RATM.


Though I'm only 19, I can't see my tastes changing any time soon. I can't tolerate dance music, pop music, r n' b or dubstep. Anything like that just does my damn head in, give me snarls, grunts and roars any day

Lawrence1895

Isn't age just a mere figure in your passport?

I'm turning 41 in May, and I'm still listening to Black Metal, Death Metal and some stuff from the 80s, such as 'Reign in Blood' :cool:

Can't go to many gigs though, I'm always working when somebody I like comes to town

chin_grin

Denny M wrote: »

My gateway band (of all things) was Rage Against The Machine, and now I mainly listen to Death metal, Black metal and Grindcore. Naturally I still listen to RATM.

Actually, I lie. I've been gradually getting in to heavier and heavier stuff. I was in to the likes of grunge, nu metal etc before a mate I was working with put Dying Fetus on the warehouse cd player where I was working at the time. The world.......it...........it became all colour-ey like........ :pac:

kona

I think its more got to do with the attitudes in the country, if you are lucky enough to go to college, get a degree and become a professional, having long hair and being a metal head is going to be a hinderance to getting a well paid job.
Like Im constantly being told to cut my hair etc, they can **** right off, in in my 20s and I have plenty of time to be old and bald haha.

But back to the gigs, I find that it depends on what gigs you go to as regards age group, mine are from probably 17 - 30, no offense to the older crowd, but me and my mates get **** off them for being a bit OTT (very very drunk) but tbh I dont care we all enjoy ourselves. Also there seems to be some sort of a superiority complex, like you get chatting at the bar when you getting a pint and some aul lad goes, what bands you listen to? I reply WASP Motley etc he goes ah I was listening to them when you were in nappies? The **** has that go to do with anything?

chin_grin

kona wrote: »

But back to the gigs, I find that it depends on what gigs you go to as regards age group, mine are from probably 17 - 30, no offense to the older crowd, but me and my mates get **** off them for being a bit OTT (very very drunk) but tbh I dont care we all enjoy ourselves. Also there seems to be some sort of a superiority complex, like you get chatting at the bar when you getting a pint and some aul lad goes, what bands you listen to? I reply WASP Motley etc he goes ah I was listening to them when you were in nappies? The **** has that go to do with anything?

Maybe it's that BS of "I was in to them first\before they were x". I personally can't stand those bands (or that attitude!) but I don't hold it against you..........much.

It's also the delivery of what they're saying. They might mean that they're in awe that those bands still have a thriving following today as they had back "in their days". As in, instead of bragging about it they're quite surprised.

Angron

chin_grin wrote: »

Actually, I lie. I've been gradually getting in to heavier and heavier stuff. I was in to the likes of grunge, nu metal etc before a mate I was working with put Dying Fetus on the warehouse cd player where I was working at the time. The world.......it...........it became all colour-ey like........ :pac:

Just out of interest, what CD was it?

kona

chin_grin wrote: »

Maybe it's that BS of "I was in to them first\before they were x". I personally can't stand those bands (or that attitude!) but I don't hold it against you..........much.

It's also the delivery of what they're saying. They might mean that they're in awe that those bands still have a thriving following today as they had back "in their days". As in, instead of bragging about it they're quite surprised.

No ya know when somebody is being a condascending muppet! haha. The Im more metal than you bull**** is rampant among older fans IMO, whilst the younger fans just get pissed and have a good time regardless of the music being played, sure Ive found myself at some of the ******-Core gigs in fibbers before, have no idea what the **** they are attempting to sing but I have a good time.
Reverse it and put a -Core head infront of a glam band and they will take the pish and stand there.(in fairness it goes with the territory with glam)

Not saying everybody is like this but I find it quite prevalant amongst the 30+ crowd, especially Bruxelles!

chin_grin

Denny M wrote: »

Just out of interest, what CD was it?

Whyyyyyyyyy?..........................Stop at Nothing. ^_^ As soon as Schematics started I knew I was going to love them. Forrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeevvvvvvvvvvvverrrrrrrrrrr!

kona wrote: »

No ya know when somebody is being a condascending muppet! haha. The Im more metal than you bull**** is rampant among older fans IMO, whilst the younger fans just get pissed and have a good time regardless of the music being played, sure Ive found myself at some of the ******-Core gigs in fibbers before, have no idea what the **** they are attempting to sing but I have a good time.
Reverse it and put a -Core head infront of a glam band and they will take the pish and stand there.(in fairness it goes with the territory with glam)

Not saying everybody is like this but I find it quite prevalant amongst the 30+ crowd, especially Bruxelles!

Oh gawd yeah. A load of pretentious c*nts reside. I've stopped going as I find the Fibbers crowd great craic. And I suppose that has something to do with it too. The crowd. Gigs.....I had a point......Nah, gone.

Angron

chin_grin wrote: »

Whyyyyyyyyy?..........................Stop at Nothing. ^_^ As soon as Schematics started I knew I was going to love them. Forrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeevvvvvvvvvvvverrrrrrrrrrr!

Oh I love that album Schematics and One Shot, One Kill are brilliant.

Seth Brundle

When I was a teenager I was told that it was all just a phase and would pass.
I'm 38 now (stops to check the maths!) and still into it all. Its part of who I am. Same with the mates that I've hung around with all these years.

Last metal gig I was at was Exodus and I enjoyed myself as I would have back in the '80s...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2SpwMBBRZM

The hair is now short (never really had it long), I wear a tie but I never stopped loving it!

nyarlothothep

Ageism really p1sses me off, firstly 25 is young as is 26, at least I hope so, this privileged 18-24 demographic is nonsense. 30 is still young, I've met 30 year olds who act and pass as 24 year olds, by extension 24 year olds who don't look or act much differently from 21 year olds. Conversely you can have 21 year olds who are boring old farts in their attitudes and ways.

In any case certain types of metal are going to appeal to different age groups. Obviously metallica/opeth/reverend bizarre etc have made music that is transcendent of age, its just good music whereas 99% of whats played on scuzz or kerrang is going to appeal to 12 year olds. Atm metal and prog rock are the only genres I actually find to be producing interesting music which appeals directly to me. I'm aware there are worthy artists in other genres and am open to such music but atm its these two genres that I really like. I started off my listening youth with the Beatles, Radiohead, Led Zep, Queen and Pink Floyd and used to listen to a lot of indie with the likes of Phantom but I slowly gravitated towards metal. The metal show on phantom was a source of morbid fascination. For example hearing Du Hast or Trial by Fire simultaneously repelled me with the intensity and exerted a strange kind of pull.. I didn't like metal at that time because it was too distorted, discordant and angry, and I still would say that I don't regularly listen to Pantera or Meshuggah for these reasons and that I don't really like the death growls on Opeth records, that said the musicality and surplus of ideas is why I like metal. Conversely the growls and aggressive screaming can actually be energizing to listen to. So my musical evolution was in reverse, I'm listening to more intense music rather than the other way around, because I find thats where the original concepts are.

Also lyrically metal isn't necessarily immature at all, for example AJFA has brilliant lyrics, far more interesting than contemporary indie band no. 4000 singing yet again about some broken relationship (yawn). I hate this idea that once you reach a certain age you have to adopt this persona or outward appearance and give up the band/music or whatever. If anything a lot of mainstream pop and rock, including bands like KOL, is incredibly simplistic and childish, almost nursery rhyme-ish in some cases as with 50 cent and the candy shop song or some indie songs, so people who say metal is immature need to look at themselves.

Malice

kona wrote: »

I think its more got to do with the attitudes in the country, if you are lucky enough to go to college, get a degree and become a professional, having long hair and being a metal head is going to be a hinderance to getting a well paid job.
Like Im constantly being told to cut my hair etc, they can **** right off, in in my 20s and I have plenty of time to be old and bald haha.

I don't know if that's true to be honest. I guess it's impossible to know that you're getting refused from a job because of your hair due to the lawsuit that would result
I've had longish hair for the last 6 years and I've never had much trouble getting a job (I'm a software developer). Mind you, I did have to take a job in Tralee for a while...