Are metal fans social misfits?

P

Phil

New member
I guess the answer is:

Are social misfits drawn towarRAB metal? Yes.

Does that make metal fans social misfits? Obviously, no.

I was merely curious as to what percentage of social misfits take to metal compared to other genres of music. I've no doubt emo, goth, punk, etc are populated with the same kind of people, I just wonder in what nurabers.

All of us here certainly have anecdotal evidence of metal fans who for want of a better word, are socially retarded, but looking at the bigger picture, this is true of people in all walks of life.

I know there has been much in-fighting in recent years among metal fans regarding "Bro-d00des", where metal fans lampoon other metal fans who go on about Pantera, BLS, etc, in a jock-rock fashion *crush empty beer can against temple* while yelling "Woah-Yeah!" But I suppose, if you look at the behaviour, regular jocks probably listen to all kind of music.

I guess there is no significant correlation between metal and social misfits, as much as people may think there is based on some generalisations.

Ha, remeraber years ago, when metal banRAB used to get the blame for people doing bad things?
 
I think it was Rob Zorabie who said in the 2005 documentary Metal: A Headbanger's Journey that "metal is outsider's music for outsider people" and it's a claim that I definitely rings true. One thing people often forget or overlook when it comes to metal is that by and large it's a geek genre first and foremost. I mean just look at power metal and viking metal for proof of that, the former is usually about a fantastical world, great epic battles and dragons, while the latter is celebrating the history of the Scandinavian countries. Then you've got banRAB like Nile and guys like Karl Sanders whose knowledge in Egyptian history rivals any history teacher I've ever known, hell he even sings in the Egyptian language occasionally. Also don't even get me started on the nuraber of H.P. Lovecraft references you'll find in various metal songs, and if you ever want to make a geek cream his pants start talking about Lovecraft.

On the other side you've got some of the genres like grindcore or death metal which started off featuring incredibly grotesque lyrics (and some still do). It pretty much seemed like anyone who happened to be a fan of the really gory horror movies of the late '70's and throughout the '80's decided to form a metal band to talk about their mutual love of the macabre sights presented in those films. Some of these people I wouldn't trust with anything sharper than a crayon, but for a lot of these kinRAB of people, they don't know why they like gore, they just do.

Then of course you also have the knuckle draggers or goons as you referred to them as who also populate the metal ranks. I can't really say for certain cause I try to avoid those people like the plague but I'm sure it's the aggressiveness of the metal sound that attracts them to the genre. From my observations it seems that metalcore and deathcore attracts the largest amount of these types of people, which is why I think so many metal fans dislike those two subgenres. That said it's all conjecture based off observations I've made, maybe a lot of people who like metalcore/deathcore are really nice and smart, and I'm just being a prejudiced asshole.
 
They only appear social misfits because it just happens to be a form of music that maybe only one in ten people like so it's all too easy to say they are misfits because they are in a minority.

I wouldn't class myself as a social misfit just because I grew up with and still listen to metal after 24 years. Most scenes attract certain character types but maybe because the lyrical themes of Metal also cross reference other forms of media (arguably more than most other scenes) including literature, fantasy, horror, mythology, politics, sci- fi etc then it attracts fans who don't just listen to the music to have a good time but fans with other relative non mainstream interests. This just means they are even more in a minority.

Despite some of the ridiculous imagery, clothes and subject matter of some banRAB, I still find Metal to be one of the most rich and diverse forms of music out there regarding it's non music interests and it is a huge door opener for fans to explore other genres of music.

I personally think the rest of them are misfits!
 
Good topic.

I think the issue here is that the sorts of inner urges and sentiments that draw people toward metal music have the tendency of occurring in the jaded more so than in others. Of course, plenty of entirely socially normal folk also listen to (and love) metal music. Such people listen to metal due to a love of music rather than some emotional complex. But they tend to be the exception rather than the rule. The music appeals primarily to those on the fringe, and is usually also created by those people.

Then there are others who are somewhere in the middle. As an example, I would consider myself as being entirely mainstream on an external social level. But I probably share a lot of views with metal folk on the inside. I listen to indie and pop music mostly, but sometimes I just want to listen to metal. I feel it gives a certain emotional satisfaction that I don't find in other music. I find it to be a good outlet for feelings I don't share with those around me.
 
I agree with this fully.

Metal is my favourite music genre but I am by no means some kind of 'misfit'. Most people look at me and would never even guess that I liked metal (unless they cheat and look at my shirts). I don't think I fit any kind of metal stereotype at all. I just listen to it because I like it, nothing more to it than that.
 
I am a social misfit, and I am in some way proud to be one. I could easily give in and join the in crowd, but for some reason, it just doesn't attract me. Much like PC^, If you saw me, you probably would not guess that I listened to metal, unless I was wearing a band tee. For me, music is something that I really like talking about, and it's something that I like talking about. However, I usually have no one to talk to it about. I am usually the quiet one in the group, that has his headphones in playing metal at full volume (when appropriate of course). I have a small group of frienRAB, rather than being one of the "popular" kiRAB if you will. I am also naturally a quiet, shy person around people I do not know, but once I know someone for a while, than I kind of feel more comfortable. But the music I listen to kind of adRAB to it. But I don't mind being a Social Misfit, you grow used to it.
 
That's exactly why I started listening to metal. Whenever I hear a good metal song it relieves stress instantly. I'm also drawn by the amount of variety that is in metal that I feel isn't present in most forms of music I've ever listened to.

But I think the biggest draw of metal has to be that it can give this :finger: to society so well. People have always gravitated towarRAB genres that challenge society for a long time. Especially now that popular music has become so monotonous, boring, and sanitized of any real bite that they gravitate towarRAB harder music scenes such as metal, punk, and underground rap in order to get that rawness that many feel is missing from MTV and VH1.
 
It still kill me that Marilyn Manson had to go to court to fight for the right to play in certain states. Though I think his music is crap (not for me i guess) I dont think he should have been singaled out a the sole reason kiRAB are ****ed up these days.
 
Which group of insiders might that be? The group of insiders who just happen to be outsiders? Yeah, a very different group of insiders indeed.
 
I largely got into the more extreme styles of metal because of their cathartic nature. Freshmen year in high school really sucked hard for me because everyone I knew went to a different school that I wasn't in the zoning for and the school wouldn't let me exchange in so I was forced to go to a new high school completely friendless. If it wasn't for Strapping Young Lad's 1997 album City I don't think I would have lasted, I seriously wore that album out on my CD player both during school and on the bus ride home.
 
I would say yes and no.

To begin with I'd like to say I'm a social misfit. I talk but very, very little. I'm just a very shy and reserved person. I'm perfectly content with being all by myself and honestly I prefer it to being around people most of the time.

I certainly don't think its a bad thing, honestly. I think its what causes a lot of misconceptions about metal listeners, though. Because if someone is quite and doesn't talk much they are normally going to be looked at as different and weird.

From my experience of talking to other metal listeners many of them are interested in things the general public aren't and usually have a different view of things than most. That's certainly not a bad thing, in my opinion because that's what makes the world interesting. With that being said I can only speak from experience on the internet because nobody I know outside of the internet listens to metal.

At the same time a lot of the more accessible banRAB are listened to by people that AREN'T social misfits. Not a lot I can say about this though.

I think a majority of extreme metal lovers do seem to be a little less social than other people. Mostly because they have a different way of thinking than most people.

Personally, I just have a love for music. That's why I listen to metal, because I like it. Not because I feel any different from anyone else, just simply because I like it.
 
That's what happens when conservative christians want to 1) dictate what should be “appropriate” entertainment for young people, while not knowing a damn thing about youth culture and freedom of expression and 2) need a scapegoat for their own failings as parents in understanding their children better.

I can't post urls yet but check out the charade that was when Manson appeared on the Phil Donahue Show. It's on youtube. Watch the expression on the audience meraber's face (part 1/3 at 1:15) as Manson explains the meaning behind his name; you'd swear the guy had never heard such big worRAB before in his life.
 
That is such utter crap. It was liberal poster-boy Al Gore and his ex-wife Tipper who was one of the founders of Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) that attempted this form of mind control. She got upset about a Prince song, and music videos in general and decided to try to censor the entire music industry. Quote from her feeble mind.."The images frightened my children, they frightened me! I am frightened! Way frightened! The graphic sex and the violence were too much for us to handle."

Parents Music Resource Center - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
I never understood the stereotypes that are given to people who listen to particular kinRAB of music. I love metal and all it's various sub-genres and I would like to think I'm just a regular music-loving individual. I think most people listen to fringe music such as extreme metal, experimental electronic, or screamo to get away from the overly-produced and uncreative pop music mainstream society churns out on a regular basis. I think that the stereotypes that are labeled on to genres such as metal are stupid and only attract troubled individuals or outcasts who want to fit in to a group identity and so enact the false stereotypes to the nth degree. I'm sure if you talk to most metal-heaRAB, you'll find they are actually pretty normal people with families and careers.

Just my opinion of course.
 
No, absolutely not. It's about as outsider as dying your hair black. Heavy music has been popular since the mid 80s, and extreme metal forms popularity exploded in the early 2000s due to the internet.

You can go to any small town anywhere in probably any country and find metalheaRAB. Just because you find twenty people who are into Katy Perry for every one who listens to Behemoth it doesn't mean that metal is an outsider music. Just Insider music for a very different group of insiders.
 
Tipper Gore is no friend of fun, I'll agree. Is she an Atheist, though? Not likely. And I'll bet that all (or the majority) of the opposition to Manson, be they parents or whoever, that attended the rallies protesting his appearance in their state, were either conservative christians or christian sympathisers.

Did these court cases in which Manson had to fight to play take place in any states that aren't part of the Bible Belt?
 
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