So this morning, I was awaken by a bunch of co-workers (I'm an EMT and I was getting off my 24 hr shift) talking about a show flyer I put up in the break room. The content of their words was less than flattering about metal, and seemed particularly fixated about the names of the bands playing the show (which is this friday: Candy Striper Death Orgy, The Summoned, Nuclear Decay and more @ the QVCC in Worcester, MA 6:00pm). Then they began talking about Dying Fetus and Cannibal Corpse, and how they were somehow sub-par so such talented musicians like Alicia Keys.

At that point I emerged, grumpy, staggering, and pissed off, from the other room where I had been TRYING to sleep and looked them all dead in the eyes and said: "Have you ever seen Dying Fetus or Cannibal Corpse?" There response, a meek "no." So with hopes of inspiring enlightenment unto them, I responded "Well, Let me tell you, THEY FUCKING RULE!!" I then attempted to invite them to come to the show and see the folly of their ways, and to see the greatness that these bands can offer. All they could do in return was confirm their cowardliness, by stating they were heading to NY to see Miss Keys perform.

The silence which followed was only broken by the beeps of the punch clock, as I clocked out and headed home.

Some people think the best and most talented music is pop music. Granted, I think Alicia Keys writes her own stuff, but 90% of pop music is written by studio musicians and producers. So their argument is immediately false when claiming a certain pop star is more talented than metal bands.

Very much so. Entire pop albums are written by people other than whose name appears on the cover, and they have no other interaction with the "artist" other than collecting their royalties.

Any other stories of defending metal in the workplace out there?

i prefer to keep ignorant jerkoffs like that away from my good metal anyways.

people at my workplace don't listen to metal for the most part, but they also don't shit on it or make fun of me for listening to it.

When I did construction, I'd always get shit for having long hair and not liking nu metal type stuff. I got in a few arguments over it, but then eventually stopped talking about it because it's like talking to a brick wall.

wait, you don't like nu metal? dick.

shinedown is metal as fuck.

best.blog.evar.

http://toosic.blogspot.com/

No, but I do have some exceptions. I do somewhat like Slipknot's Mate Feed Kill Repeat a lot, if you consider that nu metal. It's a pretty strange album..
And I liked Machinehead until they got too nu metal sounding. Nu metal's sound is just not appealing at all.
Another borderline nu metal album I like would be System of a Down's S/T album. Consider me ghey from this point on, if you will.

Anyway, arguing about metal with non-metal people is just as bad as arguing about politics are religion in the work place.

early System of a Down is kind of a guilty pleasure of mine.

I tend to tell people I don't like music to avoid such interactions. It sucks though when they somehow figure out you are in a band. Try explaining that shitstorm.

my co-workers bring up Anal Cunt whenever I talk about music. I'm having a nice little chuckle at the SOAD faggotry in this thread. mcgiver doesn't approve.

I WILL FAGGOT!!!!!!!

haha, everyone always hates on SOAD. I can't stand all of their releases besides the first.
The first has a unique sound, which is the only reason why I can listen to it. Haven't heard it in years though. Is it a GREAT album? no way..

ditto.

If a non-metal fan asks me about music, I literally play mute. Same goes for girls when they ask me what bands I like, so they can go to a blogspot, download an album, in some pointless attempt to try and impress me.

ditto was at c.dead's

haha whatever fags. you guys didn't call me ghey when I made the enya appreciation thread

Only faggots don't like Enya.

So you would turn down a hummer if she hummed wittr that she found in this manner?

Whatevs, I like post-"Around the Fur" Deftones. Now THAT is ghey.

Shit, now I am trying to think of the most embarassing stuff I listen to. Delerium-"Karma" is the closest thing to total queer I can think of right now....

atleast delerium has bill leeb and rhys.

I'm a huge fan of Dredg's album El Cielo. I'm almost as ghey as Rev for liking post spiral NIN

when it comes to ghey music, I think I kinda win with all the glam/hair metal I like, plus I do have a soft spot for some nu-metal. Plus I have a strange love for the Backstreet Boys (YES I WENT THERE!).

when it comes to talking metal with non-metal people, most of my friends know me as a metalhead so I don't have the super awkward conversations very often. Have a couple friends who are not very metal knowledged, but I educate them pretty well.

However last friday this dude talked about Limp Bizkit being metal and I just rolled my eyes. haha

There's some guy that works here that listens to some sort of metal. He drove in the parking lot as I was entering the building, blaring something with low growls, blast beats, and distorted guitars...
KIDS THESE DAYS.
I think he works on the production floor or in QA. I passed by him today and he said "what up?"

Well, what I'm saying is that she wouldn't find out about it through me. So whether she wants to go blow me while humming WITTR (most random band for you to pick) or whistle dixie, it's all the same to me.

True. Now I am only half-ghey. Thanx rev!

I'd have to shut WITTR off before head. Overrated USBM ist ripoffs.

some front line assembly shit is also known for its gayness.

metal doesnt appeal to everyone, big deal. whats the point of getting pissed about it?

Feelings....they are hurt.

If you can't understand why most people think metal is silly, you have blinders on.

i think it boils down to the fact that people are ignorant to metal's talent level. they just consider it "noise" without really knowing what they're talking about.

a lot of people need more than talent to care enough to listen or respect something.

good album.

and i like all NIN. we melded "at the heart of it all" by NIN/aphex twin into our show intro last thursday, and surprisingly no metalheads yelled at us or knew the difference.

I once got compliments from a library patron for wearing an Amon Amarth shirt behind the Reference Desk. But then, it wasnt a co-worker.

I wasn't there at the beginning of the darkwor set but I would have hailed you for encorporating an Aphex Twin intro.

Dick See?
Should be illegal to suck dick and whistle. pure sign of a witch.

You and your puns.

shit man. I was outside preparing for the onslaught. sorry I missed that. I was also still charmed by ...ov durst's vocalist staring deep into my soul when he was screaming.

http://linguo.ytmnd.com/

as far as workplace music discussion goes, i say something like "there's way too many kinds of metal, i don't listen to the type you're thinking of. as a musician i'm always looking for the extreme and the composed, the stuff made for the sake of the art, if you don't get it that's fine, it's not made to be appealing"

When i occasionally go to union meetings im known as the guy with the "wierd ass tshirts". I got shit at first having cannibal and slayer stickers on my hardhat but not much anymore. I have got the "You like metal? i loooove slipknot/manson/disturbed" conversation before. So i try not to discuss music to much with co-workers.

there's a guy who works for one of the other companies in my building who looks like garth from wayne's world if he grew up and got a job, but kept the same hairstyle. he looks like he'd fit in playing drums for spinal tap.

fuckin linkin pahk guy. holy shit.

i just don't care to defend metal anymore. i don't care if someone likes it or doesn't. i just focus on what i like and enjoy it.

i avoid these conversations at work cuz for the most part i could care fuckin less what anyone thinks. especially my co-workers.

I don't like talking about my bands or metal in general to anyone other than people who know what I'm talking about.

Always fun when people ask what my band is and if they can come see me play haha

that was nice touch. couple peeps i talked to appreeshed it.

I find it odd that literally everyone I work with now that has talked to me about music respects metal even though maybe 2 people listen to it in the entire office. A good handful have actually picked up Composted CDs from me, haha.

it's gotten to the point with me where whenever I meet someone new the first thing I say is "I'm not a country boy or cowboy, please get over it or leave me alone." That's all people listen to around here is nu metal or country. I played some Sexcrement at work the other day and my boss nearly had a heart attack.

I had a co-worker say to me yesterday, after I had been talking about metal bands I listen to; say "dude....one of my favorite metal bands of all time, is Nickleback...fucking heavy shit dude, I've seen them like 9 times man." To which I just said "yeah man....cool"

I also enjoy when the slightly older guy (late 30's/early 40's) tries to act hip by name dropping bands "yeah man, rockin some Static-X and Tantric huh?! Betcha didn't think I knew who they were huh?"


I don't even get into who I listen to or what my band sounds like at work anymore.

The only time I get into music related arguments is at shows and most of the people I end up talking to are kind of ignorant about the underground. They always name me bands they listen to that are mostly popular Deathcore bands. It's very frustrating to get through to these meatheads.

one of my co-workers has a giant isis poster and mastodon things. Another co-worker's band played skatefest and his roommate is the drummer for defeater. my office aint that bad.

I completely agree with you that metal is not for everyone. I think it was more the fact I was awaken by people being loud, and disrespectful to something I love. That, and the 4 hrs of broken sleep I got last night, did not do much to help my mood. Feel free to call me a total metal nerd, but as I sat up in bed the first thought that entered my mind was literally: "I must defend metal."

But the other underlying issue I found interesting with this whole experience seems to be that, when confronted, it's amazing how groups of people will cower away from their positions when approached by just one man. Their will and convictions fell as if they were "brown leaves blown by the wind." I thought that kicked a bit of ass.

Everyone likes metal. Some just aren't man enough to admit it.