Question:
The internet is the answer. Use the internet, organize, and everyone of those bands can get themselves heard. They can amass a following, and perhaps record labels will follow suite.
Response:
I didn’t read your whole e-mail cos it’s WAY too long for most bassists’ brain capacities (hehe), but YEA METAL ROCKS!!! Don’t bands like KoRn, Mudvayne, Cradle of Filth, Metallica etc etc etc TOTALLY ROCK??? i dunno if that was even relavent to the e-mail
Response:
Korn isn’t metal. Don’t know a lot about Mudvayne, but from the song I heard on the radio, they’re not metal either. I think this is another problem with the music industry. They get an idea in their heads about what a certain musical style is, and then want only that. They think Korn is Metal, but it’s really the first generation Rapcore. There isn’t much of true metal these days on the radio, which is a shame because that’s my style of music, listening to and playing. Tony
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I didn’t read your whole e-mail cos it’s WAY too long for most bassists’ > brain capacities (hehe), but YEA METAL ROCKS!!! > Don’t bands like KoRn, Mudvayne, Cradle of Filth, Metallica etc etc etc > TOTALLY ROCK??? > i dunno if that was even relavent to the e-mail
Response:
: musical style is, and then want only that. They think Korn is Metal, but : it’s really the first generation Rapcore. There isn’t much of true metal : these days on the radio, which is a shame because that’s my style of music, : listening to and playing. Yup, I love it when "evil-teenagers" (the kind that think they are eeeevil ‘cuz they are listening to "metal" and wearing black T-shirts) say that they listen to metal and then say "Iron what? Morbid who?" when asked about Iron Maiden or Morbid Angel, for example 
— Javier Gonzalez Nicolini – remove the .com to e-mail "As felt on Braile Weekly"
Response:
sabbath rules, and sleep is a close second…. bang your head/metal up yer ass ___ ( ) ( ) Radapaw / ( ) The Imaginary Bass Players Union / http://www.members.home.net/radapaw/bass.htm
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> The internet is the answer. Use the internet, organize, and everyone of > those bands can get themselves heard. They can amass a following, and > perhaps record labels will follow suite.
Response:
Want metal? Helloween is touring at the moment and I have tickets! This is metal in it’s purest form, if you ever heard their music. Korn have a more alternative bad ass style, you know the "I had a bad youth" type of band. It’s the same for all those new metal bands on the scene. People wanted to put the bands in too much corners, and now we don’t know what what is anymore. I think we must save true metal and let the world hear what metal means. I had a first gig with my band before x-mas, and we got complemented being said that we sound like the old metal bands. (Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden etc…) That was a great honour to hear that. I hope we do live up to that, because we made it our goal to sound like the real thing. I also agree that a lot of young bands aren’t getting the attention they need to come out of the underground. It’s a shame to lose bands who have such great potential….. **steps off soapbox** Misty. HAIL…..(Manowar) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Korn isn’t metal. Don’t know a lot about Mudvayne, but from the song I heard > on the radio, they’re not metal either. I think this is another problem with > the music industry. They get an idea in their heads about what a certain > musical style is, and then want only that. They think Korn is Metal, but > it’s really the first generation Rapcore. There isn’t much of true metal > these days on the radio, which is a shame because that’s my style of music, > listening to and playing. > Tony > I didn’t read your whole e-mail cos it’s WAY too long for most bassists’ > brain capacities (hehe), but YEA METAL ROCKS!!! > Don’t bands like KoRn, Mudvayne, Cradle of Filth, Metallica etc etc etc > TOTALLY ROCK??? > i dunno if that was even relavent to the e-mail
Response:
> Korn isn’t metal. Don’t know a lot about Mudvayne, but from the song I heard > on the radio, they’re not metal either. I think this is another problem with > the music industry. They get an idea in their heads about what a certain > musical style is, and then want only that. They think Korn is Metal, but > it’s really the first generation Rapcore. There isn’t much of true metal > these days on the radio, which is a shame because that’s my style of music, > listening to and playing.
Didn’t Jethro Tull win the "heavy metal" award (grammy or whatever) a few years back? Adam
Response:
Yup. The NARAS people decided to go with a band they knew, instead of an underground phenomenon.
Response:
Black Sabbath…..Metallica….hmm…..Jethro Tall……good shit…..
Response:
You have to do it for love. If its an ego thing(make it big) your dreaming. I dig most kinds of music, particularly progressive, but metal does have a place in my heart. As long its not crap thats just there seeking attention. Music is a good thing in general and should be viewed as a personal passion first and formost( Ive been down that "Icant get anywhere" road). Wow listen to me, am I ever preachy.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> The internet is the answer. Use the internet, organize, and everyone of > those bands can get themselves heard. They can amass a following, and > perhaps record labels will follow suite.
Response:
Yea, metal has a place (pehaps a bit larger than others) in my heart too. Just real metal bands, and some other stuff. I wouldn’t call KoRn "Heavy Metal", but a lot of their new stuff has that sort of vibe. Thier actually quite innovative (Check out Fieldy’s bass style!!!!) and makes it a whole lot more interesting than listening to stuff like Deftones, Segression etc (not that those bands arn’t bad). Mudvayne, sure do kick copious amounts of arse too, man that bassist Ryknow iforgothislastname!!! conserdering it’s a metal band, the bass comes through quite well and as strong as any instrument (this aspect particularly rare among heavy music).
Response:
And Ryknow can play that bass and play it well. Very fast with fingers, no pick.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Yea, metal has a place (pehaps a bit larger than others) in my heart too. > Just real metal bands, and some other stuff. > I wouldn’t call KoRn "Heavy Metal", but a lot of their new stuff has that > sort of vibe. Thier actually quite innovative (Check out Fieldy’s bass > style!!!!) and makes it a whole lot more interesting than listening to stuff > like Deftones, Segression etc (not that those bands arn’t bad). > Mudvayne, sure do kick copious amounts of arse too, man that bassist Ryknow > iforgothislastname!!! conserdering it’s a metal band, the bass comes through > quite well and as strong as any instrument (this aspect particularly rare > among heavy music).
Response:
Definately !!!! I saw this guy Ryknow play live. He slaps, pops, slams, back hands ( : etc, etc. while playing 90 mph’s jumping around like an acrobat. Here is a link to a live video of their song 1 http://uranium.shnit.com/files/1_live.mpeg The live video for the song ‘Dig’ really shows him going off but it’s not up anymore. Be warned, it’s not the singers best performance. Visit http://www.uraniummusic.com/index2.html to get live vids.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Does anyone know much about him (Ryknow)? I just heard there album and was > real impressed with the bass. Does he slap or is he using some other method? > His tone is cool too, nice to have a good bassist pop up.
Response:
There’s an article about Ryknow in the new Bass Player, the issue with Milt Hinton on the cover.
Response:
Does anyone know much about him (Ryknow)? I just heard there album and was real impressed with the bass. Does he slap or is he using some other method? His tone is cool too, nice to have a good bassist pop up.
Response:
hmm. f
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> WHO SUPPORTS METAL ANYWAY? > The simple fact is if it were not for the legions of metal musicians who buy > the work of other musicians signed to the metal labels metal would not be the > big business that is it. Bands seeking to play gigs and start out in their > local areas would never draw the heads into the Clubs without the other band’s > and their support people going to see them. No support means no advancement. > Yet only a fraction of the bands that do form see any kind of record deal or > mass exposure. Most remain underground. Some bands live out their entire > existence writing albums worth of material, good material that never see the > light of day out side their local areas. Lack of money is the biggest factor. > Day jobs keep you rooted at home and Bills keep you from making a Demo and > sending out the minimum 500 copies to labels. Think of all the great bands you > never heard of. As a bass player involved with a few bands I must have hundreds > of songs, some recorded some live, some recorded off sound boards and some made > at practice. Many of the songs would have been worth a label’s time in the 80’s > and early 90’s. Could even still be worth someone’s time and money now that > metal is making a come back. (Labels get in touch Just keep in mind some of > it’s live and there is no budget to professionally record them now.) What > happened to all those musicians? Where are they now? Well, most cut their hair > and got a full time job. Most are married with kids but they still buy metal. > And without them CEO’s of the labels would have to find "meaningful" work. > Maybe like me slaving at a Saw Mill and regretting I never went to collage > cause I was too busy with my music and Day job. Yes, most of us were so > dedicated, and still are we sold our souls in a way. > KILLING CREATIVITY > So what is a band to do when they are ignored by the industry? Well, they > keep trying. Not everyone knows what to do though and that is the biggest > factor. Some bands like Dying Fetus and Psychotic Waltz went a different rout > and formed their own labels and did the recording and CD pressing themselves. > This works only if you have a large following and of course money. And even at > that does not work for everyone. P. Waltz could have been the next Metallica > but they were ignored in America and only found recognition in Europe. Some > bands get indy deals with small labels and spend their entire productive life > spend writing their best music that only sees limited distro. This is the case > with a friend’s punk/ska band in San Diego, The Impossible Five. I use my > friends band as an example but the same thing happens with metal bands all the > time. Infamous Symphony would be a good example of a metal band that had this > problem. This is the U.S. Industries loss pure and simple. Sometimes it works > out as with another punk band from my home town Unwritten Law. They were picked > up by capital before they expended the best of themselves on an indy label but > this is the exception not the rule. > For the vast majority of bands their life cycle is spent trying to gain the > attention of the labels and 99% of the time they never do. Who loses in this > deal is the fans. More so the fans who only listen and do not play. Who else? > The labels. Relapse just put out a CD called "Polish Assault" a compilation of > Polish bands. My question is why has not any CEO’s at the major and minor > labels considered putting out a compilation of all the un signed bands worth > mention in any given American City? As example "San Diego Metal Assault"?? > Better hurry though as there are only a hand full of San Diego Metal bands > left. Other Cities should be included too. This would get the band’s some > recognition, makes money for the labels and less metal would be thrown upon the > scrap heap of metal history. The un written metal history that is. > RECYCLING MUSICIANS > The biggest problem with the Metal Music industry is the recycling of it’s > acts. How many band’s break up and you see 3 bands from one? Many times this > happens. In a sane world those new bands would face the same difficulties as > does a bunch of no body’s but this is not the case. It’s who you know. Yet you > could take the same band and subtract the star of the act and the label would > not think twice to sign them to a deal. Why is this? Well I don’t have the > answer but I do have the observations. Recent examples; Ex obituary ax man > Trevor Perez and his new band Catastrophic. When I first saw the adds I though > "Cool a ‘new’ band. Then I find out it’s yet another contract handed to another > band on a silver platter. Sure obituary paid it’s dues but the fact that one > member was in a band before does not prove they will sell the albums. They will > sell some amount sure but a recycled product is still not exactly new. Then > there is ex front man of Defiance Steev Esquivel who formed Skinlab. No doubt > another deal on a silver platter affair. I am going to check Skinlab out though > but only because I loved Defiance and am getting the CD free from BMG music. > How many times has a band been told the label is not interested in them because > they sound like someone else? Lack originality? Yet how far removed are the > offspring bands of metal acts like Catastrophic from Obituary? Not too far > removed I am sure. > I know Joel Metoza of Shock head. Same deal. He was formally with 24/7 Spys > and they broke up so he put together a band called Shock Head and got a deal > rather quickly. Yet his former band, I forget the name did not get a deal cause > he had not yet been in 24/7 Spys. And they were damn good. This is how the > industry works most the time. I was in a band Called Espionage once and we had > a guy named Bob Linstrom join who was in an 80’s metal band called Steel > Vengeance signed to Black Dragon Records. (Label mates of Manilla Road) We did > our Demo and sent it to the label and never heard back. We sold the 100 tapes > but should have sent them all to labels and paid for more but hey we were young > and dumb. Bob left the band to move back home to be with his daughter and we > went on for 3 more years. Our lead player was brought into Shock head when we > called it quits only he was kicked out before they cut a CD as he had a > drinking problem. > For many bands being a former member of a band with a deal works and the worst > abomination to hard working musicians who never see a deal is the bands that > form side project bands and hog the limelight. How many new bands would get a > deal if those established bands would not form so many side projects. Who wants > to listen to them anyway? I sure don’t care to hear a band rehashed 10 > different ways do you? And as I said before who pays these people? The Same > Musicians who are locked out of advancement and the general metal fan > population that’s who. And this is where the real crime is found. > IS THIS FAIR? > Well, it’s the real world. And who cares as long as were making money right? > As a metal head do you want to hear the cutting edge bands? I sure do. Recycled > goods are second rate yet we pay top dollar for their CD’s and it’s cause we > don’t know any better. Sure underground bands can be had on the net for simple > cash but their production almost always sucks. So we stick with the Recycled > bands. Well I try not to. I buy Iron Maiden CD’s but I leave Bruce Dickinson > alone. Now will I ever buy a CD by Soul Fly. In fact until Max gets back into > Sepultura I can care less to buy their music either. In the end it’s the market > shut out of new acts that allows bands to recycle themselves. And the fact that > YOU keep buying. What the metal masses need to do is use your buying power and > just say no to the revolving Door of recycled bands and Don’t buy it. What > label executives need to do is take a look at compilations CD’s with the acts > by Cities. And issue them. > Take Exhumed. One of their members is in one or two other projects and if I > recall right Exhumed is not even the main project of the guys who are in it. So > why would you want to support something they do not even take serious enough to > dedicate all their time to? If they do not believe in their own band why should > you? They are just out to make a buck and you give it to them and in the > process screw your self outta hearing new bands. Real bands that deserve a > break. > Think about this and thanks checking out real life in the real underground. > MIKE > Permission to re post, reproduce and publish so long as no text is left out. > Please FWD this to industry people and friends everywhere.
Response:
WHO SUPPORTS METAL ANYWAY? The simple fact is if it were not for the legions of metal musicians who buy the work of other musicians signed to the metal labels metal would not be the big business that is it. Bands seeking to play gigs and start out in their local areas would never draw the heads into the Clubs without the other band’s and their support people going to see them. No support means no advancement. Yet only a fraction of the bands that do form see any kind of record deal or mass exposure. Most remain underground. Some bands live out their entire existence writing albums worth of material, good material that never see the light of day out side their local areas. Lack of money is the biggest factor. Day jobs keep you rooted at home and Bills keep you from making a Demo and sending out the minimum 500 copies to labels. Think of all the great bands you never heard of. As a bass player involved with a few bands I must have hundreds of songs, some recorded some live, some recorded off sound boards and some made at practice. Many of the songs would have been worth a label’s time in the 80’s and early 90’s. Could even still be worth someone’s time and money now that metal is making a come back. (Labels get in touch Just keep in mind some of it’s live and there is no budget to professionally record them now.) What happened to all those musicians? Where are they now? Well, most cut their hair and got a full time job. Most are married with kids but they still buy metal. And without them CEO’s of the labels would have to find "meaningful" work. Maybe like me slaving at a Saw Mill and regretting I never went to collage cause I was too busy with my music and Day job. Yes, most of us were so dedicated, and still are we sold our souls in a way. KILLING CREATIVITY So what is a band to do when they are ignored by the industry? Well, they keep trying. Not everyone knows what to do though and that is the biggest factor. Some bands like Dying Fetus and Psychotic Waltz went a different rout and formed their own labels and did the recording and CD pressing themselves. This works only if you have a large following and of course money. And even at that does not work for everyone. P. Waltz could have been the next Metallica but they were ignored in America and only found recognition in Europe. Some bands get indy deals with small labels and spend their entire productive life spend writing their best music that only sees limited distro. This is the case with a friend’s punk/ska band in San Diego, The Impossible Five. I use my friends band as an example but the same thing happens with metal bands all the time. Infamous Symphony would be a good example of a metal band that had this problem. This is the U.S. Industries loss pure and simple. Sometimes it works out as with another punk band from my home town Unwritten Law. They were picked up by capital before they expended the best of themselves on an indy label but this is the exception not the rule. For the vast majority of bands their life cycle is spent trying to gain the attention of the labels and 99% of the time they never do. Who loses in this deal is the fans. More so the fans who only listen and do not play. Who else? The labels. Relapse just put out a CD called "Polish Assault" a compilation of Polish bands. My question is why has not any CEO’s at the major and minor labels considered putting out a compilation of all the un signed bands worth mention in any given American City? As example "San Diego Metal Assault"?? Better hurry though as there are only a hand full of San Diego Metal bands left. Other Cities should be included too. This would get the band’s some recognition, makes money for the labels and less metal would be thrown upon the scrap heap of metal history. The un written metal history that is. RECYCLING MUSICIANS The biggest problem with the Metal Music industry is the recycling of it’s acts. How many band’s break up and you see 3 bands from one? Many times this happens. In a sane world those new bands would face the same difficulties as does a bunch of no body’s but this is not the case. It’s who you know. Yet you could take the same band and subtract the star of the act and the label would not think twice to sign them to a deal. Why is this? Well I don’t have the answer but I do have the observations. Recent examples; Ex obituary ax man Trevor Perez and his new band Catastrophic. When I first saw the adds I though "Cool a ‘new’ band. Then I find out it’s yet another contract handed to another band on a silver platter. Sure obituary paid it’s dues but the fact that one member was in a band before does not prove they will sell the albums. They will sell some amount sure but a recycled product is still not exactly new. Then there is ex front man of Defiance Steev Esquivel who formed Skinlab. No doubt another deal on a silver platter affair. I am going to check Skinlab out though but only because I loved Defiance and am getting the CD free from BMG music. How many times has a band been told the label is not interested in them because they sound like someone else? Lack originality? Yet how far removed are the offspring bands of metal acts like Catastrophic from Obituary? Not too far removed I am sure. I know Joel Metoza of Shock head. Same deal. He was formally with 24/7 Spys and they broke up so he put together a band called Shock Head and got a deal rather quickly. Yet his former band, I forget the name did not get a deal cause he had not yet been in 24/7 Spys. And they were damn good. This is how the industry works most the time. I was in a band Called Espionage once and we had a guy named Bob Linstrom join who was in an 80’s metal band called Steel Vengeance signed to Black Dragon Records. (Label mates of Manilla Road) We did our Demo and sent it to the label and never heard back. We sold the 100 tapes but should have sent them all to labels and paid for more but hey we were young and dumb. Bob left the band to move back home to be with his daughter and we went on for 3 more years. Our lead player was brought into Shock head when we called it quits only he was kicked out before they cut a CD as he had a drinking problem. For many bands being a former member of a band with a deal works and the worst abomination to hard working musicians who never see a deal is the bands that form side project bands and hog the limelight. How many new bands would get a deal if those established bands would not form so many side projects. Who wants to listen to them anyway? I sure don’t care to hear a band rehashed 10 different ways do you? And as I said before who pays these people? The Same Musicians who are locked out of advancement and the general metal fan population that’s who. And this is where the real crime is found. IS THIS FAIR? Well, it’s the real world. And who cares as long as were making money right? As a metal head do you want to hear the cutting edge bands? I sure do. Recycled goods are second rate yet we pay top dollar for their CD’s and it’s cause we don’t know any better. Sure underground bands can be had on the net for simple cash but their production almost always sucks. So we stick with the Recycled bands. Well I try not to. I buy Iron Maiden CD’s but I leave Bruce Dickinson alone. Now will I ever buy a CD by Soul Fly. In fact until Max gets back into Sepultura I can care less to buy their music either. In the end it’s the market shut out of new acts that allows bands to recycle themselves. And the fact that YOU keep buying. What the metal masses need to do is use your buying power and just say no to the revolving Door of recycled bands and Don’t buy it. What label executives need to do is take a look at compilations CD’s with the acts by Cities. And issue them. Take Exhumed. One of their members is in one or two other projects and if I recall right Exhumed is not even the main project of the guys who are in it. So why would you want to support something they do not even take serious enough to dedicate all their time to? If they do not believe in their own band why should you? They are just out to make a buck and you give it to them and in the process screw your self outta hearing new bands. Real bands that deserve a break. Think about this and thanks checking out real life in the real underground. MIKE Permission to re post, reproduce and publish so long as no text is left out. Please FWD this to industry people and friends everywhere.