Metalpeter's blog: "Peters Thoughts"

   First of all I want to thank all the bands who performed on Saturday at The Tralf. It has been so long since I have seen a heavy show.   I don't use the term metal for multiple reasons.  The first is that when people hear metal they want to define what kind of metal a band is.  I get why people do that.  But just because a band thinks of its self as Death Metal doesn't mean they growl.   Even if they do some bands some bands you can understand and some you can't.   Another example is Hardcore is a sub type of metal but is it really I'm not sure.   The other reason I use the term Heavy is that something can be heavy or sound tormented and not be what some would call metal.  Is something Metal if the band becomes pop like say Linkin Park and Korn? But they are for sure heavy.  What if a band has a heavy message but it plays the music softly, HA, joking.  But there was a band from Buffalo called  The Sheila Devine who where kinda like that.   One minute Aaron would be signing then it was like a Yell and he was all red on stage. I miss that band I really do.  Another quick example was The Tea Party, they where pretty dark and I think heavy in there way but they weren't metal.   The other reason why I like to use the term Heavy is because metal has changed over time.  For example when I was in High School you had all those "Hair Bands" (hate the term) or what might have been called "Glam".  Yes some of that stuff was pretty good by how bands play now it wouldn't be metal.   Ok back to the bands does anyone know the name of the last band that Performed they where pretty good and there where a few other bands I liked, ASD, His Name was Yesterday, and then two bands who's full name I didn't catch One's own Blood, and some band from Niagara Falls   Something like in progression they where really good to.  Again I want to thank everyone and want to encourage people to go out to shows and watch bands. 

I'm not your sterotypical metalhead (I don't really think there are as many of them as people think).  What I mean is there is this sterotype that people who like this kind of music are young kids, who want to rebel.   That is true for some people but if so whats a better way then dance in a pit and get out agression more people should do it.  People who listen to metal have no job and do drugs.  Again I disagree with that I work and a lot of people who listen to Heavy music have jobs.  If they didn't how would they buy shirts, CDs, and go to shows.

Do all must genres have sterotypes? Yes of course they do.  It  would be nice if we could blow up those little boxes.  I admit that I like music that isn't heavy at all. Often though if you are seen wearing a band shirt people think that is the only thing you are into.  Yes some people all they like is that genre.    Ok back to those bands that might carry some negatives from others Coldplay, Transiberian Orchestra, Christina Agullera, and a few dance songs that I only know when I hear them.  I like lots of different bands and Judge them by there sound not the genre.  I wonder what the percentage of people who do this is vs. people who only like their genre of music. 

I think that the barriers of how music is defined is slowly breaking down.  Years ago country was country and pop was pop.  But now there has been a lot of crossovers (won't name them) and some songs in the past have been written and performed as rock by one artist and country by someone else.   You also have people who sing one way go over to country music like Darius Rucker from Hotie and the blowfish.   I admit I have no idea what producers do but I know some of them now do what we would call "Pop" and "country" so the music styles are starting to blend.   Heavy music and rap kinda blended some and I don't just mean Run DMC, Beastie Boys, and Kid Rock.   When I first heard a Hardcore song oh so long ago (thanks cuse) I don't know who it was but it sounded kinda like rap but it wasn't.  

I will admit that I don't read music reviews at all.  The reason being is that saying one band sounds like another doesn't mean much.   Music is to complex to say they have this part of this band and that part of that band.  To know if you like it you need to hear it on CD, the web, or live in some form.   A good example of this is I liked Metallica and Guns N' Roses but (if memory serves me right) a friend of mine (Bill if you are reading this correct me if I'm wrong) didn't like Guns because of Axels voice.  I totaly get that.  The point I was trying to make is how do you find out about new music and saying I don't use magazines.  Well you have the radio stations, Music stations like music choice, then video stations that sometimes have more shows then videos like MTV (they have a bunch of stations and you can find music there) or even Fuze or some other station maybe.   But the question is how do those bands get to that level.  I have no idea other then by playing and touring and word of mouth. 

That word of mouth is nice and everything.   But I think where a lot of bands are now found out is through myspace (and other social networking sites also).  I don't know if that is enough to be honest.  Yes it is a good way to sell CDs and get your music out there.  But I don't know if the big record companies are looking for bands through myspace or not.   What is great about myspace though is that a band can request you as a friend you go and check them out and their songs play if you like them then you can friend them and if not just decline them.   Plus then you can find out when they are playing or even buy stuff of there website.  I'm not sure how well that really works.   I think that this is going to be the wave of the future, but I could be wrong.  I'm not sure how the buying of songs through myspace works but for bands who want they can do it or even just say they have the song on itunes, not sure how much of a cut either place gets they must get something I'm sure.  

The other thing I like about music on the internet and not only myspace is I think it will help break down the Genre labels.    The reason I say this is when you go into a store to buy music most places have it by type of music.   It makes it quick to identify and to find what you are looking for.   But see on the internet what type of music it is has no purpose.  It isn't like if a band is pop you will go oh this is a pop band I'm not even going to listen to it, then just deny the friends request.  That label isn't there so you will go check it out.  I have gotten requests from bands that where great and other that I didn't like so I declined the one I didn't like (don't know who it was might have been some form of hip hop).  This idea works as long as you only ad bands that you think you want to keep up with.  If you ad to many bands it can be hard to keep up with them and all their music, so I admit there is a drawback. But see that is more of a drawback in the way the person use the website.  

Well if anyone has made it to the bottom congrats.  I feel like I had more to say but don't know how to say it, so I'll end it here.