Heavy metal fans :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[CMIS]

Hello, this the first thread I'm starting. As you can see, I have been a member since 2004, its just that my account was not started for a long time, and I didn't do anything cause I thought that I had to be a premium member bla bla bla.

Well, on to the topic: I have lots of friends who are heavy metal fans. Most of them (really all of them) has a snobbish attitude towards rock bands and U2 in particular to U2 .
The obvious basis for their attitude is that metal bands are so much better musicians than rock bands, and in particular U2. What really riles me up is that a lot of them slag off edge, and consider larry a non-drummer. Edge is my favourite guitarist. My answer to most of them is 'hello, this is music, not sport'. I believe that a lot of it has to do with artistry, and not just how many beats or notes you can hit per second. Its about composition and conveying something to the audience, something I believe edge excels at.


And they (metal fans) sort of have an allergy towards bands who have been in the mainstream consciousness.

Don't get me wrong, I like Metallica and some songs from Megadeth, most of Iron Maiden. I mean, I do listen to metal bands (forgot to mention Black Sabbath), but it gets me riled up that a group of people can be so smug as to dismiss U2 and oher rock bands on grounds of 'musicianship' without giving them a chance. Well, I have rambled on because I wanted to discuss this with a band of U2 people for a long time.


Any thoughts, do you have metal friends???

 

[Chizip]

Well if they're Metallica fans you cant point out that Lars is a big U2 fan.

 

[catlhere]

It's strange. I know TONNNNNS of people who love the metal music and metal style and listen to it blaring in their headphones. Lot's of cool guitar and loud vocals etc, and yet I never know a SINGLE artist they mention (weird names ive never heard of before) never seen any CD's that are metal on the top 100 charts or whatever, never hear about a huge breakout metal band. It's like the most popular music i know that ISN'T in the media/mainstream. Kinda weird.

As for your friends. U2 is a great group and make incredible music (technically complex or not). While they may not be the best musicians ever, they are the best BAND ever, in my opinion. Alot of music "fans" are just elitists that think because they like X more than Y, that Y sucks.

For example: read the U2 hitting a new low thread

 

[BVS]

All music genre's have fans that get stuck in that genre and anything out of that box sucks.

We see it in here all the time.

 

[Axver]

I'm speaking here as someone whose primary love is progressive rock/metal. I'm talking about bands like Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Anathema, Agalloch, Orphaned Land, Symphony X, Opeth, Blackfield, and Liquid Tension Experiment. Not all of those are primarily prog bands, but Dream Theater are pretty much the definition of modern prog metal.

Well, on to the topic: I have lots of friends who are heavy metal fans. Most of them (really all of them) has a snobbish attitude towards rock bands and U2 in particular to U2 .

I actually expected such an attitude, but I've been surprised to see mainly complimentary comments from prog fans about U2, some have even gone to U2 concerts and thoroughly enjoyed them. So while maybe some groups of metal fans are snobby towards U2, I haven't noticed that yet in the prog metal community. That said, I haven't been involved in it for very long.

and consider larry a non-drummer.

Yeah, I'm one of the people who thinks that. I keep it to myself on this forum for obvious reasons. Though I suppsoe I'm not in this post. Ah well.

I agree that Edge is an excellent guitarist, though. He has very good control, he uses effects to his advantage, and he can craft beautiful sonic landscapes. I particularly admire his work on UF/JT.

And they (metal fans) sort of have an allergy towards bands who have been in the mainstream consciousness.

From my experience, it may seem that way, but it's generally because they've been given a fair chance and were found to suck. I personally like a couple of mainstream bands, namely U2 and Crowded House. Melodic rock really appeals to me. But most of today's mainstream music seems soulless, uninspired, bland, and talentless to me. I don't enjoy it at all.

To summarise: eighties U2 and progressive metal are both awesome.

 

[CMIS]

To Axver, I agree with u on a lot of points. I haven't seen a lot of metal fans who like U2. I actually know one. Also I am glad that my thread brought out your opinion of Larry as a non drummer. Could you elaborate? I know he doesn't really change it up during a song, but I do think in the context of the song he fits in quite well. Also, I think he can be amazing on the Hi hats.

I am with you on modern mainstream, soulless. But I do think its sad to close your (not your, just generally) mind just because its mainstream. I don't see U2 as part of mainstream now, late 80s early 90s maybe, but now they are just at the top of the charts for a week or two. and you're lucky with your metal friends.

catlhere I was just in the new low thread..... yeesh

^^ part of what got me starting this one.

Chizip, I recently found out Lars is a big U2 fan and went to one of their shows, they got to knew about that, I assure you.

 

[Axver]

Also I am glad that my thread brought out your opinion of Larry as a non drummer. Could you elaborate? I know he doesn't really change it up during a song, but I do think in the context of the song he fits in quite well. Also, I think he can be amazing on the Hi hats.

Well, I'd honestly rather not elaborate, as I don't wish to cause any kind of argument. I probably should've kept it to myself even in the previous post. Just put it this way: my favourite drummer is Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy, so if you know him, you can see why I wouldn't necessarily look so favourably upon Larry.

(Incidentally, U2 is one of Mike Portnoy's favourite bands, Achtung Baby one of his twenty favourite albums of all time ... and ATYCLB one of his ten favourite albums of 2000, to which I say "WTF, Mike?" I can provide sources too.)

I am with you on modern mainstream, soulless. But I do think its sad to close your (not your, just generally) mind just because its mainstream.

To flip that on its head, I think it's sad when peopleclose their minds to something just because it's prog or metal. I wish I'd opened my mind sooner to death and doom metal. I'm still not the biggest fan of death growls, but they work extremely well in the context of Opeth, early Anathema (before they left metal altogether), Cynic's work.

I don't see U2 as part of mainstream now, late 80s early 90s maybe, but now they are just at the top of the charts for a week or two.

I'd disagree there. Who else was making albums like The Joshua Tree in the late eighties? I think U2's more mainstream today - I mean, they're one of the biggest bands on the planet! They may not make pop music, but they aren't 'alternative' either.

 

[CMIS]

just to reiterate, I am no mainstream fan, and yes I love dreamtheatre, hollow years is one of my favorite songs ever, not that its a tycal dreamtheatre one.

Its so cool to hear someone like Mark Portnoy likes U2. cheers, also PM me some of your larry misgivings, cause I would like to hear it from a U2 fan.

Also, what I meant in reference to the late 80s and early 90s, was that U2 sort of exploded in the mainstream consciousness then, not that their music was typical of mainstream.

I get your point about peope closing their minds to prog rock or metal. I personally try to listen to any good stuff that has drums, guitar and bass in it. not that other forms are worthless, just a personal preference. I think how you react to songs is much more important than going into the nitty gritties of genre

 

[BVS]

Just real quick on Larry as a drummer. Like the other musicians in U2, he's not the most technical of drummers.

But what he does have is great intuition.

Take Bad for instance most drummers would have approached that song as a ballad type song and just drummed a simple beat, but Larry truly put a backbone to that song. Same as WOWY you to an extent.

Plus he's made some of the most distinguishable marching beats such as BTBS and SBS.

Plus you can't deny MOFO

 

[CMIS]

I really really loved his drumwork on WOWY rattle and HUM, it was inspired.

 

[Zoots]

I remember my Metallica phase when I was trying to either purchase or burn all of their albums! I was also listening to Pantera's Vulgar Display at the time, lots of Iron Maiden and Judas Preist's Screaming for Vengeance!

But nevertheless, that never made my love for U2 any less.

 

[AtomicBono]

I think one of Larry's virtues is he creates catchy drumbeats. Rarely do I get a drum pattern stuck in my head unless I'm listening to hip hop/rap.. but with U2 it happens all the time. Miami, Bullet, SBS, and Numb are ones I often find myself banging out on the table with my fist and a pencil in the middle of class.

Metalheads... yeah, I don't know what to do about them I like some prog-metal and some generally heavier music, but I've never been into straight heavy metal or death metal or anything like that. But members of metal bands are often U2 fans...U2 fans pop up in almost every genre of music I think... their influence is widespread.

 

[Lila64]

From experience, most metalheads (and I know a lot of metalheads) do not like U2, and/or if they do, they might not admit it. Some, like said before, only listen to bands within their fave genre, but there are some with open minds. I knew someone who bought all types of metal, and we got to talking about U2, and he could go on and on about them. He caught a show in the midwest in 2005 as well.

 

[Numbology]

Well,it sure is obvious you can't compare Larry Mullen to Mike Portnoy.
Or Adam Clayton to John Entwistle.
Or The Edge to Jimi Hendrix.

But saying that Larry is a non-drummer is

 

[Nube Gris]

you cant compare them?
what the fuck are you talking about?
cant compare the edge to hendrix?
What?
The Edge is even better

 

[Canadiens1131]

you cant compare them?
what the fuck are you talking about?
cant compare the edge to hendrix?
What?
The Edge is even better

No he's not, he's different.

U2 is a group of four musicians that aren't necessarily wonderfully talended when alone, but when they get together in a room good things usually happen.

They're more than the sum of their parts, and when you look at one member alone they don't hold up to the talent of a lot of other band members out there.

That's their strength, to some degree, though. They draw on each other to make a sound bigger than the four of them.

 

[Nube Gris]

one thing is to be talented, another to be better
There can be thousand of musicians more talented than each member of U2, but they are not as 'good' as them, individually speaking. To be good you have to work on your talent, no matter how much you've got of it, the thing is how far you can take it.
Thats how good you can be. And certainly each band member of U2 is better than a lot of the musicians in mention, even the more talented ones
So as it is, Edge is better than Hendrix

 

[Numbology]

Sure he is, of course i prefer him over Jimi any time.I was just trying to explain some things to some people who are obviously ignorant.

 

[Illumination70]

CMIS, I might be able to relate because one of my favorite bands is KISS.
The problem is I know alot of KISS fans who who think it's cool to hate U2 even though Paul Stanley is a HUGE U2 fan.

 

[AtomicBono]

No he's not, he's different.

U2 is a group of four musicians that aren't necessarily wonderfully talended when alone, but when they get together in a room good things usually happen.

They're more than the sum of their parts, and when you look at one member alone they don't hold up to the talent of a lot of other band members out there.

That's their strength, to some degree, though. They draw on each other to make a sound bigger than the four of them.

exactly. I do think The Edge standing alone is still easily one of the best guitarists out there today, but I wouldn't say he's better than Hendrix. Hendrix was the best there ever was as far as I'm concerned, even though I like Edge more. Just like I love U2 more than The Beatles, but I can still admit that The Beatles are the better band.

 

[Zoots]

Just like I love U2 more than The Beatles, but I can still admit that The Beatles are the better band.

That's pretty much how I feel!

 

[CMIS]

yeah hendrix rules, but edge can be compared to him because he has carved out a niche for himself, and he is god of that niche.

 

[GibsonGirl]

one thing is to be talented, another to be better
There can be thousand of musicians more talented than each member of U2, but they are not as 'good' as them, individually speaking. To be good you have to work on your talent, no matter how much you've got of it, the thing is how far you can take it.
Thats how good you can be. And certainly each band member of U2 is better than a lot of the musicians in mention, even the more talented ones
So as it is, Edge is better than Hendrix

FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!

 

[GibsonGirl]

By the way, Nube Gris, I heard a rumour that this is going to be the new banner for Interference.

 

[ntalwar]

Regarding the Larry Mullen drummer thing, some music fans may see the small kit size as in issue. Also, the fact that he does not do solos like many other drummers. For comparison we have:

U2 drums:




Rush Drums:

 

[Lila64]

does Neal Peart compare to anyone? Probably not.

 

[ntalwar]

Dream Theater's drum kit:



My points are:
- Some music fans look at kit size, which is not always a good measure.
- Larry Mullen does not do drum solos.
- Even Larry Mullen is modest about his drumming abilities - e.g. the 60 minutes interview.

 

[xaviMF22]

By the way, Nube Gris, I heard a rumour that this is going to be the new banner for Interference.

 

[zepher25]

what bugs me about the whole metal fanbase is firstly often they claim their music is rock-it is not rock music goddam it!, its crap is what it is!, but thats just my opinion, secondly they say the whole point of metal is to not conform, but by all metalheads acting like metal bands and other fans, they are infact conforming-they even dress like metal bands, i mean i dont grow a greasy mullet and pretend to be larry, i dont wear sun glasses in winter and pretend to be bono, its just stupid. i know this one guy and i was talking to him about a poll which had the Edge leading as the best guitarist in the world and he said and i quote "aww the edge, he hasent got one good guitar piece to his name, nor one solo" and i was like "what" have you been living under a rock why dont you listen to a U2 song then tell me. unfortueatly a fair portion of the metalhead community seem to have the same thoughts and dismiss anything non metal without giving it a listen to.
however my story does have a good portion, i have another friend-poisioned by the slipknot bug-who a gave a listen to of Numb, the next day he asked me "whats that U2 song that goes, but i still havent found what im looking for?", i resisted the urge to loudly abuse him for not knowing one of the greatest songs of the past 30 years, now he has i will follow and beautiful day and enjoys most of U2's other works.

so there you go as you can see i have some extremely strong feelings about metal music and i thank you people for giving me a forum for my views

 

[KUEFC09U2]

By the way, Nube Gris, I heard a rumour that this is going to be the new banner for Interference.

why is it that people always have to be called sheep just because they prefer U2 over someone else? rightly or wrongly they have ever right to prefer the edge over hendrix, and should not be called "sheep" just for having there own opinion