Mannoroth
Lately I've been wondering why the local metal scene has become so stale. There really doesn't seem to be much happening. In the Pretoria / Johannesburg area at least, we hardly ever see regular festivals or gigs anymore.
Is the love for heavy music dying or already dead in this country? Why is it that metal is so widely accepted and embraced in other countries? Go to Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Germany, Greece, Switzerland, India, Israel, Belgium and many other countries, and note the myriad of good metal groups being formed. I recently saw a live DVD performance by upcoming French Group “Gojira”, whom I suspect many people have never even heard of. They attract substantial crowds, in excess of 2000 people I would guess.. Guys (and girls) are crowd surfing, stage diving, moshing like never before.. yet, sadly, we never see something like that here.
The few gigs that we do see are usually in some desolate dumb in the middle of the freezing winter. I don’t believe that there aren’t any metal heads out there, I do however think that 90% are not going to the gigs and supporting local acts. When the odd festival or gig takes place, bands mostly have to rent their own crowds. Why is this?
Some people are of the opinion that local metal bands in general aren’t “tight” enough… (Who saw Ensiferum when they were here few months ago? Mind-blowing performance using same stage and average sound setup as supporting local acts – no disregard or detrimental intent towards any of the supporting acts, I just feel it’s time we need to be open and frank about this, we need to raise the bar).
Another popular opinion is that we don’t have many good venues with decent sound and engineers who know what they do. From my experience at least I believe this to be very true.
I would like to appeal to the metal community, but don’t quite know how to reach them. They seem to be scattered all over the place and the gigs don’t seem attractive enough for them to attend. How can we as metal heads take action and unite, grow our “industry”, invite awesome bands from other countries, build great venues with great sound? Are local bands perhaps not too “buddy buddy” and too scared to give constructive criticism and input where needed, constantly telling each other how awesome they are? You go to Myspace and read fairy tales about bands and things like how they create “masterful synergy of dark atmosphere, chaos and beauty, combined with technical proficiency and musicianship”… Go to the gig, and often expectations fall flat.
Am I the only one who wants to see guys like Behemoth, Immortal, Slayer, Meshuggah, Matodon, Melechesh, Hypocrisy, Dark Tranquillity live in SA?
Recent major festivals such as Motherfudd had such poor attendance I doubt whether we will ever see another one. Cool Runnings Fourways have done quite a lot to organise metal gigs in the past, now word is that they want to close the place down. Go to Zeppelins / Rockshack and you’ll find yourself ankle deep in urine, the one in Pta East does not even have a stage anymore! What is the point? We are forced to stay at home, buy our own beers, listen to our own tunes.
Metal has always been an acquired taste, and the fact that the genre is so fragmented further divides the following. However, the fact that Rammstein sold over 18 000 tickets in Jo’burg is an indication that there is certainly an appetite for heavy music out there. I feel that we need to appeal to both metal fans and the muso’s alike in order to give metal the kick in the but it needs.
On the part of metal heads, to go out and support local acts, to buy their albums and to interact and give inputs. On the part of muso’s to take things more seriously and make it worth peoples' efforts to come to the shows, to master their craft, to become tight, to push the envelope, to compete with international acts…
Finally, we need someone to give us decent venues, decent sound, a place to go out and meet other metal heads and musicians, to have a few beers and listen to some good tunes. Sure, we like to get rough and dirty, to consume lots of alcohol. We have long hair and bleached-out iron Maiden shirts, we do piercings and spikes and tattoos and leather and spandex, and are vocal about politics, racism, religion and just about any other controversial topic.. but we love our metal and deserve clean and attractive venues, enthusiastic fans, and great local performances.
Any suggestions on how to get started? ?
FruitarGeek
This may/may not please you metal fans, but In Flames is comming to South Africa.
Ramfest 2012
IceCreamMan
Good post
When i was growing up there was only one venue that catered for metalheads, that being the Golden Banana (ja crap name) at the nugget hill hotel on top of well erm ja nugget hill.
There has never been a huge amount of metalheads in ZA and even then they are fragmented by the different types of metal these days. Its not mainstream and it never will be. Bands will come here if promoters book them , promoters will book them only if
there is the opportunity to make a profit. Profit can only be made if you get enough bums in seats .....and sadly that is the crux of the matter. There are just not enough numbers ....
Agree with Zepplins and the urine thing btw ,,, what kind of establishment treats its patrons like scum by having that ..
Ensiferum were good , interesting that one of the local bands on the night decide to moer each other sommer hey ...its a matter of professionalism i reckon.
Rammstein may have sold 18 000 tickets but its not repeatable with other bands i reckon. Rammstein are well known , been around forever, have a coolness factor. I would hazard a guess an say more than 50% of the audience are not followers of the genre though.
i have no solutions , only way is to increase the fan base to put bums in seats...maybe radio can increase awareness .
Jack-Flash-Jr
Maybe metal has gone underground in SA again... don't worry, it'll never die. There are some tight metal bands whose guitarists frequent this very forum... caught Julian Looney At The Gates and Skywalker the other night. Small venue in CT but great playing, great crowd, great vibe.
Mundane
Now that you mention it, I haven't been to a metal gig in a good few months now. Even the last few times I was at a place where metal was played live, more often than not, I didn't even know beforehand that bands were going to play that night.
I might just be an idiot for not knowing where to look, but I rarely find out about metal gigs taking place. Is there some place online I can go and see a proper local gig guide? If I was in a new metal band, starting out, what would be the best way to advertise gigs and letting people know? I live in Pretoria East and my impression is that there are very few metal venues nearby and the scene is small, but I'm sure there are at least a few bands trying to get going locally and I would go and support the local bands more if I could find them.
raithza
is metal4africa still going strong? they used to have a semi-big festival here in stellies every so often that was pretty cool.
My music tastes changed a bit so I don't really go to metal gigs anymore... but the 'scene' started putting me off towards the end. it seemed like each band was only ever trying to be more br00tal d00d than the next until everyone was just playing the same bland mess of BLACKENED DEATH METAL and trying to out-monotone blast beast each other. and if you like or play anything other than TOTALLY BR00TAL BLACKENED DEATH METAL then you're just not cool.
But I guess a lot of the scene kids moved on to indie rock as the whole emo thing blew over in favour of hipsters as well.
Mannoroth
RuanR wrote
is metal4africa still going strong? they used to have a semi-big festival here in stellies every so often that was pretty cool.
My music tastes changed a bit so I don't really go to metal gigs anymore... but the 'scene' started putting me off towards the end. it seemed like each band was only ever trying to be more br00tal d00d than the next until everyone was just playing the same bland mess of BLACKENED DEATH METAL and trying to out-monotone blast beast each other. and if you like or play anything other than TOTALLY BR00TAL BLACKENED DEATH METAL then you're just not cool.
But I guess a lot of the scene kids moved on to indie rock as the whole emo thing blew over in favour of hipsters as well.
Haha!! Good Comments...
This is exactly what I'm talking about, the metal should be good enough to attract individuals such as RuanR to the gig. Changes are that there are many other people out there who would share this sentiment... and who dont go to the gig for these very reasons. I would like to believe that the average metal head is someone who wont just listen to any noise, but who can appreciate good musicianship and creativity - there seems to be this unwritten assumption that if you're playing metal you get excluded from all the "rules", that its okay to be sloppy as long as it is Brootal - bands maybe putting themselves "out there" to gain experience after 2 months of rehearsing instead of working hard and patiently building something good. (For those who like to read check out "Mastery" by George Leonard, the principles outlines therein are very useful to musicians and certainly changed my perspective). Don't get me wrong, I love "brootal" music, blast beats, tremolo picking, growls - but there's a fine line... Right there is where I think you'll find your "untapped market" or the "empty seats" IceCreamMan referred to.
As for Metal for Africa, I'm not sure how active they are - seem to be more focused on Cape Town scene (Funny thing is, if you look at the reviews of local bands / performances at
http://www.metal4africa.com/, you might notice what I was referring to earlier, how they "sugar coat" the scene whilst the reality is that it might be in need of a proper medical check-up.
flatfourfan
The metal heads are around, but like you said, the lack of venues and people not willing to have their establishment packed with sweaty metal heads leave many just chilling at home. Myself and a few other forum users decided to make our own music..........
I used to support the scene in a big way back in High School. Stryder were the Pretoria locals and we'd watch them every weekend and then also go through to jhb to support them when they played there. Also supported Debauchery and Urban Assualt when they came through.
Then the scene changed all of a sudden, screaming death metal was the order of the day and the stage shows were pretty depressing. Lady Annabels, Cherrys Too, Rumours were good metal joints for 1 day of the week........and they would be packed.
I'd so support local music a few times a month if I kenw what was happening where........
Seventhson
I am trying to get a good thrash metal band going. I know I will blow people away ?
Yeah I am not to fond of the metal bands in this country they all sound the same. The one that does stand out is hammerons band.
Its hard to find metal band members in jhb.
raithza
Mannoroth wrote
there seems to be this unwritten assumption that if you're playing metal you get excluded from all the "rules", that its okay to be sloppy as long as it is Brootal - bands maybe putting themselves "out there" to gain experience after 2 months of rehearsing instead of working hard and patiently building something good.
I think you may be right. Blast beats, heavy growls and the like are a means to an end, not an end in itself. What attracted me to metal in the first place was the dynamics and flow of really good metal, good melodic guitar playing and flow/composition and of course the energy behind it. I think All Shall Perish is a great example of a band that is as heavy as just about anything out there, but they still make good MUSIC rather than just being as brutal as they can. If I go to a metal gig I still want to be able to follow the song and you need to be able to anticipate changes in mood/pace etc of the music, all of which is lost if the performance isn't tight or if it just steams along at 200bpm blastbeats. And yeah I am a 'metalcore' fan but you don't need cheesy interchangeable breakdowns or clean vocals to impart a sense of dynamics and flow into your music ( and i rarely listen to bands with either of those anyway).
playing metal is harder than playing in your average rock band and you need to play super-tight if someone who isn't accustomed to your music is to follow it at all, with so much going on. AND then there's the problem that the venues try and help the band to be as br00tal as they can be by turning the volume up past the sound system's capabilities until the mix degenerates into a shrill cacophony of what may as well be white noise.
Bob-Dubery
Daniel "Seventhson" Stuart wrote
I am trying to get a good thrash metal band going. I know I will blow people away ?
Yeah I am not to fond of the metal bands in this country they all sound the same. The one that does stand out is hammerons band.
Well Tamla Khan are an interesting example because they have played at a metal festival in Jo'burg.
So we can deduce that
1) There are metal bands gigging in SA
2) There are enough fans of metal to make it worth somebody's while to arrange a festival.
Maybe the situation isn't as bleak as y'all think it is.
BMU
My perception is metal is increasingly fringe the world over. I've seen lots of complaints about 'the local metal scene' on places like ss.org, where they're talking about smaller cities/towns in the USA etc. Also lots of discussion about how it's nearly impossible to make a living as a metal band any longer. There are LOTS of new bands, good ones too, but almost none of them can make a living at it.
So for NO money (at best), a huge investment of time, energy and indeed cash to buy equipment, I don't really see how it is viable for metal bands here in this tiny economy on the ass end of the earth, far away from everywhere. (I would love to be wrong so argue me down, by all means!)
doc-phil
Look I'm gonna say what I think a lot of people are thinking but just aren't gonna say. Metal generally attracts a certain demographic - i.e. a small proportion of white males.
Once you've sifted through all the jocks, the scene kids, the hipsters and the techno dubsteppers you're left with a very small number of people who can claim to be metalheads and support the local metal scene (and not just because its the flavour of the month).
That's not to say that there aren't other race groups and girls into metal - but those that are are in even smaller numbers than the white males. I haven't been to a metal gig in over a year, and 95% of the music I listen to is metal.
Most of my friends can't stand the stuff.. One of my friends at varsity (and an extremely beautiful one at that) told me the other day that I am single because I listen to metal ? I told her to GTFO - I ain't giving up my metal! So yes, metal is very fringe stuff, and that's the way most metalheads like it.
Oh.. and Gojira isn't really an 'up and coming' band.. they've been around since the mid 90s as far as I'm aware ?
Bob-Dubery
BMU wrote
My perception is metal is increasingly fringe the world over. I've seen lots of complaints about 'the local metal scene' on places like ss.org, where they're talking about smaller cities/towns in the USA etc. Also lots of discussion about how it's nearly impossible to make a living as a metal band any longer. There are LOTS of new bands, good ones too, but almost none of them can make a living at it.
I don't believe that's a metal thing. In any genre, on any circuit, there are many artists trying to make a breakthrough to the big time, or at least a bigger time, and thus be able to make a living from playing - and even then it's a precarious situation.
There are plenty of fine musicians who can't survive just by playing music. Some of them will try for a while for the breakthrough. Some of them will play for enjoyment (which doesn't mean that they don't take it seriously and won't accept a paying gig when they can) but will hold down a job as well.
This can be the case for acts that you'd think that are well established. Chambawamba had a big international hit with "Tubthumper" but cannot survive from gigging and from record sales.
Clint-Green
X-rated Bob wrote
BMU wrote
My perception is metal is increasingly fringe the world over. I've seen lots of complaints about 'the local metal scene' on places like ss.org, where they're talking about smaller cities/towns in the USA etc. Also lots of discussion about how it's nearly impossible to make a living as a metal band any longer. There are LOTS of new bands, good ones too, but almost none of them can make a living at it.
I don't believe that's a metal thing. In any genre, on any circuit, there are many artists trying to make a breakthrough to the big time, or at least a bigger time, and thus be able to make a living from playing - and even then it's a precarious situation.
There are plenty of fine musicians who can't survive just by playing music. Some of them will try for a while for the breakthrough. Some of them will play for enjoyment (which doesn't mean that they don't take it seriously and won't accept a paying gig when they can) but will hold down a job as well.
This can be the case for acts that you'd think that are well established. Chambawamba had a big international hit with "Tubthumper" but cannot survive from gigging and from record sales.
I personally know a few guys from fairly big SA bands (not just metal bands, the commercial stuff as well) and they aaaaall have day jobs. It's always been tough to make a breakthrough but thanks to the internet (mp3 downloads & piracy), two major aspects have made things a lot more difficult for pro musicians:
1) Although some may think that it's easier to get people to hear your stuff, this is not true. There is simply too much out there, and as New Model Army said, "This golden age of communication, means everyone talks at the same time".
2) Album sales are at a all-time low. Bands and artists make basically nothing from selling abums, and as a reault havve to live on the road most of the year as opposed to a few months on, in order to make a living. It seems only solo artists stand a chance of making big bucks because they don't have to split the profits 4, 5 or 6 ways.
Sad But True.
Mannoroth
doc-phil wrote
Look I'm gonna say what I think a lot of people are thinking but just aren't gonna say. Metal generally attracts a certain demographic - i.e. a small proportion of white males.
Once you've sifted through all the jocks, the scene kids, the hipsters and the techno dubsteppers you're left with a very small number of people who can claim to be metalheads and support the local metal scene (and not just because its the flavour of the month).
That's not to say that there aren't other race groups and girls into metal - but those that are are in even smaller numbers than the white males. I haven't been to a metal gig in over a year, and 95% of the music I listen to is metal.
Most of my friends can't stand the stuff.. One of my friends at varsity (and an extremely beautiful one at that) told me the other day that I am single because I listen to metal ? I told her to GTFO - I ain't giving up my metal! So yes, metal is very fringe stuff, and that's the way most metalheads like it.
Oh.. and Gojira isn't really an 'up and coming' band.. they've been around since the mid 90s as far as I'm aware ?
My bad, I was only recently introduced to Gojira and don't actually know that much about the band - my point is just that they are maybe not as commercially popular as someone like Rammstein, yet they attract impressive crowds! ?
In terms of the demographic thing you make a good point, its certainly true for SA, but having said that the metal scene in places like Botswana would surprise many folks...
Good call not giving up the metal, I am dating an extremely beautiful girl - and she is into metal!
Hammeron
Good discusion... just to correct the spelling of my name it's "Kahn "which is Germanic for 'Little wooden boat" not "Khan" which is Asian for leader or king.
So Tamla Kahn......and alot of metal heads are in mourning right now, remember? Metallica :'(
BMU
Not only metal agree. But the more niche the genre the harder the battle. Also metal has a very high musician:listener ratio. Everyone is making music and not enough are listening to support all those acts. Which is fine, Its a golden age for listeners.
Averatu
Where are all the metal heads?
-Most, of my friends and acquaintences have moved the first world, I'd say 8out of 10, both fans and muso's. I'm the only member of my previous band still living here, and I had been considering leaving myself. The demographic group that felt SA has little to offer, both culturally and employment wise.
-Gauteng night life is notoriously bad, not just for rock/metal. Having giged all over the countryin the 90's I can agree. Palaborwa kicks ass, Durban and PM rocks, CT and even PE. The Joburgers and Pretorianers start yawning early, wanna be in bed by midnight.
-Dito on the muso/fan ratio, especially Durban, where they stand in groups pointing,'I can do that'.
-Maybe if the bands had more to offer. If you check the forums, metal fans are tired of hearing another band rehash Cannibal Corpse, Slayer, Metalica, Dimmu and recently Opeth.
flatfourfan
