# Ye Olde Metalheads Thread (post up if your 30 yrs +)



## M3CHK1LLA (Sep 16, 2013)

thought it would be cool to have a thread for the "old guys" on sso.

we could do like those ppl who are in their 60's - 70's and talk about how much better things were "back-in-the-day,"  feel free to cuss & discuss anything music, guitars, fashion, etc

edit: changed from 35 to 30yrs lol.

i'll start it off...

the band & album that got me into metal. its also the first one i bought









the first guitar i had gas for...ibanez destroyer dt-555bk








my first guitar...cort effector (yes, i still own it 27 yrs later)


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## Chiba666 (Sep 16, 2013)

Can't remember my first metal alabum but chances are it was Maiden of some sort, probably Live after Death. Been a Metal Head now for 22 years and don't plan on changing anytime soon.

It's really cool over in Germany where I am at the moment as at Gigs you will see people of all ages and musical leanings. Some of these guys sport some oild old school patches on what i think were once Denim jackets but i think the denim has ong e and its all held together by ptaches and beer.

Just hope Cypress has some sort of metal scene.

Gassed over Hetfields white Explorer for an age.

First Guitar would ahve been a Jackson PS2 but that got sold on by my parents when I joined the Navy.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Sep 16, 2013)

Chiba666 said:


> ...Gassed over Hetfields white Explorer for an age...



ohyeeeaahhh... love that guitar too. those things are crazy expensive when you can find them.

dang, i miss those denim jackets w/patches. also parachute pants


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## heregoesnothing (Sep 16, 2013)

My first metal love


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## Chiba666 (Sep 16, 2013)

Never went as far as a denim jacket but Ive got a black Immortal work jacket with a big ass Watain back patch on which i tend to wear most of the time.

Must admitt I do get a few funny looks now and again turning up to meetigns with somefairly high up members of the military.

I must admitt I do miss those early earys of finding new bands which then opened up a whole Genre.

I remember the first time I heard bolt Throwers Realm of Chaos what a day that was. I remember seeing the ad in White Dwarf when I was abit younger and wondered what it was but in those days music wasnt really my thing.

Now Bolt Thrower are one of my biggest inspirations and a band that should be bigger.


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## mr_rainmaker (Sep 16, 2013)

I survived the 80`s music culture,got the scars on my **** to prove it
(in my best Al Bundy voice)
I once scored 8 chicks in a single gig backinttheday. 
top that kiddie`s


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## Zer01 (Sep 16, 2013)

I'll be 40 in less than a month and I got into metal with And Justice For All when I was 14. I never knew guitars could sound like that and it blew me away. Still my favorite album. I bought an old Epiphone guitar from a guy at work when I was 17 or so. I still have it somewhere but it doesn't play anymore.

I also miss finding new stuff. You get to a point where you feel like you've heard it all before and that's a shame. As a teenager everything was new and exciting. The last new band I heard that made me sit up and listen was Scar Symmetry and that was 6 or 7 years ago! I still enjoy listening to all the old 80s thrash though.


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## elrrek (Sep 16, 2013)

Chiba666 said:


> I remember the first time I heard bolt Throwers Realm of Chaos what a day that was. I remember seeing the ad in White Dwarf when I was abit younger and wondered what it was but in those days music wasnt really my thing.
> 
> Now Bolt Thrower are one of my biggest inspirations and a band that should be bigger.



I remember when Bolt Thrower had a one page article in White Dwarf when "In Battle There Is No Law" got released. I went out the next weekend and got the "Hardcore Holocaust - The Peel Sessions" records which included Bolt Thrower, Napalm Death, The Electro Hippies and more. From that point, at age 14, I went from having The Cult, ZZ Top and other hard rock on cassette, missed out all the mid to late 80s metal and went straight to buying up everything I could afford form Earache records.


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## Universe74 (Sep 16, 2013)

My neighbors kids when out working on their truck listening to shitty country look at me funny when I'm working on my MTB's and blasting Scar Symmetry, Soilwork and the like.


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## canuck brian (Sep 16, 2013)

Turned 36 this year...

This is what really really got me into the more brutal stuff.


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## Krullnar (Sep 16, 2013)

Zer01 said:


> *I'll be 40 in less than a month and I got into metal with And Justice For All when I was 14.* I never knew guitars could sound like that and it blew me away. Still my favorite album. I bought an old Epiphone guitar from a guy at work when I was 17 or so. I still have it somewhere but it doesn't play anymore.
> 
> I also miss finding new stuff. You get to a point where you feel like you've heard it all before and that's a shame. As a teenager everything was new and exciting. The last new band I heard that made me sit up and listen was Scar Symmetry and that was 6 or 7 years ago! I still enjoy listening to all the old 80s thrash though.



I was in 6th grade when I first heard it. I actually can't think of an experience like that in my formative years. Justice was HUGE.

What's disappointing is having to explain to younger metalheads how significant Justice was. It actually has to be explained and even defended! It's disgusting.


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## craigny (Sep 16, 2013)

Started back in junior high while still trying to find my identity. I'm 39 now. I realized that hey I'm a metal head. Hanging out with a couple of new friends at the time who were already metal heads. They turned me on to maiden first and formost. Then I pop in a cassette that a friend gave me. Yes boys and girls cassettes are TAPES!! Of ride the lightening, game over. +1 for justice too man that album solidified my love for thrash


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## Decreate (Sep 16, 2013)

Just turned 43 in August. The first hard rock song that I ever listened to was AC/DC's For Those About To Rock. After that I got my friend to tape every AC/DC album he had for me and this was in 1981. Later on I got to listen to some Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Saxon and Ozzy. I think it was 1983 when I heard Metallica's Motorbreath on a compilation and immediately fell in love with it. On that same compilation I got to hear Venom and Raven as well. From that time onwards I kept looking for heavier and faster music.


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## lemeker (Sep 16, 2013)

Ok this thread is goin to make me feel old, but here it goes.....

I'm 36, an my journey into metal started with a buddy of mine who had Metallica tapes (remember those???). It started with Kill em All which I also heard at the local skate park a lot too. But it wouldn't be for a few years later (the summer of 89) when I was graced with a copy of And Justice for All.....in those few months, I bout 3 copy's of that album. 1 was for my sister who's copy I wore out, the other 2 were for me. The second to replace my first one that I wore out. I bought Puppets at the end off that summer with $9 in pennies. A year after that I gotta first guitar, an ibanez rs 440, which I still have, and then was introduced to King Diamond, Slayer, and Obituary. The rest they say is history......


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## Michael T (Sep 16, 2013)

Im 34 but an ol school metalhead. 

My intro into metal was Mötley Crüe Shout at the Devil, my big sister would come home from college on the weekends and i'd raid her cassette tape case. I stumbled upon it, it had the word devil in the title and some pentagrams so I figured it had to be badass. From that point on it was metal 4 life. I bet I was the only 4th grader out on the playground rockin Shout at the Devil back in 1989.

From there it progressed to GnR, Black Sabbath, Metallica (Cliff Burton is who inspired me to pick up an instrument) then the all mighty Megadeth ( Dave is who caused me to switch from playing bass over to guitar)

Once in high school I discovered Black Metal (Emperor, Vader, Death ect) the rest is history.


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## setsuna7 (Sep 16, 2013)

I'm 32 does it count? 80's is the shit!! Grew up in the best era possible!! Not just musically, but everything else during that period. My late father had an awesome 70's metal(Sabbath & Purple) vinyl collections, my elder sister's MJ's records, Ataris etc etc..


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## VBCheeseGrater (Sep 16, 2013)

I'm 36, and my license plate reads MTL HRNS . First true Metal album i got was probably Justice. But my brother had me enjoying King Diamond before then maybe. The Black Album opened the doors for me to heavier music. After that, i realized metal was not just a bunch of ruffians beating up old ladies and such.


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## watson503 (Sep 16, 2013)

I'm 40, I had really cool parents who let me listen to whatever I wanted, Diary and Speak of the Devil had just come out and I bought them and that was it. A bit later, Motley Crue came out with Shout At The Devil and were opening for Ozzy on that tour and I talked my step-dad into taking me - that was my first concert and a great show. The next concerts I saw after that were Maiden and WASP on the Powerslave tour and Maiden again on the Somewhere In Time tour. I had gotten my first guitar around this time, an Ibanez Roadstar II:






1986...what a great year that was - Master of Puppets, Peace Sells, Reign In Blood, and a lot of classic albums came out that year, I was in 7th grade and can still remember hearing those albums for the first time - I will never forget my friend Geoff in between classes pulling Peace Sells out of his walkman and telling me "You need to hear this!" - after that it was all speed and thrash. During high school I was lucky enough to see Slayer on the SoH tour with Motorhead and Overkill at Club NRG... that show was f'ing awesome. 

The Monsters of Rock in 88 rolled through and I saw Metallica for the first time, caught them again on their first tour headlining arenas for ...And Justice - the crowd on the floor tore all of the folding chairs up and threw them into several piles with one huge pile in the middle, people were dancing and moshing on top of them and it was insane. I saw Testament on the Practice What You Preach tour and Skolnick ripped... After that, the nineties hit and I turned my back on metal for a while, especially after the Black album came out, things had just changed and for me, it just wasn't the same and I spent the next few years avoiding everything grunge and just listening to older, classic rock for the most part. It is crazy how time has flown, feels just like yesterday when I think about it.


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## DLG (Sep 16, 2013)

32 here. 

Albums that got me into rock/metal were GNR - Appetite for Destruction/Alice Cooper - Trash/ACDC - Live! From there is was the usual, metallica, black sabbath, megadeth, etc. I was already a devote metalhead by 6th grade. 

My first gas was the jackson bass with the shark fins that dave played in the symphony of destruction video. 

My first bass was a precision style black and white "Regal."


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## thebunfather (Sep 16, 2013)

Glad to see other dinosaurs running around this site. 34, here. I got into metal when I was twelve, about the time I started playing. Metallica, Megadeth and AC/DC (it was easy to learn) were 3 of my favorites. Eventually, I discovered my dad's vinyl colletction (Sabbath, Zeppelin, etc...) My first "rig" was a black and white Harmony and a Pignose amp.


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## celticelk (Sep 16, 2013)

When I was a child, my mother (in a mad fit of keeping up with popular culture) ordered a bunch of the current top sellers from the Columbia Record and Tape Club. Two of those selections altered the course of my musical development: Def Leppard's _Pyromania_ and Prince's soundtrack to _Purple Rain_. The metal tendencies were more firmly set in my mid-teens, when Metallica was one of the go-to on-the-bus bands for my high school swim team (_Puppets_, _Justice_, and eventually the Black Album, which came out right before my senior year). I bought my first electric the summer I was 17, and the rest is history. (History of the obscure, interesting-only-to-a-couple-of-niche-academics variety, but history nonetheless.)

Oh yeah, age and all that. I'll be 40 next year.


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## DLG (Sep 16, 2013)

celticelk said:


> When I was a child, my mother (in a mad fit of keeping up with popular culture) ordered a bunch of the current top sellers from the Columbia Record and Tape Club.



I first heard Dream Theater and Rush thanks blind Columbia House "purchases". 

that was the only way for a kid to get a huge haul of new albums in one day before the Internet. unless your parents were rich


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## AbsentCurtis (Sep 16, 2013)

42 here. I bought Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap way back in 1980 and haven't looked back. I didn't care what kind of hard-rock or metal it was, I listened to it. VH, Crue, Def Leppard, Metallica, Antrhax, Rush, Maiden, Priest, Faster Pussycat, WASP, hell I even dug the first couple Poison and Winger discs.


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## celticelk (Sep 16, 2013)

AbsentCurtis said:


> hell I even dug the first couple Poison and Winger discs.



I saw Poison on their first headlining stadium tour in 1989. Tesla was opening. Thought I was so very cool.


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## MistaSnowman (Sep 16, 2013)

45 here and even though I was raised on R&B music, my folks liked the fact that my musical tastes were varied. My first hard rock/metal experience was watching this group perform on the Midnight Special show while at a very young age (parents either didn't know or didn't care that I was up late that night)....


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## metallatem (Sep 16, 2013)

46... get off my lawn, please. 

In the 70's it was all about Kiss, then AC/DC, Van Halen and Def Leppard. I was into all of those bands. My first concert ever was Def Leppard, Krokus and Gary Moore in Hartford, CT.

In 10th grade a bunch of kids started wearing these cool looking T-Shirts from some band called Iron Maiden. So I went and bought Killers and Number of the Beast. That was the "aha" moment for me. 

Another highlight was being able to see Cliff Burton live a few months before he died.


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## lucasreis (Sep 16, 2013)

I'm 30, I started playing guitar when I was 8 and my mom showed me several bands that helped shape my musical tastes. 

Stuff like Beatles, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath. 

I think Sabbath is the first metal band I listened to, and I still love them (Iommi rocks). 

After that, my brother and I started to listen to a lot of metal in the 90's: Morbid Angel, Sepultura, Prong, Slayer, Pantera, Suicidal Tendencies, Helmet, Metallica, Megadeth, Fear Factory, Dream Theater, Amorphis, Paradise Lost, the list goes on and on and on. And we never really stopped hehehe  I also listened to a shitload of Hard Rock like Def Leppard, Skid Row, GNR, Poison (yeah, I liked the poser stuff too, so what lol). 

I think the first guitar player that had an impact on me, though, was Slash, I was heavily into Guns n Roses at the time and I still like them very much, just not that addicted anymore, but they had a lot of energy and it impressed me very much as a kid


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## Axe Cop (Sep 16, 2013)

I'm 32 so a little under the age limit of this thread so I hope you don't mind me posting.

I was about 10 years old and was with a friend and his older brother. We went over to one of his older brother's friends houses and I was awe struck by the amount of tapes and vinyl he had. The guy told me I could dig through his tapes and take whatever I wanted. I ended up just picking things with cool covers and names. I ended up walking out with about 30 tapes. Some of those tapes were a couple of Scorpions tapes, Ride the Lightning, And Justice For All, Reign In Blood, South of Heaven, a couple of Death Albums and some Morbid Angel. I instantly fell in love with metal and I really really dug Michael Schenkner. 

I didn't start playing guitar until I was about 14. I made a new friend at school and we went to visit his dad who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. We went to his house and he had guitars and gear all over the place. We walked in and he was jamming out on an old Hohner strat copy and a Laney combo amp. I sat there and watched him play for like an hour and he asked me if I wanted to try. He handed me the guitar and taught me a couple of chords and I was hooked. I spent quite a while making horrible noises on the guitar. As we were leaving he said I looked like I was having way too much fun so he gave me the amp and the guitar. His dad ended up passing a couple of years later. At his memorial service his son and I played his favorite song, Wish You Were Here.


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## yellowv (Sep 16, 2013)

35 here. Started off with the hair metal stuff at about 8 or 9. Then got into heavier stuff like Metallica and Megadeth around 11 or 12. By 14 was into Death and Sepultura and the like. In the years since pretty much every genre of metal other than Deathcore. LOL


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## Cnev (Sep 16, 2013)

This one started it all for me. I remember going record store hopping and just buying CD's because the covers looked badass. God, I miss those days!


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## yellowv (Sep 16, 2013)

Axe Cop said:


> I didn't start playing guitar until I was about 14. I made a new friend at school and we went to visit his dad who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. We went to his house and he had guitars and gear all over the place. We walked in and he was jamming out on an old Hohner strat copy and a Laney combo amp. I sat there and watched him play for like an hour and he asked me if I wanted to try. He handed me the guitar and taught me a couple of chords and I was hooked. I spent quite a while making horrible noises on the guitar. As we were leaving he said I looked like I was having way too much fun so he gave me the amp and the guitar. His dad ended up passing a couple of years later. At his memorial service his son and I played his favorite song, Wish You Were Here.



That's an awesome story. Your buddies Dad sounds like he was a great man.


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## yellowv (Sep 16, 2013)

Cnev said:


> This one started it all for me. I remember going record store hopping and just buying CD's because the covers looked badass. God, I miss those days!




I remember the first time I heard this song like it was yesterday. Had it stuck in my head for months after. Me and my brother (RIP he passed 12 years ago. Today is actually his birthday) sang it all the time. BOW TO ME FAITHFULLY. BOW TO ME SPLENDIDLY.


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## Axe Cop (Sep 16, 2013)

yellowv said:


> That's an awesome story. Your buddies Dad sounds like he was a great man.



In the short time I knew him he was an amazing, selfless, extremely intelligent man. He decided he didn't want to be cremated or buried, he donated his body to science.


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## RevDrucifer (Sep 16, 2013)

I'm a month shy of 31 today. I can sum up my metal origins this way-

1981-
Uncle places ad in paper looking for drummer.
My father answers ad, shows up with drums. My mother (uncle's sister) finds father attractive, my grandmother urged her to carry in his drums. 
Mother carries in drums, then proceeded to carry me in her womb for 9 months shortly after.

1982-
I'm born, this changes nothing of the lives of any involved. The band lives on, the rehearsals/jams last til 4am, the party never stops. A steady diet of Queensryche and Pink Floyd, mixed in with MTV, which my mom watched nonstop. Van Halen and Ozzy were always playing throughout the rest of the 80's.

Right before I started playing guitar, I started listening to my own music....Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Live, STP....all the killer 90's stuff, but when I started playing when I was 11, all I cared about was Floyd and Gilmour. 

I hated metal. Still loved Queensryche though. 

Throughout the mid-late 90's I started getting into heavier stuff, but I was really hooked on Dream Theater and Steve Vai for the most part. I discovered Pantera and that really opened the flood gates for any and all metal music after that.


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## Steve Naples (Sep 17, 2013)

Well, just turned 50 here. When I started at 6 or so, it was Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, some Iron Butterfly, and Hendrix. The 80's went to the Hair Metal bands, VH, Ratt, Def Leppard, Poison, Kiss, Frampton, Hagar. The 90s I went all Alt. was strange for me to change, then STP, Pumpkins, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains, after that it was all of the Alt. Metal and Hard Rock, I never look back at the older stuff, it had it's time, and I listen to some now and again, and remember playing some of those really old songs. What a ride, and it's still going.


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## Dooky (Sep 17, 2013)

I'm 31 and I mainly only listened to bands like Guns n&#8217; Roses & Aerosmith until I was about 13 and my friend showed me the song, &#8216;Master of Puppets&#8217;. I thought it was the coolest intro I&#8217;d ever heard. Then all the riffs that followed, along with Hetfield's vocals just blew me away. Then I remember when slow/clean instrumental part of the song started and I asked my friend: &#8220;Is this still the same song&#8221;. And he says: &#8220;Yeah.&#8221; and I could literally feel my musical mind instantly expand (Before that I&#8217;d only ever listened to rock bands that played the same classic rock formula for every song). 
From there I went on to listen to Megadeth, Pantera, Slayer, etc. I remember it as a really exciting time for me discovering this new form of music. I kinda wish I could go back and experience it again!


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## M3CHK1LLA (Sep 17, 2013)

apparently your old on sso when you turn 30 yrs old...kinda like on *"logans run"* (you youngsters prob wouldn't understand lol). so i changed the age from 35 to 30.

enjoying the stories, its taking me back...keep them coming


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## watson503 (Sep 17, 2013)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> apparently your old on sso when you turn 30 yrs old...kinda like on *"logans run"* (you youngsters prob wouldn't understand lol). so i changed the age from 35 to 30.
> 
> enjoying the stories, its taking me back...keep them coming



Logan's Run... man, that was one of my favorite movies as a kid, my best friend from high school even named his son after that movie - sad to say they are also doing a remake of it...:




> Ken Levine is best known to gamers as the creator of the award-winning video game BioShock. The game, which is set in a dystopian city called Rapture, helped Levine get named one of Game Informers Storytellers of the Decade. And now that celebrated storyteller is taking his craft to Hollywood. Hitflix reports the creative director of Boston-based Irrational Games has been hired by Warner Bros to pen the script for their long-in-the-works remake of Logans Run.
> 
> Based on a sci-fi novel of the same name, the original Logans Run starred Michael York as the titular hero, who lives in a seemingly perfect societyas long as you're under the age of 30. Set in the 23rd century within a domed city, Logans life as a cop is flush with thrills, as this society happily caters to the whims of its people. But when a resident hits 30 they are to be slaughtered, and if they refuse are deemed a criminal or runner. Its Logans job to catch these would-be escapeesuntil he turns 30 and becomes one of them...



Logan's Run Remake Resurrected With BioShock Creator Writing - CinemaBlend.com


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## ncfiala (Sep 17, 2013)

I'm 39 and I'll be 40 in less than a month, although I didn't start playing guitar until I was 38. My first metal album was probably Master of Puppets on cassette back in good ole '86 when I was 13.


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## Chiba666 (Sep 17, 2013)

Logan's Run is an epic film, hope they don't feck it up like they normally do with remakes. Even though I did find the Total Recall remake pretty good.

My boy is called Logan but not after the film though. Me and the wife went through the names of characters from tv series we ha recently watched and we had just finished watched the 2 seasons of Dark Angel and it was the name we agreed on.


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## Andromalia (Sep 17, 2013)

My first "heavier rock than usual" was likely Europe's Final Countdown. I liked it and bought their other cassettes, which were much more metal and horrified my mother in law.

First real metal tape I had was a homemade copy a pal gave me, that included Poison by Alice Cooper, Creeping Death and some live Maiden stuff I suspect was rhyme of the ancient mariner but not really sure.

Creeping Death had a big impact but I didn't know the song name so I actually went and bought Kill'em all. I of course managed to get Ride the Lightning last, having bought MoP just after.  At the time I entered high school and got introduced to metalheads who schooled me in the metal bands and culture. Thrash metal and glam mostly, Sepultura, Megadeth, Motley Crue etc


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## celticelk (Sep 17, 2013)

Andromalia said:


> My first "heavier rock than usual" was likely Europe's Final Countdown



...and now I'm earwormed. Dammit.


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## ArrowHead (Sep 17, 2013)

Was a cock rocker when I was a kid. Then in 6th or 7th grade I was sneaking cigarettes out in the woods with a friend. We decided to check out a spot deep in the woods, by the fire trails, where purported "devil worshippers" hung out at night. We found the wreckage of a burned up motorbike, the remains of a bonfire, and a smashed up tape deck. Next to the tape deck was a cassette tape that, SOMEHOW, was still in perfect working order despite being left out in the elements for lord only knows how long.

On that cassette? Side A was Anthrax, "Fistful of Metal". Side B was Mercyful Fate's "Don't Break the Oath". From there it was only a matter of time before all my Poison, Skid Row, and Whitesnake would be replaced with King Diamond, Metallica, and Megadeth.

Now I'm 37, and I'm for certain a metal head til the day I die.


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## Jacksonluvr636 (Sep 17, 2013)

I am 32.

I think the first metal I heard was Skid Row self titled. If not then Metallica and justice 4 all. Whichever came out first (I think skid row)

I was around 8-10 years old after that I started listening to Twisted Sister, GNR, Def Leppard, Van Halen and Ozzy.

When I was 13 I started getting into Pantera and Biohazard and then at 14 I discovered Suffocation and that was a complete game changer.

My first guitar was probably a squier but my FIRST GUITAR was a BC RICH WARLOCK!!! sweet tits,

I cant remember the 3rd part to this because I am old now, but I still love brutal metal and I dont think I will even stop playing my guitar.


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## DISTORT6 (Sep 17, 2013)

Class of '86 here! 

Master of Puppets
Reign in Blood
Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?

Thrash Hat-Trick!
It was a great year to say the least.


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## Dooky (Sep 17, 2013)

^ 1986 truely was the most epic year!!!


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## abandonist (Sep 17, 2013)

31. I was fortunate enough to grow up in S FLorida during the Death Metal heyday, so it was all Malevolent Creation, Deicide, and Morbid Angel when I was 10.


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## watson503 (Sep 17, 2013)

DISTORT6 said:


> Class of '86 here!
> 
> Master of Puppets
> Reign in Blood
> ...



1986 was by-far THE BEST year for metal in my book, I had some great times that year, too. Here are just some of the albums that came out that year:

Accept - Russian Roulette
AC/DC - Who Made Who
Beowülf - Beowülf
Black Sabbath - Seventh Star
Dark Angel - Darkness Descends
David Lee Roth - Eat 'Em and Smile
Fates Warning - Awaken the Guardian
Flotsam and Jetsam - Doomsday for the Deceiver
Helstar - Remnants of War
Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time
Judas Priest - Turbo (I know, I know- I actually still have Turbo on vinyl lmao)
King Diamond - Fatal Portrait
Kreator - Pleasure to Kill
Loudness - Lightning Strikes
Manilla Road - The Deluge
Megadeth - Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?
Metal Church - The Dark
Metallica - Master of Puppets
Motörhead - Orgasmatron
Nuclear Assault - Game Over
Ozzy Osbourne - The Ultimate Sin
Possessed - Beyond the Gates
Sepultura - Morbid Visions
Slayer - Reign in Blood
Sodom - Obsessed By Cruelty
Van Halen - 5150
Voivod - Rrröööaaarrr
W.A.S.P. - Inside the Electric Circus
Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Trilogy


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## Quiet Coil (Sep 17, 2013)

34 earlier this year, here's my "condensed" progression (the stuff that stuck anyway):
Queen-Living Colour-STP-Megadeth-Fear Factory-Sepultura-Deftones-Sevendust-Meshuggah-QOTSA-TSF 

Of course listened to lots of other popular stuff from these time frames (though I almost entirely skipped the 80's somehow?).

EDIT: Honorable mention- Pantera, (hed)pe, Stuck Mojo, Soulwax & good 'ol Satch.


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## Jacksonluvr636 (Sep 17, 2013)

abandonist said:


> 31. I was fortunate enough to grow up in S FLorida during the Death Metal heyday, so it was all Malevolent Creation, Deicide, and Morbid Angel when I was 10.



Don't forget about Solstice!!


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## skeels (Sep 17, 2013)

Mid-80's Milwaukee Metal.

Also.. "Renew! Renew!"



This thread makes me happy. No, not happy...less insane, shall we say....


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## elrrek (Sep 18, 2013)

Where do all you youngsters get this idea that 30 is old?


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## M3CHK1LLA (Sep 18, 2013)

elrrek said:


> Where do all you youngsters get this idea that 30 is old?



me for one...at 19, i thought id be dead by 25


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## chassless (Sep 18, 2013)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> ...kinda like on *"logans run"* (you youngsters prob wouldn't understand lol)


 
the first band I listened to was Korn. and I understood that.


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## Aris_T (Sep 18, 2013)

34 here

It all started in the summer of '91 while on vacation at my grandparents, when I first listened to "Thunderstruck" on a friend's tape. "This is GREAT"
AC/DC was the first hard rock band for me, along with G'N'R, Europe, Bon Jovi. Metal came next year, when a friend played "Lack of Comprehension". Double bass leveled me! "THIS IS EVEN GREATER"!!!! And the floodgates opened...Slayer, Metallica, Sepultura, Death, Pantera, Iron Maiden (I'm probably one of the few that didn't start with them, but hell, better late than never) and many power metal bands that cannot listen to any more (Helloween, Gamma Ray, Rage, Blind Guardian).
Prog came a little later (around '95-'96) when I bought DT's "A change of seasons" just because it was cheap and I liked the cover. The sales person said that it's not an EP because it's almost 60min long!!!
When I got in the university in 1998, I started playing guitar and got my first Ibanez (RG470). While searching the internet for Ibby related stuff, I noticed a weird name for a band..."Meshuggah". Instant love!


First concert was a festival, "Rock of Gods" 1996, on a dock in Piraeus, with Slayer headlining, Saxon, Blind Guardian, Rage and two greek bands, Nightfall and Fatal Morgana.

To sum up, 90s were my favorite years, just because I got into metal then.


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## elrrek (Sep 18, 2013)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> me for one...at 19, i thought id be dead by 25





I am 39 later this year and apart from the fact that my disposable income is considerably greater than when I was 19, I'm pretty much still living the same "immature" gig going, record buying, guitaring, console game playing life. It's actually pretty damn awesome when I think about it


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## Chiba666 (Sep 18, 2013)

Got to do what you go to do to keep the metal alive thats all I will say, I am lucky the wife just about tolerates my vinyl buying addiction, bu tthat has to stop (Honest). Best not show her the 2 Bolt Thrower LPs in the car, may have to though as one is an orig 89 release of Realm of Chaos.

Even luckier that she will come along to gigs when she donst know the bands, but she draws the line at Death Metal, whihc I can understand.

I'm doing my best to balance the responsable half of providing for the family and the GAS addicted metal head that I am, hell I buy an album again if its got a different cover.


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## hairychris (Sep 18, 2013)

41, was into music in a general way (plus Thin Lizzy & Dire Straits) but buying Master of Puppets in 1986 on a whim was a life-changing experience.

I also haven't really grown up since. Wives/children/cars/owning houses/etc - what's all that about?

Chiba666 - I bought Realms of Chaos on cassette from a Games Workshop outlet while on my way home from a university interview in 1990. I still have it somewhere!


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## Chiba666 (Sep 18, 2013)

hairychris said:


> 41, was into music in a general way (plus Thin Lizzy & Dire Straits) but buying Master of Puppets in 1986 on a whim was a life-changing experience.
> 
> I also haven't really grown up since. Wives/children/cars/owning houses/etc - what's all that about?
> 
> Chiba666 - I bought Realms of Chaos on cassette from a Games Workshop outlet while on my way home from a university interview in 1990. I still have it somewhere!



I picked one up from a charity shop and promptly left it in a tractor or fire truck when I worked at a small air field.

Would love the art work as a massive wall hanging.

I think growing up to much goes against the whole metalhead thing. Don't know ow you can class yourself as growing up when you get all excited about an album release or grunt your way through a death metal tune and think nothing about the strange looks you are receiving.


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## celticelk (Sep 18, 2013)

Chiba666 said:


> I think growing up to much goes against the whole metalhead thing. Don't know ow you can class yourself as growing up when you get all excited about an album release or grunt your way through a death metal tune and think nothing about the strange looks you are receiving.



I think it depends on what you think "growing up" is.


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## Chiba666 (Sep 18, 2013)

celticelk said:


> I think it depends on what you think "growing up" is.




There is that, putting food on the table, paying the bills and keeping the family happy to me is classed as growing up so I guess Ive grown up, POOOO!


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## chassless (Sep 18, 2013)

Chiba666 said:


> putting food on the table, paying the bills and keeping the family happy


 
i'm still a young'un to judge, but i think growing up is those AND maintaining what you love. that does include doing death grunts in public and not caring what people think. family and duty come first, and social norms are there for a reason, but if you start thinking that you have to stop what you love in order to grow up, then you have much to learn ! (you being the reader, not directly you, chiba666)

of course, all that said, i don't really think i want to be seen in torn clothes practicing growls during a business meeting


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## JoshuaVonFlash (Sep 18, 2013)

I'm half your age and the first album that got me into hard rock and metal was Guns N Rose's Appetite for Destruction, BLEW MY MIND


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## Chiba666 (Sep 19, 2013)

chassless said:


> i'm still a young'un to judge, but i think growing up is those AND maintaining what you love. that does include doing death grunts in public and not caring what people think. family and duty come first, and social norms are there for a reason, but if you start thinking that you have to stop what you love in order to grow up, then you have much to learn ! (you being the reader, not directly you, chiba666)
> 
> of course, all that said, i don't really think i want to be seen in ripped clothes practicing growls during a business meeting


 

think youve hit the nail on the head there mate, and thats what I think I've managed to ahcieve. The balance of responsability with retaining what I love without changing s the ear hair starts to grow longer and the eyebrows start turning grey.

While I nolonger growl along to music on the trian, I now tend ot do while walking the dog up in the woods, whihc is fine until a pair of women Nordic Walking whizz by with very concerned looks on thier faces. In all fairness they shouldnt look so darn stupid walking, I mena whoi needs sticks and tight lycra to walk along forest trails.

Oh one other thing about growing up is you know you have gorwn up when you know the 4th beer is gouing to give you a headache and majke you get up at 3am to pee. ordering the 5th pint and saying feck it shows you have grown up but have still kept that stupid youthfull streak.


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## chassless (Sep 19, 2013)

growing up seems nice =D


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## mr_rainmaker (Sep 19, 2013)

chassless said:


> growing up seems nice =D




its not,but getting to kiss girls is totally worth it...


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## ghostred7 (Sep 19, 2013)

39 and started with Kiss

I quickly discovered Malmsteen shortly after. At age 11, when Malmsteen Live in Japan dropped...I was done for LOL. I've always like the "one-off" Metal stuff. Mainstream would probably have been Maiden or something similar...but these below summarize my discovery of Metal during the 80s.


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## chassless (Sep 19, 2013)

mr_rainmaker said:


> its not,but getting to kiss girls is totally worth it...


 
 i'm 24 in a month and already seriously thinking of starting a family


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## Rosal76 (Sep 19, 2013)

37 years old here. The first 3 bands that got me into heavy metal was Megadeth, Metallica and Slayer. After that, I got into death metal courtesy of Cannibal corpse, Deicide, and Morbid angel. Being older, I appreciate what the progressive and virtuoso bands/musicians are doing, Dream theater, Rush, Satriani, Vai and such.

In high school, I was one of those metalheads who had hair that grew past my waist line. Yes, I was one of those "Ross Dolan (Immolation bassist/vocalist) types.  I would walk past all these guys wearing flannel shirts who were into the Grunge scene, me saying stuff like, "man, it smells like Teen Spirit everytime I walk past you guys".  I actually liked Soundgarden so it was all good.


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## Rev2010 (Sep 19, 2013)

39 here. Iron Maiden got me into metal at 15 or 16, before that I was listening to U2 and some other various stuff. My polish friend from highschool kept playing Killers and it was freaking awesome so I ran out and bought a bunch of Maiden's albums. From there it was Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, then additionally Testament, Exodus, Flotsam and Jetsam, etc.

Started playing guitar at either 17 or 18, can't recall exactly. I'd actually imagined myself fronting vocals for a band and bought a guitar and distortion pedal a friend was trying to sell so that I could better communicate musical ideas with my future bandmates. Well I liked the guitar and realized my singing blows donkeyballs so kept at it and took some lessons. Recruited a friend of mine that I remembered had an electric from when he had guitar class in school and hounded him for weeks to pull it out of storage. Well, he's still playing guitar to this day and his last band had landed a recording contract with a small German label. He got to play some shows in Europe too. Interesting how greatly we can affect other people's lives.

I eventually got into industrial, then into techno and trance, then to psychedelic trance, then to EBM and eventually released an EBM (electronic industrial basically) album and am done with the music on our next album, which is much more diverse and evolved. Just waiting for my singer to make the time to come over and record vocals to the last five tracks.

I've always had metal in me though and have kind of on and off tried for a few years to pull a band together but it's an absolute f*u*cking nightmare. You get flaky people, people that aren't good enough (or perhaps people that are too good -it can happen), people with no money at all, people who's schedules are completely out of alignment with yours, etc. Seems now though I might be making progress since my old bassist jumped back on board and I'm going to be trying out his guitarist friend and a singer that replied on Craigslist this weekend.

At this point I am determined 2000% to recording and releasing a metal album as it's something I've always wanted to do.


Rev.


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## abandonist (Sep 19, 2013)

elrrek said:


> Where do all you youngsters get this idea that 30 is old?



I started a restaurant 2 years ago and have a pile of grey hair now.

it's the very beginning of getting old. Highschool girls start looking like children, you don't understand kid's music these days...


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## _MonSTeR_ (Sep 19, 2013)

elrrek said:


> I remember when Bolt Thrower had a one page article in White Dwarf when "In Battle There Is No Law" got released. I went out the next weekend and got the "Hardcore Holocaust - The Peel Sessions" records which included Bolt Thrower, Napalm Death, The Electro Hippies and more. From that point, at age 14, I went from having The Cult, ZZ Top and other hard rock on cassette, missed out all the mid to late 80s metal and went straight to buying up everything I could afford form Earache records.



Issue 95 if I remember correctly!


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## mr_rainmaker (Sep 19, 2013)

abandonist said:


> I started a restaurant 2 years ago and have a pile of grey hair now.
> 
> it's the very beginning of getting old. Highschool girls start looking like children, you don't understand kid's music these days...





cool can i have a job?
I promise to slack off,and sleep with all the waitress's(even the old ugly dishwasher lady)on breaks sit in the back with a 7 string playing cacophony and racerx tunes all the while telling ya how it was better backintheday.


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## BlackMesa (Sep 19, 2013)

41 here. I remember as a little kid when my mom would clean the house she was always listening to stuff like Zepplin, KISS, Heart, Uriah Heap, and alot of my dad's southern rock collection. So I was kinda conditioned to harder music by the time I was 5. 

The first metal album I bought, which was in 86, was Maiden's Somewhere in Time. Blew my freakin mind. That year I also bought Peace Sells, Among the Living, and Kill Them All. Like others have said 1986 was a god damn banner year for metal and just plain all music all the way around.

For some reason in the mid 90's I decided to "grow up" and listen to more adult music. So I kinda abandoned listening and looking for new metal. But when I finally had my first computer built and I got online in 98 and discovered Napster and filesharing I started picking up on new metal again. I discovered Cradle of Filth, Korn, and my all time fav band Emperor on Napster. I dowloaded their stuff, likde it, then proceeded to buy their full catalogues on CD. Havent stopped since. Thanks to SS.org i have found some many kickass bands.


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## brector (Sep 20, 2013)

37 here. First metal tape was And Justice For All, which I "borrowed" from my older sister lol. That led to Megadeth, etc.

-Brian


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## mr_rainmaker (Sep 20, 2013)

I got at least 2 full cans of this stuff left.


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## tedtan (Sep 20, 2013)

I thought it was this


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## M3CHK1LLA (Sep 20, 2013)

brector said:


> 37 here. First metal tape was And Justice For All, which I "borrowed" from my older sister lol. That led to Megadeth, etc.
> 
> -Brian



 i remember "borrowing" *master of puppets* from my girlfriend in high school.

"we" still have it...thats because "we" ended up getting married


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## MJS (Sep 20, 2013)

42... but I either look way younger or everyone I went to high school with aged horribly and look like they're 60.  



celticelk said:


> I saw Poison on their first headlining stadium tour in 1989. Tesla was opening. Thought I was so very cool.



I'm so old that I saw them about 2 years earlier, opening for Ratt on the Ratt Poison tour.  

In my defense, a girl I liked was a Ratt fan and dragged me there. I like to think I redeemed myself for going to that show by seeing Metallica while Cliff was still alive. 

Pretty sure I even wore my Levi jean jacket with the Master of Puppets back patch to the Ratt/Poison show... so at least I was representing better music while I was there. haha


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## Grand Moff Tim (Sep 20, 2013)

32 here, and it's nice to post in a thread where I don't feel like the old fart, haha.

Like many others, Metallica was my initial foray into metal. I got into them about a year before Load came out, which gave me just enough time to acquire and familiarize myself with their back catalog so I could be extra pissed when Load was released. I eventually came to appreciate it, but hot damn, did I ever hate it back then.

I didn't get into the more "extreme" stuff until I got my first Emperor album in '99, and it was all downhill from there.


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## pattonfreak1 (Sep 20, 2013)

...and justice for all


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## mr_rainmaker (Sep 20, 2013)

tedtan said:


> I thought it was this
> 
> View attachment 35384



I found that white rain held up longer,under the sweat of groupies


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## Leveebreaks (Sep 21, 2013)

First big gig was Metallica with Warrior Soul in Birmingham NEC, 1990, but my first taste of heavy music was Sacred Reich's Surf Nicaragua and Dead Kennedys. I still love all 4 of them, although Metallica have definitely tested my patience over the years \m/


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## tribalfusion (Sep 21, 2013)

For me it was Rainbow Rising...Blackmore and Dio in the mid 70s. I can't overstate how much that rocked my world along with Uli Jon Roth and the Scorpions and Michael Schenker. 

That was my heavy trinity back then and largely remains so today.


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## watson503 (Sep 21, 2013)

tribalfusion said:


> For me it was Rainbow Rising...Blackmore and Dio in the mid 70s. I can't overstate how much that rocked my world along with Uli Jon Roth and the Scorpions and Michael Schenker.
> 
> That was my heavy trinity back then and largely remains so today.



Uli Jon Roth... one of my all-time favorite musicians. 

Blackmore and Deep Purple were favorites of mine from the start. I don't know about anyone else here, but after listening to DP since I can remember - my mom was actually a big Deep Purple fan, even made sure I had my own copy of Machine Head lmao - and then with Gillan and the Born Again album, I was really psyched when the Perfect Strangers album came out in 84 - still one of my favorites to this day:


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## tribalfusion (Sep 21, 2013)

watson503 said:


> Uli Jon Roth... one of my all-time favorite musicians.
> 
> Blackmore and Deep Purple were favorites of mine from the start. I don't know about anyone else here, but after listening to DP since I can remember - my mom was actually a big Deep Purple fan, even made sure I had my own copy of Machine Head lmao - and then with Gillan and the Born Again album, I was really psyched when the Perfect Strangers album came out in 84 - still one of my favorites to this day:




All great stuff; I saw that Perfect Strangers tour too. I love Purple but have to admit I love classic Rainbow even more


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## mgh (Sep 21, 2013)

37 and still going to metal gigs, though not as many these days...still loving death/black metal but getting more and more into prog metal and rock, oh and the hair is long gone...


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## M3CHK1LLA (Sep 22, 2013)

back when motley crue were cool lol...before "theater of pain"


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## Gram negative (Sep 22, 2013)

32 here. 33 in a month or so.

My first real rock/metal experience was Guns and Roses. But I kept needing something heavier. So around 13 or 14 years old, I got into Metallica, Megadeth, Pantera, Sepultura....

I remember listening to "beneath The Remains" and going: "What the hell is this????". I used to sit in my room for hours with headphones on. Blasting "Countdown to Extinction" over and over. Its no surprise that I got a Guitar and a keyboard around this time and started learning how to play. My first guitar was this thing:






I got really into industrial around 16 or 17. Lots of KMFDM, Skinny Puppy.

I think I will always like heavy music. Im pretty cool for an old guy!


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## Zer01 (Sep 22, 2013)

A couple years ago at my job I was working along side this kid (18 or 19) when Welcome to the Jungle came on over the PA. They played good stuff back then. So this guy, who's a real "rocker" with his nose ring and tight jeans says, "I bet you don't know who this is." I chuckled and shook my head, like, haha yeah right good one man. Fifteen or twenty seconds go by and he says, "You don't know, do you?" I wish I was drinking water so I could spit it all over the place. He was being completely serious. I had a pretty good laugh and told him I bought that album on cassette tape before he was even born!


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## oompa (Sep 22, 2013)

yeee oldies, \o/ 30yo here.

My progression in rough measures:

Zeppelin, Sabbath, Purple, Floyd, Di Meola etc. <10yo.
Michael Jackson, Twisted Sisters & GnR etc. [email protected]
Metallica, Megadeth, Iron Maiden etc. [email protected]
Entombed, Slayer, Arch Enemy, In Flames, Helloween etc [email protected]
Dream Theater, Meshuggah, Cannibal Corpse etc. [email protected]
Nile, Death, Tool, Syl, AIC, Nirvana etc. [email protected]

Grew up on rock (thanks dad), went through the thrash bands into Swedish DM with some grunge on the side and into the more technical stuff.

after my teens I kinda stuck to the complicated and experimental stuff when it came to guitar-based music  stuff like SoP, Coprofago, SGM, The Faceless etc.

Kinda went through harder and more complicated music showing typical addict behaviour, needing weirder and weirder stuff to get me off.

Now I am stuck in no mans land


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## M3CHK1LLA (Sep 22, 2013)

mgh said:


> 37 and still going to metal gigs, though not as many these days...still loving death/black metal but getting more and more into prog metal and rock, oh and the hair is long gone...



man the long hair left when i got out of school and had to get a "real job"...

when i was 30, i tried to grow it out again, but i looked more like the singer for strapping young lads instead of cc deville in his hay-day


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## Leveebreaks (Sep 22, 2013)

Rev2010 said:


> I eventually got into industrial, then into techno and trance, then to psychedelic trance, then to EBM and eventually released an EBM (electronic industrial basically) album and am done with the music on our next album, which is much more diverse and evolved. Just waiting for my singer to make the time to come over and record vocals to the last five tracks.
> 
> I've always had metal in me though and have kind of on and off tried for a few years to pull a band together but it's an absolute f*u*cking nightmare. You get flaky people, people that aren't good enough (or perhaps people that are too good -it can happen), people with no money at all, people who's schedules are completely out of alignment with yours, etc. Seems now though I might be making progress since my old bassist jumped back on board and I'm going to be trying out his guitarist friend and a singer that replied on Craigslist this weekend.
> 
> ...


 
Was browsing this thread again and Rev the way your music tastes have changed really weirdly mirror mine. I started metal, I went alt-rock, then industrial, then started DJing, made some acid techno records and went to live in a squat in London working for Aquarius records ( psychedelic trance ) and hanging out with the Liberator DJs, then got into breaks and electro.

One of my best mates who I grew up with and made some great techno records with stayed at the techno stage and is now making really awesome EBM under the name Void Technician, and the other went a different path and plays drums for a doom band called Lord Vicar now. In the last 3 years I really got heavily back into metal and basically went back to my roots. I got off my arse and started playing my guitar again after an 8 year break, and joined a band, did some touring etc and I'm loving it again.

Considering all of the musicians that end up with nothing, broke and pissed off, I'm quite glad I have a pretty stable lifestyle, an awesome fiancee, a steady income and the chance to be a weekend warrior instead. I thought it would totally suck getting older but I don't feel as if I have changed at all since I was 16. I wish I could say I have matured slightly but I don't think that's the case anyway \m/


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## Chiba666 (Sep 23, 2013)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> man the long hair left when i got out of school and had to get a "real job"...
> 
> when i was 30, i tried to grow it out again, but i looked more like the singer for strapping young lads instead of cc deville in his hay-day


 
I grew mine back out just before I was 30, grew it for 3 years adn for some stupid reason got it cut off, darn stupid mistake. got a beard now instead, woudl prefer the hair though and with curly hair its a real pain.


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## Gram negative (Sep 23, 2013)

Chiba666 said:


> I grew mine back out just before I was 30, grew it for 3 years adn for some stupid reason got it cut off, darn stupid mistake. got a beard now instead, woudl prefer the hair though and with curly hair its a real pain.



I shaved my head three years ago, because I was tired of dealing with it long. I had long hair from 1993-2010.

Never going back. This shit is zero maintenance.


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## hairychris (Sep 23, 2013)

So unfit. It takes me 2 days to get over playing a gig... Fail.

Edit: And Rev/bteband, yeah, I had a similar journey with musical taste. Aged 18 I went to university and spent the first year going to every gig that I could (I was in Manchester so there were loads) but also avoided rock clubs and did the dance/indie thing.

I bet that I'm about the only person to see 808 State and Morbid Angel live in the same 3 month period (1991)!

Industrial - check. Techno - check. Some trance - check. DnB/glitchcore - check. Ambient - check.

Where I am now is that the more of the above that are thrown in the mix together the better!


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## Rev2010 (Sep 23, 2013)

bteband said:


> Considering all of the musicians that end up with nothing, broke and pissed off, I'm quite glad I have a pretty stable lifestyle, an awesome fiancee, a steady income and the chance to be a weekend warrior instead. I thought it would totally suck getting older but I don't feel as if I have changed at all since I was 16.



Yeah ya know... I don't feel at all like I "missed my chance" or anything like that. For one, yes it's definitely awesome to have a good income and be able to afford all the shit I have. People walk in to my music room and are like, "Whoooaaa" lol. Yes having a job blows in the sense that with all the hours I put in working I don't really allot the time to do others things I really want to spend a lot of time doing - like practicing guitar more, writing more, continuing to learn German and another language or two, etc but I do what I can with the time and energy I have.

I'll say one thing, with the internet today people can still get to be recognized musicians/bands no matter their ages. Before the internet to really get one's music out there without a record contract touring was a necessity to bring it to other states and countries. Now you can self release an album on all the digital stores and promote it online and have people from all over the world hear your music. So I think things have changed a bit in the "missed the bandwagon" due to age thing.


Rev.


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## petereanima (Sep 23, 2013)

hairychris said:


> So unfit. It takes me 2 days to get over playing a gig... Fail.



That's the most horible thing for me right now...It's getting better since I've started losing weight / working out. Also I started to "move" at rehearsals again. Used to do that some years ago, so the acutal gigs weren't killing me completely.


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## Rosal76 (Sep 23, 2013)

brector said:


> 37 here. First metal tape was And Justice For All, which I "borrowed" from my older sister lol. That led to Megadeth, etc.
> 
> -Brian



Very same, exact thing happened with me. My first heavy metal tape was, "And justice for all...". Though, I got mine from the store. After that, I purchased, "Rust in peace" from Megadeth, also on cassette tape. I'm also 37 years old. Man, what a coincidence.


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## Chiba666 (Sep 23, 2013)

Really need to get my arse back in a band but as I'm about 4 months away from moving to Cyprus and I have no idea what sort of metal scene Cyprus has. Hopefully I can sort something out otherwise it is a 3 or 5 year wait till I come back to the UK.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Sep 24, 2013)

really got into these guys too...


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## Chiba666 (Sep 24, 2013)

Scott Ian with hair always makes me have a little internal giggle.


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## MJS (Sep 24, 2013)

I went to see Anthrax in the 80s with Testament opening for them. I didn't know much about Testament at the time, but left the show liking them more than Anthrax.  

While standing there being blown away by the Alex Skolnick solo, I instantly thought, "There's no way Danny Spitz will try to follow that. Anthrax will probably just skip over the guitar solo." Poor Danny... I was wrong.


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## canuck brian (Sep 24, 2013)

I like the fact that now that i'm older, more established and have a decent income that all the guitars that I wanted as a teenager are are hella cheap to pick up now.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Sep 24, 2013)

my first intro to testament was on headbangers ball...this vid.


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## Metal-Box (Sep 24, 2013)

Headbanger's Ball was so awesome. Watching those old videos brings back some teenage memories. LOL Testament.


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## Chiba666 (Sep 25, 2013)

I used to tape Headbangers ball and watch them endlessly, Im sure the old VHS tapes were knackered at the end.

Met Vanessa Warwick (UK host) at a Sepultura show, think she was fairly hot but then I had had a fair bit to drink in the car on the way to the show, not to mention a few while waiting in line.

I miss the old days, decent metal shows on the TV, so many new bands to find as I was new to the whole metal thing in the early 90s.

now I'm odl and grumpy adn don't understand all of this new music that seems to around these days, not to mention all this multi scale, fanned fret stuff.

Just give me a white warlock with 4 strings and I can go old School Sepultura till the end of time, even though I am a fan of new Sepultura really looking forward to the new album. Andreas Kisser is one of the most under rated Metal guitarists out there.

And please no 'It's not Sepultura because of....' heard it to many times to argue back these days.

Ive been lucky enough to see Sepultura with Max and igor and without and they both put on great shows. Also seen Soulfly and Cavalera Conspiricy and Max just dosnt seem to have the fire these days, let alone play guitar live. He's lucky Marc Rizzo is playing alongside him.

The first Seps show had abit more Oomph to it, partly as they were riding high after the Roots album came out and i tihnk as they were close to breaking up the tension in the band was forces out through energy, it was killer. Plus I met Paulo and Andreas and got my Brazil shirt signed.

The second one they were playing support to In Flames and Igor had pretty much left so the enrgy was abit down but I went from 'yeah the enw stuff is ok' to loving it. Derek is colossus on stage and it's great to see Sepultura move on and change and move out of the suppossed Shadow of Max and Igor.

There we go Sepultura rant over with, lol. Thanks for reading.

Igor is a beast though.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Sep 25, 2013)

dlg posted this in another thread...i think it belongs in ours too


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## Chiba666 (Oct 2, 2013)

well after going through a good chunk of my record collection Ive got to say the new bands just lack something. In some ways I'm sure nostalgia has something to do with it.

Another strange thing happened today, it seems I am developing an intolerance to old Max Cavalera's vocals.

One of my favorite vocalists is falling down the list. Guess its Derrick and Sepultura all the way, cant wait fr the new album.


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## Pushingink (Oct 2, 2013)

42 years here.
First concert, Motley Crue - Shout at the Devil tour with Rat opening. Still one of the best I've seen.
One week later, Ted Nugent with Alcatraz opening with a little known guitar player names Yngwie. We were blown away.
This was sometime early 80's.
First guitar was a Yamaha that my mom bought me while I was at school. She was supposed to buy the Ibanez but the people at the store told her the Yamaha would be more my level. 
First nice guitar- B.C. Rich Gunslinger in snakeskin finish. 
Those were the days. (And I had hair then too).


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## Chiba666 (Oct 2, 2013)

come old Old and Bold, not enough complaining here for the amount of old folk we've got knocking round.

I remember when.... a pint of beer cost me £1 in a pub, a dodgy pub but a pub no less. Fags were £2.20 a pack of 20. Oh and cds cost £12.00, hmm guess some things don't change


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## Bohmer (Oct 2, 2013)

Looks like I found the old farts club 47 here, growing up on a farm there wasn't much for music, let alone metal(or rock back then). That all changed in '74 when my cousins from Denver visited and turned me on to Kiss, Sabbath and Nugent, let the games begin! My 1st purchase(well begging my parents to buy it, lol!) was an 8-track tape of Kiss- Rock and Roll Over. That started what's turned into a life-long venture into metal, never wavered or strayed. I spent from '74 to '86 listening to the typical metal, Priest, Maiden, Sabbath, Ozzy and so on, but '86 changed everything. Being front row at Metallica Master of Puppets changed everything, I went nuts after that show bought everything Metallica I could find, and discovered Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth, Overkill, Testament, etc, etc. still listen to metal of all sorts. Raised a family, have a career, 2 grand-kids that I'm passing the metal to, and am currently in the process of putting my old band back together with my long time friend and drummer(who's an old fart too, lol!)just for fun and jammin'. No delusions of grandeur, we just want to write and jam and have fun Metal till the end


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## chassless (Oct 3, 2013)

^ 2 grand kids ? do you mean grand nephews I hope ?


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## Chiba666 (Oct 3, 2013)

Old farts club indeed, Rocking chairs are optional


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## Force (Oct 3, 2013)

Getting close to 39 but 'old' seems a bit harsh 

It must've been around 85, after following my older brother through the breakdance thing & Micheal Jackson, also Aha, Mr Mister, etc (to this day I still love) he started listening to metal.

It was a compilation LP called Metal Madness. There were 3 songs on it that changed my life: Accept - Balls To The Wall, Wasp - School Daze & Quiet Riot - We Were Born To Rock.

From the moment I heard Maiden 'Somewhere In Time' I was in love, this will always be my #1 album. 

My brother had a brief encounter with some of the early German power metal but Ive hung on to this stuff ever since. It began with the videos for Running Wild - Bad To The Bone, Rage - Invisible Horizons, Helloween - I Want Out, Coroner - Masked Jackal & Kreator - Toxic Trace which he'd recorded from an all night music show, I wore the tape out.

While my tastes have broadened slightly, metal will be my companion til i'm 6ft under...........or roasted.............or whatever happens to me \m/


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## Bohmer (Oct 3, 2013)

chassless said:


> ^ 2 grand kids ? do you mean grand nephews I hope ?



Nope, my grandson will be 2 in December and my granddaughter just turned one. We started early, lol! Been with the same woman for 26 years, raised 2 sons and have a good career. IMHO, you can grow old, take care of responsibilities, but that doesn't mean you have to grow up. In the words of Joe Walsh, life's been good to me so far.


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## chassless (Oct 3, 2013)

amazing ! ^^


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## wilch (Oct 3, 2013)

34 year old here. My intro into guitar and metal is a little embarrassing really. 

C.C. Deville made me want to pick up the guitar. My friend had the Poison Greatest Video Hits VHS, which I seemed to fetish over as a little kid. Something about the pointy guitars, the lifestyle and all the semi naked women seemingly throwing themselves at them probably had something to do with it.

The first real songs I learnt on guitar were all Led Zep songs though. Grew to love Led Zep, as I couldn't play the weedly weedly that C.C. was playing.

From there came Master Of Puppets, which made me buy every Metallica cd that came out. I stopped after Reload.

After 'tallica, I was introduced to Overkill and Carcass. At the same time I got an early 90's Ibanez catalog from a local store. My friend and I actually ended up going through the list of artists, and ended up ordering Steve Vai's PAW, and Dream Theater's Images & Words because we liked Steve's guitars, and Petrucci's guitars. lol. *sigh* the days of no youtube, and the anticipation of hearing what people were playing from photographs.

...and that was my intro into guitar, shred, and metal.


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## flexkill (Oct 3, 2013)

The first metal album I ever bought and it was on vinyl. Still one of my favorite records of all time.







I have an older brother that I can thank for passing down his incredible music tastes. He can't play an instrument for the life of him....but he loves metal and music in general.....even though I have told him countless times....he will never know or understand how much influence he has had on my musical life. Love you Bro.


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## Chiba666 (Oct 4, 2013)

Ah Pre Youtube. I remember those days with a tear in my eye. Waiting fot eh album release date and buying it not knowing what it would be like, you may have got a song on a sampler tape, but chances are not.

Or going up to the counter of Our Price or HMV and asking to listen to a cd and getting the funny look as they realise it has to go over the shjops spealkers as they have no headphones. First Time I heard Deaths Individual Thought Patterns was this way, it wasnt my last listen but for the rest of the shop I tihnk it was.

Going on the bus to scheool with a jakcet fuillof tapes and my Sony Walkman, ah thoise were the days, not the days of instant gratification which I might add I have joined willingly. But its just not the same.


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## DLG (Oct 4, 2013)

cutting school to buy a tape that just dropped and listening to it all day on your walkman was the best feeling ever. 

or getting the tape and then just sitting in a room with my brother and looking at each other and being like "woah" every time you heard something cool. 

I remember getting Countdown to Extinction and listening to it with my brother for the first time. At that time our guitar idols were Slash and Angus Young. When we heard Marty play solos it was a completely baffling experience. 

I also remember when I was really young and my mom had to approve of the tape and buy it because of the parental advisory sticker. I remember her looking over Use Your Illusion and like "dust and bones? I'm not going to buy this" and then I had to beg her. 

I had to listen to Get in the Ring on headphones so she wouldn't hear all the swearing. She also threw away my Danzig Thrall Demonsweat Live because the album cover was demonic. I just ended up secretly buying it again anyway.

I also vividly remember one christmas when my brother bought me Fight - War of Words on tape and I got him White Zombie - La Sexorcisto. We heard singles from both albums on headbangers ball the week before.


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## Pushingink (Oct 4, 2013)

Another great memory. 
Picking up Ride the Lightning the week it came out. Not having any idea who Metallica was but an electric chair on the cover of an album was too much to pass up. 
My buddy and me were hooked immediately.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Oct 5, 2013)

Pushingink said:


> Another great memory.
> Picking up Ride the Lightning the week it came out. Not having any idea who Metallica was but an electric chair on the cover of an album was too much to pass up.
> My buddy and me were hooked immediately.



i remember a friend turning me on to killem all, then finding a compilation tape that had creeping death. got a hold of "ride" and being even more blown away. then you try telling ppl about metallica...but no one knows who they are.

then the "puppets" cd drops, monsters of rock tours - now everyone know their names. was cool to see a bunch of punks in a little known band turn into the biggest metal band in the world.


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## Gram negative (Oct 8, 2013)

Chiba666 said:


> come old Old and Bold, not enough complaining here for the amount of old folk we've got knocking round.
> 
> I remember when.... a pint of beer cost me £1 in a pub, a dodgy pub but a pub no less. Fags were £2.20 a pack of 20. Oh and cds cost £12.00, hmm guess some things don't change



CDs were 12 bucks? Hell.....people dont even BUY Cds anymore!

Edit: But remember how exciting getting a new CD was? I would put on headphones and listen, reading the lyrics and checking out whatever cool album artwork was on the inside. Pictures of the band, etc. That was awesome.


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## Chiba666 (Oct 8, 2013)

Ah head phones, when in ears we cheap and round and fitted like shite, big Sony Walkman ones with orange covers.


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## Krullnar (Oct 8, 2013)

When I was a little metal nerd in '89, I had a Metallica 'Metal Up Your Ass' shirt (the one with the arm coming out of the toilet holding a dagger).


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## Jason2112 (Oct 8, 2013)

Heading into 41 y.o. soon and I love metal as much today as I ever have. I think my transition from pop radio into rock was in about '80 when I'd go to my older cousin's house and he'd be playing old Rush & Zeppelin records. Living in Southen California you had KMET and KLOS radio and all the rock and metal you could ever want. Of course, if you wanted to get in good with girls you had to listen to Poison, Winger, Cinderella, etc. 

My first guitar was a red Charvel (Model 2?) that I played through a Crate G40CXL.

I still wear old school band shirts - Scorpions, Maiden, Metallica, Ratt, etc - and it embarasses my wife and daughter sometimes, but they're cool about it. I guess for me it represents a time in my life where I had no responsibilities, took a lot of chances, hung out with a lot of people, and lost a lot of innocense


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## M3CHK1LLA (Oct 20, 2013)

^ its funny to think i listened to this music since the mid 80's and i dont see myself stopping any time soon. if anything the music just gets heavier. if i live to be 75, will i still be listening to the same stuff? pretty sure i will...





Krullnar said:


> When I was a little metal nerd in '89, I had a Metallica 'Metal Up Your Ass' shirt (the one with the arm coming out of the toilet holding a dagger).



i had that shirt too...found out you couldnt wear it to school


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## OmegaSlayer (Oct 20, 2013)

35 here.
Got into metal at 8 when I bought the tape of this baby






My first guitar was a Black Strato Squier and I regret having sold it so much


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## ChaNce (Oct 20, 2013)

Bohmer said:


> Nope, my grandson will be 2 in December and my granddaughter just turned one. We started early, lol! Been with the same woman for 26 years, raised 2 sons and have a good career. IMHO, you can grow old, take care of responsibilities, but that doesn't mean you have to grow up. In the words of Joe Walsh, life's been good to me so far.



Just turned 40, and I have a 2 year old daughter I have a great career, my wife has a great career, and we have travelled all over. 

Was a total hair-metal guy, then I received a tape that would change my life forever. On one side, Appetite for Destruction. On the other, Ride The Lightning. 

Everything changed after that.


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## Nonservium (Oct 21, 2013)

34 here, just had my first kid and still a metal head. Can't wait to teach him to crush his enemies, see them driven before him and to enjoy the lamentation of the women.

What got me started? Simple, I can trace it back to one song:



My first guitar was a pile of shit I bought from a pawn shop. It was missing its nut locks for the knock off kahler trem system so I made some from scrap my friends dad had. This guitar didn't live to long as it got dropped while we were moving and the neck snapped. My first real guitar was an Ibanez RG220 very similar to this:


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## OmegaSlayer (Oct 21, 2013)

wilch said:


> 34 year old here. My intro into guitar and metal is a little embarrassing really.
> 
> C.C. Deville made me want to pick up the guitar. My friend had the Poison Greatest Video Hits VHS, which I seemed to fetish over as a little kid. Something about the pointy guitars, the lifestyle and all the semi naked women seemingly throwing themselves at them probably had something to do with it.
> 
> ...



Yo dude!
CC owned.
I vastly preferred him to Slash ^___^
Though Scotti Hill had THAT awesome touch...

Being oldies allows us to say we love Skids and Motley Crue...and WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASP  even if we now listen to Obscura LOL


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## IbanezDaemon (Oct 21, 2013)

My Dad, who is a guitarist, showed me a vid of Hendrix playing Jonny B Goode. Loved the raw aggression of his playing. Before that I had only listened to Baroque Classical music from a young age.

My first proper rock album was AC/DC: If You Want Blood...You've Got it (1979). Quickly bought all the ACDC and Maiden albums that I could get my hands on over the next few years. I was also got into Gary Moore too.

Moved onto bands like Dio, Dokken, Queensryche etc.

Then Yngwie and all the Shrapnel Shredders came onto to the scene and that blew me away. Those guys are still my faves......Gillbert, Becker, Vinnie Moore, TMac, Taffolla, Kotzen, Howe etc.

I listened to most bands from the 80's....G'N'R, Crue, L.A Guns, Tesla, etc.

My fave era of Metal is def from the 80's. I do also love some newer bands but mostly shreddy/prog/neoclassical stuff like Time Requiem, Adagio, Symphony X, Stratovarious etc.


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## Surveyor 777 (Oct 21, 2013)

41 here. First tape I bought was Pyromania. Loved that & still do. 

Then I moved on to Van Halen for a few years. Eddie was the reason I started playing & the reason for my first few guitars (all Kramers) - first was a ZX30. 

Starting high school I got into Dokken - loved George Lynch's playing. Saw people with Motley Crue shirts so started listening to them for a year or so. Then saw the Maiden shirts so moved to them. In a guitar or music magazine I saw a full-page ad for ...And Justice For All. Bought that tape & that was it - thrash & heavy metal forever! I listened to that tape so much that I wore some parts off - there's no sound in spots.

But high school was at the height of the hair metal craze. Listened to all those bands. Loved them then & still love them now.

I'll love metal forever. I don't like the stuff where it has the Cookie Monster vocals but if it's fast & loud I love it. Of course I love other music, too, but metal is my favorite.


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## decypher (Oct 23, 2013)

40 here, also not the prettiest entry into metal, I heard "The Final Countdown" and "Living on a Prayer" on the radio, asked a guy who was known as a good tape trader at school to record the Europe and Bon Jovi albums, he came back with a tape that had some of both on them but also Iron Maiden's "Maiden Japan", some W.A.S.P. and Running Wild.. I listened to it and couldn't have cared less about Bon Jovi and Europe  . Went to buy "Life after Death" a few days later and then became an extreme King Diamond fan after listening to "Fatal Portrait" and the Mercyful Fate albums, which also woke my interest into more original song structures and sophisticated instrumentation and made me focus on that generation of prog metal with bands like WatchTower (still my all time faves), Sieges Even, Toxik, Fates Warning, Anacrusis, Hades, Sieges Even, Heir Apparent etc.. . It's was pretty crazy when "Perfect Symmetry", "When Dream and Day unite" and "Control and Resistance" were released within a pretty short time frame. To me those three albums still are the absolute masterpieces of prog metal - and while I do enjoy the high level of playing these days, I sometimes wonder if people just simply confuse the terms "progressive" and "downtuned"...

(and after all that, one thing that really pisses me off are the people who claim that Dream Theater invented prog metal  )

I started to play guitar because I thought it'd be fun when I was a kid, always was just a hobby but we had a decent cover band going on that was known for covering stuff by Saga, Marillion, IQ and Dream Theater (Ytse Jam only  ) as opposed to all the Metallica cover bands around. I just noodle around and enjoy it.


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## ElRay (Oct 23, 2013)

46 here. I think that makes me the 3rd oldest. 

When I got my first "walkman" and started listening to "my music", I lived in the middle of nowhere upstate New York. MTV didn't exist until after I started High School, plus we lived to far out of town to get cable. Don't even get me ranting about radio --- four hour tape loops of pop music is all I'll say.

Columbia Houses's "X for the price of one" offers with their liberal return policy, along with scouring jukeboxes and the tapes/8-Tracks in stereo displays in stores were my only real avenues of music exploration.

Foreigner and Styx were the first tapes I bought (Juke Box discoveries) and then quickly fell into Rush, Yes, Jethro Tull, Genesis, Triumph, Pink Floyd -- Totally progressive and totally musically outcast because everybody else in our ~100 kids/grade school district was into "pop" -- whether it was pop-Rock, pop-Metal or Top-40. Except for the brief periods when Rush, Styx or Genesis had a rare "pop favorite", but even then I was odd because the song wasn't new to me, and I liked the whole album, not just the pop track.

Then the punk scene hit (I don't recall how I found these): Black Flag, The Circle Jerks, Joy Division, Dead Kennedys, Minor Threat & Suicidal Tendencies -- This stuff was added to the Prog Rock, it didn't replace it, and I was a total musical pariah until I went to college.

Ray


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## feraledge (Oct 24, 2013)

33 here and almost a lifelong metalhead. I was hooked on the heaviest stuff I could find. I loved hair metal at the start (I remember thinking Ratt were like underdogs!). Wore out my Pyromania tape. Got into Master of Puppets and opened the floodgates with Anthrax, Slayer, etc. I remember the first time I heard Megadeth thinking they weren't as good as Metallica because I could fall asleep listening to them late at night at a friend's house. 
My older brother (2 years older, unfortunately died at 22) was a natural bassist, he was playing along to Primus within a year. He was way into hair metal when he was young and went more funk/alternative, but I remember being pissed that he got to see Ministry at Lollapalooza. I ended up getting him more into punk/metal, but he went the Korn route and I the punk route. 
My real awakening was finding Napalm Death's Scum, Carcass's Reek of Putrefaction, Brutal Truth's Extreme Conditions, Phobia's Return to Desolation, and Neurosis's Through Silver in Blood cassettes in a dollar bin at the record store in 1996. That changed everything. And it shows my age a bit more in the antiquity concept of a "record store".
I took a shot at guitar when I was 12 with a studio rental Squier Strat, my ear wasn't developed enough. Shelved it and bought a HSS Squier Strat with Bar Mitzvah money when I was 13. That time it stuck. Ended up putting a Gibson 59 humbucker and went nuts with various single coils before pawning the guitar for half of what the pickups were worth 6 years later to buy a proper SG. 
Hetfield's explorers have a place in my heart.

Since this is the 30+ crew, I'm assuming there's also more likely to be parents in here. I'm proud to say that I've got 14 month old twin girls who will have a much cooler metal backstory. They've both had a huge love of music almost immediately and here's them headbanging to killtheslavemaster just before their first birthday. I'm a happy dad.


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## Leveebreaks (Oct 25, 2013)

feraledge said:


> My real awakening was finding Napalm Death's Scum, Carcass's Reek of Putrefaction, Brutal Truth's Extreme Conditions, Phobia's Return to Desolation, and Neurosis's Through Silver in Blood cassettes in a dollar bin at the record store in 1996. That changed everything. And it shows my age a bit more in the antiquity concept of a "record store".


 
That's one hell of a musical awakening 

major cute kids attack on the vid too, congrats dude. Sorry about your bro too


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## M3CHK1LLA (Oct 27, 2013)

some great stories guys.

remember before the interwebz...having to pic an album by looking at the cover & reading the song titles to gauge whether it was metal enough lol.


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## feraledge (Oct 27, 2013)

bteband said:


> That's one hell of a musical awakening
> 
> major cute kids attack on the vid too, congrats dude. Sorry about your bro too



Indeed. Record store find of a lifetime. Being a crust punk back then made it hard to find the right in for grind/death metal, but the bargain bin won it all. 

I'm super stoked to have daughters this rad. Thanks for the condolences. It'll be 13 years in a few days, so it's sat for a while, but definitely crazy. 
To all budding musicians: If you want to make it to the 30+ thread, don't do heroin.


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## stuglue (Oct 27, 2013)

38 here.
My very first experiences with metal weren't musical they were visual, as a young 6 year old my friends older teenage brother had wall to wall Iron Maiden Eddie posters. Used to fascinate me.
I remember seeing Motorhead perform Ace of Spades on The Young Ones and I hated it.
Next introduction was when Van Halen had a huge hit with Jump, that was a great song and i t stuck with me.
Guns n Roses hit big time in the late 80s and I kind of liked it but thought the singing was awful.
At high school Faith No More were getting a lot of attention and The Real Thing was an album I was really intrigued by. Surprise You're Dead was a really metal song.
First album I got (you could hire CDs and tapes from the library) was The Cult, Love. Liked that and also got some Living Colour, and then I discovered Queensryche Operation Mindcrime, that album was the game changer.
I had a hard time with thrash though, their were a few documentaries on tv about extreme music, BBC 2 aired a Xmas heavy metal show and they had Metallica as well as Slayer and Napalm Death live.
I found it hard to listen to, the guitars sounded like vacuum cleaners and the singing was God awful.
Surprise surprise And Justice For All and South of Heaven are two of my favourite albums


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## DLG (Oct 27, 2013)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> some great stories guys.
> 
> remember before the interwebz...having to pic an album by looking at the cover & reading the song titles to gauge whether it was metal enough lol.



yep. "Hmm Meliah Rage - Solitary Solitude, never heard of it, but it looks like it's a metal album and it's two bucks in the used bin. I'll take it!"


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## MrMcSick (Oct 27, 2013)

32 here. Have a brother who is 4 yrs older than me, he and his friends used to listen to Metallica and Slayer ect which put me onto that stuff in the mid/late 80's.

First album I ever bought was Twisted Sister - Stay hungry after seeing them on mtv. First tape was Metallica - Ride the lightning. First cd was Guns'n roses Appetite for destruction. 

Continued with metallica/ slayer/ maiden/ suicidal tendencies/ gwar/ megadeth/ sepultura ect until a friend played Cannibal Corpse-tomb of the mutilated and Deicide - legion and I couldn't believe there was sicker stuff out than slayer lol. That opening goat bahhhing and backwards growling on deicide was the evilest thing I ever heard and was instantly hooked. Stayed with mostly American death metal till the late 90's when I got into Swedish stuff like In flames and meshuggah.

First guitar - no clue what it was. It was a LP copy but it was only an inch thick lol and had no name. Only had like 3 random strings on it forever and I used a penny for a pick. Got a Lotus strat copy in the early 90's with a peavey decade for my amp. Such awful gear haha.


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## murderinmind (Oct 27, 2013)

32 here. started with Twisted Sister, ac/dc and europe in the mid 80's got hooked on GnR until i heard Cowboys from hell and where BLOWN AWAY! started looking for faster and harder bands and never looked back.

first guitar was a yamaha strat and i played it through a roland 15w combo.


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## mcleanab (Oct 27, 2013)

42.

First album ever purchased was KISS: ALIVE II. Granted, it came out several years before (I think I got it around 1980 or so). Two older siblings, so I grew up listening to KISS, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Styx, AC/DC (who I never liked). Then Ozzy released his first solo album and I didn't know what to make of the guitar sounds that penetrated my brain. I still don't. SATO a bit later was the most amazing thing I've ever heard.

First concert as a young teen was Billy Squire with Ratt opening up. Billy's band was awesome, but Warren DeMartini blew me away. Sometime around or a bit before, my oldest brother saw Van Halen live (Diver Down, maybe?) and was never the same. Bastard got to see Ozzy with Randy too. 

A few years later got to see Metallica, Mercyful Fate, Megadeath, Bon Jovi, Ratt again and several others. By that time, I had purchased my first guitar (which I still have) and haven't looked back. It's a Diamond by Aria which I loaded with an EMG 85 a couple of years later and played through a Gorilla 15w combo... or maybe 25w. I thought it was the most brutal tone imaginable. Then I got an Ibanez chorus pedal.


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## watson503 (Oct 27, 2013)

mcleanab said:


> 42.
> 
> First album ever purchased was KISS: ALIVE II. Granted, it came out several years before (I think I got it around 1980 or so). Two older siblings, so I grew up listening to KISS, Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, Styx, AC/DC (who I never liked). Then Ozzy released his first solo album and I didn't know what to make of the guitar sounds that penetrated my brain. I still don't. SATO a bit later was the most amazing thing I've ever heard.
> 
> ...


SATO and Little Dolls had a HUGE impact on me - the first two solo and Speak of the Devil albums just blew my mind. The albums I didn't have on vinyl I used to listen to on cassette on one of these, I still crack-up looking back on that:


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## feraledge (Oct 27, 2013)

watson503 said:


> SATO and Little Dolls had a HUGE impact on me - the first two solo and Speak of the Devil albums just blew my mind. The albums I didn't have on vinyl I used to listen to on cassette on one of these, I still crack-up looking back on that:



Even better than listening to cassettes on these was having third generation copies of "demos" recorded on them. Kids these days, they have it so easy.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Oct 28, 2013)

^ lol @ the cassette player...i think i had the same model.


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## DLG (Oct 29, 2013)

we had those in elementary school, but I never owned one myself.


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## RV350ALSCYTHE (Oct 29, 2013)

That used to be the car stereo in the old oldsmobile laurentian 
That cassette player made long trips bearable.


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## MerlinTKD (Oct 29, 2013)

45 - I'm in the top 5 here, I think 

Funny, I was always into music, would sit and listen for hours to albums (yes, vinyl) on my parents console stereo system, everything from The Monkees to Wilson Pickett to obscure disco to K-Tel specials (anybody remember those?) 

Then, freshman year in high school, went to a marching band get-together (of course I was a band geek) and heard the most amazing explosion of drums, guitar, and bass, like a bomb went off in my soul - "Tom Sawyer", by Rush. They were also playing "Diary of a Madman" (which was awesome), and some Ted Nugent live album (which sounded to me like a guy who wanted to be a psychedelic Chuck Berry ), but hearing that giant E chord detonate and ring out, and then the drums... yeah, cliche, but it changed my life. 

From there is was Def Leppard (first show I ever saw: Def Leppard, Krokus, The Jon Butcher Axis - sat next to the PA and was deaf for three days), Iron Maiden, Judas Priest... read about Metallica's Ride The Lightning in some magazine, saw it described as "pure heavy metal", HAD to have it! Queensryche's The Warning was the same year... I learned to play drums to ZZ Top's Eliminator and VH's 1984 (no, I couldn't, and still can't, play Hot for Teacher! ), and played guitar to old Judas Priest and what I could figure out of Metallica...

And near-deafend myself Sunday night seeing Anciients, Scale the Summit, and Tesseract 


You know, thinking about it, 1984 was a crazy year for good music: the aforementioned Eliminator, 1984, The Warning, Ride the Lightning... JP's Defenders of the Faith, SRV's Couldn't Stand the Weather... tons of others I'm not going to mention so I don't get my Metal Card revoked


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## watson503 (Oct 29, 2013)

Remember the old Hit Parader and Circus magazines? I used to love going to the grocery store to find that a new issue had come out - that was where I saw Slayer the first time, HP had a very small piece about them and one of the other 2 bands at the time also named "Slayer" and the b&w pic with the band covered in blood "sacrificing" the then teenaged Kathryn Hanneman - I was 10 or so and growing-up in a Roman Catholic home they scared the shit out of me but I had to hear them


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## Lukifer (Oct 29, 2013)

In 2 months and 2 days Ill be back here to post!! THe big 30 is looming very close ahead.


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## feraledge (Oct 29, 2013)

Lukifer said:


> In 2 months and 2 days Ill be back here to post!! THe big 30 is looming very close ahead.



See you soon. Posting in this thread is like a Guitar Mitzvah. We'll welcome your adulthood with open chords.


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## Lukifer (Oct 29, 2013)

Haha at last I can be accepted as a 30 year old metalhead who never truly grew up!


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## karjim (Oct 30, 2013)

Damned, the big 30 was 3 weeks ago, so I can join this thread. I'm the new kid  Cool !
I was 8 in 1991 and my old bro gave me Just a black tape with a crappy snake on it.
Well my life has changed...
Of course I said I like it so two weeks after he gave me Arise Sepultura, Pantera COwboys from Hell, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Gun's Destruction and RHCP Blood Sugar.
When I'm thinking about it it was such a crazy journey discovering all this huge music in less a month. 
Now I'm bored with 46 bands in a day and no one can squeeze my lizard like before.
What a glorious period this end of 80's. What albums !


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## mr_rainmaker (Oct 30, 2013)

Lukifer said:


> In 2 months and 2 days Ill be back here to post!! THe big 30 is looming very close ahead.





phffft.... I got underwear older than you,maybe I should have not said that outloud


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## Lukifer (Oct 30, 2013)

mr_rainmaker said:


> phffft.... I got underwear older than you,maybe I should have not said that outloud



Yeah I was gonna say 30 year old underwear........ those a durable!!!!


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## M3CHK1LLA (Oct 31, 2013)

i found this vid where jason newsted talks about 'and justice for all' 25th ann. it will take us "ole timers" back 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBUT8HFjZ74


here is the thread i started about it ---> http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/ge...53024-jason-newsted-reflects-justice-all.html


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## M3CHK1LLA (Nov 8, 2013)

has anyone seen the new metallica movie?

it wasn't shown at any theater near me.


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## Andless (Feb 25, 2014)

Necrobump warning ... but hey! 

Working up to 42 here ....

Started taking acoustic classes at 10, fell in love with Judas Priest Defenders of the Faith a few years later after hearing them on Swedish Radio Rockbox show - the only one with hard rock on air at that time.

From there on it branched out into iron maiden, motorhead, metallica megadeth anthrax slayer etc. Formed my first band writing original material shortly there after (I can still play a riff or two from that time).

Can't say I'm unhappy the band dissolved and I never attempted anything but hobby bands after that and got a normal career instead. Surely making it big would have been fun, but given the odds of that I can't say I regret pursuing my current career.

The only thing I do regret is putting the guitar in the closet for too long time.


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## ArtDecade (Feb 25, 2014)

Old guys for the win.


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## Surveyor 777 (Feb 25, 2014)

watson503 said:


> Remember the old Hit Parader and Circus magazines? I used to love going to the grocery store to find that a new issue had come out - that was where I saw Slayer the first time, HP had a very small piece about them and one of the other 2 bands at the time also named "Slayer" and the b&w pic with the band covered in blood "sacrificing" the then teenaged Kathryn Hanneman - I was 10 or so and growing-up in a Roman Catholic home they scared the shit out of me but I had to hear them




YES! I thought I was the only one! Same with me - I'd get out of school & drive to the grocery store to see when the new issues would come out. I had a box full of all the issues I had when I was in my last house but they got thrown out when we moved. Many times I could kick myself for doing that. Oh, the memories....

(and I grew up in a Roman Catholic house, too)


-And don't forget RIP magazine - I had a few of those, too.


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## Billy Butcher (Feb 25, 2014)

35 now. Drank too much in my 20's to remember what got me into metal. Lies! Actually it was Megadeth, Slayer, and Metallica that got me into metal. But when Meshuggah released Destroy Erase Improve in 95, everything changed. Probably the only album from the era that I still listen to daily. Occasionally I'll bust out the first Korn album


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## VBCheeseGrater (Feb 25, 2014)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> i found this vid where jason newsted talks about 'and justice for all' 25th ann. it will take us "ole timers" back



 I also recall Jason saying "Metal music is my fountain of youth". I agree.

Cool thread. I'm 36, still love some metal  There's no other music that connects on the same primal level for me.


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## Metal-Box (Feb 25, 2014)

The 80's were the Golden Age of metal. Prove me wrong.


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## Metal-Box (Feb 25, 2014)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> some great stories guys.
> 
> remember before the interwebz...having to pic an album by looking at the cover & reading the song titles to gauge whether it was metal enough lol.


 

I remember standing in Sam Goody trying to find new music as a teenager. It was like, "This band's name sounds pretty metal, and the cover art is wicked too. Sold!".


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## DLG (Feb 26, 2014)

good times


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## lucasreis (Feb 26, 2014)

Metal-Box said:


> The 80's were the Golden Age of metal. Prove me wrong.


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## Der JD (Feb 26, 2014)

Just turned 39. I first got into metal when I was around 8 years old with Dio and Iron Maiden. Later it was Megadeth, Slayer, Metallica...then Possessed, Death, Morbid Angel...then At the Gates, Opeth, In Flames. 

I listen to just about every type of metal genre. I could care less about labels. If I like it, I listen to it. 

I'm still very active in terms of looking for new music. I'm finding new bands that I like all the time. Still, I think my favorite stuff will always be old school thrash and Swedish melodeath (especially the early stuff). 

I'll be playing metal on my guitar till I'm just so old that I can't physically do it anymore. 

When we hit our 60s and 70s I think there will still be people of the same age that like metal. That seems hard to fathom for us but that's because people in that age range simply didn't have metal when they were young. When you're a true metalhead, it's in your blood and always will be, regardless of age.


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## MAJ Meadows SF (Feb 26, 2014)

31, and have been a metal fan since high school. I was a classical violinist for 9 years and finally picked up an electric guitar in HS and that pretty much sealed the deal. I was more into virtuoso stuff early on like Vai, Becker, Satriani, etc, then later Dream Theater. I leaned more towards Megadeth and Pantera for metal, and some general mainstream stuff from the mid 90's and on. I wasn't into heavier stuff until college, and I blew that door wide open going for everything underground you can think of. 

Emperor and Morbid Angel got me into 7 string guitars, I fawned over Opeth, and I eventually gravitated towards tech death bands. Willowtip and Unique Leader owned my ears for a long time. I was a bit polarized with my tastes at the time too, but later I ventured out and now listen to everything, having a mood for all kinds of metal. Literally all of it. It all insfluences my playing, and being a gear whore keeps me checking out everything that appears. I've played in local melodic death bands, grindcore bands, and Tool inspired stuff too. The Army and DoD own enough of my time that I'm not playing anything anymore outside the house, and I don't even practice like I should. My deployment (and injuries) ruined my chops but I'm steadily getting back to acceptable. 

I have frequented shows and know quite a few dudes that are good to friends and good people from the Florida metal scene. Metal is fully ingrained in me and yet it seems like it has naturally been a part of me forever. The mind just gravitates to it above and beyond anything else. You know you are a metal head when you can get a Gorguts riff stuck in your head but can't remember any pop music bullshit from the radio. I love being out of touch with that shit.


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## Lukifer (Feb 26, 2014)

So dont remember if I posted but I am 30 now. It sucks because I ghot divorced 2 weeks after my birthday but hey new life


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## Mklane (Feb 26, 2014)

I remember the first 2 tapes I ever got. My older evil cousin gave them to me Maiden Number of the Beast and Quiet Riot Mental Health. I was nine that was 1985, holy shit...


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## p4vl (Mar 1, 2014)

32, metal fan since elementary school. I sort of miss the 90's, when it was totally uncool to be into metal and when you discovered a brilliant album like Opeth's My Arms, Your Hearse or Emperor's Anthems, it was yours. 

Never got into power metal, and Maiden and Priest are as far as I go into old-school metal (do Motorhead & Venom count?). 

In the last decade, the only 2 bands that have renewed my hope for the future of metal are Deathspell Omega and Pig Destroyer. Everything else I listen to is stuff that I missed out on hearing in the 80's, 90's, and 00's, metal (DOOM) and not-metal alike (Tom Waits is god).


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## synrgy (Mar 1, 2014)

I just turned 34 a couple weeks ago. 

Preface: My experience of metal is mostly pop. I couldn't ever really hang with the deeper cuts. Me and single-tone-vocals never got along, and while it has nothing to do with their music, I've learned over time that if I can't easily read the band's logo, I probably won't like them. 

My Dad raised me on classical, and the 'hardest' thing I remember getting away with for some time, was the Beach Boys. When I was around 10 or so, I started to become aware of popular music of varying stripes. It was the first year I was allowed to come home from school with a key without parental supervision. I remember listening to the radio while sitting by the window to watch for my Dad's car to pull into the driveway, so he wouldn't catch me listening to stuff I thought he wouldn't approve of. In hindsight, I think my fear was unnecessary, but it was what it was. I remember catching Aerosmith's "Janie's Got a Gun" and "Love in an Elevator". I still have a soft spot for the latter.

Then I moved in with my Mom in the summer of '91, and suddenly felt that I could listen to anything I wanted. A friend turned me on to Motley Crue's Dr Feelgood, and that was the first rock tape I think I ever bought for myself. I couldn't get enough of those riffs. A year or two later, a dude my older sister was dating started talking to me about Metallica, but I was prejudiced because I'd only been exposed to Enter Sandman, which didn't do it for me at all. He considered that his invitation to educate me, and thus I was introduced to Master of Puppets.

I'm pretty sure those first few moments of Battery changed my life, to say nothing of Orion, or Damage Inc. I then found a friend who let me tape his copies of Ride The Lighting and And Justice For All, and that was it. I was screwed.

With my newly discovered love of 'metal', I was looking through a TV Guide one day and found out about a little show on MTV called "Headbanger's Ball". I was in the 7th grade, and the very first time I watched the show, I received my first exposures to Pantera's Walk, Gwar's Road Behind, Nine Inch Nails' Head Like a Hole, Alice In Chains' Them Bones, Soundgarden's Rusty Cage, Helmet's Unsung, and at least a few others I'm likely forgetting these many years later. Tool's Sober might have been in there. My adolescent mind was officially warped.

I used to walk to and from school - usually alone - most often with a Walkman (remember those?!) and headphones. Around the same time, the whole Seattle/grunge/Lolapalooza/whatever thing was happening, and between metal and it, I couldn't digest enough. Whether it was the spacey warmth of Siamese Dream, the southern-fried crunch of Vulgar Display, or the meticulously layered Pretty Hate Machine, I was officially in love with music. Then, one afternoon, while listening to Nirvana in a friend's car, I came to the realization that I could 'isolate' individual instruments in my head. _I was onto something_.

I started playing guitar soon after, and I spent the majority of my teens locked in my room (or at band practice) learning how to play all this music I loved so much, which would continually inspire my own writing.

I practically *leaped* off the metal-train in the late 90's, though. With due respect to anyone who likes them, I just couldn't hang any more when the scene deemed that bands like Disturbed, Staind, or Godsmack were in any way acceptable. I took that shift as my cue to step away. I went hard in the practically opposite direction - falling in love with electronic music - and... That's a whole other story!

The last few years have been promising for my metal experience, though. We get a great band or two in our local scene every few years. I was super into the work Mark Holcomb was doing with Haunted Shores (my best friend lived in the house they used to practice in, and their drummer Chris is also a friend of mine), and that eventually led me into Periphery, Animals as Leaders, and a few others.

I still love what I love, but my taste is all over the place, now. I suppose it always was, but the older I get, the less prejudiced I find my musical interests. That said, the older I get, the harder it is to find time for new music! It's a rather amusing juxtaposition, that.


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## MemphisHawk (Mar 1, 2014)

31 years old as of January, Feeling old in my head , that's all though.


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## RedDog22 (Mar 1, 2014)

Steve Naples said:


> Well, just turned 50 here. When I started at 6 or so, it was Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, some Iron Butterfly, and Hendrix. The 80's went to the Hair Metal bands, VH, Ratt, Def Leppard, Poison, Kiss, Frampton, Hagar. The 90s I went all Alt. was strange for me to change, then STP, Pumpkins, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains, after that it was all of the Alt. Metal and Hard Rock, I never look back at the older stuff, it had it's time, and I listen to some now and again, and remember playing some of those really old songs. What a ride, and it's still going.


same age here & listening style. If its good metal, doesn't matter what era its from  Started playing guitar late in life (1 1/2 years ago)


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## narad (Mar 2, 2014)

30 years old, and in denial about being old...until you go posting threads with titles like this!


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## M3CHK1LLA (Mar 2, 2014)

MemphisHawk said:


> 31 years old as of January, Feeling old in my head , that's all though.





RedDog22 said:


> same age here & listening style. If its good metal, doesn't matter what era its from  Started playing guitar late in life (1 1/2 years ago)





narad said:


> 30 years old, and in denial about being old...until you go posting threads with titles like this!




getting old is a state of mind...

i still listen to the same music i did when i was a teen + heavier stuff. i still wear black band t-shirts, jeans & skate shoes...and occasionally skate too 

im just a big kid...


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## mlp187 (Mar 2, 2014)

32, 33 in May! Still in college and still skateboard. Late bloomer I guess. F u c k it, life is too short to spend it not being happy!
I started with ac/dc, metallica at 8, cannibal corpse at 11, immolation at 13 and then korn and deftones. I heard meshuggah at 15 and my mind was blown! 
I ended upgetting an all black applause gtx-22 when I was 11 and played the first half of orion at a talent show 6 months later, solo and all.
These days I hardly play at all due to time constraints imposed by my studies, but do enjoy metal. My favorite bands right now are Dark Sermon, Wretched, Icon and Anchor, the Contortionist, and Arkaik.


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## wilch (Mar 2, 2014)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> getting old is a state of mind...
> 
> i still listen to the same music i did when i was a teen + heavier stuff. i still wear black band t-shirts, jeans & skate shoes...and occasionally skate too
> 
> im just a big kid...



Plus, you're only as old as the girl you feel!


...and my fiance is 7 years younger than me. wooo, still in my 20's, f' yeah!


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## Nails In Your Coffin (Mar 2, 2014)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> thought it would be cool to have a thread for the "old guys" on sso.
> 
> we could do like those ppl who are in their 60's - 70's and talk about how much better things were "back-in-the-day,"  feel free to cuss & discuss anything music, guitars, fashion, etc
> 
> ...



Well, shit, I'm already too old to participate in this reindeer game. 

...But I'm going to, anyway.

It all started for me when I was at the library. Back then, we could rent records. I used to love thumbing through them, and then I came upon the coolest thing I ever saw...the Gene Simmons solo record. I liked the "scary face." As I continued to thumb, I discovered Ace's, Paul's, and Peter's solo records, but Gene was always my favorite. I was about 7 years old.

So, I'd always take the four records to rent, even if I didn't listen to them. I was basically just really liked looking at them, because I thought they looked cool. After overcoming the initial infatuation with the imagery, I started playing them. I absolutely loved Gene's solo record. 

That eventually wore off, and then I heard Quiet Riot's "Metal Health" record...after first hearing "Cum On Feel the Noise" first, of course. From there, I just launched right into Metal.  I just kept craving heavier and heavier bands. My real "breakthrough" came when our babysitter brought over an Iron Maiden "Live After Death" cassette. It was the heaviest thing I'd ever heard and the first time I heard it, I wasn't sure I liked it. After the third time, I was hooked. 

One thing I can clearly remember is the first time I saw Metallica's "Kill'em All" record. I was at the grocery store and it was in a rack. I couldn't even pronounce their name. I pronounced it "Meta-Lisa."  Well, I flipped it over, and the first thought was, "These are some of the ugliest people I'd ever seen. They just look like they suck." 

Yeah, eventually, I discovered "Meta-Lisa" were pretty awesome and eventually became my favorite band for a very long time.

...And then, of course, came the guitars. Dave Mustaine has a B.C. Rich, so I had to have one. I figured since he played one, they must have been the greatest guitars in the world. I came across one I could afford and bought the first one I found. My other option was an Aria Pro II ZZ with the "blood" paintjob. Thinking back, I probably should have gotten the Aria Pro II. Considering I refer to this one as my "C.C. Deville Special," it's easily identifiable in the below photograph. 





Yes, so that's what the guitar "fetish" turned into; 11 guitars, and one on order. 

And so, it's years later, and I'm still as "Metal" as ever. I still love to crank it up while I'm out in the car, windows down. When I'm in traffic and listening to Overkill or Slayer, so are everyone around me. I still wear a few Saxon and Iron Maiden shirts from time to time, and I own a classic "Headbanger Leather Jacket." You all know what I'm talking about. I'll go on record as saying I wear it with pride, along with everything else, and whoever either thinks I'm too old or outdated can kiss my ass. I march to my own beat and what I wear doesn't affect anyone else, so they have no reason to care. When it's warm enough, I'll wear my Converse All-Stars and camouflage shorts that come right below the knee, along with all my nasty skulled-up Affliction shirts. That's my thing and I don't hide the fact.

Each year, since 2012, my wife and I attend the "Monsters of Rock Cruise." this year, it's the end of this month, and yes, we will be on it. Contrary to what everyone may wanna think, Tesla, Cinderella, and L.A. Guns still have very strong fanbases. They haven't gone anywhere, and they still have their fans. The only reason everyone thinks they're has-beens are because they receive very little promotion these days, but trust me, the fans are still there. These guys put on shows like they did in their 20s, they aren't just standing there in one place, playing old classics like "Nobody's Fool."

These days, while I may be 40 years old come March 27th of this year, I haven't changed since I was a teen. The only things that have changed are my responsibilities, and the fact I'm no longer lighting bags of dogshit on the neighbor's step and running after ringing the doorbell. I still love to talk music, listen to the heaviest thing I can find, strike poses in front of my wife when I fart, etc. 

I could never understand why there was an "age restriction" for having fun. People are always saying, "Aren't you a little old to be listening to all that noise and wearing t-shirts with skulls on them?" Am I? Or, could it possibly be that my passion and life are Metal and I love every aspect of it? Metal has given me so much to be thankful for in life, and damned if I'll ever abandon it just because some dickweed thinks I'm too old for it. 

And yeah, my old ass'll see you young guys in the pit. I ain't jumpin' out until I got a bloody nose and a footprint on my forehead.


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## The Q (Mar 2, 2014)

I'm far from a Metalhead (because I don't identify myself from the music I listen to and because I'm not limited to Metal), but I'm closing in 32 soon and &#921; can feel it. Your priorities change, your stamina goes down fast, you don't easily identify with the younger generation (what the #@*$ are you youngins listenin' to? Damn kids).

It was an interesting time in the older days in regards to music, mostly thanks to the lack of internet; when you managed to find a tape or an LP of a great band, you'd treasure it like hell. Music almost became a quest onto itself, especially if you lived in places that didn't have access to more obscure music. This has deteriorated nowadays thanks to the Internet, but I'm all for the easy discovery and digital formats (because Nyquist to all 44/16 haters) that we have now.


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## VBCheeseGrater (Mar 2, 2014)

Nails In Your Coffin said:


> I could never understand why there was an "age restriction" for having fun. People are always saying, "Aren't you a little old to be listening to all that noise and wearing t-shirts with skulls on them?" Am I? Or, could it possibly be that my passion and life are Metal and I love every aspect of it? Metal has given me so much to be thankful for in life, and damned if I'll ever abandon it just because some dickweed thinks I'm too old for it.



 well said, well said

We have a big gig coming up next weekend at a local hot spot (new venue for us, new singer, etc) - I feel pretty damn excited about it. Still work a 9-5 job and all, but can still rock the f*ck out within the framework of "Responsible Adult". At our gigs at local bars, it's surprising how well some of our more heavy stuff goes over like Pantera and Slipknot. We tend to pull a 35-40 type age range, and folks love it when we bust out "Walk" for instance


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## Nails In Your Coffin (Mar 2, 2014)

The Q said:


> I'm far from a Metalhead (because I don't identify myself from the music I listen to and because I'm not limited to Metal), but I'm closing in 32 soon and &#921; can feel it. Your priorities change, your stamina goes down fast, you don't easily identify with the younger generation (what the #@*$ are you youngins listenin' to? Damn kids).
> 
> It was an interesting time in the older days in regards to music, mostly thanks to the lack of internet; when you managed to find a tape or an LP of a great band, you'd treasure it like hell. Music almost became a quest onto itself, especially if you lived in places that didn't have access to more obscure music. This has deteriorated nowadays thanks to the Internet, but I'm all for the easy discovery and digital formats (because Nyquist to all 44/16 haters) that we have now.



I definitely treasured a good record when I found one, and back then, bands needed to measure up. While they certainly got pushes from the record companies, the fans were the ones who really did the advertising and spread the word. If a band didn't measure up, word didn't spread. There was no internet as you said. These days, bands are just "out there." People will hear about them, whether they're good or bad. Take a band today who aren't nearly as good as one of the older bands and just because of social media, that crappy band are exposed to a lot more people, and may just sell more records than the talented bands from our era ever did.

As for labeling myself, I've never done any such thing. Ever. I've always just been my individual self. When I refer to myself as a "Metalhead," it means I'm an absolute fan of Metal. I certainly listen to other types of music, but Metal is my thing. We can't be "Metal" all the time. I know some guys who try way to hard to be "Metal." They almost advertise it as if to make a statement and prove a point, "I'm more Metal than you are." I dunno, but that's kinda poserish behavior, IMO. 



VBCheeseGrater said:


> well said, well said
> 
> We have a big gig coming up next weekend at a local hot spot (new venue for us, new singer, etc) - I feel pretty damn excited about it. Still work a 9-5 job and all, but can still rock the f*ck out within the framework of "Responsible Adult". At our gigs at local bars, it's surprising how well some of our more heavy stuff goes over like Pantera and Slipknot. We tend to pull a 35-40 type age range, and folks love it when we bust out "Walk" for instance



Yep. I know a lot of people who have cut their hair, have wives, kids, have gotten cursed into driving a Dodge Caravan or Toyota Sienna, but they're the biggest Pantera fans on the planet. Talk to a lot of them and they're disappointed they have to look professional for their jobs and can't have tattoos all over them and hair down to their asses. I feel bad for these people, men and women alike, because some of them are just ready to burst out. It never feels good to have to suppress who you really are.

For a while, I hadn't worn a concert shirt or Affliction shirt in nearly 15 years. Then, one day, I was talking to a friend of mine about it and it just hit me like a ton of bricks. "Ya know what, I'm gonna wear what the hell I want and be myself. I'm sick and tired of putting on a front and trying to be something I'm not. I'm miserable." Within a week, I had a leather jacket, jeans, Converse All-Stars, and dusted off a pair of Dr. Martens that had been collecting dust in my closet for the better part of a decade and a half.

Don't get me wrong, when I go to work, I dress professionally like everyone else does, but when I'm on my downtime, that's an entirely different story. I actually ran into someone from work one day and she was surprised as hell when she saw me. She was like, "Dan, is that you? _WOW!_ I had you pinned for a real professional-type guy! I had no idea!! Just...WOW!" We must've talked about Metal for about an hour. I had her pinned as a "Pop" fan. As it turned out, she was going to see Testament and Overkill the following week! 

What's really funny about that story with running into my coworker, was that she told me the next day I saw her at work that I inspired her to loosen up a bit. She was kinda in the same boat I was in; dressing and portraying the image everyone else thought she should portray. A few weeks later, she told me her parents were in shock when she went over and visited them, wearing a Megadeth shirt.


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## AVH (Mar 2, 2014)

Late to this, so I'll have to backtrack and read the whole thread...
I might be among the most ancient fossil here, just turned 50, and been into heavy music since I was little kid back to about '71 or so...oh there's soooooo much I could contribute to this, a few of my buds call me Allosaurus.


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## Bear R. (Mar 2, 2014)

1980..KISS Alive II..whoa...God of Thunder..my brother and I up until then ,lived in south Pheonix az..so,all we knew from 80 on back was disco..ha,ha.we knew and hung w/Mexicans,chicanos..we were the only white kids around..and a red head and blonde at that. we always had long hair though,Levis,and Converse Hi tops a flannel shirt tied around our waist.bandanna in the back pocket.we actually brought this look to the north side of phoenix.at least in our part of town.everyone around us were prepies,rich kids..and here we come.dressed like that..they laughed at us the 1st year but the second year everyone was dressing like us..we were called long hair freaks,...ya baby that was livin..that's when we moved to the north side of town..then, we got introduced into Metal..after Kiss alive II our buddy turned us onto AC/DC's Back in Black..then it was really on..from there Metal Massacre albums,from Metal Church to Venom..then,ManOwar,Helloween,Iron Maiden,then it was Yngwie' s Marchin out album for me..then Hendrix,Stevie ray Vaughn,ect...when I heard these guys.it was time to learn how to play guitar..then it happened..i bought my 1st guitar.it was a Harmony Explorer model..Black w/red pinstripes..i put red dice for knobs,drilled em out and installed 'em.so there ya go..1985,86 I bought my 1st guitar...28 yrs later and tons of beautiful guitars later, im still playin and love it..thanks for the Memories that just came back..i could write a book.well,we could all writes books im sure.but,just to share a tiny part of a chapter in our lives is cool to me... thanks..God Bless you all..Barry.. ps..even though I think Ywngie is the baddest guitarist to come around back then..my Ultimate guitarist is and will always be..Randy Rhoads..RIP..my friend..what he could've brought to metal w/his Classical playing combined would've been unbelivable..we will never know what he coulda brought to the table.before and after Yngwie got here..but it would've been behond belief though.he had so many plans.and didn't get to live hardly any of them..im so sorry Randy....thanks again guys,gals....Barry..


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## mjbg (Mar 2, 2014)

31.. feeling like 16..

first album ive bought was Iron Maiden - Fear of the Dark cassete tape because i liked the cover art.. i was like 11-12yo..


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## Nails In Your Coffin (Mar 2, 2014)

mjbg said:


> 31.. feeling like 16..
> 
> first album ive bought was Iron Maiden - Fear of the Dark cassete tape because i liked the cover art.. i was like 11-12yo..



I bought a Manowar's "Kings of Metal" record because I liked the cover art. Too bad the record wasn't as cool as the cover art.


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## The Q (Mar 2, 2014)

Nails In Your Coffin said:


> These days, bands are just "out there." People will hear about them, whether they're good or bad. Take a band today who aren't nearly as good as one of the older bands and just because of social media, that crappy band are exposed to a lot more people, and may just sell more records than the talented bands from our era ever did.



You make a good point here. I might offer as a counterargument that this might allow those bad musicians to improve themselves and be encouraged by the signs of support. Even people who make their beginning from forums like this and Soundcloud/Bandcamp have it much better than 10 or 20 years ago.

There were many great bands that failed to make a dent and they were far from bad; sometimes the reasons can be completely out of your control. Even so, I don't mind if a bad band manages to sell copies, because I'm busy being grateful for the ability to be exposed to great stuff !


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## ZeroS1gnol (Mar 2, 2014)

Im 31...glady, I don't feel old at all. I even do weirder stuff than when I ws a lot younger.


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## Lukifer (Mar 2, 2014)

I know one thing for sure. I need to get my ass to the gym becausemy metabolism started to slow at 26 now Im 30 and its at a crawl. Plus I drink too much, so I need to burn some calories and get back to 200 atleast. Got out of the US Army in 2009 at 190lbs now im 245lbs!! If I was mexican I could go for the Dino Cazares look.....


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## Nails In Your Coffin (Mar 2, 2014)

The Q said:


> You make a good point here. I might offer as a counterargument that this might allow those bad musicians to improve themselves and be encouraged by the signs of support. Even people who make their beginning from forums like this and Soundcloud/Bandcamp have it much better than 10 or 20 years ago.
> 
> There were many great bands that failed to make a dent and they were far from bad; sometimes the reasons can be completely out of your control. Even so, I don't mind if a bad band manages to sell copies, because I'm busy being grateful for the ability to be exposed to great stuff !



Oh, there are still many bands who fail to make a dent, who will blow away just about anything out there today as far as this "new" Metal. Check out this indie radio station called NewUSB. There are some amazing musicians I've heard on that station. Just send them your music, no matter how good or bad, and they will play it. They are a great bunch and really are out there to help unsigned artists. Check it out at NewUSB Radio - Profiling the very best of the best in independent music from around the world..


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## lucasreis (Mar 2, 2014)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> getting old is a state of mind...
> 
> i still listen to the same music i did when i was a teen + heavier stuff. i still wear black band t-shirts, jeans & skate shoes...and occasionally skate too
> 
> im just a big kid...



I agree.

I'm 30, will be 31 in May, and I don't feel old at all. I listen to a lot of new stuff and I swear I know a bunch of people that are in their 20's and even below 20's and they only listen to old stuff. Sometimes I feel younger than those people in my mind... in a way that I still listen to heavy stuff and I like listening to new bands all the time, I always have a thrill of discovering new songs, new bands, and I know people in their 20's who have "settled" and abandoned metal because they think it's for youngster. I mean, .... that shit... I don't feel old at all.


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## lucasreis (Mar 2, 2014)

Lukifer said:


> I know one thing for sure. I need to get my ass to the gym becausemy metabolism started to slow at 26 now Im 30 and its at a crawl. Plus I drink too much, so I need to burn some calories and get back to 200 atleast. Got out of the US Army in 2009 at 190lbs now im 245lbs!! If I was mexican I could go for the Dino Cazares look.....



This is my biggest problem. I don't drink, but my metabolism ....ing sucks and I'm getting fatter. I just got back to the gym today to try to lose some weight hehe


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## Metalman X (Mar 2, 2014)

ah, awesome thread!

Though I hardly consider myself "old", but yes, I'm 34 as of 2 weeks ago. Always been more of an old school metal guy too in a lot of ways. Like, even in the mid 90's (my late teen years) I was REALLY getting into/discovering what would end up being one of my lifes greatest passions. I was rocking the denim vest with back patches, big spiked gauntlets, black band tee's etc. and learning old Slayer and TYestament, and Overkill riffs while all the others we're jizzing over Korn, Staind, Creed, etc. 'Twas dark times for trying to form a band back than. NOBODY was into the shit I was getting into. Even my old bass player, who was getting into his 30's at the time was always saying I needed to "get with the times" "thrash is dead, and death and black metal is just too extreme to ever catch on". Kinda' funny how now thrash has seen a VERY huge revival, and now p[eople actually know what black metal is!

Noty much has changed for me. I still listen to mostly the same stuff, still write the same stuff... hell, the only real changes even to my wardrobe is hat everything is much larger to accommodate the extra 175lbs I gained since my late teens/early 29's (though it's mostly plain black or novelty t's now... band shirts very rarely come in 3X and 4X sizes, sadly). 

Metal for ....in' life here!


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## Henry Terry (Mar 2, 2014)

I have been on my Heavy Metal quest for a long time. I was born in February, 1947, and I do not intend to stop listening to Heavy Metal until I die. To me, the music distills the essence of rock &#8217;n roll - the excitement that it creates when played loudly and the renegade attitude (needed in a world that increasingly shys away from the passionate and leans toward the cautious).

I encourage all of you to stick with it, unless/until you genuinely no longer like it. Do not let people shame you into stopping by telling you to &#8220;grow up.&#8221; Too many people, when they tell you to &#8220;grow up,&#8221; really mean to abandon your dreams and the things that you really like so that you can be like they are, because they are frightened of the passion and frightened of renegades. If your significant other thinks you need to &#8220;grow up&#8221; and stop playing and listening to Heavy Metal, you might want to point out that it was your renegade nature which was the attraction in the first place.

I&#8217;m reminded of a passage in a book that I read recently, &#8220;If we can still surmount what is natural and believe what we wish to believe, in spite of the force of evidence, then for a while at least, we are masters of our fate, and we can paint the world we want. . . .&#8221; Perhaps we can also change the world by being ourselves without being defensive.

I heard my first electric guitar &#8220;live&#8221; in 1960 (and fell in love with the sound). I first became interested in Heavy Metal in 1969/1970. The first band that I heard called by that name was Grand Funk Railroad, followed by Deep Purple. Over the years, I&#8217;ve bought many Heavy Metal LPs and CDs. I was one of the multitude that bought Judas Priest&#8217;s British Steel when it was released. I was one of those who encouraged Ritchie Blackmore&#8217;s quest by buying Rainbow&#8217;s Straight Between The Eyes when it was released. I&#8217;ve continued my Heavy Metal buying with CDs by Angel Dust, Dark Tranquility, Carcass, Emperor, Obituary, Dimmu Borgir, Fear Factory, Iced Earth, King Diamond, and many others. Two of my favorite concerts were one by Morbid Angel (Twister&#8217;s, Richmond, Virginia, 1998) and a Black Metal Fest, headlined by Emperor (Twister&#8217;s, Richmond, Virginia, July, 1999).

While in college, I was part of the late 60s hippie counterculture in the Boston area, and I saw many of the famous bands of the era - The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Vanilla Fudge, Jeff Beck, Led Zeppeln, Janice Joplin (with Big Brother and the Holding Company), among others. However, the two acts that influenced me most were the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream. Cream had its &#8220;farewell tour&#8221; in the fall of 1968, and I rode down to Providence, Rhode Island on the back of my roommate&#8217;s motorcycle to see them. I saw Hendrix in concert twice - at the Singer Bowl in Queens, New York in August, 1968 and at Boston Garden in May/June, 1970. In concert, both Clapton and Hendrix displayed real power (technical skill, phrasing, &#8220;mojo&#8221 in the context of the &#8220;power trio,&#8221; and I was hooked on the concept of a group consisting solely of guitar, bass and drums.


The following year, 1969, I bought my first professional quality equipment - a Gibson SG Standard and a Fender Twin Reverb. However, I was plagued by unrelated issues at the time and abandoned the guitar after a few months. In 1975, I returned to playing the guitar and have not put it down since. Over the years, I have owned and played many other guitars - two Fender Stratocasters, an Ibanez Artist 2618, a Gibson Les Paul Standard, a Hamer Californian, and a G&L Legacy. Presently, I have a Jackson SLSMG which I bought in 2005. I replaced the passive pickups with two EMG 81s. Over the years, I have owned many amps - a second Fender Twin, a Fender Dual Showman with a 2x15 cabinet, a Peavey VTM120 with a Peavey 412MS speaker cabinet (Sheffield speakers), a Fender Deluxe Reverb reissue and a Marshall stack consisting of a JCM900 2100 SL-X with a 1960A and a 1960B speaker cabinet. I will continue to play loud and play dirty, and I advise all of you to do the same.

Do NOT worry about how old you are.


Henry Terry


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## AngstRiddenDreams (Mar 2, 2014)

This should be the "Ye Old Saggy Nutsacks" thread.


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## Noxon (Mar 2, 2014)

AngstRiddenDreams said:


> This should be the "Ye Old Saggy Nutsacks" thread.



Respect your elders, son. The nut sacks may be old, but they're more than enough to choke you on. Now apologize before I send you to bed without dinner...


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## Andless (Mar 3, 2014)

Steve Naples said:


> The 90s I went all Alt. was strange for me to change, then STP, Pumpkins, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains, after that it was all of the Alt. Metal and Hard Rock, I never look back at the older stuff, it had it's time, and I listen to some now and again, and remember playing some of those really old songs. What a ride, and it's still going.



This exact thing happened to me. The 80:s hairier metal that I used to love I was never able to get back to... Now its Alt or 70:s metal rather than 80:s.

I still have a soft spot for a select few of the 80:s thrash metal tho, and when I write nowadays, a lot of it has traces of both 90:s Alt. and 80:s thrash.




Henry Terry said:


> To me, the music distills the essence of rock &#8217;n roll - the excitement that it creates when played loudly and the renegade attitude (needed in a world that increasingly shys away from the passionate and leans toward the cautious).



True, and this is one thing I loved about metal. Now, I have the feeling that enter year 2000, there is very little of "rebel" left in any music style. It's been reduced to alternative / mainstream division at best.


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## IndoRGforme (Mar 3, 2014)

I turn 40 in a little over a month and am into multiple genre's of music but would have to say I'm a Metal Head. \m/ I dont have much to add as to it being covered already. I really must say THANKS to the OP for a well missed trip down memory lane. I started getting into heavy music in 1978 and found an acoustic in our attic around 1980. The bad part is I didnt ever get serious about playing til around 2007. I still crank up my half stack and play Slayer, Antrax, Testament, Nuclear Assault, Suicidal Tendencies, and King Diamond for my neighbors. Which mind you is always fun as I live in a all black but me type of Hood. 
I think all that I can add to this thread is KEEP THEM HORNS UP!!!
I am also a closet Hair Metal fan. I know Be nice. Those guys got all the chicks.


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## Nails In Your Coffin (Mar 3, 2014)

IndoRGforme said:


> I turn 40 in a little over a month and am into multiple genre's of music but would have to say I'm a Metal Head. \m/ I dont have much to add as to it being covered already. I really must say THANKS to the OP for a well missed trip down memory lane. I started getting into heavy music in 1978 and found an acoustic in our attic around 1980. The bad part is I didnt ever get serious about playing til around 2007. I still crank up my half stack and play Slayer, Antrax, Testament, Nuclear Assault, Suicidal Tendencies, and King Diamond for my neighbors. Which mind you is always fun as I live in a all black but me type of Hood.
> I think all that I can add to this thread is KEEP THEM HORNS UP!!!
> I am also a closet Hair Metal fan. I know Be nice. Those guys got all the chicks.



Wow, I could swear I'm reading something here that I wrote. LOTS of commonalities here, except for living in the hood. I wouldn't be cranking it up, because that's just an invite for all the crackheads to break into your home and steal your shit.

I started taking my playing seriously back around 2008, then my wife signed me up for lessons in 2010 as an Xmas gift. I took lessons back when I was a teen but I never took them seriously. I really didn't learn much...


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## IndoRGforme (Mar 3, 2014)

I never took lessons but I did play a cello in school. I didnt want to learn Mel Bay. 
Its good to see that I'm not the only one. I also forgot that I teach all children I meet to throw up the HORNS!!! \m/ \m/


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## tribalfusion (Mar 5, 2014)

Henry Terry said:


> I have been on my Heavy Metal quest for a long time. I was born in February, 1947, and I do not intend to stop listening to Heavy Metal until I die. To me, the music distills the essence of rock n roll - the excitement that it creates when played loudly and the renegade attitude (needed in a world that increasingly shys away from the passionate and leans toward the cautious).
> 
> I encourage all of you to stick with it, unless/until you genuinely no longer like it. Do not let people shame you into stopping by telling you to grow up. Too many people, when they tell you to grow up, really mean to abandon your dreams and the things that you really like so that you can be like they are, because they are frightened of the passion and frightened of renegades. If your significant other thinks you need to grow up and stop playing and listening to Heavy Metal, you might want to point out that it was your renegade nature which was the attraction in the first place.
> 
> ...




Very interesting post...thanks for that one!


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## Carvinkook (Mar 7, 2014)

Well I'm 40, and started out I guess by going to see Thin Lizzy in Germany on the Chinatown tour. 83 I think..bought my first cassette Quiet Riot - Metal Health, my first cd's I received as an xmas gift with a player.. Danzig, and Anthrax ((I'm the man) single.. with my allowance a month later I bought Megadeth - Peace sells..

We always had music in the house.. mostly classic rock, but that Phil Lynott man..genius!! I wish I would have known how much that concert would have influenced me.. I've only in the last few years went bsck and dove deeper into the catalog, really some great stuff!! Lyrically blessed.

And it goes without saying some of the best guitar harmonies ever! Scott Gorham had style and licks man! At the concert phil introduced the band and all I remembered years later was Scarecrow on guitar! I was like whoa scarecrow is cool,lol!! Obviousluy I misunderstood... but it added to the mystique at the time.

Take your kids to shows!

And I still buy cds,just looking for something new...always second hand and usually for a buck!


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## M3CHK1LLA (Mar 7, 2014)

^ i still buy cd's too...

...dont trust not loosing my digital music. yes im old school.


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## brett8388 (Mar 7, 2014)

I'm 43 and to this day the best show I think I've ever seen was Motorhead in 1983 in Houston. The place fell into a full on riot and cops ran everyone out of the place. I wasn't old enough to drive so I had to wait for my old man to come back and pick me up. Metallica opened for Motorhead back then. How about that?

My guitar collection reflects everything I thought was cool back then that I could not afford back then.

And I still buy CD's too.


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## metaldoggie (Mar 7, 2014)

I'm turning 35 next month and feeling it!

Jeez....embarrassing start....listened to pop stuff (Rick Astley? *hides*) and then Bryan Adams (I thought his guitar player looked cool with long hair and a red strat lol).

...But then I was saved by a neighbour who brought round the Black album and Countdown to Extinction. Also my dad's friend made me a Satch mix tape and I was hooked.

Got an old acoustic from my parent's friend who gave me lessons for a little while.
Had some money saved from some premium bond winnings (UK peeps know what they are) and used them to buy a Squier strat and amp combo as my first axe.

I love all styles of music really (aside from country and rap etc). The more proggy the better (whether that be 70s inspired or death and black metal).
I find I gravitate towards interesting bands rather than genres.

I too still love CDs.....I feel like I own something more if I can look at the liner notes and smell the fresh pages of the booklet lol.

Most recent concerts I've seen are:
Devin Townsend, Katatonia, Paradise Lost
Gojira, Devin Townsend
Steven Wilson
Joe Satriani

Next month is the Carcass show with Gorguts and Black Dahlia.
I am making up my own Tshirt design for "Smeg and the Heads" to see if Bill and Jeff notice!


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## thraxil (Mar 7, 2014)

35. Grew up in rural Maine where there was pretty much zero metal scene. Shows were few and far between and at least a two hour drive away. My sister's a couple years older and she got into the 80's hair metal stuff. I wasn't into most of it, but I latched on to AC/DC, some GnR, and then Black Sabbath. Some of the boys she dated were into heavier stuff and I got exposed to Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, Ministry, and Sepultura. I would dub copies of the tapes they let her borrow.

Then Nirvana hit and grunge/alternative stuff pushed out everything else for a couple years. I started playing guitar around then, so I was mostly learning Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots songs. Stuff like that. I still liked the heavier stuff, but none of my friends were into it, so it got downplayed.

Then around freshman year of high school, a new kid saw me drawing in art class and said "Hey, do you like Pantera?". He ended up being my best friend for years. He'd moved up there from Virginia and had a massive collection of death metal and years of Headbanger's Ball episodes he'd taped (where I lived, we couldn't get cable TV. Still can't at my Dad's house). He was also a drummer and encouraged me to take guitar seriously.


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## VBCheeseGrater (Mar 7, 2014)

my license plate (at 36 yrs old)


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## M3CHK1LLA (Mar 9, 2014)

^ awesome plates!

oh yeah! this is my 3000th old guy post!


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## Nails In Your Coffin (Mar 9, 2014)

VBCheeseGrater said:


> my license plate (at 36 yrs old)



My license plate.  Where in VA are you?


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## Chiba666 (Mar 10, 2014)

Well as we have 0 music scene here, well ,etal anyway and not that I can find, Ive booked up for 2 days at Tuska this year. Fri and the sun, Dimmu and Emperor, I couldnt be happier. Wife even wants to upgrad eto the VIP package as well. Hotels all booked as are flights. Just got ot get to the UK from Cyprus to drop the wee one of with the grnad parents. Oh did I metion its our first holiday without the boy.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Mar 10, 2014)

Chiba666 said:


> Well as we have 0 music scene here, well ,etal anyway and not that I can find, Ive booked up for 2 days at Tuska this year. Fri and the sun, Dimmu and Emperor, I couldnt be happier. Wife even wants to upgrad eto the VIP package as well. Hotels all booked as are flights. Just got ot get to the UK from Cyprus to drop the wee one of with the grnad parents. Oh did I metion its our first holiday without the boy.



nice man....


not br00tlz, but im planning on going to motley crues final tour.

anyone else going?


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## cyb (Mar 13, 2014)

31 here. I must admit I might not be listening to Metal today if it weren't for my older brother. Back when Metallica's black album first came out, I remember my mom taking him to the local record store to buy the cassette tape and I was along for the ride. He let me listen to some of it on his walkman on the drive home. I was 8 years old at the time. I remember liking it, but it also scared me 

A few years later he let me read the lyrics to some Cannibal Corpse songs. I couldn't believe what I was reading  When I was in middle school he gave me some of his slayer albums. He ended up going to jail for a while and we kind of drifted apart. fast forward to the summer of '99. I was at a Slayer show and I just happened to run into him there. Nothing is cooler than having a reunion with your brother at a Slayer concert.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Mar 16, 2014)

^ crazy story...


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## TRENCHLORD (Mar 16, 2014)

39.5 right now.
Like the OP, my first rock/metal album was Pyromania followed by Shout At The Devil then everything else I could find heavy and heavier.


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## DslDwg (Mar 16, 2014)

Turn 46 this summer. 

My cousin who's two years older then me got me into KISS around 10 years old. First album I remember buying was KISS Alive II. Soon after I remember grabbing Deep Purple Fireball and Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath. 

I have one of those really cool mom's at 12 she took me to my first concert. Don't know how much she liked metal but she was always a music fan so I'm sure she enjoyed herself as well. 

First concert was Day on the Green 1 July 4, 1981. 415, Ozzy Osbourne, Loverboy, Pat Travers, BOC and Heart at the Oakland Colosseum. Seeing Randy Rhoads and Ozzy would be the imputes to pick up the guitar. 



Spent early eighties mostly listening to Priest, Maiden, Ozzy, Scorpions etc. 

Was amazing growing up in the Bay Area in the Mid-eighties as a metal fan. The story has been told a million times but our local acts were Metallica, Death Angel, Exodus, Possessed, Forbidden, Heathen etc etc....

First good guitar because Adrian in Maiden was playing them:





Basically haven't changed what I listen to much since those times still love hard rock and metal. Still rock baggy shorts, t-shirts and Vans when I dress casually.


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## feraledge (Mar 17, 2014)

Dumb tired mistake, ignore me.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Apr 3, 2014)

i forgot adrian played a destroyer as well.

actually these are the destoryer II...the orginal destroyer was an explorer copy.


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## gh0Zt (Apr 6, 2014)

only 19! but my dad played all this stuff and it really defined my own


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## M3CHK1LLA (Apr 7, 2014)

gh0Zt said:


> only 19! but my dad played all this stuff and it really defined my own



your lucky...

if i was defined by the music my dad liked, id be wearing a cowboy hat & boots with cow turds on them.


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## metaldoggie (Apr 7, 2014)

I got into Queen because my parents had the greatest hits tape (but then so did everyone once a tape was left in the car for more than a week).

Other than that I pretty much sought out my own tastes through magazines as soon as I caught on to metal.


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## Nails In Your Coffin (Apr 7, 2014)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> your lucky...
> 
> if i was defined by the music my dad liked, id be wearing a cowboy hat & boots with cow turns on them.



...And I'd be listening to "Doo-Whop" and the Bee Gees!


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## Go To Bed Jessica (Apr 7, 2014)

39.5 here - discovered metal around the age of 14-15, picked up a guitar at 15-16 and have never looked back.

My tastes have broadened a lot over the years and go a long way in all directions - alt rock, classical, jazz, electronica, various other forms of rock, but metal has always been my mainstay. I grew up on a diet of late '80s and early '90s thrash before moving on to death metal, grindcore, black metal and extreme metal in general. 

I have a decent collection of gear and recently picked up an M80M with the goal in mind of getting down to making a solo metal record at home. It's something I have always wanted to do and the home "studio" is slowly coming together.

I don't look like a metalhead, and enjoy watching the cognitive dissonance people who know me from work suffer when they find out.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Apr 7, 2014)

^ yeah, with most of us old metalheads having to "grow up", cut the hair, loose the earrings and get a "real job", we kinda look like "normal" people now lol.


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## Chiba666 (Apr 8, 2014)

I may look normal, well normal in the case of short hair and almost tidy beard but thats as far as it goes. I do wear less band merch these days but Ive still got stacks of t-shirts rady for the slleves to be hacked off this summer.

Inside Im still that young metal head discovering new bands


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## Lukifer (Apr 8, 2014)

Chiba666 said:


> I may look normal, well normal in the case of short hair and almost tidy beard but thats as far as it goes. I do wear less band merch these days but Ive still got stacks of t-shirts rady for the slleves to be hacked off this summer.
> 
> Inside Im still that young metal head discovering new bands



Thats like me. I have short well kept hair, I blame the Army for that, and keep my beard nice. 

But....... I am a biker and work at a Harley Davidson dealer so I wear black everyday and chains and other shit. So I go for the clean cut metalhead/biker look.


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## Chiba666 (Apr 9, 2014)

Im in shirt and trousers but no tie, but soon as the summer is coming we can turn up in shorts and polo shirts. So after easter I should be nice and relaxed at work.


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## metaldoggie (Apr 9, 2014)

Nope...not cutting it.....I'll be the guy who looks like George Carlin lol.

I do have the benefit of sitting in an office with only one other person who is out in the plant most of the day, surrounded by pieces of equipment that drown out the metal to the outside world.

I am at the office with either black jeans or tan pants and a t-shirt (unless there is a high profile plant tour).

It has to be said though, thanks to this Xmas and teefury.com the subject of my shirts is less and less metal/guitar and more and more Dr Who related LOL.....I'll have to work on that.


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## gh0Zt (Apr 9, 2014)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> your lucky...
> 
> if i was defined by the music my dad liked, id be wearing a cowboy hat & boots with cow turds on them.



HAHAA nah my dadS FAVE bands are exacly the same as hetfields (UFO, sabbath, scorpions, Sex pistols)

it was funny coz he hated calling them metal so much.. If he liked it, it was heavy rock,,, if he didnt it was heavy metal... Until he had me...

I opened his eyes to heavier and more progressive and he stopped me from being Ignorant


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## gh0Zt (Apr 9, 2014)

Nails In Your Coffin said:


> ...And I'd be listening to "Doo-Whop" and the Bee Gees!



WOW i am lucky :l
i didnt experience the ''TURN THAT SHIT OFF!'' until i discovered meshuggah, slipknot korn and slayer


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## lucasreis (Apr 9, 2014)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> ^ yeah, with most of us old metalheads having to "grow up", cut the hair, loose the earrings and get a "real job", we kinda look like "normal" people now lol.



It's funny, I've always been into metal but I never really had the metal look. I had long hair twice in my life, but I did dress really "normal", so a lot of people wouldn't really guess what I was into. I always had a more "Helmet-like" look with t-shirts and shorts and stuff like that! But always had a metal heart lol


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## Andless (Apr 22, 2014)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> ^ yeah, with most of us old metalheads having to "grow up", cut the hair, loose the earrings and get a "real job", we kinda look like "normal" people now lol.



I probably look more like an electronica fan most of the time rather than metal. Sure, I had earrings long hair and denim jacket when I was teenager, but I never was into the metal look then, and not now neither.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Apr 23, 2014)

lol...i have on occasion mis-read someone with long hair thinking they were into metal.

i would mention a band, or song and they would look at me like i was crazy. then i would see these short-haired, clean cut young punks with 'as blood runs black' or 'dimmu' shirts and laugh.


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## hairychris (Apr 23, 2014)

Cut all the long hair off about 7 or 8 years ago due to not liking the ever-increasing skullet look.

I line in jeans & band t-shirts even though 1) am 42 and b) work in a multinational.

No, I haven't grown up.


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## TheMobGoesWild (Apr 23, 2014)

Present and accounted for. 38 years old, short hair, trimmed goatee, but lots of tattoos under my button down and tie.  I remember actually going to the cd store in 1992 and buying my copy of Vulgar Display of Power. (I still have that copy, too) I don't wear much in the ways of band tshirts and whatnot any more, but still do from time to time. Still love to riff on low tuned guitars as much as I ever did. I don't think that ever gets old for any of us.


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## mdeeRocks (Apr 23, 2014)

I am 45. Still don't give a ...., pretty much


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## M3CHK1LLA (Apr 24, 2014)

even tho i have short hair, i do have a trimmed goatee also.

i do where the same things as i did when i was a kid...

blue jeans

basketball or skate shoes

band tee's

skate tee's

anime or horror movie tee's


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## DLG (Apr 25, 2014)

I'm 33, but I still dress like I'm 17 

Here's a picture of my family


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## M3CHK1LLA (Apr 26, 2014)

^ infant sunglasses ftw!


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## M3CHK1LLA (Jun 8, 2014)

time to resuscitate this thread...

any other old timers out there?


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## bazguitarman (Jun 8, 2014)

Yeah, 44 and reporting in the day after seeing Whitechapel and Devil Driver. I think the older I get, the heavier the music I listen too.

I remember really getting into heavier rock because of Kiss releasing the Destroyer album in '77. I was 7 then. By '81/82 I was listening to Iron Maiden. Then Metallica's Kill Em All came out and that was pretty much it. From then on it was all metal. And still is. So, over 35 years listening to the heavy stuff.

In '83 I picked up the guitar and started out trying to play every heavy metal song I could figure out. So, over 30 years playing metal. 

Now at 44 I still have long hair. Still listen to and play heavy metal. Still wear band t-shirts when I can. And probably will never stop. All my family and friends have totally given up on me "growing up".


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## Chiba666 (Jun 9, 2014)

Still here and still dragging my middle thirties corpse around. Tuslka here we come ina few weeks, going to tick 3 bands off of my to see list.

Just need to see Bolt Thrower and Enslaved (again) and I am done, oh and probably xentrix for some quality English thrash


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## hairychris (Jun 9, 2014)

Chiba666 said:


> Still here and still dragging my middle thirties corpse around. Tuslka here we come ina few weeks, going to tick 3 bands off of my to see list.
> 
> Just need to see Bolt Thrower and Enslaved (again) and I am done, oh and probably xentrix for some quality English thrash



Xentrix? Saw them supporting Sacred Reich in 1990!

And yes, I owned a Ghostbusters t-shirt.


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## Lickers (Jun 9, 2014)

hairychris said:


> Xentrix? Saw them supporting Sacred Reich in 1990!
> 
> And yes, I owned a Ghostbusters t-shirt.


 
Hammersmith Odeon? If so, I was there too! Got a poster signed by all of the Xentrix guys and I almost got run over by Chris Astley! I vaulted a fence at the side of the road as he came tearing around the corner in his Vauxhall Astra estate. He evan managed to wave lol

I've just turned 39 and find plenty of modern 'metal' bands to shake my head at as it's nowhere near as good as my day etc... Still, there's loads of great ones around which is fine by me. 

My hair went some time ago - mainly because I'd had enough of long hair after so many years. Still either sport a goatee or a beard and my ink is still on show; even though it's been about 6 years since my last piece.

I have my bands old logo on the inside of my right wrist (in Chinese) which always raises a question when I shake the hands of a new client. 
It always tends to raise a few eyebrows and further questions when people find out about my 'past life' as a professional musician. 

I still listen to music too loudly. I'm doing a lot of work in my garden and garage these days so it's quite funny when people pass the house to visit the shop at the end of the street, only to hear Meshuggah, Lamb of God and Down blaring out of my garage system at indecent levels.


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## twizza (Jun 9, 2014)

I'm in my late 30s.
And I have played air guitar in the last 72 hours.


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## hairychris (Jun 10, 2014)

Lickers said:


> Hammersmith Odeon? If so, I was there too! Got a poster signed by all of the Xentrix guys and I almost got run over by Chris Astley! I vaulted a fence at the side of the road as he came tearing around the corner in his Vauxhall Astra estate. He evan managed to wave lol



No, in Manchester. I had just started university in Salford (I think that it was my second week there) and was loving getting out of a small town and get to gigs and clubs.



Lickers said:


> I've just turned 39 and find plenty of modern 'metal' bands to shake my head at as it's nowhere near as good as my day etc... Still, there's loads of great ones around which is fine by me.



Hmm, there was a lot of shit in the thrash scene back then too. Sadly.



Lickers said:


> My hair went some time ago - mainly because I'd had enough of long hair after so many years. Still either sport a goatee or a beard and my ink is still on show; even though it's been about 6 years since my last piece.



Yeah, baldness comes to all of us! Been sporting a shaved head for years due to too many comedy thin patches. I do, however, have a Blessed-esque beard going on so that does me!



Lickers said:


> I have my bands old logo on the inside of my right wrist (in Chinese) which always raises a question when I shake the hands of a new client.
> It always tends to raise a few eyebrows and further questions when people find out about my 'past life' as a professional musician.



All of mine are covered/coverable. A couple might be White Zombie related, and one retarded tattoo done as a joke as an ex-bands singer was a tattooist. Never made it to "professional" though.



Lickers said:


> I still listen to music too loudly. I'm doing a lot of work in my garden and garage these days so it's quite funny when people pass the house to visit the shop at the end of the street, only to hear Meshuggah, Lamb of God and Down blaring out of my garage system at indecent levels.



My neighbours have to put up with Deathspell Omega, and I've bought a Moog. You have no idea what they can do in a confined space!


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## osirisguitar (Jun 10, 2014)

Turning 40 in 3 weeks. I'm really kind of a closet metalhead (style wise), working as a consultant and all that. I really got back into listening to metal and finding new bands when I started playing guitar seriously (at 33). This is about as metal as I get:


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## cow 7 sig (Jun 10, 2014)

another 40 here


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## RevDrucifer (Jun 10, 2014)

I'm 32 but my hair is already 85-90% gray with some white starting to taking over the gray. I've been rocking a mohawk (a real one) for quite some time now, which makes the gray show up less with the sides of my head shaved. Been working in the restaurant industry for years now, while I have to look presentable, half of it is the way you carry yourself. 

Outside work all I wear are cargo shorts and black/band shirts, I suppose it's pretty obvious I'm a metalhead. 

I sing MUCH more than I play guitar these days and for a couple years I was sick of screaming and wanted to get back to my earlier influences, Chains and Queensryche....then I joined my current band and rediscovered my love for going apeshit on the mic. I literally feel 16 again at some points, the heavier and crazier the part, the more youthful I feel.


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## Chiba666 (Jun 11, 2014)

Wife went out last night so grabbed For Whose Advantage out of my record collection and had a spoin, I forgot how much I love that album. I tihnk It was Xentrix's best, even though the Gohstbusters cover is good ina commical way.

Would really like to join a band again but there is a distinct lack of metal in Cyprus whihc is a shame even though finding time for a band might be hard. Would mean I would also have to practice alot more than I do now.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Jun 15, 2014)

funny how in most cases the older we get...the heavier the music gets.


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## OmegaSlayer (Jun 15, 2014)

I was very fond of Cradle Of Filth shirts with naked women 
Can't use them anymore at work.
Always ponytail, tattoo where it can't be seen, I lately grew a goatee that is very white on the chin.
Sometimes I wear strange shirts with zips or laces, sometimes trousers with belts, but that's how far it goes.
Oh, and wristbands, always wearing wristbands but people think I play tennis 

36...in just a bunch of days...geez I don't grow and get normal...


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## M3CHK1LLA (Jul 7, 2014)

haha...these reminded me of this thread. then and now pics...
















ok...no change here


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## Chiba666 (Jul 7, 2014)

Slash hasn't changed his style.

A young Papa Het, ah those were the days


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## M3CHK1LLA (Jul 8, 2014)

^ yeah, i bet it would be just as shocking if we here in this thread posted a before & after pic


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## Chiba666 (Jul 8, 2014)

WHat do you mean, no change for me, just facial hair. Im still as fresh faced as I was when I was a wee nipper.

Alot grumpier though, oh yes I can be as grumper as poo bear with no Honey. I get really annoyed when the bar at a gig is full of them there sweaty teens wanting water when I want a beer.

Luckily Tuska solved that problem by allowing me to buy VIP Turbo tickets that had a private bar and rock stars oh yes there were rockstars


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## Chiba666 (Jul 9, 2014)

Are any of you gus over the magic age playing on bands or is it just for pleasure.I keep toying with the idea of starting something and while I probably have the spare time, I really can't be bothered with the finding musicians in what is a very small pool.Think it might have to be all on my lonesome and my laptop see if I can come up with anything


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## Daeniel (Jul 9, 2014)

I'm 31, going towards 32 at the end of the year. Had to remove my eyebrow piercing a couple of years ago for a consultant job, except for my beard I don't look too metal at the moment... even if I made a new piercing at the helix  But in September I'm gonna get tattoed from this guys: 

Tattoo, Tattoos und Piercings vom BuenaVistaTattooClub in Würzburg -Germany

It will be AWESOOOOOOME!


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## Chiba666 (Jul 9, 2014)

Looks like good work there


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## EmaDaCuz (Jul 9, 2014)

33 y/o here. First close encounter with heavy metal was Maiden's "Fear of the Dark", even though I had grown up with plenty of hard rock bands (thanks daddy). First year of high school, started my rock band. We were sharing the rehearsal room with a death metal band. From those days on, metal is my religion. Maidens are still my favourite band, but my extreme metal collection has grown bigger and bigger. I didn't like black metal at first, while preferring old-school death metal (Morbid Angel, Suffocation, Carcass). Then I started playing death/black and fell in love with Arcturus, Emperor, Immortal,(early) Dimmu Borgir, In Battle... now I'm more into porn gore or grind, but I still love some oldies.

Not a real metalhead on the outside, though. I used to have long beard (ZZ Top style) and long hair (down to my butts), but never wore camo/denim/black. Now I am professor at the university, still have my beard and earrings, hair got shorter though.


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## Chiba666 (Jul 10, 2014)

Welcome pull up a Chair Professor, grab and beer and warm yourself by the fire.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Aug 12, 2014)

so who else is getting old?


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## Chiba666 (Aug 12, 2014)

Another year older last month, with stil no intention to grow up.

Think us elderly ones are in a minority on here


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## AliceLG (Aug 12, 2014)

aaaaaaaaaand I can finally post here  30 as of 3 weeks. Still unable to grow facial hair, still get carded in bars and clubs. I have long hair and tunnel plugs but I don't look metal at all. I have to dress up a little for work and then in my free time I just wear goofy shirts.

Metalwise I got started with 80s Metallica during their 90s hiatus, then proceeded to fall into the nu-metal pit (blame puberty?). During my first week in college someone introduced me to Cannibal Corpse and that was it. Nowadays I try to keep up with the new stuff but I keep going back to my classic Opeth, Cannibal and Death.


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## metalgary (Aug 12, 2014)

I'm 32, still got the long hair, the beard, some piercings. but the gray has started to find me the past couple of years... stay true to it though dudes.. !!


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## Ill-Gotten James (Aug 12, 2014)

Well I am barely eligible for this thread as I turned 30 this year, but I feel that my tastes in metal music are certainly fit for this thread. In my opinion the best metal albums came from the late 80's and early 90's.
Ride the Lightning
Rust in Peace
Reign in Blood
Painkiller
Vulgar Display of Power
1984
Heartwork
... and many more

I have albums on vinyl, CD, tape, and mp3, although I don't have a tape deck anymore I have yet to get rid of them. Sentimental value I guess of riding around on country roads, blazed, listening to Overkill, Megadeth, and Sabbath. 

My tastes have diversified over the past decade and I now find myself enjoying jazz, electronic dance, bluegrass, progressive, and even 90's alternative, but I never get tired of listening to 80's and early 90's metal. I also still rock ripped jeans and a leather jacket except when going to work, or work functions. They may have holes in them, but it's hard to get rid of a pair of jeans that just feels so good to wear.


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## nlaplante (Aug 13, 2014)

33 here. If I remember correctly, what turned me into metal was Sepultura's Territory. Thought it was brutal but cool. I then started to collect cassettes of various genres of metal (Ozzy's Blizzard, Sabbath's Dehumanizer, then Ozzy-era Sabbath (all of them)). Then I heard about Pantera. Far Beyond Driven. It's my definition of metal, still today. That's when my metalhead-ness was sealed in concrete.

Today I listen to many genres, some light years away from metal, but I still do listen to metal on an almost daily basis. I'm into Goatwhore, Behemoth, Opeth and Arch Enemy mostly. Ah! and Conquering Dystopia, Nevermore, Feared and Merrow!

For the non metal stuff I llike Kasabian, Joe Bonamassa and Beth Hart and some world music.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Oct 1, 2014)

bump for us old guys...


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## Chiba666 (Oct 2, 2014)

Old guy checking in, going througha pahase of listening to English Black metal Winterfyllth and WOdensthrone and good old Finish Melo Death.


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## Andless (Oct 2, 2014)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> so who else is getting old?



42 next month...


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## fogcutter (Oct 2, 2014)

This is a fun thread, cool to see so many influential LPs in common. 

I'm 33 and got hooked the same way as a lot of people: Metallica, Ozzy, Sabbath, Megadeth, Tool, Pantera, Faith No More, Anthrax, and others in the 90s. Most of it was from trading and copying cassette tapes with my buddies - which seems ancient but was pretty fun. I think the first real metal CD I bought with my own money was Far Beyond Driven, which I obsessed over. It was all great stuff to be into as a guitar player - so many good challenges. As I got older, I kind of got into different music (probably because I misguidedly thought it was "cool") and always gravitated back to metal. 

In the past few years I've been really into the technical death, prog, djent, and experimental stuff like Faceless, Periphery, Meshuggah, Protest the Hero, etc. As an older guy I am really impressed by a lot of these younger guys who have pushed themselves to create really interesting and intense music. 

And I totally look nothing like a metalhead. Sometimes people from work don't believe me when they ask me what I like and I say "jazz & metal". I've met the Lamb of God guys a few times at their shows and on 2 occasions (Madrid & Bangkok) I think Randy has given me a bit of a weird reaction because I look like a corporate square but have clearly been a serious fan for 10+years ...


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## Chiba666 (Oct 2, 2014)

Never got into Ozzy, stil hanvt same with Tool. I did the Maiden, GNR, Def Lepard, Metallica, Megadeth route with a love for stuff like Graham Bonnet, purple, dio. Then it went to Bolt thrower, Seps, Xentrix, Paradise Lost, Therion, Machine Head. Now its most things, unless it starts with brutal then or anything with core that isnt hardcore. Then I give it a miss


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## Humbuck (Oct 2, 2014)

45 and as busy as ever. Horns up!


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## NorCal_Val (Oct 3, 2014)

What a bunch of rookies!!
Comin' up on 50.


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## Chiba666 (Oct 3, 2014)

NorCal_Val said:


> What a bunch of rookies!!
> Comin' up on 50.


 
Will pass you a hearing trumpet Grandad and a blanket for your rocking chair.


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## Andless (Oct 3, 2014)

NorCal_Val said:


> What a bunch of rookies!!
> Comin' up on 50.



Well, after 35, time speeds up, at the blink of an eye, we'll have caught up with you. 

... wait! That's never gonna happen  unless you part with this world and stop ageing.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Oct 17, 2014)

NorCal_Val said:


> What a bunch of rookies!!
> Comin' up on 50.



so far i think your the oldest 

just hope i make it that long....


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## Chiba666 (Oct 17, 2014)

Well sat in my nice Ikea chair that rocks a little bit, feet up. Nice warm cup of proper tea and Iron Maiden's first LP (Original release0 on the turn table).

What could be better.

Tonight I'm off out to celebrate the Battle of Trafalgar so into a Dinner Jacket I go.

Yep Im growing up


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## Fred the Shred (Oct 17, 2014)

Hehe! First CD I ever got was Countdown To Extinction, since I didn't own a CD player before - tapes went all the way back to Live After Death, which my mom gave me when I was... 8. She was in such disbelief then!


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## DLG (Oct 18, 2014)

I bought Countdown on tape. first CD I bought was the Train of Consequences single. Got Youthanasia on tape as well, then got a CD player a couple months later


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## Chiba666 (Oct 19, 2014)

First CD was Fear of the dark, first metal tape was Justice


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## ToneLab (Oct 19, 2014)

I guess I should finally check in - 48 - here - cranking Metallica in high school when no one even knew who they were - saw them on Kill em All and Ride the Lightning at a local old style movie theatre with about 500 people there - front row. We would comb the import record bins at the local record store and pick the vinyl albums that had the most evil cover art and take the gamble on whether it was any good or not. Most of the time they sucked of course but some gems came out of that. Then they would get recorded to tape and passed out among our small group of metalheads. Only source of info for metal back then was Kerrang! mag - and there was such a lag on information - you had to go out and find it yourself - Some cool bands back then that we discovered that way: actually Dio - was huge Sabbath fan - but didn't know he left the band - saw the cover of Holy Diver, had to have the record - thought it said D10 - got home and put it on and pure Vivian Campbell bliss, Venom, Icon, Chateaux, Exciter, Witchkiller, Accept, Queensryche (first EP and album or two - no one knew who these guys were), Raven, Tsunami. Of course Anthrax, Slayer, Megadeth, Maiden, Priest, etc as well but those were well known then - though still frowned upon by mainstream. My Pinto had a JP sticker on one side and a Maiden Killers sticker on the other. That and the stereo made it cool! Atleast it was a wagon so the back seat folded down.....


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## M3CHK1LLA (Oct 21, 2014)

first tape i bought was def leppard - pyromania...wore out 4 copies.

first cd i bought was def leppard - pyromania..still have it lol.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Nov 10, 2014)

reminded me of this thread...


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## Chiba666 (Nov 11, 2014)

How verfy true, I went ofr a time where metal didnt flick my switch and I needed something else.

I'm fully back in the land Metal but Luckily Ive bought all the stuff i lsitenened with me so know when the blasting gets to much I have an alternative.

I love metal in all its beer soaked, crusty denim, corpse paint producing spots, spandex trousers and distorted glory. I love metal, metal loves me and my wallet hates us both.


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## fps (Nov 11, 2014)

One of the great perks of turning 30 five days ago is I can now post in this thread! Been eyeing it jealously for a while now, so hello! Something I love, as a fan of rock, stoner and doom, checking the audiences at gigs and the guys on stage, I'm nowhere near my prime yet


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## ascl (Nov 11, 2014)

I just turned 38, so I think I qualify 


First metal tape I got was ride the lightning... and haven't looked back since!


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## OmegaSlayer (Nov 11, 2014)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> reminded me of this thread...



Does anyone has some glue?
I think my testicles fell off


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## Chiba666 (Nov 11, 2014)

1999 Pape Het is a high point. Mullet clad 95 not so good


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## man jerk (Nov 11, 2014)

I'm not sure if I've ever posted here or not. 

37 years old, and my life pretty much revolves around metal in some form or another. 

First metal (ish) tape I ever bought was Pyromania.

First CD I ever owned was Sepultura: Chaos AD


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## Dusty Chalk (Nov 12, 2014)

51
Still listen to it
Only play it occasionally, but I have some absolutely sublime fuzz pedals (Dirt Transmitter, Terminal, Fnord) for when I do.
_(opens window, sticks head out, yells...)_
Kids, get offa mah lawn!


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## M3CHK1LLA (Nov 16, 2014)

Dusty Chalk said:


> 51
> Still listen to it
> Only play it occasionally, but I have some absolutely sublime fuzz pedals (Dirt Transmitter, Terminal, Fnord) for when I do.
> _(opens window, sticks head out, yells...)_
> Kids, get offa mah lawn!



you may be top dog so far...


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## Wiz (Nov 16, 2014)

29, can I still post here? <3


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## Chiba666 (Nov 17, 2014)

Quick a youngster get him, make him out out the rubbish, get more beer in, not to mention pick up my meds. My body aint what it used to be.


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## Dusty Chalk (Nov 17, 2014)

You got a license, wet-behind-the-ears? Make yourself useful and go pick up his meds.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Nov 18, 2014)




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## BrutalExorcist (Nov 19, 2014)

Myself, crossed 30 this year, can finally play something that occasionally sounds like lead guitar, and finally own a tube amp. That all took long enough! Still have dreams of putting a metal band together or joining a like minded group, putting out an awesome music video, and doing some touring, though the real job is starting to show serious profit potential, which I certainly don't mind. Trading talent for money, I think that's the rockstar dream. I'm selling off live gear now to pay bills and probably will set up a fresh noise friendly home studio, but getting back in a band is the goal at some point, I'm thinking. It's a balance between finding younger guys who want to rehearse 20 hours a week and take over the world, and finding seasoned vets who want to play covers for their friends in bars on occasion. I'm more of a power / folk / melodic death metal guy myself, but it's always fun discovering new bands. Pleasure to be a new memeber in Ye Olde Metalheads club!


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## M3CHK1LLA (Nov 19, 2014)

^ welcome to the underground....


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## hairychris (Nov 19, 2014)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> ^ welcome to the underground....



Seniors tickets only.


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## canuck brian (Nov 19, 2014)

Wiz said:


> 29, can I still post here? <3



My lawn. You are on it. 

(kidding!)


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## Chiba666 (Nov 20, 2014)

Can someone turn the tv up or at least pass me my ear trumpet


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## JD27 (Nov 20, 2014)

I'm 34 and have been listening to metal since around 1990. My sister who is much older than me got me into it. She listened to a lot of hair metal, but she also had stuff like "Painkiller", "Operation: Mindcrime", and "Appetite For Destruction". From there I started getting in to Iron Maiden, Pantera, Megadeth, Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax. I l. Growing up in the 90's I also listened to a ton of alternative, but the early 2000's or so I really started getting more into metal. The whole NWOAHM really sucked me in; Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage, Unearth, Darkest Hour, Shadows Fall, All that Remains, God Forbid. I think that really got me headed towards the more extreme stuff that I wouldn't have listened to otherwise.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Nov 23, 2014)

^ yes, he whole NWOAHM really got me going again too...


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## Chiba666 (Nov 24, 2014)

I enjoy Log and Shadows Fall but the rest do nothing for me. 1 Bleeding Through album is pretty good adn used ot be my work out CD.

Apart form that most NWOAHM I can leave.

Oh and welcome


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## Thanatopsis (Nov 24, 2014)

34 here. I have some mixed opinions as far as changes on the Internet have gone. I've been online since 93 and until 95 or 96 ran a dial-up BBS at home too( I got into computers very young). Even though there was far less information available I miss the fact that back then pretty much everyone online was reasonably intelligent since it required some knowledge and effort to get connected. I remember when I got my first modem for a 12MHz 286 going through hell to get it working because of an IRQ conflict. Most people nowadays probably don't even know what a jumper is.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Nov 27, 2014)

^ so you were around when al gore invented the interwebz?


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## Chiba666 (Nov 27, 2014)

welcome, but techies og in the corner with abacus and other strange devices


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## Thanatopsis (Nov 27, 2014)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> ^ so you were around when al gore invented the interwebz?


Considering I worked for a couple ISPs in the 90s, one from 94-97 had 500 dial-up customers when I started there and over 50k when I left, I had more to do with creating the Internet than he did.


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## haffner1 (Nov 27, 2014)

40 here. Conned my mom into getting me a Charvette in 1989 after a friend started getting me into thrash. I'm sure she thought I would never stick with it, because I never stuck with anything, but here I am still flailing away at it. Not pro, but I always put in a couple hours a day and play out here and there when I get the chance.


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## Chiba666 (Nov 28, 2014)

welcome welcome welcome


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## M3CHK1LLA (Nov 29, 2014)

haffner1 said:


> 40 here. Conned my mom into getting me a Charvette in 1989 after a friend started getting me into thrash. I'm sure she thought I would never stick with it, because I never stuck with anything, but here I am still flailing away at it. Not pro, but I always put in a couple hours a day and play out here and there when I get the chance.



thrash was and still is a huge part of my musical upbringing...


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## M3CHK1LLA (Dec 3, 2014)

chk this thread out...it will really make you feel olde 

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/ge...heir-20th-anniversary-2014-a.html#post4231809


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## oompa (Dec 4, 2014)

canuck brian said:


> My lawn. You are on it.
> 
> (kidding!)



rascals!

*clenches fist*


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## Dusty Chalk (Dec 5, 2014)

Eh? _(holds up earhorn to ear)_


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## mr_rainmaker (Dec 5, 2014)

*AND* I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you *medding kids....
*


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## M3CHK1LLA (Dec 7, 2014)

my olde guy vid pick of the week...


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## feraledge (Dec 8, 2014)

It's funny to think of age in terms of music. The time between Metallica's Kill Em All and when my daughters were born is equivalent to the time between Nat King Cole's Unforgettable and when I was born. 
Their oldies are much, much cooler. 
Note that Def Leppard's Pyromania came out the same time (30 years before 2012). 
Weird.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Dec 10, 2014)

^ it is strange when you talk about them in those terms...

kinda like when you reminisce about huge milestones in your life, like my first car, my first home, etc. i remember the years those happened and think back, where did time go?


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## M3CHK1LLA (Jan 3, 2015)

another classic...and over 9 mins long!

remember when we had time to listen to stuff like this?


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## Dusty Chalk (Jan 4, 2015)

Lollers @ "remember when we had time to..."

I finally understand, "does anyone remember laughter?"


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## OmegaSlayer (Jan 4, 2015)

My humble video contribution


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## slowro (Jan 4, 2015)

I turned 30 in September, I now speak with ultimate authority on any subject any 'kid' is talking about. It's a gift!


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## s2k9k (Jan 4, 2015)

35 here. Turning 36 in February. Poison and Motley Crue got me into metal. My first metal TAPE was Appetite For Destruction. And the Shout at the Devil I was about 9. Started playing when I was 10. Had a Memphis electric guitar with 19 frets LOL playing through a Crate G10. Cool thread.


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## OmegaSlayer (Jan 12, 2015)

Another contribution from the flux capacitator...from UK, 1984


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## M3CHK1LLA (Jan 18, 2015)

another great album from back in the day...


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## Dana (Jan 18, 2015)

without going thru 14 pages of stuff... i'll see if any of you remember this 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWjGVSz-F8M

wrathchild america


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## Dana (Jan 18, 2015)

or... Souls At Zero
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv3pie5Yudk


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## Drew (Jan 19, 2015)

33, coming up hard on 34, so I'm definitely on the older side of this board. I was more of a shred and prog-metal guy in my youth than a true metalhead, however, though god knows I listen to my fair share of metal now. 

I think the first "metal" album I ever bought that was unquestionably worthy of the genre title was Dream Theater's "Awake," because I wanted to check out this John Petrucci guy I heard was such a devastatingly good player. He didn't disappoint.


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## Chiba666 (Jan 20, 2015)

I would say welcome but I tihnk youve been around these parts a long old time, just havnt found your way down to the old folks home.


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## Dusty Chalk (Jan 20, 2015)

Drew said:


> 33, coming up hard on 34...


Pfff...kids these days...


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## M3CHK1LLA (Feb 4, 2015)

another must have from back-in-the-day


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## tstern66 (Feb 8, 2015)

I'm 34 and grew up on 80's metal. My first favorite band was Motley Crue. And then the Black Album came out. That's all it took. That's what got me into heavier music. I had all the Metallica albums within a year and was obsessed. I got into Megadeth, Slayer and Pantera in high school.

I love the old stuff but still enjoy discovering new bands and new guitar players. My favorite new band would have to be All That Remains. I'm digging this Keith Merrow dude too. Dude is really good and creative IMO.

I got my first guitar when I was 16 and have played pretty much everyday since. My first guitar was an Epiphone mini Explorer. Gotta be like Het. I still have it in my closet somewhere.


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## OmegaSlayer (Feb 8, 2015)

It's from 1993, I was 15 and this was one of the best power trios out there.
Manni Schmidt, though not being a proper virtuos was killing it with raw-ness and tightness


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## UV7BK4LIFE (Feb 8, 2015)

Hi,

I just turned 40 so I guess it is time to post something here. How about my musical timeline?

*1979*, I was 4 and my dad played Pink Floyd and Led Zep records all day. I'm still convinced that planted a seed in my head. Black Dog, Kashmir, No Quarter, still love those songs.



*1987*, I was 12 and I heard "Can I play with madness" by Iron Maiden on the radio. That was what I wanted to hear on the radio!



*1989* a friend passed me a cassette tape with Show No Mercy and Reign in Blood (Slayer, duh).



*1991*, at 16 I decided to quit slide trombone, get a side job and save up for a guitar. I wanted a BC Rich Warlock or Ironbird real bad. I discovered Entombed, Deicide, Bolt Thrower, Sacred Reich, Cacophony, you name it.







*1992*, I played Metallica's "And Justice For All" on a classical guitar with 5 strings. I learned English from Guitar World and Guitar Player magazine without my English teacher noticing.



*1993*, Still no music shop found that sells B.C. Rich Warlocks or Ironbirds. Mind you, there was no internet... I scored an A (or 10 out of 10) for my English exams, thanks to no homework and Guitar Player magazine and reading lots of lyric booklets from tapes and albums.  Disclaimer: it takes some affinity for languages to pull this off!

*1994*, a local newspaper ad says there's an Ibanez on sale from NLG 2700,- for just 1700. That would roughly translate to $1200.- I went there, tested a Gibson Les Paul studio, an unaffordable Jackson USA, and the advertised Ibanez, which turns out to have seven strings, and came home with this, my first electric guitar:






Aaaand that depleted all my savings. I still have it and play it. By the way, NLG means Dutch Guilders. We did not have Euros until 2002, kids... When I walked home I went past a music store with a shop window full of Warlocks and Ironbirds, but I decided to stick with the Greendot.

*1996*, I joined my first band. I bought a Sound City (now Hiwatt) tube head, and a Tech 21 Sansamp GT2. I seriously regret selling the head. All handwired, point to point, hardly any pcb's... I was crazy about lots of new stuff coming out, Pantera, Alice in Chains, Nine Inch Nails to name a few. I became a musical omnivore. Korn became famous and shortly after the sevenstring guitar too.

*1999*, I joined my second band, which was a nu-metal band and we played some medium to large venues, opened for Mudvayne once, we had a great time. I was forced to leave because I found getting a bachelor's degree more important. 2 years after, in 2003, the vocalist left to sing for Textures. That was pretty much the end of that band. I had a Peavey 5150 and a horrible RG7421 for backup if I broke a string on my Greendot.

[SC]https://soundcloud.com/marcelbijl/sets/brainshake-gently-destructive[/SC]

*2005 - 2009* I played in a rock band, a cover band, jammed with friends, but hey, still looking for a real metal band. I discovered the NWOAHM bands and also bands like Botch, Norma Jean, and The Acacia Strain.

*2010*: I joined a metalcore band (Hatebreed style) and we played a few shows. The drummer and guitarist were a lot younger than me, eventually they quit because of job, study, kids. They turned me on to all the new bands like IWABO, TDWP, BMTH, Emmure, and lots of other stuff. 

Here's a lousy video of my band with a kickass song, 100% written by me:



*2012*: I joined Sevenstring.org! Got serious GAS because of you guys, flipped more than 30 LTD's making profit in the process, and ended up with a whole arsenal of sevenshooters!

*2015*: A bandmember from my first band asks me to jam, I meet a bandmember from my second band at the rehearsal studios, and decided to hook up with him instead to form a new band, which will be something with Nu-Metal meets Hardcore and some djenty playing in it here and there.


----------



## Andless (Feb 8, 2015)

UV7BK4LIFE said:


> Hi,
> 
> I just turned 40 so I guess it is time to post something here. How about my musical timeline?
> 
> ...



Welcome to the old ppls home! My timeline was pretty similar. Judas, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer all in that order. 82-86 Was my "metal awakening", band and such.

Come the 90:s and I'd branched into grunge, hip hop and electronica tho.

Joined SSO after lurking a bit 2011, now I'm back writing again!


----------



## UV7BK4LIFE (Feb 8, 2015)

So, with a similar diversity of influences, what are you writing?


----------



## Gregory Frus (Feb 8, 2015)

47 here....First metal I remember hearing...Black Sabbath...on 8 track.


----------



## UV7BK4LIFE (Feb 8, 2015)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> my olde guy vid pick of the week...




At 2:13, you see that white guitar has a sticker of a Dutch hard rock/metal bar on it (Dynamo) which later on organised festivals too. How cool!


----------



## Chiba666 (Feb 9, 2015)

Welcome,

I remember the Old Dynamo festivals, mostly from early Fear Factory vids but also the Nailbomb live albums was recorded at that festival.


----------



## Andless (Feb 9, 2015)

UV7BK4LIFE said:


> So, with a similar diversity of influences, what are you writing?




Mixed bag, but these are a few snippets:

[SC]https://soundcloud.com/andless[/SC]


----------



## UV7BK4LIFE (Feb 10, 2015)

Andless said:


> Mixed bag, but these are a few snippets:
> 
> [SC]https://soundcloud.com/andless[/SC]



Cool! The first track reminds me of the earliest Buckethead albums.


----------



## Andless (Feb 10, 2015)

UV7BK4LIFE said:


> Cool! The first track reminds me of the earliest Buckethead albums.



Thanks! Flattered! Buckethead did also come to my own mind when listening to it when mixing. 

Although I admire his work I must admit I've only listened one or two of his albums three-four times at most. (Must be the lack of vocals maybe, nothing wrong with his playing thats for sure).


----------



## Riverrunsred (Feb 10, 2015)

48 here. This is one that got me started.


----------



## M3CHK1LLA (Feb 11, 2015)

here is a death angel thread i ran across...fans should chk it out...

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/general-music-discussion/289475-death-angel.html#post4301462


----------



## feraledge (Feb 24, 2015)

I find myself in a strange situation, I've never once held on to a guitar for sentimental reasons, but my GAS seems to increasingly lean towards nostalgic guitars. Like the inner hair metal in me creeps out a bit more.
It doesn't help that Charvel makes absolutely killer guitars..


----------



## jovima69 (Feb 24, 2015)

45. Black Sabbath's first album and AC/DC's Powerage. My uncles cranked their record players for me. I loved it at 5, and still love it at 45.


----------



## M3CHK1LLA (Feb 28, 2015)

feraledge said:


> I find myself in a strange situation, I've never once held on to a guitar for sentimental reasons, but my GAS seems to increasingly lean towards nostalgic guitars. Like the inner hair metal in me creeps out a bit more.
> It doesn't help that Charvel makes absolutely killer guitars..



that will happen more the older you get, trust me 





jovima69 said:


> 45. Black Sabbath's first album and AC/DC's Powerage. My uncles cranked their record players for me. I loved it at 5, and still love it at 45.



welcome


----------



## Chiba666 (Mar 1, 2015)

Welcome welcome


----------



## M3CHK1LLA (Mar 5, 2015)

this thread doesnt have to be just about music...

...here are a few of my fav movies from the 80's.


----------



## Axe Cop (Mar 5, 2015)

Loved Flash


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## Chiba666 (Mar 5, 2015)

Betamax or VHS?


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## M3CHK1LLA (Mar 5, 2015)

haha...some of us had both.

sony lost the war on that one, but i think they are making it up with blu-ray...


----------



## Millul (Mar 5, 2015)

Soon-to-be 31 here...I was introduced to rock with Queen at age 8, and then metal with Metallica's Load at 11 (against all odds, this is still one of my favourite records, so many memories...I remember listening to Ain't my bitch repeatedly on my walkman)

First guitar was an Ibanez S series (thanks dad!), coupled to a Vox solid state amp...oh the old times!


----------



## feraledge (Mar 7, 2015)




----------



## M3CHK1LLA (Mar 9, 2015)




----------



## Chiba666 (Mar 9, 2015)

Blade Runner, classic, classic, classic


----------



## DLG (Mar 9, 2015)

going to see Sanctuary and Overkill tonight


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## DLG (Mar 31, 2015)

usually not that into retro bands, but these Greeks are pretty awesome. 

If you're a fan of Watchtower's first album, Helstar, Forbidden, a bit more complex oldschool thrash metal, check them out.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Apr 2, 2015)

^ ive not see them before...pretty cool


edit:

who is planning on going to the testament / exodus concert on wed the 8th in dallas?

http://www.houseofblues.com/dallas/...=/event-detail&eventId=0C004E4DD1E154A6&oid=0

1. MECHK1LLA
2. br00takville


----------



## ToneLab (Apr 2, 2015)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> ^ ive not see them before...pretty cool
> 
> 
> edit:
> ...



Do I count if my office is 2 blocks from there and I might make it?


----------



## ridner (Apr 2, 2015)

Angel Witch!


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## M3CHK1LLA (Apr 4, 2015)

ToneLab said:


> Do I count if my office is 2 blocks from there and I might make it?



if you are that close, then you have no excuse but to be there 

pm me your number if you decide to go.


1. MECHK1LLA
2. br00takville
3. ToneLab (maybe)


----------



## cdf294 (Apr 5, 2015)

The first metal concert I ever went to, I was seated in the 3rd row for $6 (including taxes). 
Only about 300 people showed and I lost about 80% of my hearing for close to 10 days since they played a small auditorium on the University of Texas Arlington campus. 
The stage wasn't big enough to hold all of the stacks the band brought so they lined them down the walls.






I did spend lots of time in local metal clubs, such as the long defunct Rock Haven in Arlington Texas. 
Saw Pantera there a few times every month, long before Cowboys from Hell was even a consideration. 

Aah... the good ole days.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Apr 8, 2015)

^ did you ever go to joes garage in ft worth?


btw...the testament / exodus show is tonite


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## cdf294 (Apr 9, 2015)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> ^ did you ever go to joes garage in ft worth?



Oh yeah.... many blurred memories throughout the mid 80's, compliments of Joe's and Dallas City Limits.


----------



## mr coffee (Apr 9, 2015)

Checking in, I'll be 41 this summer but still act like a youngster sometimes. Just kinda reaching that age where my body reminds me every so often that I'm not.

I grew into metal gradually. I started getting more musically diverse when I guess I was maybe 12 or so and Dad gave me a copy of the White Album. I started playing guitar around the same time, and between radio, digging through the tape bin at the stores, friends turning me on to new stuff and reading about bands in guitar magazines I found myself listening to heavier and heavier music with no clear delineation of my discovery of metal as such.

-m


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## M3CHK1LLA (Apr 27, 2015)

need to post up pics soon of the testament / exodus concert.

it was great...could not believe how awesome of a show testament was...one of the best ive seen.


----------



## petereanima (Apr 29, 2015)

Went to see Lynyrd Skynyrd (or let's say "the band that tours under the name of LS..") yesterday. Not the first time I thought "Man, I should check seated tickets in the future..".

TL;DR: turned 34 a little over 2 weeks ago, feeling just a little older than with 25, but not much.


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## Axe Cop (Apr 29, 2015)

I was reading Testament is starting the writing of a new album. Chuck says they're returning to a more thrashy album....what the hell was the last album then? He's saying its going to be similar to the gathering. And that is a good thing!


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## Chiba666 (Apr 29, 2015)

Welcome to all the new old timers. About time we had some new blood, or old blood in this case


----------



## dongh1217 (Apr 29, 2015)

32 by December this year.

With a 4 year old daughter in training to become a metalhead.

Still headbanging hardout in my garage playing Cannibal Corpse 

MoP was the album started everything.

rock on and hail from New Zealand


----------



## George Djentson (Apr 30, 2015)

today is my 31st birthday. i suppose I'm a member now.
get off my ....in lawn.


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## electriceye (Apr 30, 2015)

I'll be 43 in 13 days. Been a die-hard metalhead since I was ten and first saw Priest's YGATC video on eMpTyV. My first two albums were Screaming for Vengeance and Pyromania. Haven't looked back since and still LOVE metal and go to shows as often as I possibly can, despite the fact I'm usually by myself since most of my friends are lame. Next up? Volbeat in NYC in June!

Oh, and happy birthday, George!


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## hairychris (May 1, 2015)

43 isn't that bad, although I've had to grow up and actually buy an apartment this year! Yeah... still have the soul of a 19 year old but the body is getting kinda creaky.

What's kind of fun though is that I'm doing a wider variety of musical stuff now then I have been up until now. Bass in one band, synths/noise in another, nary a guitar to be seen!


----------



## Tom N (May 2, 2015)

41 yrs old here - 3 kids, successful professional. Love BTBAM, Meshuggah, Opeth, AAL and the like. 

Write / record music as well. I'll have to post something at some point..


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## M3CHK1LLA (May 3, 2015)

George Djentson said:


> today is my 31st birthday. i suppose I'm a member now.
> get off my ....in lawn.



happy b-day and welcome to the old guys club 




electriceye said:


> I'll be 43 in 13 days. Been a die-hard metalhead since I was ten and first saw Priest's YGATC video on eMpTyV. My first two albums were Screaming for Vengeance and Pyromania...



those are 2 excellent albums for sure...pyromania was my first album purchase too.


----------



## chopeth (Jun 1, 2015)

36 today, so I join this oldies' club. Alive and Kicking!!


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## OmegaSlayer (Jun 1, 2015)

Happy birthday...
let's cook up something for you...


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## DLG (Jun 1, 2015)

managed to score a ticket for Keep It True 2016. 

Fates Warning are going to playing the entire Awaken the Guardian, original lineup. 

definitely a bucket list type show for me.


----------



## twizza (Jun 2, 2015)

Remember when Dave Mustaine would be a dick to Ricky Rachman?


Olde Metalhead Reference.


----------



## chopeth (Jun 2, 2015)

I wish I was 10 years younger. Wife and own instinct are all time bitching about having kids already. I never feel ready, and years keep passing


----------



## ToneLab (Jun 2, 2015)

chopeth said:


> I wish I was 10 years younger. Wife and own instinct are all time bitching about having kids already. I never feel ready, and years keep passing



Don't wait brother - I tell all my 30s age employees who are holding off that kids is a young mans game. You don't want to be that guy in his 60s with teenagers. That doesn't rock! 

My kids are 19 and 15 and I'm seeing the other side of it now and I gotta say after putting my guitar down for 15 years to raise them - I'm playing more than ever now. It's awesome. And I've got 2 awesome boys now young men.


----------



## Chiba666 (Jun 2, 2015)

The post above speaks the truth


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## OmegaSlayer (Jun 2, 2015)

If I would have had a good mate to raise a baby with, I would have had one from a while (37 here in few days)...but that's not unfortunately the case.
But if you think your lady is the one that will help you grow a great kid, strong and with ethics...don't wait and hit the nail tonight


----------



## DLG (Jun 2, 2015)

I have a one and a half year old and still find time to play, listen to music, and go to shows. 

you just need to plan your life better and prioritize, that's all. 

are you going to spend your 2 free hours once the baby falls asleep and before you hit the hay playing guitar or surfing the web? that's what it's all about really. I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.


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## Chiba666 (Jun 2, 2015)

mines 2 1/2 and guitar time is coming back, hels that I cant train bjj with my knackered knee so more guitar it is. Yay


----------



## hairychris (Jun 2, 2015)

I have absolutely no parental instincts. None. Don't particularly like kids, babies in particularly make my skin crawl, and definitely don't want any of my own. I wouldn't want to inflict this planet with kids, and wouldn't want to inflict my kids with this planet.

I don't like humanity as a concept very much, shall I say?

Ah damn, forgot to take my meds today!


----------



## chopeth (Jun 3, 2015)

That's my problem too. I have no instincts and I'm happy as I am though I sometimes think I don't want to die alone (stupid egoistic point of view, I know). I don't want to have teenagers when 60 either and finally, I'm scared my already ultrabusy life (and my girl's) turn to mayhem with a child. Tough decisions, even tougher considering my wife is a couple of years older than me


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## M3CHK1LLA (Jun 3, 2015)

here are a few pics that may change your minds about kids...


----------



## DLG (Jun 3, 2015)

here's my contribution


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## DISTORT6 (Jun 3, 2015)

Ok. I'm in! Here's my son, Salvatore, 8yrs ago&#8230;


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## Chiba666 (Jun 3, 2015)

Nice pics guys, dont think Ive got any photos of mine in his metal shirts, hes out grown them all now though


----------



## ToneLab (Jun 3, 2015)

chopeth said:


> That's my problem too. I have no instincts and I'm happy as I am though I sometimes think I don't want to die alone (stupid egoistic point of view, I know). I don't want to have teenagers when 60 either and finally, I'm scared my already ultrabusy life (and my girl's) turn to mayhem with a child. Tough decisions, even tougher considering my wife is a couple of years older than me



To each his own and there is no right answer. It's all good!


----------



## hairychris (Jun 3, 2015)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> here are a few pics that may change your minds about kids...



Nope. It's not like I don't know folks with kids... including one who's first baby-grow was a Misfits one...


----------



## Carcaridon (Aug 18, 2015)

I'm 44. Been playing off and on since I was 18. Just had my first kid. Oh gosh!!!


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## Chiba666 (Aug 19, 2015)

enjoy, they are fun when they cant move, then stand by.


----------



## Fraz666 (Aug 19, 2015)

42 and no kids: I'm too young for that...


----------



## Nick (Aug 19, 2015)

31 no kids, absolutely no desire to have any!


----------



## blubaruboxer (Aug 19, 2015)

40 with two kids. one is 20 the other is 4. love metal and so do the kids.


----------



## Carcaridon (Aug 19, 2015)

I hope my son digs metal. It's going to be a battle between me and metal and my wife and country. I'll use dirty tricks like bribery. I don't play fair.


----------



## VBCheeseGrater (Aug 19, 2015)

This thread rules, been reading much of it today. In the "back in my day" department, I really miss the "hunt". Like if you had 1 or 2 bands you had to have every single or bootleg ever released on vinyl, CD, and cassette, and going all over town with friends to record stores you heard about trying to find them.

I lived in Virginia Beach growing up, and we heard about this record store "Skinnies" in norfolk. Well Norfolk was a bit more "urban" than our suburban VB, so we were all worried about getting robbed on the way there in the rough neighborhoods (I live in Norfolk now, love it). Anyway we found this place skinnies, packed with all kinds of cool vinyl. I remember seeing a Samhain LP there (unholy passions IIRC) and it was like i had found some plutonium or something..."Whoa what is THIS?!?!?!". I also scored the 5.98 EP Garage Days on vinyl at "Electric Smiles"...me and a buddy were about to tear that sucker in two, but I ended up with since i saw it first!!!

anyway, yeah, chasing records was fun.


----------



## Rosal76 (Aug 21, 2015)

VBCheeseGrater said:


> anyway, yeah, chasing records was fun.



+1.

I miss when the record labels used to package their CD's in long boxes. Looking back now, I would have kept and taken care of the long boxes I had for sentimental value. I completely understand why the record labels stopped the packaging to save money/card board.

For those who may have not known about them, these are how CDs used to be packaged. 










I had the longbox for Deicide's Legion (1992) album and threw it away!!!!!  I also saw the longbox for Monstrosity's Imperial doom (1992) album and didn't freaking buy it!!!


----------



## zappatton2 (Aug 22, 2015)

VBCheeseGrater said:


> This thread rules, been reading much of it today. In the "back in my day" department, I really miss the "hunt". Like if you had 1 or 2 bands you had to have every single or bootleg ever released on vinyl, CD, and cassette, and going all over town with friends to record stores you heard about trying to find them.
> 
> I lived in Virginia Beach growing up, and we heard about this record store "Skinnies" in norfolk. Well Norfolk was a bit more "urban" than our suburban VB, so we were all worried about getting robbed on the way there in the rough neighborhoods (I live in Norfolk now, love it). Anyway we found this place skinnies, packed with all kinds of cool vinyl. I remember seeing a Samhain LP there (unholy passions IIRC) and it was like i had found some plutonium or something..."Whoa what is THIS?!?!?!". I also scored the 5.98 EP Garage Days on vinyl at "Electric Smiles"...me and a buddy were about to tear that sucker in two, but I ended up with since i saw it first!!!
> 
> anyway, yeah, chasing records was fun.



I still do this. Beware the site Discogs.com, if you join you will never have disposable income again. But I do really enjoy the tactile experience of perusing the record shops, got a good one walking distance from my house, I really am surrounded by temptation.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Aug 29, 2015)

Rosal76 said:


> +1.
> 
> I miss when the record labels used to package their CD's in long boxes. Looking back now, I would have kept and taken care of the long boxes I had for sentimental value. I completely understand why the record labels stopped the packaging to save money/card board.
> 
> ...



i remember those long-boxes...

im sure they are valuable now to collectors. like any punk kid, mine went in the trash as soon as the cd or cassette was opened lol


----------



## Yeah_man (Aug 30, 2015)

31 here, Married, Kid on way.

Blast metal non stop, Wife is seeing how I go from a thrash stage to listening to nothing but death metal for a week, then cheese hair metal , then power metal etc.

Guys i used to play in bands with 15 years ago are not listening to the same ....


----------



## M3CHK1LLA (Aug 30, 2015)

Yeah_man said:


> 31 here, Married, Kid on way.
> 
> Blast metal non stop, Wife is seeing how I go from a thrash stage to listening to nothing but death metal for a week, then cheese hair metal , then power metal etc.
> 
> Guys i used to play in bands with 15 years ago are not listening to the same ....



sometimes people grow up  sometimes they dont 

i find that its strange how much heavier i like my music the older i get...


----------



## Chiba666 (Aug 31, 2015)

I remember seeing those long box cases in the PX at Bremerhaven, I always thought why?


----------



## M3CHK1LLA (Sep 3, 2015)

Chiba666 said:


> I remember seeing those long box cases in the PX at Bremerhaven, I always thought why?



i think its because they fit the exiting shelve that the lp's were in...

also, people feel they got more for their money since the package was bigger


----------



## Humbuck (Sep 3, 2015)

Yep...purely perceived value.


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## Chiba666 (Sep 3, 2015)

very strange but I pased up buying Metallicas Balc Album for a massive slice of Pizza, I tihnk it was something like 6 dougnouts and a red Garshdet Gunners top (Unit stationed there). 

Well at the age of 37, seems I am back in a covers band, who would ahve thought it. Only short of a bass palyer. SO mad amp searching and purchase, first practice should be ina few weeks.

Shoud be good first 3 tracks sorted, just another 7 to learn


----------



## VBCheeseGrater (Sep 3, 2015)

Chiba666 said:


> very strange but I pased up buying Metallicas Balc Album for a massive slice of Pizza, I tihnk it was something like 6 dougnouts and a red Garshdet Gunners top (Unit stationed there).
> 
> Well at the age of 37, seems I am back in a covers band, who would ahve thought it. Only short of a bass palyer. SO mad amp searching and purchase, first practice should be ina few weeks.
> 
> Shoud be good first 3 tracks sorted, just another 7 to learn



Dude, i'm 38, joined a cover band 3 years ago. It's been the best and most productive band i've been in...it's amazing what a band can do with 5 people that all have their sh*t together. Of course...easy to find bums at this age too.


----------



## tedtan (Sep 3, 2015)

Chiba666 said:


> I remember seeing those long box cases in the PX at Bremerhaven, I always thought why?



I always heard it was done to make it more difficult to steal the CDs. Same with those long, weird plastic things that cassettes used to be in at some stores.


----------



## Chiba666 (Sep 3, 2015)

Were sort of mixed age from 37 down to 18. Where I'm based there is a limited pool of metalheads, beggars cant be choosers


----------



## High Plains Drifter (Sep 3, 2015)

Time to show this thread to my girl. She thinks that Killing Joke, Cliff Burton, Headbangers Ball, and Pickering needles are all just figments of my imagination. 

That's what I get for shacking-up with someone 20+ years younger than me. 


I was right there with you guys*, VBCheeseGrater and **Rosal76.  
*


----------



## zappatton2 (Sep 7, 2015)

For those of us of a certain vintage, have you ever had a band that you just loved for like a summer in your youth that you just completely lost track of, and came back to much later in life?

Years back, I briefly had a cassette tape of the self-titled Crowbar album, before it was ruthlessly consumed by a malicious Walkman. I haven't given much thought to Crowbar since (there's just so much music out there!), and it's been at least 20 years since I heard that album, but I Youtubed it earlier this morning, and I'm just having chills listening to it again. Crowbar, you and I have a lot of catching up to do.


----------



## Baelzebeard (Sep 7, 2015)

I have always been a little bit OCD about collecting stuff, so I kept alot of my CD longboxes. I actually have longboxes for all of the first 5 metallica albums. 

Anyways I don't think I've introduced myself to this thread (36) despite reading some of it here and there.


----------



## DudeManBrother (Sep 7, 2015)

I'm 33 now with a 6 yr old daughter and a 1 day old son!(at the hospital as I type this). I still remember seeing Danzig's Mother live video on MTV at like 10 years old and I knew I Knew I had to get a guitar. I got a crap Harmony electric that Christmas and didn't set it down until I could play Mother. I quickly got into Metallica and learned their whole catalog, until Load that is. I remember when MetalBlade released their first sampler disc with Cannibal Corpse's Vile and Six Feet Under's Haunted tracks. Between those bands and Far Beyond Driven, I kinda left the thrash metal behind in favor of heavier vocals. I still remember the first band practice that I stopped singing our songs and started screaming at the top of my lungs. Nobody in the band listened to what I was listening to, so it wasn't the warmest reception lol. I think I'm probably in the minority here, but as my musical tastes progress, I never really go back to the old stuff. I haven't listened to Metallica in 15 years and have no interest honestly. Once Darkest Hour changed their sound I don't even have the desire to listen to their catalog anymore. The Black Dahlia Murder just keeps churning out better and better records so they're way up their for me, and Gorod!


----------



## Rosal76 (Sep 8, 2015)

zappatton2 said:


> For those of us of a certain vintage, have you ever had a band that you just loved for like a summer in your youth that you just completely lost track of, and came back to much later in life?



The band Testament. I liked 2 songs from their "Souls of black (1990)" album and that was it. Years later, I'm more appreciative of the older Testament albums and of course, Alex Skolnick's guitar solos.


----------



## M3CHK1LLA (Sep 13, 2015)

Rosal76 said:


> The band Testament. I liked 2 songs from their "Souls of black (1990)" album and that was it. Years later, I'm more appreciative of the older Testament albums and of course, Alex Skolnick's guitar solos.



i recently saw them at the house of blues in dallas...and man do they put on a show! was also cool to see exodus with them as they were another fav thrash band of mine from back-in-the-day.


----------



## thrashmetal85 (Sep 13, 2015)

Joined this club in may. Other than Silverchair in during the Freakshow tour (I was 12 ) I have seen none of the cool bands in their prime


----------



## p4vl (Sep 14, 2015)

VBCheeseGrater said:


> This thread rules, been reading much of it today. In the "back in my day" department, I really miss the "hunt". Like if you had 1 or 2 bands you had to have every single or bootleg ever released on vinyl, CD, and cassette, and going all over town with friends to record stores you heard about trying to find them.
> 
> I lived in Virginia Beach growing up, and we heard about this record store "Skinnies" in norfolk. Well Norfolk was a bit more "urban" than our suburban VB, so we were all worried about getting robbed on the way there in the rough neighborhoods (I live in Norfolk now, love it). Anyway we found this place skinnies, packed with all kinds of cool vinyl. I remember seeing a Samhain LP there (unholy passions IIRC) and it was like i had found some plutonium or something..."Whoa what is THIS?!?!?!". I also scored the 5.98 EP Garage Days on vinyl at "Electric Smiles"...me and a buddy were about to tear that sucker in two, but I ended up with since i saw it first!!!
> 
> anyway, yeah, chasing records was fun.



Skinnies rocks (except the clerks were smoking the last time I was there). Wish I'd known about that place as a kid in VB (Norfolk, now). I used to hit the Record Exchange at Lynnhaven mall when I was a kid (where I bought the first Samhain album, is someone keeping this area stocked with Samhain?). 

Last time I was at Skinnies, I tried to order Absu's 'In the Eyes of Ioldanach' EP but I couldn't spell it and neither could he.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Dec 12, 2015)

forgot about this thread (cause im old ) bump for all the old guys!


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## Bodes (Dec 12, 2015)

Just got home from catching up with old band mates at a gig filled with bands we played with 10 years ago and people who kept asking "You used to be in that band with that other guy over there" was a great night reminiscing over gigs played in the mid noughties.

I felt the old and awesome in each and every conversation.


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## Bucks (Dec 12, 2015)

37 now.

Was not into anything remotely heavy until my mid teens.

First ever show was a dead show in '89, Miami arena, FL, ..I was 12.
Grew up on that stuff from my parents.

I got into the metal thing just based on where I lived really, I am from Clearwater FL, at the time around the Tampa area there were loads of great bands, obviously. I went across to homestead a couple times with my brother in 93/94 to watch Cynic - was really into them.


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## Bdtunn (Dec 12, 2015)

36 with 3 kids. My daughter who is 6 loves black sabbath. When she was little she use to ask for taca, which meant Metallica haha

I grew up on the Beatles and zep and knew their lyrics before nursery rhymes. Then I moved on to hair metal in elementary school. But saw the video for mouth for war (pantera) and that sent me on a path!


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## jmeezle (Dec 15, 2015)

I guess I'm old, 31 w/ 2 kids. 

This sh*t right here made me step up picking skills.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Dec 15, 2015)

scary how many of you guys have kids lol...


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## chopeth (Dec 16, 2015)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> scary how many of you guys have kids lol...



I thought the same after reading the guy same age as me with 3 kids


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## Harry (Dec 16, 2015)

jmeezle said:


> I guess I'm old, 31 w/ 2 kids.
> 
> This sh*t right here made me step up picking skills.




I don't listen to much Iced Earth anymore, but man first time I heard some of their tunes I was thinking "Good god this dude on guitar is like Hetfield on steroids!". Of course I came to learn his name was Jon Schaffer. What a beast of a rhythm player


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## jmeezle (Dec 16, 2015)

Harry said:


> I don't listen to much Iced Earth anymore, but man first time I heard some of their tunes I was thinking "Good god this dude on guitar is like Hetfield on steroids!". Of course I came to learn his name was Jon Schaffer. What a beast of a rhythm player



Dude the scariest thing about this live video is that it's live, and also there are two people playing that tight at the same time. Unreal!


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## Fathand (Dec 18, 2015)

30+ years is old? Holy h***, when did that happen? Count me in. 

I tried once to play as tight and fast as Schaffer - hurt something in my arm immediately.  That's a killer song BTW.


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## lobee (Dec 20, 2015)

Haven't been to SSO in a long time and just realized I can post in this thread at 31. Also, I bought my first bottle of scotch last night: Glenmorangie Lasanta 12 year. I loved it, so I believe that officially verifies my oldness. That and my baldness and first few gray hairs...


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## M3CHK1LLA (Dec 21, 2015)

^ yeah...the older you get, the worse it gets.

1. gray hair, 2. no hair or 3. both! ...and you dont have a choice


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## High Plains Drifter (Dec 23, 2015)

I'm sorry, but....damn. I bought Piece Of Mind the day that it came out. Scraped up every damn dirty penny that I could find. Got it from Record Connection and jumped into my '76 Cutlass with the dead pigeon wedged under the left headlight rotting away on the bumper, one open header, and practically dragging the ground ... and I cranked this album as high as it could go. I remember being so completely in awe of every single second. 

And to this day... I hear things like Flight of Icarus, or Sun & Steel, or Die With Your Boots On... and I'm just still so amazed how awesome Maiden was back in the day. 

Just... 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogoqP_-0jto

ugh... won't embed (?) Oh well.


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## Chiba666 (Dec 26, 2015)

Die with your boots on is such an underated classic


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## watson503 (Dec 26, 2015)

High Plains Drifter said:


> I'm sorry, but....damn. I bought Piece Of Mind the day that it came out. Scraped up every damn dirty penny that I could find. Got it from Record Connection and jumped into my '76 Cutlass with the dead pigeon wedged under the left headlight rotting away on the bumper, one open header, and practically dragging the ground ... and I cranked this album as high as it could go. I remember being so completely in awe of every single second.
> 
> And to this day... I hear things like Flight of Icarus, or Sun & Steel, or Die With Your Boots On... and I'm just still so amazed how awesome Maiden was back in the day.
> 
> ...



Great album, I still listen to it several times a week - hard to pick a favorite off of that, maybe Sun and Steel or To Tame a Land but then there's Revelations...the whole thing is awesome from start to finish. I had a 77 Cutlass Supreme with t-tops - that thing was a beast and I miss that car to this day!


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## Lukifer (Jan 4, 2016)

Just turned 32 4 days ago. Feel like im still a 21 year old but I have a kid on the way and bills and all that junk. Dont get old kids!


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## Aymara (Jan 7, 2016)

As I already said in another thread: 30 is old ... or it is young. It depends, how old you are yourself.

I myself can great you with: Hi, you young guns out there ;-) ... I'm born in the 60ies.

So for me everything started with Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Kiss. Later came Punk and the post-punk aera of the 80ies with bands like Killing Joke or The Cult ... in those times I hated Metal 

I often have a problem with Metal vocalists, be it the high pitched ones or the kind, that sounds like a pig in a slaughterhouse. I prefer voices like in Rammstein or Type O Negative. So, Lemmy is a great loss besides Peter Steele.


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## zappatton2 (Jan 8, 2016)

This is going to be my "turning 40" year. I have no particular desire to turn back the clock, I don't think I'd much enjoy coming of age in these social media times, but it does mess me up how fast time seems to go nowadays.

I remember waiting for GNR to come out with the Use Your Illusion albums and thinking it had been for_ever_ since they had new material, but the Lies album was only three years earlier.

Fast forward to now, the last album I bought from Opeth was Ghost Reveries, and I still think of it as the "new album", yet it came out _10 frikken years ago_, and they've had like 3 or 4 albums since. I feel like the faster time goes, the harder it is to keep up with the bands I like (mind you, I listen to so much more stuff now than when I was a kid).


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## Genghis (Jan 9, 2016)

I'll be 53 in April... hard to believe some of you young guys are considered old. Still don't really feel that old myself, and I think all the metal is what helps keep me young spirited.

Beatles got me interested in music as a young child, KISS and Aerosmith, and a few bands like that got me interested in a bit heavier rock. Got started really trying to learn when I was around 14 or 15 and Van Halen had just come out. First picked up Van Halen 1 and put it on. Running with the Devil! That sound was like something I had never heard before. So rich and thick, it really started to draw me in. By the time it got to Eruption, my jaw hit the floor and I knew that I wanted to learn to play like that.

Through the 80s I started getting into UFO, MSG, Scorps, Dio, and of course some of the hair bands from LA, like Motley Crue and Ratt. Moved to Orange County, CA in 86 to try to hit it big. Right about the time GnR was getting ready to release Appetite. And it was just a short time after KNAC went on the air with their Pure Rock. God I still miss that station. It was a great time to be alive. 

I didn't really get into Metallica right away, but one day after a rough work day I got home and was laying on the living room floor listening to KNAC, and "The Thing that Should Not Be" came on. I laid there fully immersed in the song and the moment, and i thought, "This is the most beautiful, ugly music I've ever heard!" From then on I was hooked on them, then Megadeth, and a bunch of others.

These days I still enjoy the stuff I grew up with, but also have gotten into some of the newer stuff, KSE, SlipKnot, Arch Enemy, Children of Bodom... lot's more. (Ok so they aren't exactly that new, but they are still out there and very active.)

Rock on my elderly brethren! Horns Up!


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## Aymara (Jan 9, 2016)

Genghis said:


> ... hard to believe some of you young guys are considered old.



Well, when I got my first electric, a Japanese Les Paul, I was 14 and in these teenie days, someone over 30 was pretty old 

I wouldn't be astonished, if a lot of members here are below 20.

Hey, we are the grandfathers of Rock and Metal


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## High Plains Drifter (Jan 9, 2016)

Genghis said:


> I'll be 53 in April... hard to believe some of you young guys are considered old. Still don't really feel that old myself, and I think all the metal is what helps keep me young spirited.
> 
> Beatles got me interested in music as a young child, KISS and Aerosmith, and a few bands like that got me interested in a bit heavier rock. Got started really trying to learn when I was around 14 or 15 and Van Halen had just come out. First picked up Van Halen 1 and put it on. Running with the Devil! That sound was like something I had never heard before. So rich and thick, it really started to draw me in. By the time it got to Eruption, my jaw hit the floor and I knew that I wanted to learn to play like that.
> 
> ...



Awesome post!^^^. I knew I'd see you in this thread sooner or later lol. 

I'm not quite into the Grecian Formula, or old Spice, or Centrum Silver just yet but I'm getting closer. My 23 yr old fiance really makes me feel my age sometimes lol but I just really never grew up tbh. 

With me, when I was a young 'un, some bands just mesmerized me... Blue Cheer, Zeppelin, Floyd, Grand Funk, Styx, Super Tramp, BOC, Thin Lizzy, Yes, T-Rex, ELO, Focus, Steely Dan, Hendrix, The Stooges, Iggy Pop, Budgie, Uriah Heep, Lou Reed, The Stones, Rainbow, Deep Purple... and on and on and on.. into the 80's. 

Into my teens it was just crazy how much I loved it all... UFO, Scorpions, Firehouse, Sabbath, VH, Ministry, Nugent, Motorhead, Melvins, Faith No More, Dream Theater, Slayer, Killing Joke, Judas Priest, Suicidal Tendencies, Sepultura, Butthole Surfers, Gwen Mars, Rush, The Cult, Dio, Kraftwerk, Rev Horton Heat, Sex Pistols, Ramones, Deftones, Black Flag, etc, etc, etc...

Strangely enough the first "real" concert that I saw was The Stray Cats with Brian Setzer lol. 

I remember thinking that there would never on this earth any more beautiful/ sexy women than Suzanne Somers, Carey Fisher, Marsha Brady, Sophia Loren, Farah, Goldie Hawn, Olivia Newton John, Laurie Partridge, and Raquel Welch. Oh, and Holy sh!t... No one filled out a Super Hero outfit like Lynda Carter. 

Sorry.. waxing nostalgic and going way off track.


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## Aymara (Jan 10, 2016)

High Plains Drifter said:


> Sorry.. waxing nostalgic and going way off track.



Off track? I would call it interesting, because a few guys here are contemporary witnesses of the evolution of "Rock" music.

I guess, this is the first post in this forum listing the Beatles, Budgie, Ramones and Kraftwerk in one post 

Btw ... now I hear the guitar riff of Budgie's _Zoom Club_ in my head ... I'm still fascinated today, that this band only had one guitarist, because when I heard them the first time, I thought they had two  ... and no, this was not a studio trick, when I see live videos on Youtube from that time.

What I find interesting in such memories, is to see some bands, that had a huge influence in the evolution of music, though some interpretations of the music press are pure nonsense, e.g. calling Iggy & The Stooges the godfathers of Punk. But that is a different story.

Such memories posted above remind me a bit of Lemmy, who started as a Hippie and ended up as a legend of Metal, which also fits nicely in these evolution thoughts.


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## High Plains Drifter (Jan 10, 2016)

I guess it is pretty cool to have a few years under ones belt in regards to the evolutionary witness of music, culture, and media... although it often times feels a tad bittersweet to consider just how much this world has changed. It's not a bad thing overall I guess, but it sure does leave me feeling as if I've lived too long sometimes lol. 

I think that the first time I actually saw a lot of bands was on Burt Sugarman's Midnight Special... although that show was forbidden in my parents home lol. But there were certain shows that I would sneak into to the living room to see while my parents were preoccupied or sleeping... frantically adjusting the rabbit ears to catch a grainy glimpse of Laugh In, Benny Hill, The Gong Show, Monty Python's Flying Circus, or Dave Allen At Large. Hell... If they were going to allow me to watch New Zoo Revue, The Banana Splits,and Sigmund & The Sea Monsters then why not all the other weird stuff lol?

I still remember trying to get Doctor Demento to come in on my little transistor radio late at night after it achieved national syndication on Westwood One. Z-Rock was the same kind of thing.. where you just couldn't get the really good stuff without being able to tap into that specific source. Not like today where you can catch just about any band or comedian or show just by clicking on a link or searching through a seemingly infinite technological smorgasbord of information and entertainment. 

Okay... NOW I feel old!


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## Aymara (Jan 10, 2016)

High Plains Drifter said:


> ... although it often times feels a tad bittersweet to consider just how much this world has changed.



Comparing memories with todays music business definitely makes me angry, because MP3 killed music, especially audiophile music.

But music business is a another story ... too off-topic.

On the other hand I really enjoy the digital evolution, when it comes to home recording ... and photography.


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## Andrew May (Jan 12, 2016)

Funny skipping over this thread, seems like most are reminiscing over "real" old school metal. I'm 32, got into metal as a teen, Nu-metal was huge at that point. It's scary to think that a lot of the seminal Nu-metal albums were released 20 years ago!!


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## Aymara (Jan 12, 2016)

Andrew May said:


> It's scary to think that a lot of the seminal Nu-metal albums were released 20 years ago!!



Yep, times are running ... we should rename it to Ol'-Metal


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## Jaxcharvel (Jan 12, 2016)

I'm 35. I was raised on hair bands and old country. Most people seem to mellow as they get older. My taste gets heavier as I get older. 10 years ago the heaviest thing i'd listen to was probably Pantera or Machine Head. Now I listen to everything from Opeth, to Behemoth, to Whitechapel. I listen to everything short of the most extreme metal (Necrophagist, Cattle Decapitation, ect does nothing for me). Gotten into a lot of Scandinavian bands especially.


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## High Plains Drifter (Jan 12, 2016)

Sorry to be putting this here since it's not metal lol! But I just couldn't think of a better place to leave this. 

Taking a nice ol' walk back through time this evening. Hope y'all are having a good day/ night.


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## Duosphere (Jan 12, 2016)

jmeezle said:


> I guess I'm old, 31 w/ 2 kids.
> 
> This sh*t right here made me step up picking skills.



31 = old?????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dude there are people ALIVE with more than a hundred years!
Old or young has nothing to do with age but with personality.
There's an "old" guy in my street(82 years old) who is like a kid, he's so funny and have such a good mood that everybody loves to listen to his stories or just having him around because he always brings light to any situation.On the other side there are some kids that really feel like they were born old, always complaining about everything, always judging and making fun of others based on their own stupidity and lack of wisdom.Age is another stupid creation to separate us, just like colors, social classes etc.
I don't care about those things, when I meet a person, the only thing I care is what he/she/heshe  could teach me or share to make my life better.


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## Hogie34 (Jan 16, 2016)

Wow, I have a son as old as some of you guys calling yourselves old  I'm in Genghis' age bracket. I like to think I grew up in the best time for music. I'm from San Francisco and was around for the hey day of thrash metal. I think all of us back then had played in the same bands at one point or another. It was a pretty tight knit community back then. 

Got to play with bands before they were huge. Mostly when they played venues like the Stone and they used local bands for openers. Got to play with Pantera when they were the opening act for Suicidal Tendencies, back when Dimebag was still Diamond ... Mortal Sin from Australia... Times were good.

Was there for the big shift when Nirvana took over the air waves and gigs were getting harder to come by and money from music kinda went to wayside. Started playing in our basement in the old Victorian 3 story flat. That's how we paid rent by then. Get a few local bands to play, buy a few kegs, charge $5 a head and you got a plastic cup for all the beer you could drink and music  .

We used to practice out of Paradigm studios out in Oakland. Back then a lot of the bands actually lived in their rehearsal space. We had the big hangar to ourselves for a long time and all the other bands would come hang out, get drunk and screw around on our rope swing set up in the center between the two loading docks inside the hangar. Like I said, good times.

I know a lot of guys from the era I grew up in kind of have a resentment because they feel grunge took it all away . I laugh cause although it sucked to not be able to play music and pay rent doing it anymore, everything evolves. Including music. Now, as everyone knows, money sucks but all you need to get heard is a laptop, a DAW and a social media presence. These are the best times in my opinion to be a musician. You can record yourselves...hell, you don't even need a band anymore . 

Holy cr** I didn't mean for that massive wall of text guys, sorry . I can go on for days talking about the metal scene back then. Anyway, it's cool to have places like this cause old farts like me can still watch music progress and the next generation carrying metal on. The music is what keeps me forever in my 20's and man, it is good now. 

Now, GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!


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## Aymara (Jan 16, 2016)

Hogie34 said:


> These are the best times in my opinion to be a musician.



Yes and no. Yes, it's easier to have a home studio, it's easier to be a one man band, but the competition is much larger and it's nearly impossible to earn a living as a band nowadays.



> The music is what keeps me forever in my 20's and man, it is good now.



Yes, music is a kind of fountain of youth, at least mentally


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## Hogie34 (Jan 16, 2016)

Aymara said:


> Yes and no. Yes, it's easier to have a home studio, it's easier to be a one man band, but the competition is much larger and it's nearly impossible to earn a living as a band nowadays.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, music is a kind of fountain of youth, at least mentally



Guess I should have been more clear. As far as making a living, that's why I said money sucks now. It is however easier to be heard. There was no social media etc. to post your music on back then. You may only get heard by a few hundred ( if that) now, but it's still more than back then if you weren't playing venues. If you weren't playing shows ( and not everyone was) you weren't heard, which is why so many bands came and went .Competition has always been there. Everyone and their grandma is in a band now and back then. I don't think that's ever changed.


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## Aymara (Jan 16, 2016)

Hogie34 said:


> There was no social media etc. ...



... and there were only local shops with a pretty limited product range.



> Competition has always been there.



Sure, but not so huge ... at least, that is my impression.


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## Riverrunsred (Jan 16, 2016)

49 years here.


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## Vres (Jan 17, 2016)

What new metal bands do you guys like? Has any new band made an impression on you like the bands decades ago? 25 here so not old myself.


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## Aymara (Jan 17, 2016)

Crescendo said:


> What new metal bands do you guys like?



I have a real problem with most Metal singers, so my favourite for years were Type O Negative. My current favourite is TesseracT, but in my opinion they are a Prog Rock and not a Metal band ... they remind me of King Crimson 

I also loved the first two albums of Down, but again ... not really Metal ... and oops ... Nola is already 20 years old 

It's always the same for me ... I hear a great Metal riff and as soon as the singer opens his mouth, I think: A further pig in a slaughterhouse 

An exception to this "rule" is the latest album of Parkway Drive:



And I was a fan of In This Moment until the last two albums, which are absolutely horrible productions ... as if a Hip Hop producer tried to produce Metal.

Here's one of the good ones:



And a last one from the Polish band Unsun, which shows, that I'm more a Gothic than a Metal Guy as it seems


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## Fraz666 (Jan 18, 2016)

Hogie34 said:


> I can go on for days talking about the metal scene back then.


do it!

43 here, but I saw my favorite bands from USA only when they were big enough to cross the ocean


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## M3CHK1LLA (Mar 5, 2016)

if your feeling nostalgic (or old)...check out this great thread...

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/ge...n/305834-albums-will-30-years-old-2016-a.html


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## High Plains Drifter (Mar 15, 2016)

Another one that still to this day Blows. Me. Away...

and at 4:12 it's as if the plane is just finally taking off lol... un-effing-real. 

Ozzy & Crew were just so damned amazing. 

Horrible quality but who cares if you're over 30!


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## M3CHK1LLA (Mar 19, 2016)

^ nearly every metal band is influenced by sabbath and or metallica...


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## Aymara (Mar 19, 2016)

High Plains Drifter said:


> Another one that still to this day Blows.



Best Sabbath album ever ... Hole in the Sky


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## High Plains Drifter (Mar 19, 2016)

This is my passionate babbling of Sabbath fwiw...

Sabotage was it. That was the one for me anyway and it was strange [at least to me], that in 1975 they peaked. As right at 1976 & fwd.... nope. To me the essential pack is '70 to '75 with each album containing pure ear-sex. Ozzy was hitting it so hard each year... brilliant. Their self-entitled first release was insanely dark, mystic, cryptic, and slaying for 1970 and they were respectably up against some other serious contenders in terms of hard rock masters... no fluff or filler... just pure legendary superiority. Hell... Sabbath is in probably my fave top 5 bands of all time.. surely top 10 anyway. Master of Reality was also good but not on par with their previous releases imo. With Vol 4 there were some gems and it was obvious that Sabbath had the thirst and talent to garner mad interest and adoration from fans. Another good one but not their absolute best. In 1973 with Sabbath Bloody Sabbath they again drove it in even harder. Equally as evil and talented and a little tighter in final production. On stage they were slaying it too at this point. Ozzy was sounding tremendous live. The whole crew was just killing it imho. Amazing guitar/ bass/ drums. Damn... Tony, Geezer, Ward... insane! Then in 1975 they completely slew everything out there with Sabotage... burning itself into listener's ear holes. The ultimate Sabbath to date. 

And for me that was honestly it. I can give props to Heaven and Hell... and surely I can say that Mob Rules was my most favorite of Dio's stuff. The entire album he just whored that voice in the most awesome ways. Plus Appice... Nice!!. But generally speaking if someone starts talking to me about Born Again, Technical Ecstacy, or [so help me] Never Say Die then we're probably not going to be talking about Sabbath for very long. 

Anyway that's my opinion and not sure I'm 100% wiki-correct with all the dates and stuff because my hands are currently flying across the keyboard since I'm fixing to play Hole In the Sky before my girl gets home lol... 

So... Peace!


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## Aymara (Mar 20, 2016)

High Plains Drifter said:


> Sabotage was it ...



... together with _In For The Kill_ by Budgie. The later had the much better guitarist (listen to _Zoom Club_ e.g.), but their singer (and bass player) couldn't complete with Ozzy. When I heard Budgie the first time, I thought, they have a female singer


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## High Plains Drifter (Mar 20, 2016)

Aymara said:


> ... together with _In For The Kill_ by Budgie. The later had the much better guitarist (listen to _Zoom Club_ e.g.), but their singer (and bass player) couldn't complete with Ozzy. When I heard Budgie the first time, I thought, they have a female singer



Lol... Burke Shelley's voice definitely wasn't for everyone but hell I still hear people say that they think Geddy Lee and Rob Halford sound like women lol. Man... BUdgie. I have mad respect for you guys here... especially the old metal-heads, so I'm going to make it a point to listen to all of In For The Kill next week when I'm off work/ relaxing. I really dig the first 3 songs on that album but not too familiar with much after that,,, no idea why but time to dust that one off I suppose. 

Budgie was absolutely magical to me though... Parents, Young Is A World, Slip Away, Napoleon Bona Parts I/ II, You Know I'll Always Love You, etc, etc... were all just amazing to me. I was heavily into King Crimson, Uriah Heep, and UFO back then too fwiw. I guess that Budgie however was just the biggest thing to me since powdered milk ( hehe)... so raw and so brilliant with writing/ composing. But after Squawk, that was it for me. I only rotated through their earlier stuff and never really ventured past it. First time I heard Impeckable I was kinda let down. 

Yea, man... time for some BUdgie again!


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## Aymara (Mar 20, 2016)

UFO ???

Haaa ... time for some 70ies time travel


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## canuck brian (Mar 20, 2016)

From what i'm seeing on Facebook in recent times, I seem to be "that guy" that never grew out of being a metalhead in high school. I'm totally fine with that and i'm about to go into the last year of my 30's. Kinda weird.3

I found this on Youtube recently - it's the 1993 Muchmusic Death Metal specials that are the reason i got into death metal and beyond. Great interviews with Chuch from Death, guys from Morbid Angel and Cannibal Corpse (waaaaay back with Chris Barnes.) Ive got this somewhere on VHS but i'm pretty sure it's worn out badly.


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## zappatton2 (Mar 20, 2016)

canuck brian said:


> From what i'm seeing on Facebook in recent times, I seem to be "that guy" that never grew out of being a metalhead in high school. I'm totally fine with that and i'm about to go into the last year of my 30's. Kinda weird.3
> 
> I found this on Youtube recently - it's the 1993 Muchmusic Death Metal specials that are the reason i got into death metal and beyond. Great interviews with Chuch from Death, guys from Morbid Angel and Cannibal Corpse (waaaaay back with Chris Barnes.) Ive got this somewhere on VHS but i'm pretty sure it's worn out badly.




Oh my dear godlessness, I saw this live, had it recorded on VHS too!!! What a blast from the past, that is insanely awesome!!!!! Oh, the Teresa Roncon days!


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## M3CHK1LLA (Mar 20, 2016)

funny that ufo was mentioned. i bought an album of theirs a few years ago thinking it was a punk band lol.

the drummer moved to my town a while back and i met him and his wife at a church where they were involved in helping building a skate park. pretty cool guy.


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## High Plains Drifter (Mar 20, 2016)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> funny that ufo was mentioned. i bought an album of theirs a few years ago thinking it was a punk band lol.
> 
> the drummer moved to my town a while back and i met him and his wife at a church where they were involved in helping building a skate park. pretty cool guy.



Very cool! 

I'm guessing not Andy Parker nor Jason Bonham? 

They had a lot of drummers over the years lol.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Mar 21, 2016)

High Plains Drifter said:


> Very cool!
> 
> I'm guessing not Andy Parker nor Jason Bonham?
> 
> They had a lot of drummers over the years lol.




actually it was andy.


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## High Plains Drifter (Mar 21, 2016)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> actually it was andy.





That is just too cool considering that he was with UFO throughout their best years. Such a talented drummer. 

Man... I gotta start going to church!


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## M3CHK1LLA (Mar 26, 2016)

High Plains Drifter said:


> That is just too cool considering that he was with UFO throughout their best years. Such a talented drummer.
> 
> Man... I gotta start going to church!




yeah, a friend of mine that i used to work with, was supposed to jam with him. he plays bass. i need to call him and see if they ever got together.


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## DLG (Apr 15, 2016)

rare as ....


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## M3CHK1LLA (Apr 16, 2016)

^ that is awesome...thx for sharing


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## M3CHK1LLA (May 21, 2016)

any new "old guys/gals" here lol...


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## M3CHK1LLA (Sep 23, 2016)

so i was explaining to a young guy about how i used to buy albums by judging the cover artwork and titles of the songs...before the internet/youtube. his expression was priceless


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## DLG (Sep 23, 2016)

that was an awesome time. got to know tons of mediocre bands that way. Hi, Meliah Rage


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## Aymara (Sep 23, 2016)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> so i was explaining to a young guy about how i used to buy albums by judging the cover artwork and titles of the songs...before the internet/youtube. his expression was priceless



Hehe ... same experience here ... spent hours in a shop listened to vinyls, that had promising covers, song titles, etc..


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## BrailleDecibel (Oct 9, 2016)

As of today, I am officially old enough to post in this thread...hard to believe, but I guess time flies when you're having fun. I also remember the days of buying albums without hearing them first and coming across some great music that way, but also some real mediocre stuff...hello, My Sister's Machine!


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## Aymara (Oct 9, 2016)

BrailleDecibel said:


> ...hello, My Sister's Machine!



I loved their debut album.


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## BrailleDecibel (Oct 9, 2016)

It did have a couple good songs on it, but overall, it wasn't my thing. Either way, cool to have one more thread to post in.


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## Aymara (Oct 9, 2016)

When it was released I totally loved it, but today I would only listen to two songs


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## BrailleDecibel (Oct 9, 2016)

Here's a random buy that really paid off for me...Mental Hippie Blood!


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## Aymara (Oct 9, 2016)

BrailleDecibel said:


> Here's a random ...



Quite interesting ... here the latest "found and bought by chance" of mine:

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/showpost.php?p=4651752&postcount=27763


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## M3CHK1LLA (Apr 14, 2017)

gonna try to see some of those older bands this year before they are not around anymore. 

really want to see testement and metallica again.


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## IGC (Apr 14, 2017)

Cool thread it all started for me at the age of seven, my thirteen year old friend had two older brothers (16 and 18) that were into the metal of that era(1985?) Im 39. I think my first metal song was Burn in Hell- Twisted Sister. Then onto Motley Crue, AC-DC, Ozzy, Alice Cooper. When my very Christian mom found out she said I better not be listening to that! And warned me about subliminal messaging in the music

My first guitar was a used BC Rich Seagull my dad bought from a co-worker when I was 11. Wish I still had it


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## JD27 (Apr 14, 2017)

Just turned 37 and the grey hairs are taking over, but damn I still love my metal. It's kind of funny, I think my tastes lean towards the extreme side more than they did when I was 27. I'm more likely to listen to something like Rivers of Nihil, Fallujah, Black Crown Initiate, Behemoth, or Revocation than any of the thrash records I used to listen to all the time.


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## High Plains Drifter (Apr 15, 2017)

IGC said:


> Cool thread it all started for me at the age of seven, my thirteen year old friend had two older brothers (16 and 18) that were into the metal of that era(1985?) Im 39. I think my first metal song was Burn in Hell- Twisted Sister. Then onto Motley Crue, AC-DC, Ozzy, Alice Cooper. When my very Christian mom found out she said I better not be listening to that! And warned me about subliminal messaging in the music



Man... I'll never forget seeing people like Rob Halford and Dee Snider on the stand against Tipper Gore's PMRC. 

I also was urged by my Mom to attend our local church's "cleansing" sessions in the basement of Fellowship Hall. Looking back on it, I'm actually glad I attended as I met up with another long-haired kid named Matt. He subsequently turned me on to Sepultura's Bestial Devastation and Priest's Screaming For Vengeance... so it wasn't a total waste of time.


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## IGC (Apr 15, 2017)

JD27-I know what your saying, it seems like there are certain things that certain bands do amongst the varying metal sub genres that capture my interests for a while (Caliban). I over listen, get burnt out then turn to my past collection for something that I burnt out but it's been a while. 


High Plains Drifter- Dee Snider was very well spoken on the stand. Just because we listen to metal doesn't mean were dumb. All ways such a good feeling living in a predominantly Christian, non metal savvy world! And yes there are Christian extreme metal bands (Parkway Drive).


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## blacai (Apr 15, 2017)

So... thank you. I didn't realize I was old until I saw this thread's tittle.

32yo in Mai. and I managed to see Black Sabbath for first time this January after one show canceled last year.


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## Jamey36 (Apr 20, 2017)

Thanks everyone for making me feel young!47 in March,metal knows no age boundaries!I discover new bands all the time(Many thanks to SSO).Though it may not seem hard to the newer generation,some of my new faves are some of my faves of all time!Scar Symmetry and such really get me going,but good luck finding any thing like that in the 80's.
Jamey
P.S.
Kudos for the Crimson Glory video.I grew up in Tampa where they are from,awesome band,I believe he sings for Queensryche now(and kills it).


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## HoneyNut (Apr 20, 2017)

JD27 said:


> Just turned 37 and the grey hairs are taking over, but damn I still love my metal. It's kind of funny, I think my tastes lean towards the extreme side more than they did when I was 27. I'm more likely to listen to something like Rivers of Nihil, Fallujah, Black Crown Initiate, Behemoth, or Revocation than any of the thrash records I used to listen to all the time.



I feel the same way to some degree. While I do enjoy the early thrash stuff I grew up with, my appreciation for pounding death metal/black metal/ "blackened" metal resurged. Listening to a lot of death metal lately.

Behemoth // Gorgoroth // Carach Angren // Immolation // Blood Red Throne // Dimmu Borgir // Cradle OF // HATE ETERNAL // etc.

At the same time, I can't seem to find newer bands with that heavy atmosphere/brutality. I hope it's still growing as it never actually reached a peak musically. 

I also think our generation will be the first to witness a lot of passionate metalheads carrying that music to their old age. Death metal, while brutal, is still music, right? Age has no factor in it.


*Of course, I think people who go "oh, I don't listen to metal anymore, grew out of it", were probably posers all this time.*


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## DLG (Apr 21, 2017)

Jamey36 said:


> Kudos for the Crimson Glory video.I grew up in Tampa where they are from,awesome band,I believe he sings for Queensryche now(and kills it).



The guy in the video is the incomparable Midnight, who is unfortunately deceased. 

Todd actually never sang on a Crimson Glory album, he just did some shows. 

He does a good imitation of both Midnight and Tate, but doesn't have a quarter of the charisma either guy had in their respective primes.


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## Jamey36 (Apr 21, 2017)

DLG said:


> The guy in the video is the incomparable Midnight, who is unfortunately deceased.
> 
> Todd actually never sang on a Crimson Glory album, he just did some shows.
> 
> He does a good imitation of both Midnight and Tate, but doesn't have a quarter of the charisma either guy had in their respective primes.



Thanks for the info,I did not know that.Saw them live a few times,but that was at least 25 years ago!Still give my Strange and Beautiful CD a spin from time to time though.


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## DLG (Apr 21, 2017)

awesome. you saw them with Midnight then. Strange and Beautiful is terrible tho 

but the first two albums are masterpieces, especially Transcendence.


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## r33per (May 18, 2017)

35 from Scotland. I probably got into metal when I heard Stryper's To Hell With The Devil when I was 12 or so. I had already been playing classical guitar since I was 8. After that, got a knock-off Strat by Encore, a 20w Marshall Valvestate and a cheap delay pedal .

As for these youngsters: a couple of years ago one of the 18yo kids in work turned to me and the Sales Manager (he's in his 50s) and asked in all sincerity:

"How did you buy music before iTunes?"


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## tedtan (May 18, 2017)

r33per said:


> "How did you buy music before iTunes?"


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## hairychris (May 18, 2017)

tedtan said:


>



To be fair, though, there were also loads of stores selling physical records.

I grew up in a fairly crap town but even we had a small record store. Bought the cassette that changed my life (Master of Puppets) there in 1986 as was browsing and the cover jumped out at me.

Doesn't work like that now.

Admittedly you're less likely to buy an absolute stinker, but you don't get the excitement of finding new stuff via trading tapes.


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## M3CHK1LLA (May 19, 2017)

r33per said:


> 35 from Scotland. I probably got into metal when I heard Stryper's To Hell With The Devil when I was 12 or so...



ahh...stryper! loved "yellow and black attack" as well as "soldiers under command". was fortunate to see them back in the 80's and a few years ago.

michael sweet is a great singer, but i was unaware of how well he could play leads. i just always assumed oz fox took care of all that until i saw them live.


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## Chiba666 (May 19, 2017)

Another older Gentleman to join the club


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## M3CHK1LLA (Jun 7, 2017)

Chiba666 said:


> Another older Gentleman to join the club



welcome to the club...hopefully not the hair club for men lol


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## USMarine75 (Jun 7, 2017)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> so i was explaining to a young guy about how i used to buy albums by judging the cover artwork and titles of the songs...before the internet/youtube. his expression was priceless



^ That's how I discovered Surfing with the Alien lol... I was a huge comic book nerd and had no idea how much that cassette was going to cost me down the road in this terribly expensive hobby!!!


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## M3CHK1LLA (Jun 26, 2017)

USMarine75 said:


> ^ That's how I discovered Surfing with the Alien lol... I was a huge comic book nerd and had no idea how much that cassette was going to cost me down the road in this terribly expensive hobby!!!



speaking of cassettes...i recently found a bunch of mine from when i was a kid lol


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## ElRay (Jun 26, 2017)

M3CHK1LLA said:


> speaking of cassettes...i recently found a bunch of mine from when i was a kid lol


Please tell me none were mixtapes for particular emotional-states or traumatic-emotional-events.


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## Edika (Jun 26, 2017)

Ah I have a few original cassetes! One is Spiritual Healing by Death. Record players and a good sound system was so expensive when I was a child. I had friends with record players that would record me tapes and I'd listen them to the boom box type of cassete player with detachable speakers. That piece of equipment served us well up until it just couldn't play anymore. 

Metallica was a revelation for me but I went to rock pop straight into Thrash so I feel I've missed a lot of the morw classic rock and NWOBHM stuff. I'm starting to mellow out just a bit and rediscover some of the older stuff but my brain is so expectant of distorted guitars with a pounding rhythm section that it's just asking for it's fix.


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## M3CHK1LLA (Jul 17, 2017)

ElRay said:


> Please tell me none were mixtapes for particular emotional-states or traumatic-emotional-events.



lol...not me, but i know what you mean. it was a thing or many kids back then.

all mine was straight up metal. me and my buddies did have one though we used when working out lol




Edika said:


> Ah I have a few original cassetes! One is Spiritual Healing by Death. Record players and a good sound system was so expensive when I was a child. I had friends with record players that would record me tapes and I'd listen them to the boom box type of cassete player with detachable speakers. That piece of equipment served us well up until it just couldn't play anymore.
> 
> Metallica was a revelation for me but I went to rock pop straight into Thrash so I feel I've missed a lot of the morw classic rock and NWOBHM stuff. I'm starting to mellow out just a bit and rediscover some of the older stuff but my brain is so expectant of distorted guitars with a pounding rhythm section that it's just asking for it's fix.



was fortunate to grow into it. started around '83-84 with "friday night videos"

the first time we go to see any hard rock/heavy metal in out house hold except when kiss was tv a few years before


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