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Vice Blog

LONDON - AN INDIE KID STRUGGLES WITH METAL REJECTION

Being ridiculed by a kid with as many facial piercings as I have Tom Waits albums, just for the audacity of asking if the badly organised and no doubt unhygienic record shop he works at has any 'insert embarrasing metal faux pas here'…is this as good as being an indie/metal crossover fan gets? It's not that I can't accept it, I just don't think I'll ever understand why metal fans are more snobby and protective over 'their' genre than all of the backpack backlash hipster-hopping Pitchfork worshipping Animal Collective b-side collective put together. I mean surely the metal heads have already got what they wanted. It's not like the whole world is chasing them round trying to be their friend. Haven't they ostracised themselves to the extent that they might be happy for a newcomer to take an interest? Apparently not.

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When Slipknot's 'Volume Three: The Subliminal Verses' came out in 2004, I had almost never been more enthusiastic about an album, yet none of the kids at school in 'People = Shit' hoodies would even look at me, let alone talk to me. And it definitely wasn't because they were harder than I was…they were probably the only other four people in my year as weak and uninterested in sport as me.

Looking back however, I see that my first conscious musical decision was potentially my biggest mistake. Whilst they chose Korn, I chose the Strokes. They had Fred Durst on their wall, and I had Craig Nicholls on mine. Their older brothers were introducing them to Pantera, whilst mine was playing me Godspeed You Black Emperor! That was it. I was tarnished with the dark mark of indie, and there was no going back. It didn't finish at school either. In fact it had only just begun…

Wherever I went, whoever I spoke to, seemed to be able to see right through me, knowing that if it came to the crunch, I would save my Room On Fire record over my High on Fire record.

Metal: I apologise.

But seriously, forgive me for believing that I was allowed to like two DIFFERENT genres. I mean everyone I've met in a plaid shirt recently seems to like hip-hop AND hardcore. Why's that allowed? When meanwhile, all over the country, kids who haven't chosen xxl band t-shirts and stonewash jeans as a way of life, are forgoing forever their chance to mix within multiple musical families.

I finally did stumble upon the one metal fan in the world who actually believes I like it too. Turns out he is working behind the counter at a badly organised and no doubt unhygienic record shop. Unfortunately he was quick to inform me that every band I'm in to is a (insert gruff American accent) "fucking disgrace", and that, that my favourites are clearly not real (and select or delete as applicable) thrash/death/black/power/sludge/doom/metal. So I went and meticulously researched every band that he recommend. But, when I returned a couple of days later the super-fan in question that he no longer really listens to metal anyway; not since he's "discovered noise".

So I guess I learned my lesson pretty quickly. It's the same now as it ever was. Enjoy metal in secret but don't tell anyone that might like it that little bit more than you. It will only make you sad.

FREDERICK BLOOD ROYALE