I'm on my way to pick up the new Kittie CD "Until the End", and had a spark of a thought....
I have an idea why downloading music is so important for me right now, as a semi-musician and as a religious follower. I crave to hear new music. Back when MTV used to play videos, Headbangers Ball was an amazing show, and there were other really cool shows that played videos. Granted, whoever's label had more push you saw more. But, once you got into a band you saw on headbangers ball, and saw them in concert, or saw them wear other band t-shirts in their videos, or had friends who were into the same music, you got to know what other bands were out there. You got to like the bands who's videos you liked. I didn't watch it for the videos. Shit, half the time I was too busy headbanging and in euphoria that I finally found my favorite music style when I discovered Headbangers Ball. It started with (of all bands) Slaughter, Poison, and Guns 'n' Roses. Then Metallica, Megadeth, Soundgarden, and Danzig. My first experience of Slayer was the video for "Dittohead", and they're one of my favorite groups. My first experience of Pantera was "Walk", and they are one of my favorite groups. And no matter how corny Beavis and Butthead are, they brought a lot of "Underground" music to MTV. That's how I got into Death, White Zombie, and some others.
My whole point with this rant is that when MTV stopped playing videos (and I don't count MTV2 or Fuse because you have to pay extra...I can only afford basic cable), I had no way of hearing how bands sounded. Yeah, I could read all about them in Metal Edge or Circus or Hit Parader, but I wanted to hear them first. That's why I really think music downloading started. The only way you could hear any new music was through radio. And most stations (unless you are in a fairly big market) will rotate a playlist what seems like every hour. I remember going to Chicago once and hearing a metal station and pretty much not wanting to come home ever again. All I wanted to do was listen to metal on the radio. And the stations around here didn't have that.
So I guess after my frustration of buy crappy CD after crappy CD because I couldn't hear what they sounded like, I began downloading. I have gotten into bands that I never would have heard of or thought I would like. I've actually bought CDs from Iced Earth, In Flames, Killswitch Engage, Chimaira, Fozzy, Atreyu, God Forbid, Lacuna Coil, Otep, My Ruin, and many more. I've got music from Nightwish, After Forever, Symphony X, Life Of Agony, and many more. I plan on buying a lot of CD's for most of the music that I have downloaded.
And some music I heard playing video games. I first heard Fear Factory in the game Carmageddon (god I miss that game). Video games are good for showcasing new bands, but it's very expensive for kids to afford new games. MTV was pretty damn cheap for what you got. Now it's a pure pile of crap. Radio is still as corporate as every, except for listener-supported radio that's mostly as tame as a mouse. Magazines are doing better at trying to include in some issues. But nothing like actually refusing to do stuff every saturday night just to watch Headbangers Ball.
Granted, I'm not exactly a casual music listener. But that music that I discovered on MTV when I was a teenager helped me out. It saved me from suicide more than anyone will ever know. I just don't want to see a future without music. I don't want kids to have to spend $20 on a CD and only like 2 songs. These kids need to know that there's more to music than this teeny-bopper crap, rap, country, and corporate nu-metal. Not that it's not cool to listen to this stuff, but MTV opened up my eyes to a whole new world of music. Downloading opened me up to an even broader world of music. Seeing concerts has allowed me to experience different bands. And I've also discovered a little bit of what my city has to offer to music.
MTV2 Headbanger's Ball doesn't work for me today becaue it's not on basic cable, and why watch TV when I can download these songs and get an evern broader range of music. It's wrong what the RIAA is doing to their consumers. Most people who download music will buy CD's if they like the artist. IF the RIAA gets their way, I really think the future of music is in jeopardy. I should say, the future of creative music. Different styles of music is good. The more styles, the more to choose from. If the RIAA has their wish, you'll hear the same crap you hear on the radio today. New bands will have even less of a slim chance that they have now to make it. Kids won't want to play instruments simply out of shear joy from what they hear from they favorite guitarist because everything will sound the same. I first wanted to play guitar when I heard Slash playing guitar in Guns 'n' Roses November Rain. CC Deville's solo in Life Goes on (or something like that...from Flesh and Blood). Those two songs had such a soul to them. THey are slow songs, but they had a rock feel to them and the guitar solos were amazing.
When's the last time you heard a soulful guitar solo from a "new" song and got up and played air guitar?
I have an idea why downloading music is so important for me right now, as a semi-musician and as a religious follower. I crave to hear new music. Back when MTV used to play videos, Headbangers Ball was an amazing show, and there were other really cool shows that played videos. Granted, whoever's label had more push you saw more. But, once you got into a band you saw on headbangers ball, and saw them in concert, or saw them wear other band t-shirts in their videos, or had friends who were into the same music, you got to know what other bands were out there. You got to like the bands who's videos you liked. I didn't watch it for the videos. Shit, half the time I was too busy headbanging and in euphoria that I finally found my favorite music style when I discovered Headbangers Ball. It started with (of all bands) Slaughter, Poison, and Guns 'n' Roses. Then Metallica, Megadeth, Soundgarden, and Danzig. My first experience of Slayer was the video for "Dittohead", and they're one of my favorite groups. My first experience of Pantera was "Walk", and they are one of my favorite groups. And no matter how corny Beavis and Butthead are, they brought a lot of "Underground" music to MTV. That's how I got into Death, White Zombie, and some others.
My whole point with this rant is that when MTV stopped playing videos (and I don't count MTV2 or Fuse because you have to pay extra...I can only afford basic cable), I had no way of hearing how bands sounded. Yeah, I could read all about them in Metal Edge or Circus or Hit Parader, but I wanted to hear them first. That's why I really think music downloading started. The only way you could hear any new music was through radio. And most stations (unless you are in a fairly big market) will rotate a playlist what seems like every hour. I remember going to Chicago once and hearing a metal station and pretty much not wanting to come home ever again. All I wanted to do was listen to metal on the radio. And the stations around here didn't have that.
So I guess after my frustration of buy crappy CD after crappy CD because I couldn't hear what they sounded like, I began downloading. I have gotten into bands that I never would have heard of or thought I would like. I've actually bought CDs from Iced Earth, In Flames, Killswitch Engage, Chimaira, Fozzy, Atreyu, God Forbid, Lacuna Coil, Otep, My Ruin, and many more. I've got music from Nightwish, After Forever, Symphony X, Life Of Agony, and many more. I plan on buying a lot of CD's for most of the music that I have downloaded.
And some music I heard playing video games. I first heard Fear Factory in the game Carmageddon (god I miss that game). Video games are good for showcasing new bands, but it's very expensive for kids to afford new games. MTV was pretty damn cheap for what you got. Now it's a pure pile of crap. Radio is still as corporate as every, except for listener-supported radio that's mostly as tame as a mouse. Magazines are doing better at trying to include in some issues. But nothing like actually refusing to do stuff every saturday night just to watch Headbangers Ball.
Granted, I'm not exactly a casual music listener. But that music that I discovered on MTV when I was a teenager helped me out. It saved me from suicide more than anyone will ever know. I just don't want to see a future without music. I don't want kids to have to spend $20 on a CD and only like 2 songs. These kids need to know that there's more to music than this teeny-bopper crap, rap, country, and corporate nu-metal. Not that it's not cool to listen to this stuff, but MTV opened up my eyes to a whole new world of music. Downloading opened me up to an even broader world of music. Seeing concerts has allowed me to experience different bands. And I've also discovered a little bit of what my city has to offer to music.
MTV2 Headbanger's Ball doesn't work for me today becaue it's not on basic cable, and why watch TV when I can download these songs and get an evern broader range of music. It's wrong what the RIAA is doing to their consumers. Most people who download music will buy CD's if they like the artist. IF the RIAA gets their way, I really think the future of music is in jeopardy. I should say, the future of creative music. Different styles of music is good. The more styles, the more to choose from. If the RIAA has their wish, you'll hear the same crap you hear on the radio today. New bands will have even less of a slim chance that they have now to make it. Kids won't want to play instruments simply out of shear joy from what they hear from they favorite guitarist because everything will sound the same. I first wanted to play guitar when I heard Slash playing guitar in Guns 'n' Roses November Rain. CC Deville's solo in Life Goes on (or something like that...from Flesh and Blood). Those two songs had such a soul to them. THey are slow songs, but they had a rock feel to them and the guitar solos were amazing.
When's the last time you heard a soulful guitar solo from a "new" song and got up and played air guitar?
sharona1881:
i USED TO be a nite owl, but then getting up for work at 5 every morning and not getting home until 11 some nights started to wear on me... now i drink lots of soda to stay awake and usually crash soon after i walk in the door.. 
slayerboy:
Yeah, I know that drill. For about a year I worked full--time and went to school full-time. And towards the end I actually went to the gym somehow after school. I was averaging about 4 hours sleep a night. Lots of Mountain Dew. I don't know what my problems is though. I'm gonna be in bed before 11PM tonight. I can't even workout yet I'm so tired. Maybe tomorrow.