Why Are Most Metal Heads Poor?

humus · Post by **humus** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:11 pm

I never considered metal as a genre for marginal people. Sure, some metalheads in town and on concerts are...on the edge of society, but most aren't. Popular electronic genres like trance (although that's not popular anymore I think) and hardcore have always been the music for the lower classes here in Belgium.
And thus, metal being middle class music, I don't think most metalheads are poor. Ofcourse it depends on your definition of poor, if you talk about people being able to pay things like Leather nunn than ofcourse many metalheads would be poor. But most have an income that secures all necessities and leaves money for something extra musically, I don't think that's being poor. Even a simple workman can do that.
Metal being a genre with a relativly high average age of the listeners ofcourse also has something to do with that. For example, on Belgium's biggest metalfestival Graspop the beerconsumption (€2,25 for one plastic cup of shit beer) is around 5 times as high as the average consumption per head on Belgiums biggest alternative music festival Werchter. The average visitor of Graspop is also around 10 years older.

Astaroth · Post by **Astaroth** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:15 am

Metalipeiklo wrote:
Astaroth wrote:It's funny how most of you (including the thread starter) associate being poor with wealth.

I'll go as far as to say education, class, country you reside in and of course being a materialistic poser come into major play.
Wait... isn't poverty the opposite of wealth? That's a quite logic association then?

As for my opinon about the reason for metal heads being poor, well - I'd say the "outsider attitude" adds a lot to it as well, regardless of the factors Astaroth listed above (I fully agree with them). I simply think that many metal heads, well educated or not, find the stock market, real estate investments etc, etc, pretty dull and uninteresting, hence they don't take part in the ways to get rich in todays' society. There's also a strong dedication to certain metal or underground "rules" making it more or less impossible to gain credibility in certain circles if one has a lifestyle too far away from what's accepted among metal heads (such as working in a bank, see movie "More Bad News").

Also these fuckin' big record collections make metal heads pretty immobile and mobility is a must if one wants to earn $$$ I assume.

I was actually referring to being poor in the non-financial aspect which in turn affects your financial wealth. I don't know many completely inept people making 6 figure salaries personally.

Astaroth · Post by **Astaroth** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:23 am

Nightlock wrote:About Melbourne and it's "metalhead" community (and this is only speaking of the ones who listen to similar stuff to me) there are some cool guys for sure like Tom, Nick etc. But then there're some guys I know who act like total elitist pricks a lot of the time. I try not to throw around "poseur" too much, though these guys come as close to the meaning of the word as possible in my opinion. It's strange though because they're not your intellectually superior elitists but rather choosing elitism through regression. "You can't be a real metal fan paying that much for a record" "Real metal fans are the crazy ones that are at gigs drinking lots of beer and doing drugs and only listen to the same five albums over and over, that's a real fan". Now I also "Nothing derogatory intended toward" doom metal fans and the people involved with this genre and it's fanbase. But I've often found this type of regressive elitist closely associated with doom metal, especially the fans from Australia. Again this has nothing to do with ALL doom fans I myself adore a lot of doom but a small portion of the fanbase is fucked up.

I read your reply but won't comment on what you wrote in regards to your individual buying, owning and listening habits. However this above quote is quite funny (to me). I didn't even know Australia had a doom fanbase or doom fans who are elitist. Melbourne in general and the entire "check out me back patch" blackdeaththrash mentality while downing a carton of VB is chuckle worthy. Nick only drinks red wine though.

Nightlock · Post by **Nightlock** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:30 am

As I said "and this is only speaking of the ones who listen to similar stuff to me" I was disregarding the swarms of third rate black/thrash/death bands/scene (Although there are one or two decent bands).

Astaroth · Post by **Astaroth** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:34 am

Oh ok sorry, I must have skimmed that bit. Well it's all under the same umbrella just a different side.

Oblivion Knight · Post by **Oblivion Knight** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:47 pm

most Metallers I know have more money than sense!!

but yeah traditionally metallers are more concerned with listening to music than studying or striving for a great 'career' being a corporate slave

DTP · Post by **DTP** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:04 am

i've actually noticed that bm fans nowadays are *anything* but poor! just look at the outrageous prices they're willing to shell out on ebay...next to sXe kids, bm fans must have tons of disposable income...

DeathMetalWeenie · Post by **DeathMetalWeenie** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 5:23 am

Most metalheads are poor, because most people in general are poor...I come from a economic background where my parents were Yuppies. And my parents thought it was a fucking joke, that I WORSHIP heavy metal. The key for me being a record collector is I usually average 3000 hours + of work every year. Since I graduated high. I rebuilt my collection 3 times in my life, (selling tatered LP's to try to find mint copies) and always looking for my favorite albums to have multiple copies, and different pressings in different parts of the world. And not to mention all those Collectors editions.

The change from Vinyl to CD for me was a nightmare, because i started way to late in 1997.

All those concerts with tons of booze, and t-shirts, and fanzines...all that stuff adds up. I am lucky I ended up with a skill trade job, as a total fluke. I can make middle-class money with my jobs. I have been a metal fan non-stop since 1982, I started back casually back in 1980. My parents are now like 70 and wondering when I will just grow out of this "phase".

Some metallers claimed they do thinks like. They do not even tell hot chicks, that they like Metal, I do no such things. When I was 12, when it was time to pick a genre to be a fan of. I decided on Heavy Metal. I am glad I stuck with it, through all the trends that have come and gone in hard rock.

If it came to cutting my hair to move up a economic level, I am going to refuse that shit, because I hope my job as a chain saw operator will happen for me another decade or so. To keep money in my pocket I have spending habits, like used all my income tax returns since 1986, for the music collection, so with the weekly paychecks, can be used for paying the bills months and months in advance.

Being poor must suck beyond belief...I am lucky I had the connections, to have a fair shot at life. I did not live up to my earnings potential, which had nothing to do with heavy metal, but I am a work-a-holic, not willing to starve for 4 years to go too college. I am happy always working 2 jobs, and working 14 hours a-day, to have all my indulgences, that are related to music and non-music fun!

If I had a different set of parents my collection would probably be half to 3/4's the size of my current collections. I am a lucky mother scratcher to be born in 1967, and to have a business owner father making money hand over fist.

MEXDefenderOfSteel · Post by **MEXDefenderOfSteel** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 5:01 pm

thanks for sharing that DeathMetalWeenie! i agree in several points you have there

chatzial · Post by **chatzial** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 7:32 pm

I would not say that metalheads are poor but you won't find many metalheads among the rich.
Most of metal fans are from poor to mid-class people, maybe because we are idealists and have feelings.

Black Axe · Post by **Black Axe** » Wed Oct 19, 2011 10:29 pm

chatzial wrote:Most of metal fans are from poor to mid-class people, maybe because we are idealists and have feelings.

Or that people who have to work hard to get just a small amount of money like to spend it on something worthwhile.

rumblefist · Post by **rumblefist** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:14 am

Get off your chair and spread your horizons.
Travel to south/latin america, south europe, eastern europe and some other countries i won't refer to avoid wars and try to meet those metalheads and you see the differences to your countries. You'll see the percentage of "poor" metalheads grow in comparison to the countries you live in. Are their metal worship lesser than the "richer" ? Of course not.
Most metalheads of today in these countries when they reach the end of the month and after paying their bills most of times only have money to buy a album.
But in the old days, tape trading was alive because people couldn't afford most of the stuff they wished to listen.
I really respect hard working metalheads that have a low profile life in order to make some savings to buy this album or attend that show. I never liked pseudo intelectuals cake eaters, milk drinkers fuckin faggot " metalheads that i se now everywhere.
Of course Metal as music was destined to be listened by low proletary classes. Listen the music and read the lyrics about freedom and fantasy, because reality was harsh. Do you still recall Thatcher government and what happened in that time ? It was a protest factor that somehow developed both punk and metal music. Do you think Bay area Thrash came from high classes ? In contrast, now you have all those high class gothic metal girls and boys that graduated in anything. In old days if a metalhead wished to grow his hair he wouldn't get a job, unless he was willing to work in his family's business or in buildings construction.

Priamos · Post by **Priamos** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:46 am

Being a metalhead, means you have an alternative way of thinking that leads you to adopt an alternative way of living. In this "metal world", money is just the means not the end. A conscious, self aware metalhead has probably set other things higher in his priority list, than gaining money at all cost.

rumblefist · Post by **rumblefist** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:19 pm

I also have my own concept of being a true metalhead.
Because i know how i feel when i listen my faves.
This is why i get emotional.
Not talking about material.
Talking about feeling it.
Inside.

rumblefist · Post by **rumblefist** » Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:44 pm

Because i still recall in 80,81 to see all around all those Disco fever, electronic gay pop and the boys/girls who were into that. And how were punk rockers and metalheads. Of course almost all of them were from "low class" proletary origins. And musicians too. How high class was Bon Scott or Lemmy ?
The musicians at the time had to save for months to have their own made stage dresses or their own Marshall backline and/or PA system. This is why is incorect to say bad things about any band of that time. Even the untalented ones. And also it's incorrect to make class divisions. Specially in Metal.