Converting the unbelievers - Your weapons of choice?

[DaN]

I always force friends with rare, but really good stuff usually they aren't even interested in it and they stick to their helloween and maiden instead, but I don't know, I've always wanted to share great music

I recognized myself so much in this, so I'm curious:

What do people here put on the stereo if you wanna turn your friends on to some, shall we say "less obvious" 80's Metal? Ever got half of your local metalheads into some old obscure South American demo-act? Ever played ARC's "War of the Ring" to a close friend only to hear something along the lines of "Er.. so you really like this crap?"

Some bands that just about everyone into classic hard rock & old HM seem to enjoy when I've played them are the Venezuelan Gruesome Twosome ARKANGEL and RESISTENCIA. The same with THE HAND OF DOOM, which even some punkster mates have gotten into. More specific examples to come...

[tomas]

I was able to convert two friends of mine. Three years ago they still said 'pfff that sounds too 'metal' for me' when I played them some of my stuff. Then I saw they had an interest in doom metal, I played them some stuff, made them some tapes and now they even like old heavy metal and speed metal.

[AxeCrazy]

I made a mix CD for a guy that I work with who was mainly into hip-hop, but heard some Pantera at a bar and was intrigued. I tried to give him an overview of metal starting with Sabbath, up through the mid-90's with In Flames (Colony). I was quite surprised when he said his favorite tracks were the extreme metal ones - Terrorizer (Fear Of Napalm), Entombed (Supposed To Rot) and At The Gates (Cold). You just never know what some people will like.

When I was in college I tried turning my friends on to Iron Maiden. I figured, how can you not like Maiden? But it didn't work. They insisted on listening to stuff like NIN, Green Day, Offspring, etc.

[tomas]

If you have friends that are into free-jazz, you should play them some Exterminator. It's the same as free-jazz, but with different instruments

[ION BRITTON]

Gruesome Twosome

Horrible movie. But in a good way!

In every place you can find a fan of H.G. Lewis!

[ION BRITTON]

If you have friends that are into free-jazz, you should play them some Exterminator. It's the same as free-jazz, but with different instruments

Put some COMPLETE stuff as well, they'll be astonished.

[khiijol]

just watched wizard of gore the other day. delightfully stupid

i've gotten a few people into parabellum and reencarnacion, but those people enjoyed stuff like early carcass and beherit to begin with, so i guess thats not much of a stretch

for non-metalheads, i've had a few people say that they enjoyed holocaust's "the nightcomers"

[sovdat]

I've tried with Graven Image, and I recorded both Sindrome demos to a friend of mine (never got any thoughts about them back ), and I wanted to play them the Militia EP at the KIT X trip, but they didn't want to hear it, so we were listening to Queen of the Ryche and stuff. The Mysto Dysto got in, though.

That's for the metal friends of course For non-metal people, I don't know, I have never bothered them with my stuff (except for my family, they have to live with it Nobody likes it hehe, except for Twisted Sister, my father once said that they sound pretty cool and wanted to see photos of 'em ... well, I didn't show it )

[Keir]

I've tried several times and always failed. I've been dubbed the king of no-name shit metal.

[The Knell]

I tried PARABELLUM. But my pal refused to like this. But at least it seemed it was interesting for him that this was written in 1984. But I think it was too lowfi for him. I met a guy in czech rep in obscene extreme this year and I had a Parabellum - Sacrilegio shirt. He pointed to me and said "I know all bands from south america and this is terrible crap!!!" . Meh

[Helm]

I usually start non-metal people out with Epicus Doomicus Metallicus, Walls of Jericho, HEart of the Ages, A Social Grace, Awaken the Guardian and Control and Resistance. If they don't like some of the best metal ever, there's no hope for them.

I play more obscure stuff to my metal friends lots, I only consider something a true hit when they come back to me and tell me they downloaded this or that I played them and love it dearly. Last time it happened it was with Kinetic Dissent.

[humus]

I don't try to convert non-metal people into metal people. I just play what I want and if they like it, great. Almost never happens though. Most people can't even stand what I find very accessible music like Isis.

In my car I often play Anesthesia - Prelude to ruin (from Norway rocks compilation, Dan's upload) and basically every metal-minded person that gets a ride in my car asks which band that is. It's a mystery why they are so obscure when everybody who hears that band is simply stunned.

[FenderMedium]

I can't stand Isis so whats your point? I don't really try to convert people to metal because most people simply can't understand it.

[mordred]

I don't think this thread is about converting non metal heads into full blown headbangers, but how to successfully introduce middle of the road Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Helloween fans into titanic, monolithic and supreme metal of yore. Which might well be every bit as difficult.

As much as one would like to start with "King of the Dead", "Crystal Logic", "Witchburner" or "Black Writs" it's not a good idea as it just sounds weird to ears not used to metal that's good for real. I think you have to start playing something that's fairly mainstream sounding that they can associate with, it has to be catchy, it has to grab the listener immediately, it has to have a good enough vocalist and at least a decent production. I can't think of a better choice than the DANGER ZONE MLP actually. If "Victim of Time" doesn't get a fan of classic metal going, it's hopeless. And once hooked to DANGER ZONE, every sound mind would want to discover the dusty basements of the forgotten past more extensively. Eventually, they shall acknowledge CIRITH UNGOL their rightful overlords.

[OmenOfSteel]

I've been dubbed the king of no-name shit metal.

When I was younger, I was very eager to convert ppl. into good music. At some point the metal-missionary in me died. Either you are METAL, or you are not. So my metal-crusade stopped long ago.
Of course I still torture lots of ppl. with my music on many occassions, and I am known and feared for it. I like it the way it is now. I enjoy the panik that arises when I merrily move to the stereo.