Speaking as one, the majority are decent people but there is a minority who are openly fash and a sadly growing amount who tolerate fash bands cos the riffs are good.
I’ve been going to metal and adjacent shows and festivals for decades.
Metal fans are everything and everyone. There exists no stereotype that any one fan could fully fit.
- The lawyer with more money than sense.
- The family of 3 with their toddler wearing ear protection.
- The guy who looks like he just got done mucking a horse stall.
- The boomers who will tell you about the first time they saw Ozzy without it even being brought up.
- The smokers and the tokers.
- The guy who just escaped the office and doesn’t care what people think of his clothes.
- The visitors who are not really into the music but they love an opener or swore they would see the headliner if they ever got the chance.
For the most part, people are accepting of everyone. There are a few people who are less hospitable. Usually kids who have an idea of the culture that is not instep with reality. Typically they learn, one way or another.
A metal head is the kind of guy I want watching my back. They aren’t afraid to get knocked around a little, usually smarter than most, and they have the biggest hearts.
Of course, there are exceptions, but that’s the general vibe I get from the metal heads I’ve met.
As a metal head, it was always fun seeing other bars and clubs in the middle of the night having police and fights outside, while our dainty little metal bar only had that when those people came to our place.
Some people even came for the lack of fights, even if they didn’t like the music. Always a brotherly atmosphere welcoming to all strangers.
I think those people like to have fun and they don’t take themselves too seriously.
I don’t think that my perception of it changed in the last 30 years since I was a teenager.
Can confirm.
What I have noticed for myself and other Metalheads is that the preference regarding the favourite bands and or subgenre might shift, or that the mix/percentage with non-Metal music might change a bit etc. But from my experience, people that have enjoyed Metal as teenagers still like it at older ages.
At Metal festivals and concerts you generally find a wide spectrum of all ages. I’ve seen grannies enjoying the show next to teenagers moshing. I’ve seen whole families, or talked to people that came alone from another continent to attend that festival. I’ve also done that myself once and had no problem finding nice people to hang out with.
@OP, are you asking for a specific reason, or just a general vibe check? Or are you a Metalhead yourself and wanna see what the perspective from other Metalheads in other communities is?
I often ask a question on here to give me something to get my mind off of the pain immediately following my physical therapy routine from a broken neck and back 10 years ago. I’m not much for words ATM. But yes, I’m a metalhead
Fuck, that sounds horrible :(
I wish you a good recovery with as little pain as possible!You have a good strategy. Reading other people’s stories is like reading a book. But instead of fiction, it’s (hopefully true) small glimpses into human lives. I also love that for escaping my own reality for a short while.
There’s the old joke that metalheads are nice people pretending to be mean, while hippies are mean people pretending to be nice.
I don’t know about hippies, but this comic is pretty accurate for Metalheads (except many times we also take stupid grimace fotos xD):
Well the hippies are boomers… soooo…
I know so many metal heads, that I would have to say: it depends on the type of metal they’re into. The one thing they really tend to have in common, though, is they have personalities very much in contrast to the style in which they dress and what you might think hearing the music. All cool people; but at first glance, depending on their preferred style of metal, they can look scary AF.
One of the best feelings in the world is seeing the reaction of people who hang out with Metalheads for the first time. We had someone join our group at a metal festival and it was so much fun.
“Wait, why is that big scary guy over there wearing a pink unicorn costume?” Etc etc
Based on experience, they tend to be people with a tough exterior but with the kindest hearts.
The nicest people in the world cosplaying as the meanest.
“Hey, new friends! Cool shirt”
Metalheads I’ve known 20yrs ago vs now? Still generally lovely, kind and welcoming people. They can look fierce but I’d go to them in a crisis.
My perception is that they are people. I know lots of different people that listen to metal and have nothing else in common.
Last year i learned about their running in circles dance. I watched a bunch of videos on it. Now everytime my son goes to a show i need a report on the dancing and random antics.
Aaah yes, circle pits are amazing. A wall of death is scary at first, but also a lot of fun. Forming a Conga line through the whole crowd is always a huge party.
I listen to some metal among a lot of other music, wouldn’t really call myself a metalhead but I have a lot of friends who are
I’m in my 30s, been a lot of metalheads in my friend group since middle or high school, don’t really see that changing any time soon. Overall I like metalheads, under the gruff-looking exteriors most of them are big marshmallows, and overall pretty intelligent people.
There’s a handful of assholes, racists, some people whose main interest in metal is that they like to be too rough in the mosh pit, etc. but the majority of metalheads I’ve met hate their guts. And like with all subcultures, fandoms, etc. there are some who are annoying pretentious pricks about it but are essentially harmless.
was never my crowd but I married one so im related by marriage. well and I like tull that had a lot of influence on it. Also in college I endlessly would bug a friend of mine after they won heavy metal band of the year.
