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Comment by Neil44 | Hacker News Reader

Anecdotally my friend who works at the bar at a music venue said the rock and metal fans are always the chill-est and easiest going.

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Could argue it's because it's kind of a dead genre now. I know there are thousands of new bands esch year snd huge shows, but whens th last time you felt like the pace.of development in the 80s or 90s? Both the fact that new forms of metal were being developed every day and that people tended to be passionate enough anout it to end in physical fights.

I imagine it's the same with eg hiphop, with the various infamous shady and criminal acts associated with Deathrow in its heydey. Can anyone say if similar things haopen today or that element has died down?

That's possible, but it's more likely the decades of consistently laudable values that underpin metal's dominant sentiments. The true sentiments, behind the costumery of black clothes and aggressive stylings.

As young metallers we listened to Black Sabbath and Slayer warning us about the horrors of war and the people who take advantage of it. Sepultura telling us about racism and how it completely screws people over. Metallica and Megadeth are as full of philosophy and psychology as any contemporary music, and almost literally warning young generations about various 'monsters' of the world, like commercialism and greed and power. Korn pioneered being open about childhood trauma. Rage Against The Machine (if we may call them on the fringe of metal), well, need no introduction. Nor Devin Townsend. Fear Factory and Porcupine Tree about the relationship between humanity and technology. I could go on all day.

I am really proud of the influence that the metal genre of music has had in forming my personal set of life values.

And this is normal. It's why metal gigs are, by-and-large, chill and safe, and always have been.

Well yes, but today all the heat and fire of the 80s and 90s has died down. Back then there were actually physical fights between subcultures and some criminal gangs formed around specific bands or scenes. I think all that has mostly died down by now, arguably an indication of lessening passion even though by count and quality there is no shortage of new bands.

New york hardcore for instance used to be involved in some gangs and criminal enterprises. Things were definitely quite vital at one point in time.

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