Can someone be a collector and a metalhead at the same time?

Recommendations, discussions, questions & debates regarding the godly Metal of olde...
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Priamos
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Post by Priamos »

nightsblood wrote: Ion- Your definition of 'metalhead' is different than mine, which is fine, and it explains your POV on this subject. Just to provide some context for my own POV: I grew up in a rural area of the US in the late 80s. Thus, there was no metal scene at all, and most of the bands I like now were already long gone by the time I got into metal seriously. Ive never lived in an area with good access to concerts, and even the colleges I attended never had any semblance of a metal scene around them, so I never got into the 'metal as a way of life' type of fandom; I was never exposed to it. Thus, while I'm a fan of many bands, I've never felt any close, personal attachment to bands on an individual basis.
In the poor, rural area of the US I grew up in, 'horse trading' was a common activity; I was trading coins and toys by the time I was 8 years old. I spent summers at flea markets selling comic books off the tailgate of a pickup truck. You learned early to watch your step or you'd get ripped off. When I was about 7 years old my parents had a yard sale and some old lady tried to rip me off by giving me a quarter for something that my parents wanted $5 for. My own grandma ripped a little kid off; his dad had a piece of antique glass for sale at a flea market. Granny didn't want to pay his price for it, so she waited until he went to the bathroom, then hurried over and talked his 10-year-old kid into selling it to her much cheaper, then she took it and ran before daddy got back to his booth. In that relatively impoverished environment, $5 was a lot to many people, so you know the seller was out to get as much $$ as possible, and the buyer was out to spend as little $$ as possible.
More or less, Nightsblood claims that he grew up in a hard and competitive environment, he was n't affected by any metal brotherhood spirit and thus he considers such kind of attitude "normal', "realistic" and "practical" (correct me, mate, if I didn't understand well and altered something from the meaning of what you were telling us).
What I'm trying to say from the beggining of this thread, is that this kind of mentality and attitude is what one must expect from a collector. If you choose to be a collector it's either because you have it or most possible you are about to obtain it. But since this discussion gets out of the borders of metal and becomes a debate about moral values and ideals, I will end it here. I'm no fucking preacher, Jesus or a saint to say to the others how to live their lives. From my side this discussion is considered closed.

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nightsblood
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Post by nightsblood »

Priamos wrote:
More or less, Nightsblood claims that he grew up in a hard and competitive environment, he was n't affected by any metal brotherhood spirit and thus he considers such kind of attitude "normal', "realistic" and "practical" (correct me, mate, if I didn't understand well and altered something from the meaning of what you were telling us).
What I'm trying to say from the beggining of this thread, is that this kind of mentality and attitude is what one must expect from a collector.
But we've already seen examples of collectors posting in this thread who do not share my mentality (e.g. Ion & Lethyl). Fils du Metal is a big-time collector by anyone's definition. When he recently uncovered a stash of a rare french EP, rather than hoard them and sell them for big bucks, he practically gave them away. So I think you have to be VERY careful about generalizations regarding a group as diverse as 'metal collectors'.

Also, many people go out of their way to ensure they get the best deal possible when buying and selling, whether you're talking about metal vinyl, a new car, a pair of shoes, etc. Thus, I do not know why it strikes some people as strange or shady that metal collectors would also want to get a good deal when buying records. There are only a handful of truly rich metal collectors in the entire world.

Re: not being into 'the metal brotherhood spirit', that's correct. For me, Metal was never about being a part of a scene- there was no scene to be a part of where I lived :) I listened to Metal b/c I liked it, I wore band T-shirts b/c I liked them, and I started collecting Metal records b/c I enjoyed them. Metal's been a part of my life for over 20 years now, but I have a life outside of metal too. For those who "live the True Metal Creed", that's cool- I've no problem with that- but that's not who I am. And if anyone wants to question my "trueness" or dedication or whatever, all I can say is this- try growing up in a small country town and going through high school as one of only a couple of kids who wear Metallica & Slayer T-shirts while listening to Napalm Death and Lazz Rockit :D
If you choose to be a collector it's either because you have it or most possible you are about to obtain it.
True, but that's the same reason that anyone does anything- you do it because you can. But not everyone does it the same way :)
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Priamos
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Post by Priamos »

@Nightsblood: Thanx for your civilised and reasonable reply in such a controversial subject. As I said, the case is closed for me; many arguments are here expressed for everyone to see and judge. I think each of us has made its point.
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Avenger
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Post by Avenger »

Priamos wrote:
ION BRITTON wrote:At this rate, building a decent vinyl collection will be impossible for the majority in a few years :?
Guys, like it or not it, there are two distinctive paths that everyone has to choose from. You can't serve two masters. You can either be:

METAL COLLECTOR

Love the item more than the music (so no reissue is good for you)
Buy low, sell high ( closer to a bussinesman than a metalhead)
Buy the desired item at all cost (money, time, moral etc)
Buy plenty of garbage only inorder to sell and trade.
Feel like a big shot and boast because you have some rare shit that very few have (either if in your real life might be a miserable worm).

or you can be what I call:

HEALTHY AND BALANCED METALHEAD

Buy and sell only at a "normal" price.
Buy things only if you want to listen (especially in the old days when there was no you tube available) or if you like them and want to have them in your collection.
Buy reissues and CDs if it is easier and cheaper, and you can't do otherwise (love more the music than the item)
Buy the albums the time they are released!!!This is the only way you won't cry later over spilled milk.
Be modest of your collection because this is not the point of being a metalhead and actually noone cares.
Wait patiently until you find the desired item in the desired price. If it can never happen buy the reissue or the Cd. IF IT CAN'T HAPPEN ANYTHING FROM THE ABOVE, GET USED TO IT!!!! IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD.

As I see it, it's your call to decide what you want to be.
Where is credit given to perishinflames for this?
bigfootkit wrote:"Your Steel Is Not True"
stormspell wrote:"I hate all my releases. I only listen to Korn and Limp Bizkit, don't you know..."
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Avenger
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Post by Avenger »

LethylSteel wrote:Buy plenty of garbage only inorder to find out what it sounds like because noone else shares opinions or sound samples just because of the fact their crap record could loose it's value and they can't resell it anymore.
In today's world this is non-existent. You can find at least a sample or two or someone who is willing to provide them with the aid of the internet.
bigfootkit wrote:"Your Steel Is Not True"
stormspell wrote:"I hate all my releases. I only listen to Korn and Limp Bizkit, don't you know..."
DeathMetalWeenie
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Post by DeathMetalWeenie »

I am in the metal head side of the equation. So I learned along time ago. To do my research, fanzines and word of mouth. Metal fans with the same exact taste, and converse with them, to get a idea what is going to molten metal masterpiece and what bands are going to disappoint, and release cliche material...or worse.

I only get first pressings when they are released. To avoid the the collectors market and the scalpers and to avoid the effects of gresham's law.

I never seen a CD re-edition, that blew out of the water the original pressing, so I only go with first pressings, because the the packing is better, the paper is better, the ink is better, the case is even thicker.

I always avoid the collectors market, because at my local record shop usually some teenage female will be checking in a fans old collection. And not check the price guide data base, THANK GOD SOME PEOPLE ARE LAZY...ha ha... and I find tons and tons of old original heavy metal from the 1980's sold at the price of $6.97.

Since I hate televison and I do not own a TV...I am usually in the record stores twice or 3 times a week.
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Vinny Black
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Post by Vinny Black »

As long as you're not a collector-head, it's fine with me.

(Or a head-collector, 'cos that's kinda illegal.)

Keep collecting records in any case!
"My music is not modern, it is merely badly played." Arnold Schönberg 1874-1951
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Northwinds
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Post by Northwinds »

I can honestly say I am both but first and formost a metalhead. I have played guitar since I was 11 years old and I just turned 48. I also have "collected" vinyl in the same amount years

I just hope when I pass on someday that a bunch of dudes are not fighting over my collection at a tagsale :lol:
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Vinny Black
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Post by Vinny Black »

I can honestly say I am both but first and formost a metalhead. I have played guitar since I was 11 years old and I just turned 48. I also have "collected" vinyl in the same amount years
I just hope when I pass on someday that a bunch of dudes are not fighting over my collection at a tagsale
Hey, wot's yer e-mail, let's make some deals.
Nah, just kidding.
Sell the records and buy a longship...
"My music is not modern, it is merely badly played." Arnold Schönberg 1874-1951
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