HairyScaryMark

I spoke to you before and said I was not intereted. I do not really wish to play death metal keyboards. Thank you for your interest anyhow.

I object to music which is made and sold purely for the motivation of money. An obvious example of this which I assume everyone would agree on would be something like the cheeky girls. They have very little artistic merit yet have made someone very rich. The question is, where do you draw the line? A major record company is generally going to try and tap into the trends of the day and promote music which is easily marketable to specific groups. With modern 'pop groups' like Westlife, someone outside of the band/singing group has generally written the songs who understands the market well and knows what people 'want' to hear. A group like this are probably auditioned as much upon the way they look as their ability to sing although I believe in the case of Westlife, they probably are very good singers. I think most people reading this would agree Westlife and the Cheeky girls could be condirered examples of 'commercial music'. Whether or not you like the music is irrelevant, it exists to make money over the artistic qualities of it. Most bands signed to major record companies are usually going to be chosen becuase they are low-risk (popular style so can be marketed easily) in terms of money. The record company will usually recoup their investment quite easily. The topic seemed to be more about commercialism in rock music. It is hard to know from the outside if bands play a particular style to make money over the music qualities of it. The listeners/performers may too enjoy listening to the popular style of the day and therefore wish to create it. Anyone who really loves music should dig a bit further into it and try to hear more obscure styles and sounds. The internet is a key tool in allowing you to hear music you wouldn't otherwise be able to. It also allows musicians to promote themselves in ways they would not otherwise be able to do. On the flipside, a band like McFly exists to cash on the fact bands with catchy songs and slightly rough sounds are popular at the moment. The example of St Anger is questionable as the band probably lacked the 'togetherness' in their mental state to create music of the same quality as before. Tapping into the sounds of today was probably a bad commercial move and I think most people would have preferred if they created something more similar to what they had done before. Commercialism with 'normal people' playing music? i.e is playing in a covers band 'selling out'. Generally the motivation behind playing in a covers band is to provide a 'stable' income from music so the musician can do what they 'really want' the rest of the time? Is this commercially orientated? Undoubtably Many musicians still enjoy playing in a covers band even though they may end up playing all the usual songs (mustang sally, brown eyed girl, proud mary, rockin all over the world etc.). It certainly beats working a McJob or some other slave wage job. In my opinion, covers bands are also usually preferable over some gobby DJ playing agadoo and cheesey pop songs. The other usual income from music is teaching. I have done some of this and found it highly enjoyable. Many musicians, myself included achieve a lot more as a result of lessons so seems to benefit everyone. In my opinion, the listener is as much to blame as any record company, band or PR firm. Commercial music is made becuase it sells and we must refuse to buy it if we expect it to go away at any point. Most? people see straight through it but there are still enough people who don't to make it economically viable.

There are many many options. For strings only, software is better idea, i think. My suggestions would be. Garritan Personal Orchestra is quite popular and about 150 if I remember correct. They also do a stradivari solo violin. GPO runs under Kontakt player and comes with it. You could alternatively get something from EastWest such as their Symphonic Orchestra package. This is generally going to be a bit more expensive though although possibly better. I got Kontakt player as part of a Native Instruments Komplete bundle and it comes with very good orchestra samples. I think the name of the sample library is VSL.

That is a reasonable suggestion except for the fact it isn't a powered mixer. A powered mixer has a power amplifier built in so it can power PA speakers.

I think they sound great. Cheesey in parts, I admit but that isn't always a bad thing. Just wait till they release a real album. They are now signed to Napalm Records I heard the name floating around online, they used to be called Battleheart. If you get them for Moorings Bar, you can guarentee my attendence.

I saw Beholder, who are reasonably well known popular rock/metal covers band from England. They did a few Pantera covers. I didn't like them though becuase I thought their choice of songs were boring i.e what you can hear at any rock bar/club every week but they are quite possibly ideal from that point of view also. They were very good at what they did though and I seemed to be the only one not enjoying them very much. MySpace.com - Beholder - UK - Rock / Metal - www.myspace.com/beholderuk These guys are also recommended by someone else. Blitz :: Yorkshire's No.1 Classic Rock Band Apparently, they ran outside at a gig and half way down the street, while still playing. Would be a bit expensive (they are from Netherlands) I think but these are the most interesting covers band i've came across (to me they are most interesting anyhow) MySpace.com - STORMRIDER - Maasbracht, NL - Metal - www.myspace.com/stormridernl They have a set list on their main website. Stormrider My first two suggestions might be achievable although I still prefer original material.

Sounds interesting, what 5 songs would these be? Been resisting getting in a band where I have to play Mustang Sally and Brown Eyed Girl but fear the inevitable will happen someday.

Hello Hog. I could probably give that a go. I don't have a digital piano currently though, only a keyboard (a good one however). Looking at investing in a laptop + weighted keys board at some point but not top of my list of priorities right now.

Hammond Organ is one of my favourite keyboard instruments. I don't know much about the different models but the B3 is the most classic of model. I understand C3 is the same sound as B3, but in a slightly differnet box. M series is pretty good. My uncle has one Don't know about L You must be careful if you buy a hammond organ as some of them sound nothing like the B3 or 'rock/jazz organ' type sound. Many are only sounds suitable for churches. You need an external leslie and preferably a source of overdrive/fuzz if you wish to use it in a progressive or heavy rock context.

I appear to have 2 complete line-ups for jazz/funk/fusion type bands. One is likely more rock/funk than the other. Other is probably more fusion. Some possible pieces to play include Birdland by Weather Report Pick Up The Pieces by Average White Band So What by Miles Davis Also maybe do a few more jazz standards in a funky style For the more rock one, I wondered about Lovely Day by Bill Withers if we got someone in the band to sing ocasionally. These are just ideas though and I am sure other people will have suggestions. ................ I have been contacted by a few other bands and may jam and/or meet up with them at some point. I am still interested in playing guitar and/or keyboards in a classic rock or metal band or somekind.

Lack of mates wanting to go or having other plans, work next day or equivelant. Also checked bank balance and it was depressing reading so going to give this a miss, this time. I probably made the wrong decision

I don't know if anyone knows but.... It says 9 pm kickoff What time is the first band on? What is the first band? Another friend's band are playing elsewhere on same night and may be able to make both.

But that simply isn't true in more than one sense. Metal is still very underground here, far more than just about anywhere else. Especially true metal. and British indie is super popular at the moment.

Saw Turisas in Glasgow last night. Went to this rock bar a few streets away afterwards. Something like 'Solid Rock Cafe'. Was amazing, played all sorts of metal. Extreme death variety included but mostly stuff more suited to my taste. I reckon they were expecting a fair few wondering in after the gig and had music choice to suit (Turisas).

German Vegetable Rap. Truely wonderful. I kept waiting for the Sheissen though.

Still, if it gets played. I shall never return. Mr Kharn, can you play some Turisas and/or Korpiklaani?

Just realised this week is Freshers week. Should be busy actually, hoping to making it along.

This sounds absolutely fantastic. I really hope people attend this but I sadly suspect they may not. My college starts at 11:15 on Friday so I should be able to make it as often as possible. Great to see someone has finally took it upon themselves to avoid rock club cliches such as; Pantera - walk Rage Against the Machine - killing in the name of Disturbed - Down with the sickness Metallica - enter sandman

Metal is actually mainstream in a number of European countries. Metal albums get into top 10 chart positions across Scandanavia regularly. In Germany, it isn't nearly as underground as it is here. Infact, I would be suprised if Metal was less popular anywhere else in Europe than it is here. Across Latin America, metal is mainstream in a significant proportion of countries. The result of this means that most of the best Heavy Metal bands at the moment come from Europe. There are probably a fair few from Latin America that I don't know of also. True metal is not in any way dead. Mainstream rock has changed and many people who started listening to Korn, Tool and the like have noticed it becomming less popular so they assume it to be 'dead'. As with Death Metal. A few years a go a lot of melodic death metal bands became quite popular with the likes of In Flames and Arch Enemy. Amon Amarth are the main death metal band I can think of who have recently became very popular. In the last couple of years power metal bands have probably been more notable with the likes of Dragonforce and Sonata Arctica. Metal has never really changed in popularity a great deal. There is always the same crowd listening to it. There might ocasionally be a few metal bands that get popular but the number of metalheads stays the same.

They are playing at Glasgow Cathouse a week today. Assuming there are still tickets available, I will be there.

Firstly, most of what you mention above is firstly not real metal. We need more metal. Heavyness is nothing without metal. Too many heavy bands that aren't metal around. Also, very few good American metal bands at the moment. Europe has 1000s of great metal bands and it is less underground across much of Europe....... Nevermore, Kamelot, Symphony X are all great American heavy metal bands though. The UK mostly has really big old Heavy Metal bands like Saxon, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden etc. We also have a good few metal bands with small undergorund followings but there isn't much inbetween. I went to an heavy metal festival in England called Bloodstock Open Air. Only something in the region of 5000 attended but that is an advantage as you aren't a stupid distance from bands, smaller campsite and suchlike. At previous bloodstock festivals the focus was on power metal but this year hardly had any (which is disapointing to me as a fan of power metal but it means it appeals to a wider range of peopel). I saw many great bands and I enjoyed myself. Deffinatley going back next year. Tickets this year were only 61. Set to go up to 85 next year but you can get one for 61 until december. Korpiklaani..... Everyone must hear them as they are amzing. A Finnish folik metal band with an Arcodian player and Violin/finnish pipes player. Songs to hear in particular; happy little boozer, hunting song and wooden pints. Kerrang is not the place to find metal. I grew up knowing that, I believe this may have been differnet at one point though.

I meant Scottyboy when I said Scott ST, oops. Wont let me edit it.

I'm not into death metal as much. There are some growling metal bands I like that also have keyboard players, such as Kalmah, Finntroll and a little bit of black metal but it is more like a casual interest for me. I could possibly jam some time though. Favourite death metal bands for me would probably be Opeth and Amon Amarth. Scott ST, maybe get something like that on the go. A drummer friend of mine hassled me on the nightbus about how much he wanted to play blues and fusion so I maybe could get him along also. Another bass player guy also spoke to me that night in a drunken state, claiming Stanley Clarke is the man (i detect a complete potential lineup). Also, just becuase I haven't mentioned a band or artist, doesn't mean I don't like them.

I honestly don't know. That is quite a good attitude to be honest I got slightly drunk last night and asked the DJ in bassment to play Manowar "no" was reply asked the same in Moshulu on air guitar night also just "no" (sure i heard them played on saturday night there before). To be honest, if I was a DJ, I would probably get annoyed at people requesting bands that I thought were really stupid all the time. p.s I like jazz.

I am a 20 year old keyboard player. I like a variety of styles of music and try to keep an open mind but my favourites are:- metal (particularly when keyboard players are involved), such as Stratovarius, Sonata Arctica, Nightwish, Yngwie Malmsteen, Korpiklaani, Iron Maiden etc. I also like progressive rock such as Yes, ELP, Kansas, Greenslade, King Crimson, Dream Theater, Symphony X (also fit in above category), Another thing which particualrly nterests me is Jazz Fusion, particualrly the likes of Weather Report, Return to Forever, Chick Corea, Mike Stern, Frank Gambale I have formal music training to a fairly high level. Recieved piano lessons since I was 6 and guitar lessons since i was 15. I have graded exams for gutiar and music theory. Also studied music at college for 2 years (currently doing a teaching diploma) keyboards are only my second instrument but a lot of people seem to enjoy listening to my keyboard playing more than guitar. There is also less of a supply of keyboard players. I have pro gear and own rehearsal space if required. I don't have transport. I also think I am fairly easy going and have suitable image for music listed above. I would prefer if other people in band were 18+ but it is not strictly necessary. Just been contacted by some immature people before. Reliable people only also (had far too many practices where people haven't turned up and/or disappeared off the face of planet). Also, if you are looking for a guitar player, feel free to contact me also.