Hey metal guys! Got a question.

Kawai-chang · #1 09-03-2008, 02:10 PM

Why do all (OK, some) of the bassists on BP who are playing in heavier bands all have the "hard" pose going?

Just a "metal" image thing?

palm grease · #2 09-03-2008, 02:18 PM

A "HARD" POSE..... ???????????

i say image

Bassenstien · #3 09-03-2008, 02:19 PM

Yes please explain this "hard pose"

stflbn · #4 09-03-2008, 02:22 PM

I'm assuming 'wide stance leaned back, head down, bass slung low'

metallicafan18 · #5 09-03-2008, 02:23 PM

hard pose??

ohh wait, are you talking about the thing the bassist for Killswitch Engage does in the music video for Holy Diver at about 24 seconds into the video?

Here's the video link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsiqtGnpU1w

Bassenstien · #6 09-03-2008, 02:25 PM

Well I am guilty of that stance from time to time

but most of the time I do not look hard, hell last gig we had I played in black socks and my boxers. Not "hard" at all, quite the opposite

Kawai-chang · #7 09-03-2008, 02:29 PM

Well, I guess I mean "hard" as in "tough guy" look.

Bassenstien · #8 09-03-2008, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kawai-chang

Well, I guess I mean "hard" as in "tough guy" look.

Ah I definately don't have that. I couldn't look tough with a gun

metallicafan18 · #9 09-03-2008, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kawai-chang

Well, I guess I mean "hard" as in "tough guy" look.

I'm confused. Any pics of an example?

Kawai-chang · #10 09-03-2008, 02:38 PM

LOL! Me niether.

nicoli · #11 09-03-2008, 02:40 PM

Umm... are you really asking why people in metal bands have a 'tough guy' look?

It's definitely an improvement on the spandex!

Kawai-chang · #12 09-03-2008, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metallicafan18

I'm confused. Any pics of an example?

Hmmm. Not having the mag here, I can't name specifics, but I think one guy was from Cradle of Filth, one was from Disturbed (that I remember 'cause of the sig. Traben he was holding while flexing his arm as much as he could), for example.

Not knocking them, but it just seems kind of unnecessary to try to look all bad-a**ed while being a professional musician. It's not like they're SEALs or something.

Kawai-chang · #13 09-03-2008, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nicoli

Umm... are you really asking why people in metal bands have a 'tough guy' look?

It's definitely an improvement on the spandex!

Line of the day!!

chrisisnotevil · #14 09-03-2008, 02:55 PM

cos soooo many metal bands at the moment, especially imho bands like disturbed aren't just selling their music, they're selling an image as well, which a lot of fans (not all fans) buy into, and they sell more records/tickets/shirts that way.

there are certain metal bands who remind me of the backstreet boys with eyeliner, their biceps all pumped up, and not a hair out of place for every photoshoot, but enough of my ranting.

palm grease · #15 09-03-2008, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisisnotevil

bands like disturbed aren't just selling their music, they're selling an image as well, which a lot of fans (not all fans) buy into,.

dude your sig is metal!

StanFan · #16 09-03-2008, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kawai-chang

Well, I guess I mean "hard" as in "tough guy" look.

I guess you mean appearing stoned faced in publicity shots and whatnot.

Edit: I mean stone-faced. Stoned face is something entirely different.

crow01 · #17 09-03-2008, 04:06 PM

i think what you mean by hard pose is:
- long black hair
- unshaved for weeks maybe months
- a pantera shirt
- tight black jeans
- doc marteens

i'm not one of those...maybe i was back in high school. i grew up.

if i become famous playing metal, maybe i will go and unpack and old high school box

Geddyfleaharris · #18 09-03-2008, 05:31 PM

Image man....image. The music industry is about image and metal is really about image. If a band can come up with an image that helps people remember them then that is 1/2 the battle of remaining in the public eye.

Can you really imagine a guy wearing a big sombrero, red handkerchief dressed in a shirt with horses jumping around in the design playing in a metal band? Didn't think so. No offense to anyone who dresses like that. Yes a lot of bands have a similiar look but it goes with the genre. IMO

Now where did I put my spiked arm band......

Matt Till · #19 09-03-2008, 08:18 PM

Why do jazz guys insist on soul patches?

A lot of genres have stereotypical imagery and so forth. Some go with it just to fit in, some just really dig the look. Myself, I've been in a few metal bands, and I'm basically as non metal as it gets. Watch how "tuff" I look in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTu0Et9f0oI

I've occasionally done the power stance, I've headbanged when I've felt it. I dig the metal look, but when I grow my hair out/beard out, I end up looking way more hippie than metal. That's another thing, I DO really dig hippie clothes, I'm not sure why. I'm even down with tie dye t-shirts, but I loathe the new breed of fake hippies. Imagery and scenes they belong to would make an interesting study.

Tyrannius · #20 09-03-2008, 10:27 PM

If we're going by stflbn's version of what a "hard" pose (didn't even know that was terminology used by anyone) then I'm going to assume the OP meant something along the lines of...

Quote:

Originally Posted by stflbn

I'm assuming 'wide stance leaned back, head down, bass slung low'

Anyhow, both Matt and Geddyfleaharris addressed it to a point, so I don't have anything to add beyond what they've said.