No; you just like making yourself feel superior, GJAdsgsugfgdf

A combination of James's and Animal's answers for me, when i first joint this site i was using the music as a sort of identity (as who doesn't struggle with issues of self in their teens?). As I've matured (become less irrational/more boring) and my musical tastes have expanded I've realised that the music people like is of totally no consequence as long as they are passionate about it. This only relates again to a personal revelation of just how important music is to me in general, but i find people who just casually enjoy music rather than love it to be a toilet.

I am rambling, but that's what you get when you sit up till 4am for no reason off your tits on codine with even less reason.

Dihydrocodine for me haha!

Its already been said really, 'elitist' is such a fucking maddening word to use because no one really knows what the hell an elitist is. Is it just somone who knows their stuff? Or is it someone who belittles people for thinking Disturbd are thrash (actually I think anyone would do that)

This is a good topic actually. Good to see some proper frash dicussion on here once in awhile

I'm a total idiot for doing it, and i totally regret.

I think the second defines the general consensus on an "Elitist", or at least it does in my opinion.

I still have a very paltry knowledge on Thrash in general, I know the big 4 obvs, your teutonic boys and a few other close favourites. But i don't massively delve into the dank undergrowths because a lot of the time it's not worth it, a lot of these really underground bands who only released two demos worth of material are generally speaking underground for a reason. Still i would never turn my nose up at a band suggestion just because they don't fit into the groups i have heard of, hell if i did that i would have never listened to the likes of Vio-lence or Toxic who are both quite obviously outstanding. That being said i have done it in the past (mainly regarding death metal, or rather my misconception on what i thought death metal was) and have since regretted those actions as i've discovered a wealth of new music that i've grown to love.

To summarise, if you snub a band just because they're not in your cliquey vision, you're an idiot and an egoist.

Here here

Dian Wei wrote: To summarise, if you snub a band just because they're not in your cliquey vision, you're an idiot and an egoist.

to be honest i can tell that emo is shit without giving it a try but you are totally right

Most Thrashers are. Ithink it's part of being a fan of something that had until recently been and gone.

I wouldn't consider myself a Thrash elitist because I don't really listen to much Thrash, although I have a huge Thrash LP collection.

What's great about being an ex-old school enthusiast is that you come from a totally different angle of playing to your peers. It makes my playing and my music really stand out in the Deathcore band I'm in, for example.

I own a lot of thrash music, but theres not too much obscure stuff at all. Afart from the Slaughter Strappado LP (rare as). But im not elitist, especially in metal. Maybe i used to be, but im starting to listen to all sorts now.

Im only an elitist when it comes to sludge.

Dian Wei wrote:I'm a total idiot for doing it, and i totally regret.

I think the second defines the general consensus on an "Elitist", or at least it does in my opinion.

I still have a very paltry knowledge on Thrash in general, I know the big 4 obvs, your teutonic boys and a few other close favourites. But i don't massively delve into the dank undergrowths because a lot of the time it's not worth it, a lot of these really underground bands who only released two demos worth of material are generally speaking underground for a reason. Still i would never turn my nose up at a band suggestion just because they don't fit into the groups i have heard of, hell if i did that i would have never listened to the likes of Vio-lence or Toxic who are both quite obviously outstanding. That being said i have done it in the past (mainly regarding death metal, or rather my misconception on what i thought death metal was) and have since regretted those actions as i've discovered a wealth of new music that i've grown to love.

To summarise, if you snub a band just because they're not in your cliquey vision, you're an idiot and an egoist.

Funny you should be the one to say that because you, Dave and Rik are probably the ony ones on here that have given my band the time of day.

i dont think elitist means people know their stuff. i think it means people who are kinda closed minded or ignorant. sorta like chavs

Zack Wylde said somthing that made me think about this very subject, he said There are only 2 types of music. Good music and Shit music. Both of those things are in every genre! so to be a thrash Elitist would be to say that a whole genre is better than another. i like music from every genre but only if it pulls My string! Good music is the best genre!

I dunno, I'm one f these people that goes 'Thats shit' or 'Thats awesome' upon the first listen, and people call me an elitist for doing so... thats probably the only smart thing Zakk Wylde has ever said to be honest. Theres shit music and good music, simple as that really hahahaha.

I don't know, this discussion could rage on for years and we'd never really reach a mutual conclusion.

i think theres even thrash fans who dont like certain types of thrash so what are they classed as?
then we could just say we like metal but thats not the case either.i mainly listen to NWOBHM,thrash,speed,old school british punk,some crossover,a minimal amount of death metal and a little bit of hardcore.
i dont tend to follow sludge,crust,doom,black,industrial,power metal,emo or goth etc.

so everyone is going to have different tastes.

i remember a while back i posted a clip in vids section which featured a song i wondered if anyone knew...it was a metallica track from ride the lightening.a few forumers couldnt believe i didnt know.they were more surprised than pisstaking but in a conversation with some metallers at a gig queue or in a pub i bet there would have been some elitist behaviour/mocking me about the big 4 etc.then if i had my little gigs list with me,i could then prove i am still a thrash fan regardless.

for general metal:
like i said before ive got 20 odd motorhead albums,14 overkill(i do have 3 priest dvds too and think they are awesome.).yet not one album by maiden,metallica,black sabbath.
doesnt mean i think theyre not good,i just never really got into them and its just preference when it comes to some of the bigger/long time bands.
this is where metal elitism can play a part in this discussion.

but yeah with thrash there will be some who just wont broaden their horizons and allow themselves the pleasure of other music.heres an example:i posted in the shoutbox "who is up for seeing madball on 4th dec."
i know its a long shot because this is the UK"thrash" forum and Madball are a hardcore band.still they are awesome but i guess due to the majority of thrashers not able to stand hardcore i know the replies will be slim,if any at all.
i cant get my head round the hardcore windmill,swingy angry martial arts style moshing but i dont have a problem with it,besides im not going there to judge the crowd im going to watch a good band.
just like hardcore fans become non-understanding when someone starts to headbang/push and shove etc(like at a thrash pit).

thats why crossover is a cool genre coz it brings groups of fans together for the music rather than their scene.

also ive got so much weird music in general ie:japanese enka,late 70s-early 80s soul.tons of rap/hip hop.

just recently i was watching a punk band on youtube and they had an image of a poster on thier video which read:all nazi's,nazi punks,right wing thugs,intolerant lefties,racists,fascists,homophobics,species-phobics,gender phobics,political/anti movements...FUCK OFF!

that makes so much sense.i basicly want it to be my motto in life when it comes to people.

theres no point wasting your own time and energy in hating one thing or the other because it will always be there..just relax and enjoy life however you please.
(bit like with music)

also metal is purely recreational for me as a fan.if i was extra passionate then id be in a band or 2 by now,1 way or the other.
it plays a big part as one of my main interests but doesnt mean i wake up hungover everyday and live off takeaways,smoke weed and walk around in denim wherever i go.
so its not my whole life.
thats why i find it so laughable when idiots say "thrash till death". that is elitist but also flawed because i havent seen any pensioners at gigs.
id love to log on here when im 80 and see the 'thrashers for life' still posting in the gigs thread about last nights sets.

fair play to Lemmy,the Stones and any of the other ancient bands which still play. that is true rock and roll lifestyling.

im just sure the majority of people on here will have wives/kids and plenty of other things happen in thier lives which will take up their time as fully fledged thrashers.

the whole "kill the posers" thing is funny. just coz someone aint moshing/stage diving,doesnt mean they are posing.they could have injuries,health issues or even new tattoos etc.(besides,they are at the SAME gig to see the same band in the first place)

it works in reverse too because when someone doesnt want to rip their expensive leather jacket or get their trainers dirty and wears 50+ pin badges then its like they are "posing" in a stereotypical way.

Interesting and well thought out

When I really think about this, here is what I come to as a conclusion:

There really is no such thing as good or bad music. Music is completely subjective and dependant personal opinion, what it boils down to is what you as an individual prefer to listen to. Something being more technically difficult to play doesn't make it better than anything else, likewise if something is easy peasy doesn't mean it's not as good as something else.

I can enjoy a lot of different music, but I only really listen to thrash, it was the first genre of music I felt a real passion for and I just honestly can't be bothered to get into other kinds of music. I know if I tried I could easily get into pretty much anything, but I don't feel the need, plus where would I start!

And I am guilty of turning my nose up at certain music and calling it crap, but I think that's probably just down to conditioning. If I then took a step back and thought about what I was saying I'd realise it was nonsense.

At the end of the day I would class an elitist as someone who claims their taste in music is better than any other, and won't accept other opinions/say others' opinions are "wrong".


It's a delicate subject really, and I agree with one post earlier in the thread that says we could argue about it forever and still not all agree on a final answer.