The "No B.S." Interview

[miel]

I think the online culture has changed since ProgPower was started.

You think?! You're absolutely correct, my friend.

http://www.myspace.com/progpowerusa
http://www.facebook.com/progpowerusa
http://twitter.com/progpowerusa
http://www.youtube.com/progpowerusa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ProgPower_USA
http://community.livejournal.com/progpower

Add we're even on CraigsList! http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/eve/1457211885.html

~Jen

 

[Dolamite S. Biffle]

Everyone knows I am a talker in person, so at like bars or concerts if they are metal heads around I definitely let them know. I also agree this is the only forum I post on other maybe the Powerfest one but its dead due to no fest announcement same goes with nightmare fest

 

[nomisofsiman]

I've done the same. Thanks to your's truly, I got a friend of mine from a metal community on Livejournal to go. She can't make it this year because she has made some major life changes that have sapped her funds, but hopefully we'll see her at the festival again in the future. I'm still trying to convince the rest of the US members of that community to go, but they all whine about expenses. Bah.

And thanks to Al and I, dagny_t, who sometimes posts here, made it out to ProgPower last year for the first time ever. I think DSO playing the fest helped with getting her to come out, though.

So there are a small number of semi-rabid fans who keep trying to convince other people to come to the festival.

I've tried doing this actually. The unfortunate thing for me is that most of my friends and people I know just aren't that into metal, and those who are HATE power and prog it seems. My one buddy I did try to get to go with me this coming year since he's huge into Hammerfall, but unfortunately since they already had done a headlining tour he's now completely uninterested.

Also, like a lot of others on here I just am not on many forums. Okay to be honest this is the only forum I post on. Just too much time in the day.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Unexpect is one of the top bands I would want to see, and I would have to agree with you Glenn that after DSO I don't think you'd have to worry about them not going over well. Especially now after you've had some harsher vocal bands. I'll admit though that I'm one of the ones that would have zero interest in Gotthard, but I actually think the vast majority would want them. I'm also one of the few people it seems who hates Pretty Maids, and I'm not dumb to realize how much people want to see them as well.

 

[AngraRULES]

Wow... Persefone, Soilwork and Anathema on the bill would be fucking AMAZING.

 

[OrbWeaver]

Manigance would be amazing, IMO.

 

[nomisofsiman]

Wow... Persefone, Soilwork and Anathema on the bill would be fucking AMAZING.

Anathema I would love. I'm not even going to comment on Soilwork as I was pretty opinionated on them on a previous thread. I should look up Persefone. Non-english bands don't bother me and if they have a Vanden Plas sort of vibe they can't be bad.

 

[AngraRULES]

They're a good band. Some of the PP fans should just be a little more open to a non English speaking band.

Let's not forget Tyr sings a lot of their songs in other languages (Icelandic and Faroese I think?) One can hope...

 

[OrbWeaver]

They're a good band. Some of the PP fans should just be a little more open to a non English speaking band.

Let's not forget Tyr sings a lot of their songs in other languages (Icelandic and Faroese I think?) One can hope...

I agree. There are plenty of wonderful bands that don't perfrom exclusively in English.

The difference though, between Tyr and those bands, is that Tyr has a lot of songs in English. And yes, Icelandic, Faroese, and Danish are the other three languages they use.

 

[nomisofsiman]

I agree. There are plenty of wonderful bands that don't perfrom exclusively in English.

The difference though, between Tyr and those bands, is that Tyr has a lot of songs in English. And yes, Icelandic, Faroese, and Danish are the other three languages they use.

Also I think with TYR there is a certain feel to those songs in whatever language it is in due to the actual meanings behind the music. I would say though it isn't until the last couple of albums that they've really had a lot more English albums.

Overall though, I think with the Progpower crowd, certain bands not singing in English isn't a huge problem as most are open-minded. However, of course, if the band itself can't speak any English that may be a problem in terms of language barrier with the audience. With this band though, considering they're from France I doubt it though.

 

[ICEDEARTHFAN]

I've tried doing this actually. The unfortunate thing for me is that most of my friends and people I know just aren't that into metal, and those who are HATE power and prog it seems. My one buddy I did try to get to go with me this coming year since he's huge into Hammerfall, but unfortunately since they already had done a headlining tour he's now completely uninterested.

Also, like a lot of others on here I just am not on many forums. Okay to be honest this is the only forum I post on. Just too much time in the day.

You just nailed the problem where I live perfectly.Almost everyone I come in contact with thinks Metal is dead and they would rather listen to Nickelback or Shinedown etc.
If I even mention Elvenking,Gamma Ray,Iced Earth or any band that plays my kind of metal they say things like "stuck in the 80's" or "that style of rock is stupid".I don't know how hard it is for Glenn to do what he does but I can't imagine how hard it is trying to advertise in today's society when so many people have that attitude toward metal in general.

 

[Diamond45]

That is one of the problems of this festival - it is a victim of its own success. Even Glenn has said this himself. Back in 2001, very few of these bands visited the US. Now a number of them tour the US. So it is difficult to be "exclusive" as it was in the past. Yes, for this festival most of the bands are coming to the US for the first time. But over time this will be more difficult to achieve.

Another problem, as IcedEarthFan has stated, is that metal is no longer an appreciated genre by a number of folks. Sadly this started nearly 20 years ago and hasn't let up since (damn Nirvana and all that "Seattle sound"!). The "rock" people hear on the radio is Nickelcrack and the like uke:. No wonder most young people aren't interested in talented metal acts like those who play at PP USA.

 

[TheLongshot]

Unexpect is one of the top bands I would want to see, and I would have to agree with you Glenn that after DSO I don't think you'd have to worry about them not going over well. Especially now after you've had some harsher vocal bands. I'll admit though that I'm one of the ones that would have zero interest in Gotthard, but I actually think the vast majority would want them. I'm also one of the few people it seems who hates Pretty Maids, and I'm not dumb to realize how much people want to see them as well.

Given the description, are they like Sleepytime Gorilla Museum?

That's another band that could be interesting for ProgPower, tho given what I saw at NEARFest, setup for that would be a bitch.

 

[AngraRULES]

Enjoy the madness:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRApOOetSco&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbSUEbG3OVE&feature=related[/ame]

 

[nomisofsiman]

That is one of the problems of this festival - it is a victim of its own success. Even Glenn has said this himself. Back in 2001, very few of these bands visited the US. Now a number of them tour the US. So it is difficult to be "exclusive" as it was in the past. Yes, for this festival most of the bands are coming to the US for the first time. But over time this will be more difficult to achieve.

Another problem, as IcedEarthFan has stated, is that metal is no longer an appreciated genre by a number of folks. Sadly this started nearly 20 years ago and hasn't let up since (damn Nirvana and all that "Seattle sound"!). The "rock" people hear on the radio is Nickelcrack and the like uke:. No wonder most young people aren't interested in talented metal acts like those who play at PP USA.

I'm going to try carefully but this may get blown out more than the subject at hand. First off, I think one problem is that there isn't at least in my opinion any up and coming bands that are coming out of the gates like there were back during the first one. I mean pretty much all the power bands that have been exclusive headliners have now been able to tour the states. But, how many overseas new power metal bands actually do this? None that I can think of. So, that's one problem is that there just aren't new bands that the fans are that excited to see. If there was a desire for new or even older bands that haven't headlined and it was exclusive, there might be a better chance. Truthfully now and this is just my opinion, but besides last year I think people tend to go more for the non-headliners than for the headliners since most tend to tour. I know that's the case for me.

I would have to disagree with you though that metal isn't as popular as it was when the festival started. Back then, metal I would say was much less popular than it is now as it seems to have done a bit better as back then was still during the nu metal/alternative period. The fact is the people that started going back then are now getting older and I know it's the case with my parents, but most people don't go to as many concerts once they get older.

Also, one thing that always drives me nuts and maybe it's because I like that genre too, but that so many people blame grunge for metal's demise. It isn't those bands fault. The problem is that when they came out, music companies noticed they were something new and they promoted the hell out of them. And once some musicians saw that they thought that they could have the same success. It isn't the bands as much as it is the music companies decided to bail on metal and unless you were Metallica, Pantera or Korn they didn't push you. I truly don't believe it's that people now hate metal, apposed to years ago. It has to do with that those fans got older/don't buy as many cds/don't go to concerts as much. And now, as far as younger fans, these bands just aren't promoted at all, especially in the genres of power and prog metal which have never really been popular US metal genres.

Bottom line, it all comes down to where the music industry is now. It is in SERIOUS trouble in all genres but especially ours. Music companies tend to go with the for sure thing instead of taking risks like they did years ago, and those who are promoted do well and those who aren't, don't. Not everyone is like me or most on this forum who go out and search for it. I'm not claiming to be a genius and I'm not blaming any one thing as far as why this fest may not be as popular as it once was. To go back to the original answer, it has to do with that there are no real up and coming bands in this genre with that "it" factor in conjunction with the older fans getting older and not having the time or ability to come around every year. The only way for this to get fixed in my opinion is for fans and promoters alike to spread the word more as well as there needs to be some up and coming talents willing to take the torch into the future.

 

[ICEDEARTHFAN]

I would have to disagree with you though that metal isn't as popular as it was when the festival started. Back then, metal I would say was much less popular than it is now as it seems to have done a bit better as back then was still during the nu metal/alternative period. The fact is the people that started going back then are now getting older and I know it's the case with my parents, but most people don't go to as many concerts once they get older.

I know where I live metal isn't as popular as it used to be.I've lived in this area all 32 years of my life.The change was absolute and devastating where I live.Overnight almost,I woke to basically every station I listened to changing the type of rock they played.I'm not trying to speak for anywhere else,as you can read in my previous post,I said where I live it's a lost form of rock.It's so sad when the only thing kids today know about Judas Priest is Rob's sexual preference.But it gets worse,there are kids around the area that wear Iron Maiden shirts,and they have never heard one song by them.They say they are wearing it because their favorite rap artist had one on or some crazy crap like that.I hope where you live is not this affected.

 

[nomisofsiman]

I know where I live metal isn't as popular as it used to be.I've lived in this area all 32 years of my life.The change was absolute and devastating where I live.Overnight almost,I woke to basically every station I listened to changing the type of rock they played.I'm not trying to speak for anywhere else,as you can read in my previous post,I said where I live it's a lost form of rock.It's so sad when the only thing kids today know about Judas Priest is Rob's sexual preference.But it gets worse,there are kids around the area that wear Iron Maiden shirts,and they have never heard one song by them.They say they are wearing it because their favorite rap artist had one on or some crazy crap like that.I hope where you live is not this affected.

Like I said, my theory is that the fans who liked metal got older, don't buy as many cds and don't go to as many concerts so yes it wouldn't be as popular then.

As for the reasoning behind kids wearing Maiden shirts...uke:

 

[dcowboys311]

I know where I live metal isn't as popular as it used to be.I've lived in this area all 32 years of my life.The change was absolute and devastating where I live.Overnight almost,I woke to basically every station I listened to changing the type of rock they played.I'm not trying to speak for anywhere else,as you can read in my previous post,I said where I live it's a lost form of rock.It's so sad when the only thing kids today know about Judas Priest is Rob's sexual preference.But it gets worse,there are kids around the area that wear Iron Maiden shirts,and they have never heard one song by them.They say they are wearing it because their favorite rap artist had one on or some crazy crap like that.I hope where you live is not this affected.

I don't live in northeast Alabama so I can't say this with certainty, but I'm willing to bet that the high school kids are less interested in bands with members their grandparent's age (such as Priest) but still are all about garbage bands like Trivium, Job for a Cowboy, etc. Metal is still popular...just not the type that was popular 25 years ago.

But what music from 25 years ago still has the same popularity today as it did then?

 

[nomisofsiman]

I don't live in northeast Alabama so I can't say this with certainty, but I'm willing to bet that the high school kids are less interested in bands with members their grandparent's age (such as Priest) but still are all about garbage bands like Trivium, Job for a Cowboy, etc. Metal is still popular...just not the type that was popular 25 years ago.

But what music from 25 years ago still has the same popularity today as it did then?

Wow. I actually agree with you for once. And the truth of the matter like I and you said is power and prog have never been popular in the US. Priest and Maiden? yeah but they were nwobhm. In the US it's pretty much thrash, metalcore, some death and some black.

 

[TheLongshot]

Enjoy the madness:

I'd say that these guys are perhaps slightly more accessible than Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. Definitely along the same lines, tho probably more metal. Thanks for the clips.