how many of you wernt accepted in todays social circles? and how many of you got into metal because of it? in the way that its the only place you belong! are you a freak?

Luckily I have short hair so I am accepted in a variety of circles.

However, in primary school, people made fun of my hilarious nose. That wasn't very nice.

Anyway, I got into metal because of the power and glory. For me it was never about belonging to a secret niche society, it was just always about the music. Although I would say yes I felt very much more comfortable among my metal friends a lot of the time, and maybe still now sometimes. But I guess that's just natural to feel more enjoyment with people you have stuff in common with. I wouldn't say it's the only place I belong though.

What he said.

Except I have neither short hair or a giant conk.

I care not about 'normal' society and what the herd thinks of me, that's their problem. I grew up with Heavy Metal and motorbikes, that's who I am, I don't need to seek acceptance.

I got into metal because my friends growing up were way older then me, so I was influenced by them alot in alot of things ( I was like 10 then they were 17-18) and my dad/mom are prog king and blues queen respectivley.

Growing up at secondary school I was the only "metalhead" and did picked on alot by everyone just cause I kept to myself and what I listened to.

In real life I dont have many metal friends I honestly get a little annoyed with them,I dont tend to hang out with them much but I have gig friends etc. I actually have more friends that live abroad then I say in Birmingham, I guess thats one of the sad things of travelling so much. I really should make an effort when I get back but there is so much to catch up with, but I am happy with the people I call my friends.

When I started listening to metal, a lot of the people I used to hang out with, some of them very close friends, stopped chilling with me, it was horrible. The ones that stuck with me are the ones that I truly love and respect. Saying that, through my choice in music, I have met some of the best people imaginable, Jamie E etc.

Anyway, if you meet new people, just chill with them as you would chill with any metal head, if they like your music then bonus! I find that if you give people time, you can be pretty surprised at how much more you can learn and accept within your life that you may have previously ignored.

The people I've met at gigs, and am friends with now, are awesome. The people I've met through this website have generally been cool, and some real keepers here.

There is that holier than thou attitude that still lingers at some shows but hopefully people will drop the facade, unfold their arms and smile a bit more.

When I first got into Maiden, and had started growing my hair out (I've always had this stupid mushroom curtains haircut since primary school) a few people turned their noses up, and scoffed at the idea of ever strayed from neat, trim, etc - yet these are the same people that a few years down the line went on to listen to Indie, get stupid star tattoos, and suck lots of cock.

Kids will be kids, some of these kids grow up into the people that have no goals, aims, or direction in life, so bollocks to changing a lifestyle because of what people have to say.

I'm still friends with the same group I hung out with at school, I'm friends with them because I grew up with them, and we have other things in common; football, drugs, pestering girls, they never gave a shit about what I got into as I grew up musically, it just meant that we'd go to different bars on a Saturday night, but it's never the be all end all.

Oh, and Jon, you have a hilarious nose!

I used to work in a Marketing company, and I had no problems fitting in there, just put on a shirt, tie the hair back, and bang! I am Fernando, spanish drug dealer to the stars.

I had my first Metallica t-shirt when I was 5 or 6.... I was bought up with a Dad in a Oi punk band & a ska band, and a hippy mum who got into metal.. My oldest brother (by 10 years) was into the more brutal shit... I was very lucky to have that all around me while growing up.
I never had major problems in school for how I dressed or having long hair... In my first year of high school I was started on by the biggest chav in the year... he didn't win the fight and I made him cry in front of alot of people, and probably due to that no one ever gave me shit... I have friends who did get shit though, and of course I had a fuck kicked outta me a couple of times away from school... but generally that is what happens when your into something "different" in a world full of narrow minded nobodys...

I think Heavy Metal is funny

I got alot of hassel in secondry school because of my long hair and band names written all over my bag but most of that were idiot shouting at me most of them were sterotypical chavs and hipperty hopperty kids. Now in colledge most people have grown up and don't care or at least make fun of me from a good distances away.

When i got into metal i kept all my old mates. Never stopped dressing differently or anything, maybe a band t-shirt sometimes. Dont think anybody cared in primary school anyway. I liked Rainbow and Deep Purple for years cos of my dad but i never considered it metal until i started getting into it propperly at the end of year 6 at school.

Being into metal has made me meet new cool people and i kept all my old ones and never got treated differently.

Never planned on growing my hair, never want too. And i like to think i stay open minded about stuff. I go to metal gigs with my friends in metal and i go clubbing with other mates every weekend. So best of both worlds i supose.

I never really had any problems at school or college, though you get the odd idiot who thinks that because i have long hair it's the most hillarious thing in the world, I get more positive comments about it than negative. One example, i overheard some guy whilst at work said i looked like Chris Griffin from Family Guy which to him was the funniest ever, I failed to see how he came to that conclusion haha.

It is pretty fucking stupid, who gives a shit about the amount of dead cells that sprout out of your head.

Atom wrote:Anyway, if you meet new people, just chill with them as you would chill with any metal head, if they like your music then bonus! I find that if you give people time, you can be pretty surprised at how much more you can learn and accept within your life that you may have previously ignored.

Exactly this, I find I can relate with people from any social circles/whatever, as long as you have at least something in common, even just something little or a similar opinion on something!

My taste in music was quite different from any of my best mates when I was at school in year 9/10/11, but we'd always hang out, play football together, burn stuff... good mates!
Also when I'm out in town I'm always bumping into old friends: skaters, indie kids, emo kids, trendies, ravers, chavs, (whatever, they're all sound and friendly bastards!!!)... its well funny cos everyone else seems to keep to their own group and im one of the only metalheads (or even people with long hair) out!!!

Oooh I meant, I meant...

If only, if only...

I was always a bit of a weirdo anyway, so metal didn't help that. I think the turning point was when I stopped liking shit like System Of A Down and Trivium and got into Slayer and Deicide instead, and people started thinking I was a bit mental instead of taking the piss out of me. At the moment the people I hang around with in college go from scenekids through hip hop gangta types to people who don't really listen to music at all, so I'm not exactly an elitist, but I only really get along with people who like the same music as me, even if I end up arguing about who's better out of Obituary and Death (the answer is Death). In south London you don't get so many 'cut your hair bruv' types, just 'give me your phone' types, so I got more shit when I was 14 and had shortish hair than now when I've got long hair but also skinhead boots and a denim jacket.

Some of my best mates are scallies and chavs and they're some of the funniest people I know, yet at the same time, some scallies and chavs are complete cunts. Some of my best friends are also metal heads, and they too are great, YET, some metal heads I know are complete cunts! I've learned not to categorise people. It depends on the individuals personality, not the clothes he/she wears or the music they like.

I never had any trouble growing up because I made the dick heads laugh and kept quiet the rest of the time, and one of my best mates in school was a fucking nut case who people didn't want to fuck around with. People knew I was into metal so I got the standard "how can you listen to that shit, it's just RAARR I'M GONNA FUCK YOUR MUM RAARRR", but I guess we've all had that from idiots.