Questionnaire on Metal: Please Respond!

[nicoli]

Hey guys--this is a survey for my history research project. I'd appreciate it if you took the time to respond. Thanks!

---

This is a questionnaire about the gender implications of metal and its influence on its fans. Please answer all questions as fully and honestly as you can. This information will not be officially published, and is only for research purposes. I appreciate your timely responses; your answers are valuable.

1. What gender are you?

2. Which subgenres of metal appeal to you? (i.e. Black metal, death metal, progressive metal, Viking metal, power metal, symphonic metal, et cetera.)

3. What do you like most about the sounds that are unique to the metal genres? (i.e. distorted guitars, drumming style, heavy riffs, speed, lyrics, scream vocals, growling, et cetera.)

4. Please list your favorite metal bands or individual artists:

5. What about the metal culture appeals to you? (i.e. clothing, attitude, hair, message, talent of musicians, et cetera.) Please describe any aspects that you list—for example, if you list clothing, explain what the typical clothing looks like.

6. Think about some of the female vocalists who sing metal; list the ones with which you are most familiar. How would you say they affect the image of their respective bands?

7. What do you think about Tarja Turunen, Angela Gossow, Liv Kristine Elspaena Krull, or Marcela Bovio?

8. Do you, personally, like or dislike any of the female vocalists you listed? Why?

9. In your opinion, would adding a female to a metal band’s line-up change the demographic (age, gender, et cetera) of the band’s fan base? How so?

10. Are you a musician?

11. Have you ever been to a metal show? If so, describe the general behavior of the audience: were they loud? Were they rowdy? Describe the demographic: who was there—men? Women? What age groups were largely represented? Did any of these aspects change depending upon which band was playing?

[veronica]

1. What gender are you?
-Female

2. Which subgenres of metal appeal to you?
-Trash metal, prog metal, death metal, black/viking metal...

3. What do you like most about the sounds that are unique to the metal genres?
-The energy, heavy riffs, growling, technicallity (don't know how to spell that :P), and on some, but not all bands: The lyrics.

4. Please list your favorite metal bands or individual artists:
-Dream Theater, Opeth, Pagans Mind, Pain of Salvation, Circus Maximus, Extol, Arvinger, Antestor, Lengsel, (+++)

5. What about the metal culture appeals to you?
-The musicians, they don't just play fast, but GOOD. Energy both from the band and the audience. It's always easy getting in touch with new people on such concerts (IMO).. And...I'm a sucker for long-haired guys :smile:

6. Think about some of the female vocalists who sing metal; list the ones with which you are most familiar. How would you say they affect the image of their respective bands?
-I almost never listen to bands with female vocalists! I've heard of Tarja Turunen and Marcela Bovio, but I really don't have a strong opinion about them ore the image they create for the band.

7. What do you think about Tarja Turunen, Angela Gossow, Liv Kristine Elspaena Krull, or Marcela Bovio?
-Same as the last question

8. Do you, personally, like or dislike any of the female vocalists you listed? Why?
-I don't dislike them, but I can't say I like them either.. I just like guys vocals best in that genre!

9. In your opinion, would adding a female to a metal band’s line-up change the demographic (age, gender, et cetera) of the band’s fan base? How so?
-Maybe it would attract more female musicians to that band, because they get "an idol" there. But I don't think it would make a big difference.

10. Are you a musician?
-No

11. Have you ever been to a metal show?
-Yes, many many times. It's loud, and on some occations it's almost dangerous to be in the middle of the crowd. But most of the time, it's a lot of happy faces (or grim, if they're the "dark type":P) and friendly hands to pick you up if you loose your balance.
I feel there's a lot more guys on the concerts (especially the festivals), and 1/3 of the girls are there "with my boyfriend" (don't take it litterarely). The age group varies a lot, it depends a lot on which band is playing...


(Hope I'm not just confusing you with my bad english :P And.. I had a hard time choosing which forum I should answer on, you're on almost every forum I'm on! ;-) )

[Drusillus]

1. What gender are you?
Male.

2. Which subgenres of metal appeal to you? (i.e. Black metal, death metal, progressive metal, Viking metal, power metal, symphonic metal, et cetera.)
Progressive metal, death metal, power/symphonic metal (if it's got some prog) ;)

3. What do you like most about the sounds that are unique to the metal genres? (i.e. distorted guitars, drumming style, heavy riffs, speed, lyrics, scream vocals, growling, et cetera.)
Powerful heavy riffs, agressive drumming.

4. Please list your favorite metal bands or individual artists:
Pain Of Salvation, Dream Theater, Symphony X, Ayreon, Porcupine Tree, Opeth, A.C.T

5. What about the metal culture appeals to you? (i.e. clothing, attitude, hair, message, talent of musicians, et cetera.) Please describe any aspects that you list—for example, if you list clothing, explain what the typical clothing looks like.
Attitude - people usually aren't as concerned with coolness or image, they're more appreciative of the music.

6. Think about some of the female vocalists who sing metal; list the ones with which you are most familiar. How would you say they affect the image of their respective bands?
Tarja T. (Nightwish), Floor J. (After Forever), Simone S. (Epica), Irene J. (Ayreon), Arch Enemy, Otep -- I would say in the case of the first 3 they have become the focal point of the bands, whereas bands like AE and Otep the ladies blend in a bit better because of the growling I suppose.

7. What do you think about Tarja Turunen, Angela Gossow, Liv Kristine Elspaena Krull, or Marcela Bovio?
Only know Tarja and Marcela, they're both great but I much prefer Marcela's voice, I prefer the softer voice as opposed to Tarja's operatic style.

8. Do you, personally, like or dislike any of the female vocalists you listed? Why?
I'm a big fan of Floor and Irene Jansen for sure :)

. In your opinion, would adding a female to a metal band’s line-up change the demographic (age, gender, et cetera) of the band’s fan base? How so?
Only to a very small degree, mainly because I think as soon as you have a female singer in a metal band there is the danger of that band getting lumped in with other bands just because of the female singer, so adding a female singer might gain them fans from those other bands.

10. Are you a musician?
Yes.

11. Have you ever been to a metal show? If so, describe the general behavior of the audience: were they loud? Were they rowdy? Describe the demographic: who was there—men? Women? What age groups were largely represented? Did any of these aspects change depending upon which band was playing?
Most of my shows are usually on the prog side and not so much on the really heavy metal side, but in general I'd say the demographic is usually about 75% male, usually late teens to early 40s maybe, the bands I see usually don't have rowdy crowds, they're usually more intent on paying attention to the musicians.

[frazzo]

1. What gender are you?
Male

2. Which subgenres of metal appeal to you? (i.e. Black metal, death metal, progressive metal, Viking metal, power metal, symphonic metal, et cetera.)
Progressive, Melodic Death, power metal, symphonic, Doom,

3. What do you like most about the sounds that are unique to the metal genres? (i.e. distorted guitars, drumming style, heavy riffs, speed, lyrics, scream vocals, growling, et cetera.)
The non traditional song structure in most bands. An idolized rock band of the 70's or 80's doesn't even compare to some of the heavy bands of today but a lot of people don't realize that So I guess I would say technicality. Also, most bands push themselves to the limit instead of finding a happy medium that your record label likes and doing that for your entire career.

4. Please list your favorite metal bands or individual artists:
Dream Theater, Candlemass, Opeth, Nevermore, Jordan Rudess,

5. What about the metal culture appeals to you? (i.e. clothing, attitude, hair, message, talent of musicians, et cetera.) Please describe any aspects that you list—for example, if you list clothing, explain what the typical clothing looks like.
Attitude towards the musicianship... And the talent of the musicians is incredible!

6. Think about some of the female vocalists who sing metal; list the ones with which you are most familiar. How would you say they affect the image of their respective bands?
Tarja T. and Angela G. are the only ones I've really listened to. I listen to Tarja a lot...I think she makes nightwish a less acessible band among youngsters because of the opera style of singing which isn't good, but I also think she makes nightwish seem like more of a "mature" rather then a rowdy heavy metal band. I really liked Angela a lot on Wages of Sin and Anthems of Rebellion but this new disc Doomsday Machine scares me. I don't like her style anymore, I think she took it too far. But her ability to growl like that shows her dedication to the music.

7. What do you think about Tarja Turunen, Angela Gossow, Liv Kristine Elspaena Krull, or Marcela Bovio?
I know Angela and Tarja quite well...see above I guess... these questions of kind of similar.

8. Do you, personally, like or dislike any of the female vocalists you listed? Why?
I dislike Angela nowadays because she is no longer interesting and she has taken on a more "scary" role in the band with her demonic growling.

. In your opinion, would adding a female to a metal band’s line-up change the demographic (age, gender, et cetera) of the band’s fan base? How so?
Usually when you replace a male singer with a female singer the music has to be changed also, and that can turn off many fans. But that wasn't so much the case with Arch Enemy. So I'll say it would cause people to yell "sell-outs" etc etc.

10. Are you a musician?
Yep, I play piano/keyboard

11. Have you ever been to a metal show? If so, describe the general behavior of the audience: were they loud? Were they rowdy? Describe the demographic: who was there—men? Women? What age groups were largely represented? Did any of these aspects change depending upon which band was playing? In all the metal shows I've been to, I would say the gender is mostly male around the 18-30 range with some above and below that range. They are usually not rowdy unless you're seeing a band like Dimmu Borgir...ick. I have found that there are a lot of people just enjoying the music...in fact, I've seen less drinking and rowdiness at metal shows that any other show I've been too. Although, there is the occasional mosh pit but the band playing usually starts that and th crowd has to respond. People also like to get close to their favorite musicians during heavy sections, and the crowd usually stops moshing during a solo because they want to see the solo played live!

[nicoli]

Thanks for the responses, guys--you've been very helpful. :)

[Thefunkygibbons]

1. What gender are you? Male

2. Which subgenres of metal appeal to you? (i.e. Black metal, death metal, progressive metal, Viking metal, power metal, symphonic metal, et cetera.) Progressive Metal

3. What do you like most about the sounds that are unique to the metal genres? (i.e. distorted guitars, drumming style, heavy riffs, speed, lyrics, scream vocals, growling, et cetera.) drumming style, heavy riffs, keyboards

4. Please list your favorite metal bands or individual artists: Dream Theater, Opeth, Pain of Salvation

5. What about the metal culture appeals to you? (i.e. clothing, attitude, hair, message, talent of musicians, et cetera.) Please describe any aspects that you list—for example, if you list clothing, explain what the typical clothing looks like. Talent of musicians, not into clothes etc

6. Think about some of the female vocalists who sing metal; list the ones with which you are most familiar. How would you say they affect the image of their respective bands? Only familiar with Lacuna Coil

7. What do you think about Tarja Turunen, Angela Gossow, Liv Kristine Elspaena Krull, or Marcela Bovio? no opinion

8. Do you, personally, like or dislike any of the female vocalists you listed? Why? Variety compared to normal listening habits

9. In your opinion, would adding a female to a metal band’s line-up change the demographic (age, gender, et cetera) of the band’s fan base? How so?
Depends on whether it is vocal talent ot looks.

10. Are you a musician? Not really, I try

11. Have you ever been to a metal show? If so, describe the general behavior of the audience: were they loud? Were they rowdy? Describe the demographic: who was there—men? Women? What age groups were largely represented? Did any of these aspects change depending upon which band was playing? Yes, mostly male, into the music but quite restrained