MASSACRE MACHINE: PRESS

Although not written about us...It is an interesting read that hits pretty close to home...MM

Report: Aging Heavy Metal Fans Refuse To Give Up (FUCK YEAH!)

Discordant heavy metal music struck a chord with many teenagers during the late '70s and '80s. The loud, fast, guitar-driven music has since languished commercially as successive generations have chosen newer soundtracks to fuel their rebellion against the establishment. Many of the original fans, however, never moved on, even as they aged, started careers, got married and had children of their own.
"If you're seeing a 40-year-old at a concert, you're quite sure at 18 you know what kind of music he was into," said Deena Weinstein, author of "Heavy Metal: The Music and Its Culture".

"For so many people the music of the most emotional point of their lives is a touchstone that they return to for the rest of their lives," said Weinstein, who is also a sociology professor at DePaul University. "They're keeping their own youth alive."

Eddie Trunk, 40, a disc jockey who hosts a nationally syndicated heavy metal show, said fans of other music, like pop or new wave, don't lose their love of music with age any more than rockers.

"But I think the difference is the audience is not as vocal and passionate about those groups, and doesn't wear it on their sleeve as much as a hard rock or heavy metal fan," Trunk said.

Heavy metal fans wear their passion on more than just the sleeves of skull T-shirts and black leather jackets. For many of them, the music — louder and faster than anything heard before — became a way of life. The mostly white, mostly male and mostly middle-class listeners found a feeling of power over their parents, over their teachers, over the jocks at school that treated them as outcasts.

Metalheads, or headbangers, as they called themselves, built up a community linked through underground tape swapping networks and conversations about METALLICA lyrics while camping out online for concert tickets.

Scott Ian, guitarist for ANTHRAX, asked to explain why so many of the same fans have stuck around for the band's entire 20-year history, used a typical comment, the words "metal" and "rules" with an unprintable word between. "It gets under your skin, it gets in your soul."

That has kept bands like ANTHRAX in the studio and on the road.

The band MEGADETH's latest album, "The System Has Failed", sold a respectable 250,000 copies with none of the MTV airplay that the band enjoyed in the late '80s and early '90s.

Similarly, acts like JUDAS PRIEST and MOTÖRHEAD may not be headlining stadiums anymore, but they still grossed more in ticket sales last month than big-name mainstream acts like ELTON JOHN, TOBY KEITH and ALICIA KEYS, according to Pollstar, the industry's main ticket sales tracking service.

"I just saw IRON MAIDEN with Bruce Dickinson last year, the first time I've seen them back together since the old days. It was like a geriatric ward," said 34-year-old metal fan Joe Bottiglieri, who added that he wished he would see more young fans at shows.

Nita Makris, owner of The Stage Stop, has recently mentioned to several people on numerous occasions that she may be changing her format on Saturday nights to include country music. A few other folks have spoken to her about gigs they were scheduled to play and we have all been told the same thing.....that she may have to resort to hiring country bands! She said business has been very tough lately and that instead of bringing out more people, the warmer months actually seem to drop off in attendance figures. She also lamented that the rock bands just aren't drawing in the crowds they used to bring. Back in the day, when the Stage Stop was young and hair bands were prolific, the Stage Stop was always packed like sardines. As grunge took over, the crowd started to change and the Stage Stop made the transition with it. In the last 4 years or so, I have seen the Stage Stop crowd dwindle down further even to the point of single digit numbers at some band gigs. This is disheartening!! Since 1981, there have been many, many bands in the Memphis (and Midsouth) area that were launched from the Stage Stop, thanks to Nita. These are bands that have appeared on MTV and VH1; bands that have won Grammy's and received gold and platinum records!!! There have even been a couple of musicians on her stage that are internationally famous and have also been involved in the music for extremely popular television shows and movies!! Not to mention soundtracks on video games!! If you want to know who, just ask me. (Jimi Jamison & Saliva, for example). The Stage Stop has been a mainstay of Memphis Rock for nearly 30 years. It has one of the best stages, sound systems, and lights of any venue in town. It's a nice comfortable room with plenty of seating. They have great food and drinks with cheap prices. The have pool tables (cheap ones!! 50 cents!!) and dart boards as well as a few video game machines! They have some of the best bar food around and the cheapest shots that you'll find! Let's all come up with a way to save the ROCK AND ROLL AT THE TOP OF THE HILL IN ROCKIN' RALEIGH!! Take all your CD release parties and/or showcases to The Stage Stop. If you are a NEW band and you want to get your feet wet on a real stage, Nita gives you the chance. If you want to sing or play on stage with seasoned players while you look for a band of your own, you can join in the open band jam on Tuesday nights or your entire band can get up and play a few songs! Nita has an open mind when it comes to rock-n-roll so if you think you're TOO HARD for the Stage Stop, THINK AGAIN! She'll give you just as much of a chance to play as she will a pop-punk or emo band! After all, Evil Army has played there many times!! She loves Rob Evil!! The Stage Stop defies all stereotypes! Check it out for yourself! It's not the time warp or hair band palace of yesteryear as many have mistakenly thought. You won't find hairspray and spandex in there any more! It's one of the cleanest, safest, cheapest, most relaxed and fun places in Memphis. It's not as far to go to The Stage Stop as it is to go to Beale Street!! And best of all, the parking is FREE!! The cover charge is rarely over $5 (unless she has a national touring band or a fundraiser where she has 6-7 bands playing; most of the time the cover is $3-5. Nita will even let your underage friends in (18 and over) but her staff will definitely check ID's so she won't allow underage drinking. She will take care of you while you're there though and you'll be safe and crime-free! She's got plenty of non-alcoholic beverages for those who are underage. Her staff is polite and they won't toss you out just because you wear a motorcycle vest or because you mosh like some OTHER clubs in this town. She accepts you just as you are!! Nita has always been there for us. Now it's time for us to be there for her! Rock 'N' Roll is NOT dead! Visit the Stage Stop website at: http://www.thestagestop.net Go by and visit the club sometime: 2951 Cela Lane(Stage and Austin Peay), Memphis 38128. Call her and book your next gig there! (901) 382-1576. She books out of state/ out of town bands as well!! Again, Rock-n-Roll in Memphis is not dead so let's keep the Stage Stop rocking!!