Also, on the classical note, of course I am aware of that but try telling a classically minded person that metal is Beethoven with blastbeats and see what happens!

I actually got laughed at when I applied for classical guitar in University so that I could master my metal chops. They thought metal was all power chords. So I laughed back and said fuck you snobs I'm outta here! I think it also pissed them off when I passed my practical test and told them that I learned the grade 10 song from tab!

If it worked for Randy Rhoads...

I was classically trained on the piano and trombone (grade 8 boys and girls), and I think that's had a big influence on how I listen to music - I don't listen to lyrics as much and sometimes get a little emotionally detached from music and listen to what the instruments are doing.

BTW tab is a much older system of music notation than the commonly accepted way of doing it. All dates back to lutes and using different tuning for them. So screw those guys!

Might I add this is a strange poll - Since when did we try to classify ourselves under labels? What are we when we can appreciate more than one type of music - In the end, music is music, it creates various emotions, conveys different concepts, MUSIC IS MUSIC!! And that 'snobby elitist' option - if you listen to classical then is this what you are? Does no one realise that alot of metal is directly influenced by classical?

Well, we DO discuss and label music a lot over here, which I'm sure you are aware of. Albeit not in the open - it's on a more subtle level. But, heck, even these classifications are personal to a certain degree. Sure, music is music, and everyone of us probaly has a more diverse record collection than a simple category can describe. But that shouldn't stop us from trying to describe ourselves (i.e. classifying ourselves), should it?

On another note, even the notion of classifying yourself shows that you have an interest in music. The only people unable to classify themselves through the kind of music they like the most (or have the closest relation to), is people that don't care about music.
You know, the kind of people that have the radio playing all day, but still can't name that song that goes "something like this..." by that artist ("I think it's a guy singing, but I'm not sure... They play it a lot on the radio right now.") And when you ask them what channel they listen to, they don't even know the answer to that!!!
These kinds of people claim to listen to just about everything. But in reality, they don't listen at all.
I listen to just about everything, but if someone asks me, I'm a rocker/metalhead. Because that's the kind of music I like, even if it's crap. Any other musical style, and I'm very, very picky about what I like and what I don't like. But when it comes to screaming guitars, or guttural voices, or really fast drumming, or spandex, or corpse paint, or really cheesy lyrics about swords and demons, or gory record covers or flirtations with satanism and devil worship, or power ballads, or longhaired men, or beer, or songs about mayhem, or whatever Devin Townsend decides to do - I'm too much in love with it to be able to separate crap from quality -I love every-fukin-thing about it.

So I guess I'm a rocker/metalhead, even if some people in my neighbourhood wouldn't agree with that description of myself...

-Janne

well put Janne

Pardon me getting worked up - but I love a good debate! I like to desribe myself in certain ways, but not putting myself into a certain group of people... I'm tired so can't ramble on too much, just remember me in the future - like I said, I love to debate!