From liking a band to being an active fan - when does it happen?

[xilddx]

Been thinking what turns me from liking a bands music to being a fan, a dedicated follower.

With RUSH I was a fan from first seeing the cover of Hemispheres and the pictures of the band. I just had to hear the music and that took a few months before I managed to borrow the album, I was 15, 1980. It totally rocked my world, I was obsessed by the music and the band, still am. It took an album cover and the music and I was an instant fan.

With Everything Everything I saw them on Jools and was impressed. Forgot about them until nearly a year later when a colleague at work (a fellow It Bites and Dunnery Fan) said how much he loved them. I bought the album on the strength of that and adored it, and I think I'm now a fan. I bought the second album and a ticket for their London gig at the Forum. It just took my mate at work to tip me into checking them out properly and thence to fandom.

How about you?

[LiamPodmore]

In my head, it's when cash is exchanged, so buying an album, t shirt, gig ticket, that sort of thing, because that to me shows that you're willing to put your hard earned cash into listening to a particular band, and they're not just a band what you'll listen to when they come on the radio.

Liam

[Judo Chop]

[quote name='LiamPodmore' timestamp='1369870882' post='2093892']
In my head, it's when cash is exchanged, so buying an album, t shirt, gig ticket, that sort of thing, because that to me shows that you're willing to put your hard earned cash into listening to a particular band, and they're not just a band what you'll listen to when they come on the radio.

Liam
[/quote]

Yeah it's exactly the same for me

[xilddx]

I'm also wondering if you feel the bands you are a fan of owe you something. And what they owe you. I saw an interview with Deftones yesterday and they have had a couple of difficult, slightly dodgy albums, and I'm a huge fan and didn't like the albums they had problems with, which was due to their own evolution and personal problems. Do they owe me something for supporting them through their journey? I personally don't, not in the slightest. But I know people who feel otherwise.

[bobbass4k]

I think it's more of a gradual thing, bands that I'm a "fan" of are the bands that I make an active effort to keep up with, and are really familiar with. I'd say I'm a fan of any band whose entire back catalogue I've listened to (if they have a few albums out), if I only like one or two albums, I'd probably say I'm not a fan. The other big thing is keeping up with news on the band, if I'm a fan, I'm periodically checking up on what they're doing, I know if they're working on a new album, and I pre-order it. If I just like a band, a new album might go unnoticed until someone mentions it, at which point I'll check it out.

Spending money is the other main thing, I listen to so much music I only tend to buy stuff from bands I'm a fan of, because I'm pretty confident I'll like it, case in point, I've just bought an album that doesn't even exist yet, because I love the band.

[bobbass4k]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1369873334' post='2093906']
I'm also wondering if you feel the bands you are a fan of owe you something. And what they owe you. I saw an interview with Deftones yesterday and they have had a couple of difficult, slightly dodgy albums, and I'm a huge fan and didn't like the albums they had problems with, which was due to their own evolution and personal problems. Do they owe me something for supporting them through their journey? I personally don't, not in the slightest. But I know people who feel otherwise.
[/quote]

Nah, I'd much prefer a band to make the album they want to make rather than tailor it to fans expectations, because lets face it, fans, while capable individually of being intelligent, reasonable people, are, en masse, raving idiotic morons who just want band to remake the album they like the most for the rest of their career. Bands have a basic obligation of respect towards fans sure, showing up to gigs on time etc., but creatively bands don't "owe" fans anything, and frankly I'm grateful to any band who's ever made an album I like.

[SpaceChick]

My first real intro to be a fan was April 1984, I was 10 years old. Duran Duran brought out The Reflex and me and my best mate were Hooked!

We played it over and over again on my record player in my bedroom, and then I bought (pocket money and doing odd jobs for my Mum to get extra cash) what had gone before.

My friend decided she was going to marry Simon LeBon and I announced I was going to marry John Taylor or become a bassist (no prizes for guessing which one I actually did do and my friend is happily married to a dentist and has 2 children that I am godmother to!)

I didn't actually get to see them live until about 9 years ago, and whilst I loved it I do have to say I prefer their older cheesier 80's stuff to the modern stuff.

[flyfisher]

Interesting question. i buy CDs of bands I like and go to their concerts, so I guess that makes me some sort of 'fan', but I can't imagine taking it any further, e.g. dressing in imitation, posters on the bedroom wall etc. Maybe that's an age-related thing?

[steve-bbb]

it changes over time - in 1978 when i was still in sixth form at school i went to see be bop deluxe at hammy odeon - i went out the following week and splashed all my hard earned shelf stacking job wages on 5 of their vinyl albums (in 1976 that wasnt extravagant that was decadent!)

ive prettry much ditched 98% of my large CD collection and dont really buy CD anymore but i still have my vinyl and will probably start buying more vinyl now as we have a good shop in town here so these days i dont equate fan-dom to merchandise in the same way anymore

i guess these days for me a benchmark of how fanatical i was about an artist or band would be how much i would be prepared to fork out to go see them live

Edited May 30, 2013 by steve-bbb

[steve-bbb]

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1369901990' post='2094036']
it changes over time - in 1978 when i was still in sixth form at school i went to see be bop deluxe at hammy odeon - i went out the following week and splashed all my hard earned shelf stacking job wages on 5 of their vinyl albums (in 1976 that wasnt extravagant that was decadent!)

ive prettry much ditched 98% of my large CD collection and dont really buy CD anymore but i still have my vinyl and will probably start buying more vinyl now as we have a good shop in town here so these days i dont equate fan-dom to merchandise in the same way anymore

i guess these days for me a benchmark of how fanatical i was about an artist or band would be how much i would be prepared to fork out to go see them live

but having said that i would admit to be a rolling stones fan but i certainly would not pay 300+ to grace them with my presence!
[/quote]

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Good thread ! back in'79 I started going to loads of metal gigs. I used to wear the bike jacket/ denim jkt and wore metal tour t shrts every day till I was in my mid30s. Even at work. The bike / denim jkt s disappeared when I was about 21.
I used to buy vinyl twice , to get the ltd edition pic discs/ coloured vinyls.
This went on until CDs came out around84.
So you could say I was an over the top fan .
I don't really think bands owe me anything. When I sold my Metallica test pressing ( I qued up at shades records for approx 4 hrs.) cliff. dsigned it and poster which paid for my very expensive tele bass;) maiden pic discs were handy to have at the time also.
Quede for Alice cooper at virgin . got his autograph but a miserable b@stard. ( didn't realise at the time tho' he nearly died at the wembley gig I was at on the previous Friday )

Still got time for Metallica , and will see them again.
I just buy CDs /DVDs and toto the odd gig now.
I love early ambient( dream/ shultze/jarre) , but I didn't have to wear the outfit for them

[LawrenceH]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1369873334' post='2093906']
I'm also wondering if you feel the bands you are a fan of owe you something. And what they owe you.
[/quote]

Great question IMO, because it looks at ownership of music/creative output in a different way than the usual. 'We owe it to the fans...', tacit acknowledgement that a big part of the success of a band is (always?) due to fans' free word-of-mouth/publicity as well as direct financial input. Some people's emotional investment in these things is massive - their mistake to make perhaps if the 'relationship' is one-way, but I think a lot of artists feel a certain obligation to these fans nonetheless, for good and bad.
Could make an argument that the best artists in one sense are those who continue to evolve, but in a way that takes people along with them to places they didn't expect. My own favourite music looking back is the stuff that mixed what I already liked with something new, that I had to learn to appreciate and sent me in a new direction as a listener.

[arthurhenry]

Sometimes it's a major decision whether to get into a band or not. I like Zappa, but I continue to put off getting into his music 'properly.' When I get into a band, I like to get to know all their music as fully as possible and this is quite a daunting prospect for an artist with 60+ albums of sometimes mind boggling musical and lyrical complexity and verbosity. I wish I had the time!

[megallica]

I've seen bands I'd never heard of play a support slot and on the strength of that gone out and bought their album(s).

Wheras I've bought cds and concert tickets to friends bands to "show support" and have a good night out, I wouldn't say say I'm a fan of these bands.

For me it's when a band releases an album and I go out and buy it without having to hear any clips or previews to make sure I'll like it.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

That's the thing! Before Internet , most/all of my stuff bought was through word of mouth , or you liked tithe look of the album cover & date I say reviews in rock mags.

[spongebob]

I've got stuff I like, also really like....and there's the bands/artists you love.

For me, it's the acts or albums that stay with you. The ones that you can listen to throughout different periods of life (and age) and still get thrilled by.

I think it's a time thing - when you've got over the instant rush ('scuse the pun) but can still return again and again.

There's stuff that say, 15/20 years ago I liked - but some has gone by the wayside. Other stuff has stayed - and that's the 'fan' side of me!

[Skol303]

I usually get the greatest 'fanboy' click with bands/artists that I feel I've discovered for myself, rather than those I've encountered via regular media. It's not always that simple, but a sense of having uncovered something special for myself is a big part of it.

If my friends or partner happen to pull a face of dislike at my newfound fandom, then that only serves to reinforce it even more! That's when my undying teenage rebellion kicks in...

[Prime_BASS]

I found Mad Capsule Markets in 2004 through a mangaTV set of trailers which featured one of there albums.

Been addicted since and my only problem is that I came to them so late and they had already split IIRC.

There are a lot d bands I like and will listen too. But id say I'm a fan of around 5, in that I actively listen to them on regukar basis, and care if something new is coming or not, or want to see vids or go see lice etc.

[BassTractor]

Interesting questions, and a great thread!

As most here, I presume, I've gone through different phases as to my fanboyism.

I learned to hate fandom when suddenly a fanclub existed in my name, and that was when I was 16 or 17 and had not released anything. The 20 or so members in that club had found that it would be a great investment to have a low member number in a fanclub dedicated to someone they only presumed might get famous at one point. I tried to get them to dismantle said club, to no avail.
Since then I've always said that this experience taught me everything I needed to know about fandom, and I've tried to avoid that type of attitude and behaviour.

That said, I'll gladly buy more copies of a CD if I feel that that can help a band I love with spreading their music. I'll then give the extra copies to people I think might appreciate it.


As to owing me something, formally, a band does not owe me a thing. That however does not exclude me from the right to have an opinion about the band's actions. These things are often not differentiated between on Internet fora, but I think it's an important distinction.
Say a band has a fanatic following who'll do everything they can to support the band's artistic freedom, using enormous amounts per head on keeping the band alive and in that comfy situation whilst welcoming the band's choices of musical content.
If the band then decides to use that money to make an album that is released in 100 copies only, then that[i][b] is[/b][/i] the band's perogative.
Something like this happened here, and the fans dedided that no MP3s should be made available to anyone.

I still retain the right to think for example that it's immoral for the band to exclude most of the fans from hearing the music, and to think this is fandom gone gaga.


best,
bert

[xilddx]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1369945276' post='2094907']
Interesting questions, and a great thread!

As most here, I presume, I've gone through different phases as to my fanboyism.

I learned to hate fandom when suddenly a fanclub existed in my name, and that was when I was 16 or 17 and had not released anything. The 20 or so members in that club had found that it would be a great investment to have a low member number in a fanclub dedicated to someone they only presumed might get famous at one point. I tried to get them to dismantle said club, to no avail.
Since then I've always said that this experience taught me everything I needed to know about fandom, and I've tried to avoid that type of attitude and behaviour.

That said, I'll gladly buy more copies of a CD if I feel that that can help a band I love with spreading their music. I'll then give the extra copies to people I think might appreciate it.


As to owing me something, formally, a band does not owe me a thing. That however does not exclude me from the right to have an opinion about the band's actions. These things are often not differentiated between on Internet fora, but I think it's an important distinction.
Say a band has a fanatic following who'll do everything they can to support the band's artistic freedom, using enormous amounts per head on keeping the band alive and in that comfy situation whilst welcoming the band's choices of musical content.
If the band then decides to use that money to make an album that is released in 100 copies only, then that[i][b] is[/b][/i] the band's perogative.
Something like this happened here, and the fans dedided that no MP3s should be made available to anyone.

I still retain the right to think for example that it's immoral for the band to exclude most of the fans from hearing the music, and to think this is fandom gone gaga.


best,
bert
[/quote]

Fascinating post, thank you bert.

[lurksalot]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1369933387' post='2094670']
I usually get the greatest 'fanboy' click with bands/artists that I feel I've discovered for myself, rather than those I've encountered via regular media. It's not always that simple, but a sense of having uncovered something special for myself is a big part of it.

If my friends or partner happen to pull a face of dislike at my newfound fandom, then that only serves to reinforce it even more! That's when my undying teenage rebellion kicks in...
[/quote]
I have a fair bit of stuff that no one will listen too , and sometimes I think it is some of the memories of the arguments we have had that still draws me to the music
[quote name='iceonaboy' timestamp='1369934564' post='2094693']
I hear you mate. I have found myself being a bit of a unknown band snob quite a lot and when they become big, I go off them cos everyone is into them and Im like, oh, I had all their early stuff and that was really good. I cant help it, I just like bands that are "unspoilt" by the masses
[/quote]
I get this too , though sometimes I feel a touch uncomfortable as good music is good music .
I don't really have any fanatical tendencies toward any band though QUO still tick many boxes and I will go and see them when I can , I do not fall over to get the latest release , in fact I loath much of it .
I have a mate that cannot go a day without checking he has everything that has ever been released by U2 , he[i][b] is [/b][/i]fanatical , and I dont get it .

[icastle]

This is one of those times where I'm gonna stick out like a sore thumb...

I was a teen in the 1980's but somehow remained totally disconnected and somewhat oblivious to the musical and fashion trends that were going on around me.
It just didn't register that I should be anything other than who I was.

I stayed with what I knew musically, had long scraggy hair, unfashionable clothes and just didn't fit into any 'clique' or category whatsoever.


I'm still not a hugely active fan of any particular artist or band, I still manage to avoid categorisation without trying and I still wear sh*t clothes.

The only real compromise I've made since my 'formative' teen years is getting my hair cut on a slightly more regular basis.

[lurksalot]

Doesn't stick out to me

ed for a change of verb

Edited May 30, 2013 by lurksalot

[WalMan]

I know I have reached the 'dedicated follower' stage when I find myself looking out for:[list]
[*]the next album and preordering months in advance to help the album funding process
[*]the next UK gig and being seriously pissed off if something else gets in the way that I just cannot rearrange, or travelling a lot further to at least catch one show if the nearest one is out
[/list]
There are really two that fall into the category completely and a couple more that are skirting the edges.

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1369933387' post='2094670']
I usually get the greatest 'fanboy' click with bands/artists that I feel I've discovered for myself, rather than those I've encountered via regular media. It's not always that simple, but a sense of having uncovered something special for myself is a big part of it.

If my friends or partner happen to pull a face of dislike at my newfound fandom, then that only serves to reinforce it even more! That's when my undying teenage rebellion kicks in...
[/quote]

I think you may be my northern doppelganger Paul

I don't really do fanboi anymore for anyone. I got bored of the Residents a few albums ago,and they were my last obsession. Probably because I discovered them by buying one of their albums by mistake (was looking for the replacements and couldn't remember the name)
Interestingly I gave the album that I considered had killed them off (animal lover, if you're interested) another spin the other day, and suddenly got it, it is just as good, and I have some catching up to do.

I do recall as a teenager deciding to stop liking bands if I saw my brother in one of their T-shirts (he is a cultural barometer of what is overly popular, and therefore unacceptable to be seen to enjoy), and thus went Nirvana....