It's one thing to like a band... It one thin to buy all a bands albums... But we're talking fandom levels here... Have you seen a band 20+ times and plan to see them more? Do you collect anything every band member has ever touched? Have you memorized the setlist from shows 20 years ago? Then this thread is for you! Share your borderline obsession with bands here! I make it no secret that I have a bit of an obsession with Phish... I was on a bit of a music binge in 2009 and sort of caught the buzz of them reuniting... being a band I had heard of quite a bit, but for some reason never actually heard, I purchased one of their albums, A Picture of Nectar, I quite enjoyed it, and noticed that ITunes put up a few live shows, which was odd. I decided to buy a live show thr had a few of my favourite songs from Nectar as well as a few interesting covers. I liked the show, but it disnt fet me to where I am today. It was about a year later that I bought another show, and heard a specific jam that blew my mind, and elevated the bands status to 'somethig very special'. It only grew from there, I soon started going great disances to see them and similar acts... Ive now seen them now ~25 times and still haven't had anywhere near enough. They continue to blow my mind every tour!
Does becoming friends with the band members (like actual friendship, not stalkerish "friendship") count?
Cause last year I was invited to the wedding of a founder of a pretty well known goth band (Belle Morte), who I happen to be friends with. Actually, I'm friends with both the founders, but only one of them was getting married. We hang out when we can, though with the distance, and his baby (like tiny human, not his wife, though she's pretty cool as well, and a musician as well), that's not too possible right now. We both (all three?) live in Virginia, but there's hours of driving time between us. Actually, they have a music project together, which is pretty good from what I've heard. Actually, come to think of it, he calls me brother, so yeah. To think it wouldn't have happened if I didn't wear the hoodie of another band the last night of Haunt to the Denny's for our annual invasion, a couple years back.
idk, I think that the notion of a music 'fandom' is really relative. For instance...I'm obsessed with music...like the sounds...but honestly, couldn't give a crap about collecting everything that the band members have ever touched. I'm not obsessed with the people, just the music. I'm also antisocial, so I don't normally like going to concerts. HOWEVER. Ever since I was 2 years old (honestly) I have spent at LEAST 4 hours a day in front of my stereo, doing nothing but absorbing the music. I turn it into raw inspiration for my artwork. I don't like listening to music as 'background noise' because to me, to truly listen to music, I must be 100% focused on it. I also LOVE to talk about music...sounds I like, instruments I like, how a band's sound has transformed over time...that kinda stuff. So, I would consider myself to be obsessed with music, but not the band members persay.
I've always felt a similar way about music, its not something to simply hear, its something you gotta listen to. Exploring music has always been a huge passion of mine… I love diving into all different genres to get a taste, listening to some of the odder stuff thats out there and have a special passion for improvised music (Which is why I love Phish so much I guess). I also share a passion of discussing and critiquing music on all different levels, how it makes me feel, how its composed, how its produced ect. and oft get into some rather heated debates about it with my friends
I have a tattoo of the bands logo on my wrist and I'm buying every record they release. That gotta count for something right?