new thread
Please click below for an interesting article I found, connected to the recent post (a little bit down the page) regarding long hair and heavy metal. I noticed that a lot of people here (myself included) enjoy listening to Classical music. Also being a dyed-in-the-wool metal head, I have long felt that the similarities between the two genres are at least as great as are the differences.
It's been quite a while since I last visited the MLHH... hope you've all been well, my friends!
Cheers,
Val
Of Metal Heads and Classical Music Afficionados
How have you been Validus?
Did you get a job? Did you have to move?
Did you keep growing your head hair longer?
Are you still bearded?
Are you son's hair still long?
Hi, Fullbeard... thanks for asking :)
-- My family and I have been well, thanks. And you?
-- Yes, to both. We had to move about 5 hours south of the woods and waters we had always called 'home,' about 9 months ago. We refer to the place we are now in as 'Purgatory.' Not bad, but not really good, either... just miles of dry earth and genetically modified corn fields, which are not to our liking. Happily, I was just offered a position as Public Health Nurse back up north, very near the place from which we had moved, and will be moving back over the next couple of weeks. My wife and I have resolved to remain there permanently.
-- No. Unfortunately, the need to ensure employment and financial security for my family had to outweigh my long hair goals, especially as I was entering the private sector workforce. Now that I am returning to employment by a government agency, this should no longer be an issue. I have a long-term career plan surrounding this position that will ensure that I never have to cut my hair for the sake of a job again.
-- Yes. I don't think I would even recognize myself without facial hair at this point in my life.
-- Yes. My oldest son is now 14; he and my wife removed his dreadlocks a few months ago (more than a week of tedious combing, with LOTS of olive oil and conditioner), leaving him with hair that reaches down to the tops of his shoulder blades. Prior to the dreadlocks, his hair was waist-length. He says he cannot imagine ever having short hair. My 7-year-old son has hair that reaches a few inches below his belt line, and likewise has no intentions of ever cutting it short. My almost-3-year-old inherited his mom's curly hair, which has never been cut; it currently hangs about as low as the top of his shoulders in back, but nearly reaches the bottom of his shoulder blades when pulled straight.
I hope you and yours are doing well :)
--Validus
Hi Val,
So nice to hear from you my friend! I am so happy to hear everything is going fine with your family! Please keep us updated on your goings on! Thanks for posting this awesome article! Be well my friend!
Ted
Great to see you back "home" here, Val!
I'm sorry to hear about your need to move and the cutting of your hair for the job. Certainly understandable and I've experienced some of that pressure myself over the last year.
That's fantastic that you'll be able to move back to where you feel comfortable and with plans to stay permanently. The beautiful natural surroundings there must make that place special.
your kids must be very lucky :)
I wish my parents had let me grow my hair when I was 14
Hi Validus,
Fullbeard forgot to ask you what you had for breakfast (LOL).
All kidding aside, it's great to catch up with how you & your family are doing -- other than the fact that you are temporarily living in "Purgatory"... We do whatever we have to do to financially survive, don't we? When I was younger, I know that's what made me take so long to grow my own hair out to ponytail length: my different jobs at the time had "dress code" and hair length restrictions on men, as well as every time I made a career change (which was several times), I often moved -- as well as felt I had to present myself as squeaky-clean looking as I could stand (I even had to shave my beard off in the late '70 for one job - YUCK, never again)!!
I don't blame you for loving the North Woods & Lakes region, and applaud you for having the goal to move back there. I have no doubt you will make that beautiful area your permanent home, it's just a matter of time. Similarly with hair, it's all a matter of timing. I would do the same thing if I were in your shoes though: when you have a family, their needs & well-being have to come first; so I greatly admire your approach, as well as patience!
Take Care,
Ken (not far from Northern California's majestic Redwoods and North Coast -- a spectacular part of North America, similar in natural beauty to the gorgeous Lake Superior shoreline, which I still have an undying love affair for!)
You may want to check out Yoshiki--classical pianist, and the "brutalizing" drummer for heavy metal band X-Japan.
A regular feature of X-Japan concerts are classical piano interludes. Do a search on YouTube for "X-Japan Last Live". Three-hours and forty minutes of... well... go see and hear for yourself.
Yoshiki
I feel fortunate to have seen X Japan live twice in NYC over the last few years.The latest was at Madison Square Garden where the concert was broadcast live back in Japan.I feel their music and showmanship are amazing!Definitely a must see now mater what your preferences are music wise.
Mârk
I missed out on the MSG show in October. That's what it took for me to sign up for a Twitter account and follow all my favorite bands.
Yesterday I scored preshow Meet & Greet tickets for ONE OK ROCK in NYC on Saturday October 3. Need to brush up on my Japanese before then.
They have their own style, but if you have a BitTorrent client, search for and download "Mighty Long Fall Live at Yokohama Stadium" from last September. You'll see and hear a lot of X-Japan influence in ONE OK ROCK.
ONE OK ROCK 2015 35XXXV North American Tour
Hi Bruce,
I checked that link and saw that show listed in NYC this October but looks like there are only general admission tickets available now and the meet and greet is lined out so that must have sold out.I have to admit I've never heard of them until now but admit it was the same for me with X Japan.A couple years ago I read a newspaper write up on their brief US tour so I bought a ticket to see them at the Roseland Ballroom.X Japan has been around a long time but I bought the ticket and went to the show not ever hearing any of their music and admit I was blown away!Not your typical rock band that's for sure.I'm not crazy about GA tickets so maybe if I can locate regular seating I may go just to check them out.Thanks for the heads up :) Cheers
Mârk
Granted I haven't been to s rock concert for a number of years now but I thought after The Who they got rid of general admission tickets?
I think the last rock concert I was at was in about 1986.
I kind of remember hearing about that way back when now that you mention it.As for general admission as far as I know it is still alive and well.I really don't care for it especially now being I can't stand in the same spot for long periods of time due to back issues.They had GA at the X Japan show at MSG and usually some poor person always get overcome by the tight crowds and passes out.Really I've cut way back on live concerts so last October was my most recent one.Cheers
Mârk
Wow... Excellent... thanks for the heads-up, Bruce!
--Val
Classical music, (and also baroque,medieval/early) and Metal (especially symphonic and folk) are two of my absolute favorite genres of music. There's something very fulfilling about them, they are soul and imagination food, in a way that most contemporary popular music just isn't. Back when I was in college, all of the music/voice majors were all growing out there hair. A friend of mine ended up looking a lot like Mozart.
On the topic that Validus raised about having to cut his hair, I recently was employed by a franchise of a restaurant that rhymes with "paco tell" and was told I'd have to cut my hair. I told them, a half truth, that it was against my religion to cut my hair, and got out of that requirement. But I ended up quitting a week later, over a ridiculously stupid event. I had, quite graciously, I thought, taken on an extra 5 AM shift, with no notice, for my manager, and then when I got there, I was told that I couldn't work unless I shaved that (barely visible) 5 o'clock shadow on my face. I couldn't believe her behavior after I was doing her a favor. I quit on the spot. It hurt because I can definitely use the money, and take a lot of the strain off of my fiance, from being the only breadwinner. But, at 25, with a college education, I just couldn't put up with that bullshit.
I'm lucky that I can resist the pressures of employers in the ways that I can. I know that many people cannot. So I'm grateful. Now to go listen to some Epica. :)