Hated but why?

[Giggles]

The biker gang thing is total cringe. There was some bullshit on MtV years ago where young spas got to spend time with their heroes. I recall one where a BLS fanboy got to be a roadie for them or something like that. He sneakily tried on someone's BLS "vest"/biker jacket and they bollocked him out of it when they found out because he hadn't "earned" his own one and "you don't wear another man's vest", that kind of shite. I'm cringing horrifically, even now, all these years later, recalling it, the most spasticated thing I have ever seen. Fucking morto for them still 

That scene was scripted, allegedly: https://blacklabelsociety.net/f-a-q/

·  What is The BLS Vest Incident?

Many of you may have seen a video on YouTube, Facebook, or somewhere else online from an MTV special in 2004/2005 about Zakk getting pissed off at Ozzfest because someone wore this guy Dave's BLS vest. It was totally scripted. It was not real. It was just an act for the video that they were shooting. At this time, the band was actively selling the patches online and Zakk was no longer in control of who earned vests/patches, nor did Big Dave "pay his dues to get this vest".

This is also the same guy that was screwing with Iron Maidens set during Ozzfest 2005. From Blabbermouth: "Later that evening, as IRON MAIDEN came on stage, their intro was interrupted by [BLACK LABEL SOCIETY] hanger-on and biker wannabe Big Dave, who was at the soundboard loudly chanting 'Ozzy, Ozzy' over the PA." Although reports from that night are now scarce, I wouldn't be surprised if he was also the same guy that ran across Maidens set with an American flag.

I never knew that they weren't actual bikers, that's kind of funny. Yeah I could see why that would piss some people off.

I still like his guitar playing though, although I haven't listened to anything BLS since about 2006.

His solo stuff Book of Shadows is a great album.

His 15 min live guitar solos are shite though. Nobody needs to hear that.

[Ducky]

Five Finger Death Punch (maybe this will spur on LeatherMike to register  )

Leather Mike registered on here a few years ago! I can't remember his username but I think it's all numbers. I think he was promoting some guitars he modded over lockdown, if I'm remembering correctly.


Here's one that gets a lot of hate: Polyphia.

Personally, I don't mind them, I appreciate the uniqueness of their sound. I'd throw on a song every couple of months or so. I play guitar and I like their technicality, although it's not something I'd be interested in trying to emulate. I'd see them live if they played here.

I'd say most of the hate stems from Tim Henson's fashion sense, and the fact that he looks like a girly boy.

Jumping back to this since the err, Leather Nonce dust has settled. Polyphia are nuts. They're one of the more original sounding bands out there for sure.

And part of me gets a kick out of Henson looking like he just fell off an androgynous catwalk, but can eat eat a sizeable portion of metal guitar players for breakfast.

[Bürggermeister]

The biker gang thing is total cringe. There was some bullshit on MtV years ago where young spas got to spend time with their heroes. I recall one where a BLS fanboy got to be a roadie for them or something like that. He sneakily tried on someone's BLS "vest"/biker jacket and they bollocked him out of it when they found out because he hadn't "earned" his own one and "you don't wear another man's vest", that kind of shite. I'm cringing horrifically, even now, all these years later, recalling it, the most spasticated thing I have ever seen. Fucking morto for them still 

That scene was scripted, allegedly: https://blacklabelsociety.net/f-a-q/

·  What is The BLS Vest Incident?

Many of you may have seen a video on YouTube, Facebook, or somewhere else online from an MTV special in 2004/2005 about Zakk getting pissed off at Ozzfest because someone wore this guy Dave's BLS vest. It was totally scripted. It was not real. It was just an act for the video that they were shooting. At this time, the band was actively selling the patches online and Zakk was no longer in control of who earned vests/patches, nor did Big Dave "pay his dues to get this vest".

This is also the same guy that was screwing with Iron Maidens set during Ozzfest 2005. From Blabbermouth: "Later that evening, as IRON MAIDEN came on stage, their intro was interrupted by [BLACK LABEL SOCIETY] hanger-on and biker wannabe Big Dave, who was at the soundboard loudly chanting 'Ozzy, Ozzy' over the PA." Although reports from that night are now scarce, I wouldn't be surprised if he was also the same guy that ran across Maidens set with an American flag.

I never knew that they weren't actual bikers, that's kind of funny. Yeah I could see why that would piss some people off.

I still like his guitar playing though, although I haven't listened to anything BLS since about 2006.

His solo stuff Book of Shadows is a great album.

His 15 min live guitar solos are shite though. Nobody needs to hear that.

"Zakk was no longer in control of who earned vests/patches"

     That suggests there was an "earned" aspect to it, for sure. Dig upwards, Zakk!

[Giggles]

I should point out that that website I linked isn't official, it's run by a fan. But yeah, they state that there was a "controlled" element to who got to wear the vests/patches. Zakk's friends and crew basically:

Back in the late 90's/early 2000's, it used to be that the vests and BLS patches were controlled by Zakk, and only given to people that he feels have earned the right to wear them, specifically people directly associated with the band. But now, anybody can get vests, wrist bands, and guitar straps through Red Monkey Designs other merch can be purchased at the Official Black Label Society Store.

[Grim Reality]

I've been on an Opeth kick the last few months, would have just been a casual fan before but have gotten well into them. A great, diverse body of work, other than Heritage being shite and Pale Communion a bit meh.

I think any band that gets grouped under the 'prog' umbrella inevitably gains a bit of an annoying fanbase leading to the band themselves being hated on.

Opeth were something of a gateway band for me. I got Deliverance when it was the current release, just by chance really, after spending a couple of years drifting away from metal. It opened up things again for me when I thought metal was all but dead and helped lead me to the underground shortly after. I loved all their prior 90s albums then around that time but as I digged deeper into the scene Opeth lost a bit of their lustre. They were somewhat too polished, or somehow less 'metal' than the other things I was getting in to. Cool players with some well constructed songs but the music overall wasn't hitting the spot. Was it too 'nice'?? I'm not sure. I've never gone back to them since those days. Maybe it's a similar feeling for others that leads to them being regarded as a maligned band.

[Thorn]

Not maligned for me by a long shot, time goes by and Mikael grew into his own being ,expressing himself how he sees fit. I don't particularly like the new album or any of the few before hand but that's because I have no affinity with the seventies prog vibe. I can leave him to it but always have time for Orchid and My Arms.., Still Life, just a case of going your seperate ways I suppose but not neglecting the gold (in my opinion) that came before.

I can well remember when Opeth were just another band on the scene , same with  Anon Amarth and Arch Enemy and could never have imagined how they would have exploded.

[open face surgery]

Opeth are a great band. Never knew of them being maligned.

[Anvil]

I remember a few people throwing the toys out of their prams around the time of Damnation and Deliverance. 

[John Kimble]

Yep, I can recall the same around Damnation etc up until maybe Watershed. Can def remember Opeth being fairly well regarded on the old MI forum, then the bubble burst somewhat. Not sure if I would ever describe them as maligned though, think it's more a case that they ran their course somewhat with listeners

[Pagan Saviour]

Not Maligned, as you say ran their course and there were one or two really boring records dropped which didn't help

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Don't know if "maligned" is the right word or not, but there's definitely the typical tr00 crowd folk who only like the early stuff and think everything with the clean vocals is false. Then there's the crowd (which I was part of) who found them treading water with Watershed and just lost interest for several years/albums. And when Heritage came out, there was a fair bit of "they've disappeared up their own holes" type criticism. Maligned ain't far off.

[astfgyl]

Don't know if "maligned" is the right word or not, but there's definitely the typical tr00 crowd folk who only like the early stuff and think everything with the clean vocals is false. Then there's the crowd (which I was part of) who found them treading water with Watershed and just lost interest for several years/albums. And when Heritage came out, there was a fair bit of "they've disappeared up their own holes" type criticism. Maligned ain't far off.

Twas Watershed that done it for me as well. Very poor and dialed-in album to the extent that I can't blame them for changing a lot after it although it took until the third album of the reinvention before they did anything good with it. Wouldn't say maligned but the interest really did die a lot post Ghost Reveries

[Trev]

I actually quite like Watershed, it is a bit of retread but that's absolutely fine for me. Gave Heritage and Pale Communion a go but never clicked, haven't bothered with anything since

[open face surgery]

Watershed is great.

[astfgyl]

I bought a fresh copy of Watershed last year hoping it would click but it just didn't. Ah well..

I actually quite like Watershed, it is a bit of retread but that's absolutely fine for me. Gave Heritage and Pale Communion a go but never clicked, haven't bothered with anything since

The one after Pale Communion is actually brilliant