This Is Me

Us, too. pic.twitter.com/YlQ3J4Zszb

— BraveWords (@BraveWords666) September 12, 2017

It's totally weird, isn't it? I mean, I can be standing near complete strangers and if they start talking about Aerosmith or Motley Crue or I See Stars or the like - my ears immediately prick up. If the conversation seems cordial, I will even butt in and give me two cents and proclaim my love for whatever band is being discussed.

I'll strike up conversations with strangers at live shows of bands I love because we have that inherent connection. We're both there because we love the same music.

This might not be a big deal to you, but I'm a big time introvert. I love being left alone. I keep to myself. I'm the quiet, moody creative type your mother warned you about. But man, if you mention a band I love - well, you've got me. We'll probably be friends forever. Extra credit if you can name all the songs off Rocks in order. So this is me. Is it you, too? I assume it is because you're reading this site and that's our bond: through time, space and the Internet.

Comments

[EddieLongHair]

Agreed! (Also the quiet, introvert type)

[Bryon]

I love the way fandom connects people. I've been going to Rock on the Range for years and my favorite thing about it is the friends that I've met there, and how this group crosses a really wide range of political, cultural & socioeconomic backgrounds. It doesn't matter what you believe or think - when a great band is on stage, you're all throwing up the horns together.

[Rita]

To quote Paul Stanley " This is my music, it makes me proud. These are my people and this is my crowd"

Sums it up right there. My people.

[Bob]

My whole life, I had been a total extrovert. Maybe it was an attempt to buck the stereotype of the blind person who you have to walk on eggshells around for fear of saying something that might offend him, who knows. but then, as I think is the case with many men as we get older, I have become much more of an introvert; craving my alone time, and not jumping into conversations with strangers until I've thoroughly read and assessed the tone of the room. That said, concerts are a whole other ballgame. I chat with people in the parking lot, in line to get in, and in the venue. It's the love of the music, and the shared communal experience that brings my younger, more extroverted self back out.

[Gary]

I work 11 or 12 hours a day, 6 days a week in a building by myself as a water treatment plant operator. Everybody always asks me "How do you handle that"? It's actually quite easy when you're introverted,as I too have always been. But as has been stated, I'll talk to your for hours about things that interest me, music being at he top of that list. But as Allyson said, I love my alone time,always have,always will I guess.

[texjay]

I can talk for like 45 seconds on politics. Even less with football. But when I run into someone who likes guitar....I'll go all night. And, how amazing is it when you hear about a band that went under your radar and is now in your 24/7 rotation-all from a random suggestion.

[TheCheapSeats]

I'm don't consider myself an introvert, though to some I may seem so. I really just don't care what you have to say. However, you want to talk music intelligently, I'm in. But you want to talk 80s hard rock, I'm all in.

Same with a sports team. But bring it with substance.

In fact sports and music are a lot alike. People from diverse backgrounds, socio-economic situations, etc., all coming together for the love of one thing, whether it be a band/artist or team.

[Devin]

Usually happens at shows for me, I won't butt in necessarily if it's an everyday situation but have before hahah, you meet really cool people just talking music. Especially metal.

[Metalboy!]

Agree with ALL of the above!

It's usually a T-Shirt someone's wearing that'll get me yapping. Why would I otherwise be talking to a 17-year-old Punk chick (wait, don't answer that), if it weren't for her RAMONES shirt or some random dude in the Organic Produce section at Publix wearing a vintage Dokken shirt (that actually happened!)

p.s. And Gary, I want your job! I'd much rather be dealing with what you're doing than the BULLSHIT (Including what I generate) I have to work with at the office all day.