It sucks to be a fan of...(insert band/artist)

[GulDukat]

My top pick would be Van Halen. 18 years of tours and platinum albums (while changing the lead singer), to be derailed by a melodramatic soap opera split, a bait-and-switch with the original singer, a poorly received album and tour with a singer fans didn't want, and mostly years and years of nothing, another split, more years of nothing, but with no closure of actually breaking up. At least one good album was released post-1996.

Marilyn Manson: I've enjoyed the shows and most of his albums, but his fans seem to not enjoy following him.

Guns N' Roses--Release new new album already. Release all the Chinese Democracy songs from the vaults. Five albums in 35 years?

Ted Nugent--I don't like the guy's music, but if I did I would be embarrassed to admit it.

[Helpmeiaminhell (is now in hell)]

Korn ----Has there ever been a more popular band that gets laughed at or derided by other music fans or even bands as much as them. They are almost like the Insane Clown Posse of the metal world.

Morrissey -- No explanation needed

[BRoswell]

I'm sure Kanye West's fans are exhausted having to defend or deflect every batshit crazy thing he does.

[dvdglss]

My Vitriol - So much potential wasted to time...
Tool - too many fans that don't get it and too many fans that claim "they get it" more than you.

I just tend to enjoy what i have now and not give a shit though.

[GulDukat]

Korn ----Has there ever been a more popular band that gets laughed at or derided by other music fans or even bands as much as them. They are almost like the Insane Clown Posse of the metal world.

Limp Bizkit?

[Archive_Reports]

Limp Bizkit?

Limp Bizkit don't take themselves seriously, at least now. I don't really see/hear Korn getting that much hate either. People either like them or don't.

[allegate]

Don't forget the utter gall to release Guitar Hero: Van Halen with the son playing bass throughout their career because that was easier than saying Michael Anthony existed. Never mind the lack of Gary Cherone and Sammy Hagar ffs.

not a huge fan, but you reminded me of that.

[GulDukat]

Don't forget the utter gall to release Guitar Hero: Van Halen with the son playing bass throughout their career because that was easier than saying Michael Anthony existed. Never mind the lack of Gary Cherone and Sammy Hagar ffs.

not a huge fan, but you reminded me of that.

When the current version of Van Halen debuted in 2007 (Ed, Al, Wolf and Dave), Wolf was featured on the cover of Van Halen's debut, released 13 years before he was even born!

[richardp]

U2.

My whole life. Have yet to actually meet a person who doesn't shrivel their face and instantly bark out "WHY!?" whenever I mention how big of a fan I am. When Scott Aukerman and Adam Scott started their U2 podcast, that was so utterly validating for me. I even created a big ass package to send to them just to show appreciation for them creating that show.

It's interesting too, because now everyone can't seem to do anything other than talk shit on U2, but I almost guarantee you, the first member in the band to die, all of a sudden The Joshua Tree will be everyone in the world's favorite fucking album.

[Aladdinsanity]

Kanye. Was a fan since freshman year in high school when the College Dropout was released only to be subjected to his bullshit these past few years. Prick.

[SM Rollinger]

Haha Marilyn Manson for sure, the abuse i go through.

Also the Nuge has a few good tracks, Cat Scratch Fever and Stranglehold for sure.

[Erneuert]

Morrissey -- No explanation needed

Ditto.

[tony.parente]

RATM and SOAD for sure.

[Balthier]

RATM and SOAD for sure.

I'd add Roger Waters and U2.

Imagine going to a concert and witness millionaires preaching and telling you how to live your life. Yikes.

[Lerxto]

The Smashing Pumpkins or Belly Corgan in general.
Agree with Manson, Waters and U2.

[katara]

Imagine going to a concert and witness millionaires preaching and telling you how to live your life. Yikes.

When I saw Massive Attack last year, they were like this, too. Tons of mostly meaningless slogans slathered over huge screens. I was left cold by the experience despite enjoying a fair chunk of their studio material.

Add to this the Mezzanine Special Edition controversy and the bizarre decision to put time, effort, and money into re-coding the album as DNA spray paint (an interesting albeit thoroughly pointless endeavour).

Bearing this in mind, the ten year wait between LPs becomes kind of a joke (and the last one wasn't even all that good).

I feel like the band peaked in 1998 and has been entropically falling apart little by little since then.

[Jon]

The Grateful Dead.

In general, everyone either thinks you're a mega fan or a leech trying to wear a tie dye. The gatekeeping among older fans can be insane, rivaling "Old Timers" at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

There's also the problem that most "outsiders" don't even understand what their music is, or what a jam band is or does in general. The Grateful Dead are just as much country and folk as they are rock. It's about a sound, or "groove" as it's often referred to, not a genre. I think Prince famously has a quote about music being a groove, not a genre, and he was dead on when that's applied here.

[theimage13]

U2.

My whole life. Have yet to actually meet a person who doesn't shrivel their face and instantly bark out "WHY!?" whenever I mention how big of a fan I am. When Scott Aukerman and Adam Scott started their U2 podcast, that was so utterly validating for me. I even created a big ass package to send to them just to show appreciation for them creating that show.

It's interesting too, because now everyone can't seem to do anything other than talk shit on U2, but I almost guarantee you, the first member in the band to die, all of a sudden The Joshua Tree will be everyone in the world's favorite fucking album.

I'm not gonna lie that I hear a lot of people shit on them, but I hear a LOT of people who are absolutely obsessed with them. My ex has seen them several times in multiple states, cries at the shows, and lists "U2 fan" in their professional biography (and they're a damn doctor).

Now, to contribute my own: Phish. They can sell out entire tours just like that, but if you're not a fan chances are you've either just either never even heard of them, or you think they're dumb.

[allegro]

U2.

My whole life. Have yet to actually meet a person who doesn't shrivel their face and instantly bark out "WHY!?" whenever I mention how big of a fan I am. When Scott Aukerman and Adam Scott started their U2 podcast, that was so utterly validating for me. I even created a big ass package to send to them just to show appreciation for them creating that show.

It's interesting too, because now everyone can't seem to do anything other than talk shit on U2,

They have shit taste in music, or they just don’t know anything about U2.

Having been a U2 fan, myself, since their first album, I applaud your U2 fandom.

I saw The Unforgettable Fire and The Joshua Tree tours. I love their first three albums the best, and also Under a Blood Red Sky. How the fuck can’t people love U2? At LEAST that earlier stuff where it was post-punk protest stuff? Maybe the only U2 stuff these people know is “It’s A Beautiful Day?”

Fuck those people. Well, not, like, literally.


Adding my own:

My husband and I are big classical and jazz fans. And we know NOBODY who lives around us who shares that love. We just don’t get it. Wtf.

[tricil]

The Grateful Dead.

In general, everyone either thinks you're a mega fan or a leech trying to wear a tie dye. The gatekeeping among older fans can be insane, rivaling "Old Timers" at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

There's also the problem that most "outsiders" don't even understand what their music is, or what a jam band is or does in general. The Grateful Dead are just as much country and folk as they are rock. It's about a sound, or "groove" as it's often referred to, not a genre. I think Prince famously has a quote about music being a groove, not a genre, and he was dead on when that's applied here.

Do you know Bill W?

[richardp]

How the fuck can’t people love U2? At LEAST that earlier stuff where it was post-punk protest stuff? Maybe the only U2 stuff these people know is “It’s A Beautiful Day?”

I mean truly, everyone that I've ever tried to have a conversation with about U2 after they exaggeratively ask me how I can listen to them, cannot actually tell me anything about their music outside of the like big three singles. Everyone gets so stuck on how much they don't like Bono or whatever the fuck and just never even bothered to dig into their back catalogue. And again I swear to god, when the first member passes on (especially if its Bono), all of a sudden society will pretend they didn't just spend the last couple of decades constantly talking shit.

It is quite funny though, that so many people act like they don't like U2 yet like... every tour in America is sold the fuck out, every single show, stadiums or not.

[allegro]

I think it’s because it’s hip to rip on U2. You’re right, the minute the Edge dies (God forbid), they’ll act like superfans.

[GulDukat]

I'm pretty "meh" about everything U2 released after Zooropa, but their 80's/early 90's output is pretty great.

RS absolutely loves them. They could release an album of polka songs and it would still be named album of the year.

At least if you are a U2 fan you get a new album and tour every few years.

[SchwarzerAbt]

Lostprophets. Can't even listen to them without having a bad feeling.

Start Something was such an awesome album with so much positivity. It still means much to me. And although the later albums were more in the direction of stadium rock posers I can't believe how it all went downhill with Ian Watkins.

[Substance242]

It sucks to be a fan of...

Recoil (Alan Wilder), because it doesn't seem like he's going to release anything new ever again, and yet his sound is impeccable.

[Erneuert]

Recoil (Alan Wilder), because it doesn't seem like he's going to release anything new ever again, and yet his sound is impeccable.

Until he re-joins DM and puts out a new album with them of course.

[allegro]

Ted Nugent--I don't like the guy's music, but if I did I would be embarrassed to admit it.

As a kid in the 70s in Detroit, Ted was legendary. His Magnum Opus for us was “Double Live Gonzo.” Even his old Amboy Dukes stuff was big (Journey to the Center of Your Mind). Ted is STILL legendary in Detroit but ... this ain’t the thread, LOL. I separate the music from the dickhead artist. Oddly, in the 70s, I don’t think anybody knew shit about Ted’s politics. Ted is one of the stupidest contributions to the world of Detroit Rock.

[Conan The Barbarian]

I’m not sure I understand this thread. Does it suck to be a fan of something because everyone hates it or are you hating on the band?

[Jord]

When I saw Massive Attack last year, they were like this, too. Tons of mostly meaningless slogans slathered over huge screens. I was left cold by the experience despite enjoying a fair chunk of their studio material.

Add to this the Mezzanine Special Edition controversy and the bizarre decision to put time, effort, and money into re-coding the album as DNA spray paint (an interesting albeit thoroughly pointless endeavour).

Bearing this in mind, the ten year wait between LPs becomes kind of a joke (and the last one wasn't even all that good).

I feel like the band peaked in 1998 and has been entropically falling apart little by little since then.

This x100.

Hopefully when they eventually throw in the towel they actually release all that stuff that's hiding away that should have already been issued on various deluxe editions of albums if they weren't so bad at it.

[SM Rollinger]

I’m not sure I understand this thread. Does it suck to be a fan of something because everyone hates it or are you hating on the band?

Both I guess?

Being a NIN fan in the late 90s to mid 00s kinda sucked too, 4 year wait in-between albums, Tapeworm, canceled projects, ect. We have it pretty good now though.