Question about the terms "alternative" and "nu metal"

[Storm Eagle]

Here are some questions that have been plaguing my mind for a while now, and I just thought I'd just ask here.

Is there anything special that constitutes alternative rock? What's the name about and what is it an alternative to?

Also, what constitutes nu metal, and how's it different from regular "metal music"?

[Jewels]

alternatives gives you a choice to chose between ever group, if one sucks, you just alternate to another one

[Non-Dusk]

I'd say it's more of a label some people give it. Nu-Metal that is.

Nu-Metal is what it's name is, new aged metal, which revolves all around teenage angst kind of lyrics, and simple instruments, but that's not always the case, some would call Mudvayne Nu-Metal but their bassist and drummer are both extremely talented. I don't like to label bands tho. I stay away from that because my tastes flow through all different types of rock.

Alternative is what they call something that hasn't gotten a label yet, basically, it's something that is totally different and innovative, such as the Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails(No one knew Industrial back when NIN started), and The Pixies.


So yeah, hope I answered your question.

[Rndm_Perfection]

Nu-Metal is what Industrial Metal would be if you mixed Rap in. Alternative metal is what you'd get if you mixed rock with today's "greatest" pop-culture music.

Industrial is the mix of techno and heavy guitars with heavy beats.

Classic Rock is... good.

[Xantar]

Speaking of terms I don't understand, does anybody know what it means to be "post-modernist?" How can one be post-modernist? I can understand being modernist. That means basically that you embrace the innovations and changes that are happening today as opposed to the old traditions of the past. But "post-modern" means "after modern." How can you be the kind of person that...comes after the present?

I wonder of the post-modernists even know what post-modernism is...

[DeathsHand]

Originally posted by Xantar
does anybody know what it means to be "post-modernist?"

Weird for the sake of weird...

[Ginkasa]

Originally posted by Xantar
Speaking of terms I don't understand, does anybody know what it means to be "post-modernist?" How can one be post-modernist? I can understand being modernist. That means basically that you embrace the innovations and changes that are happening today as opposed to the old traditions of the past. But "post-modern" means "after modern." How can you be the kind of person that...comes after the present?

I wonder of the post-modernists even know what post-modernism is...

I would assume it would be you want different changes from what is happening? Maybe you want to advance quicker? You want to get rid of the modern traditions and the pld traditions?

I guess...


*shrugs and walks away*

[Storm Eagle]

Now that I think about it, both terms are just stupid and pointless. For "alternative", I think I prefer to call it "modern rock". At least the name itself is self-explanatory and not so vague.

[Jason1]

Originally posted by Non-Dusk
I'd say it's more of a label some people give it. Nu-Metal that is.

Nu-Metal is what it's name is, new aged metal, which revolves all around teenage angst kind of lyrics, and simple instruments, but that's not always the case, some would call Mudvayne Nu-Metal but their bassist and drummer are both extremely talented. I don't like to label bands tho. I stay away from that because my tastes flow through all different types of rock.

Alternative is what they call something that hasn't gotten a label yet, basically, it's something that is totally different and innovative, such as the Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails(No one knew Industrial back when NIN started), and The Pixies.


So yeah, hope I answered your question.

I saw mudavyne in concert...they were kinda crappy. A little to hard of rock for my tastes. I'll go with SOAD or Smashing Pumpkins or something. But yea Nu-Metal sucks.

[Storm Eagle]

Originally posted by Rndm_Perfection

Classic Rock is... good.

Amen brother.

Originally posted by Jason1
I saw mudavyne in concert...they were kinda crappy. A little to hard of rock for my tastes. I'll go with SOAD or Smashing Pumpkins or something. But yea Nu-Metal sucks.

By the way, would Linkin Park be classified as nu-metal? I hope not.

I never really cared for what "sub-genre" something was listed under. I just listen to whatever the hell I think sounds good. I'll even listen to classical music if it's nice on the ears.

[playa_playa]

It may seem absurd if and only if you take contemporary as the only definition of modern. However, the definition of modern also includes a general sense of recent times.

As a matter of fact, many universities and professorial types use the term to mean the period between the Renaissance and the contemporary times. As such, if you were to take a course in, let's say, history of modern philosophy[1], you would be taking a course on Kant, Hume, Locke, Berkeley, Descarte et al.

Conversely, had you opted for something like a course on contemporary ethics, you would learn about Heideggar, Jacques Derrida, Rorty, Posner, and the likes. Interesting sidenote here is that contemporary European thinkers are mostly labeled post-modernist vis-a-vis their modern forefathers (people like Kant and Hume), though they may not accept the term wholeheartedly.

So there, you see how intellectual and artistic movements[2] as well as trends can be labeled post-modern. The caveat is that the term modern is designated specifically to a period as opposed to a reference to the contemporary times.

Footnotes
1: In the hard sciences, an example of a modern thinker would be Niels Bohr; whereas an example of a post-modern thinker would be people like Stephen Weinberg, Werner Heisenberg et al.
2: Artistic movements typically associated with modernism include: Expressionism, Impressionism and Realism; artistic movements typically associated with post-modernism include Cubism, Surrealism, Dadaism, etc.

ps - damn, I can't believe I just made a post w/ footnotes in it.

Originally posted by Xantar
Speaking of terms I don't understand, does anybody know what it means to be "post-modernist?" How can one be post-modernist? I can understand being modernist. That means basically that you embrace the innovations and changes that are happening today as opposed to the old traditions of the past. But "post-modern" means "after modern." How can you be the kind of person that...comes after the present?

I wonder of the post-modernists even know what post-modernism is...

[Tombor]

Originally posted by Xantar
But "post-modern" means "after modern." How can you be the kind of person that...comes after the present?

I wonder of the post-modernists even know what post-modernism is...

Post-modern, which we're currently living in, means that everything that has been done or could be done, or will be done has already been done and there really is nothing left but experimentation and re-evaluating and re-working all that has been done art, music, and film wise. At least that's what my film prof. said 3 years ago....


Basically what playa playa said.

[Xantar]

Ok. I wonder how long that term is going to last.

Do you think people 200 years from now are going to say that we were modernists? I understand that the word "modern" means something more than just current, but you have to admit that there's just something wrong about calling a bunch of long dead people "modern."

[Professor S]

Most people or artists or what have you that could be considered that I've come across have been cynical/satirical of modern culture. Post modern is just a fancy term for "too cool for school".