I am attempting to write an anthropological research paper

I am trying to do some research for the paper I am writing on gender roles within sub cultures of music. Right now I am focusing on Folk/Viking metal and I have a few questions for whomever would be willing to answer them. Here they are.

1.) Tell me about how you became interested in Folk/Viking metal (both the culture and the music) and what has kept you interested in it over the years.

2.) What are your favorite bands? Why?

3.) What are your favorite songs? Why?

4.) Describe your gender.

5.) What does being a woman/man mean to you and how has Folk/Viking metal influenced your beliefs? (Please give an explanation for both men and women. I’m trying to get a sense of how women view themselves and how they view men and vice versa).

6.) Are there any songs that have changed/influenced your ideas about masculinity/femininity? (I’m interested in both mainstream and Folk/Viking metal songs. If possible list at least one of each and describe how they changed/influenced you)

7.) How is your experience as a man/woman when you’re at a show different from your experience elsewhere?

8.) How do you think being male/female affected your experiences in Folk/Viking metal/in mainstream society? How do these experiences differ?

9.) Which do you prefer: male-fronted bands or female-fronted bands? Why?

Answering any or all of them would be super helpful and I would be super grateful. Thanks so much.

Hmmmmm, what if you listen to the music simply because you love the music? Besides that I am just a regular guy who simply loves heavy metal since the 80's when I first heard Whitesnake. Besides that it has no influence on me at all, besides it being calming.

Ha ha well I suppose that I fit into that category as well. I don't think anyone who was first meeting me would ever assume that I listen to metal, but I do and I love it and I love going to the concerts as well. I guess what I'm saying is that to you it may seem like metal doesn't influence you at all, but its still part of your life. The metal scene isn't part of my main identity but it has still effected me. It has opened me up to a different culture and new ideas and changed the way I view the world. For instance if it didn't effect you at all you wouldn't have been on this forum or answered my questions. Also even though your answer was short it still tells me a lot. Your answer along the others I've received on other forums shows me that many members of this sub-culture are unaware of it being a "culture" so to speak, whereas being punk is definitely a culture one would be aware of being in. Another is that gender roles are also invisible, you are not trying to be a "male" or "masculine" you just do it with out thinking. Anyways thank you for replying, and if you think of anything else to add please don't hesitate.

This is where I think we differ. We view this as two different things. You see it as a culture, I see it as pure entertainment. I have been introduced to so much music in my life time, yet the one that stuck to me really is Metal. However, I do on occasion listen to some 80's pop (mainly new wave) and have an appreciation for classical music. Yet I wouldn't consider myself to be a part of any of those so called cultures. If that were the case I would feel the need to be at all the social gatherings that occur simply to interact with like minded people when this is far from the case. I go to the shows to see the bands that I enjoy listening to, everyone else around (family members excluded) are immaterial. I didn't pay to hang out with others, I paid to see the bands.

This would be like saying that because I enjoy watching Star Trek movies, that I would fall in line with trekkies. When in reality, I wouldn't be caught dead at any of those conventions and would be sure to stay as far away as possible from those freaks. Also with the state of the "metalhead" today, you wouldn't want to know what I think of most of them. Especially the younger crowd who feel the need to categorize every aspect of the music.

Overkill put it best with this chorus " Here's to the old school, didn't matter if you looked cool. We drank some beers and broke some heads and never gave a shit. Climbed every mountain, stormed every city. They said that this would never last. We never gave a fuck"

I believe that you are absolutely correct, we are looking at it from two different perspectives. You enjoy the music of this genre as entertainment, something I can understand because I do as well. Right now though, I am trying to view it through another more analytical frame. Because I am doing cultural anthropological research on the genre categorization is necessary. You personally don't identify with the folk/viking metal community just as you don't identify with the "Trekkie" community, and thats fine I'm not saying that you should. But there are others who do, and as much as I would love to research everything about every aspect of metal and every other genre of music that I like and everything else that catches my interest, I had to narrow it down so that writing a paper would be feasible. Even though you aren't a part of this specific culture your responses have been interesting and enlightening and I do really appreciate them. Since you don't consider yourself part of the culture maybe you could give me your opinion of those who are part of it, either what you've witnessed at concerts or through online interactions. Anything you feel like sharing is great, the more information I receive the better.

You see this is where it gets problematic. Trying to find a sub culture within something that never really had one. Back in the 70's and 80's, you had all from different walks of life, nowhere near any real connection to eachother besides the fact that they all love metal music. It is this sound that for emotional reasons really empowers individuals. When it starts getting into groups and sub groups it leads to elitism. For instance, the so called symphonic metal scene. There are many that I have run into that consider themselves part of this scene and there snooty, high and mighty attitude made me want to puke. This is exactly what metal is against. And this is the message that Overkill sends out with their song Old School. It doesn't matter what you do, what you look like, or who you are. If you love metal music that is all that matters. This type of dedication to the music is why it has lasted so long and it is this type of love for it that Doro Pesch proudly sings about in her song Celebrate.

Amanda:
Are you defining 'Subcultural Variation' in the following way: A distinctive set of standards and behaviour patterns by which a group within a larger society operates?