Next Announcement

[houston4044]

stockpiling nuts & raisins and canned fruit to bring (no scurvy for me this year).

Screw the 4 DJ's of the apocalypse, you clearly know how to party

[CharlesDexterWard]

It will pretty much be the only food I eat for 4 days, need something to soak up neat spiced rum, rhubarb cider and lager!

[Gandalf the Red]

Didn't realize charts counted for much anymore, would of thought tour sales and profile would of been the biggest factors in placing bands.

They don't mean anything nowadays.

I would reckon that Metal Church and Death Angel in the mid to late 1980s sold a hell of a lot more albums than Tesseract and Power Wolf have. Now you can get in the charts on a few thousand copies being sold. Back in the day you were talking about a number one album or single selling a few million.

I also remember watching both bands on normal TV all the time. Badlands was definitely a minor hit.

[CharlesDexterWard]

Metal Church were pretty big in the 80s, I remember seeing a lot of their patches and t-shirts at gigs. Badlands, Fake Healer and Start the Fire were popular songs and The Dark and Blessing in Disguise both sold well. The live version of Start the Fire played through the PA before almost all gigs I attended at the Edinburgh Playhouse (still got it on my MP3 player and it takes me back to happier times at many gigs).

Death Angel were also very popular, I remember the buzz when I first saw the video for Voracious Souls (on the Power Hour) and both The Ultraviolence and Frolic Through The Park sold well. Most folk I knew from the gig scene back then owned them.

[houston4044]

I would reckon that Metal Church and Death Angel in the mid to late 1980s sold a hell of a lot more albums than Tesseract and Power Wolf have.

When it's put that way I can see why Tesseract and Power wolf are higher. One lot of bands are at their peak now whereas the other 2 had theirs in the 80''s. Although to look at it the other way, man the 80''s had far better music

[Gandalf the Red]

But you could put it the other way. Which band has songs that people know? I would probably know all of Metal Churches songs but wouldn't know one of Tesseract's.

Would Rainbow headline? They've not released an album since the year dot. When was the last album anyone bought by the Scorpions? I haven't bought a "new" one for decades. Certainly the 1980s.

A bands heritage should be taken into consideration much more than whether they are currently flavour of the month. Remember The Sea Hags? Album of the year in all the magazines, sold by the bucketload, yet nobody remembers them.

[Skippy]

But you could put it the other way. Which band has songs that people know? I would probably know all of Metal Churches songs but wouldn't know one of Tesseract's.

I know most Powerwolf songs (I am a big fan) and a large chunk of Tesseract's. Between Death Angel and Metal Church I probably know 2.5 songs. And that's not to say I dislike them, I like both bands, just don't really know their songs that well. I guess I'm a bit younger, but its lunacy to suggest Death Angel or Metal Church should play higher than Tesseract or Powerwolf. Sure, both are probably one slot higher than they should be, but they are both in the prime of their careers, and are currently very popular.

And yes, Demons and Wizards should have been booked, should have been one of the first names on the booker's list when it was announced they were available. Seems like a massive missed opportunity for Bloodstock not to have them.

[someone else]

But you could put it the other way. Which band has songs that people know? I would probably know all of Metal Churches songs but wouldn't know one of Tesseract's.

Would Rainbow headline? They've not released an album since the year dot. When was the last album anyone bought by the Scorpions? I haven't bought a "new" one for decades. Certainly the 1980s.

A bands heritage should be taken into consideration much more than whether they are currently flavour of the month.

It counts for alot, but that quite often translates into ticket sales - both of The Scorps and Rainbow have maintained classic status and sell accordingly, both also aided by rarity of performces for years. Queensryche have albums that are highly regarded, filled the Albert Halls and Apollos in the early 90s, but barely got 200 when they last played Manchester so may be lucky and get an hour slot. MC, decent as they were, barely registered - a footnote in other bands stories - played between Atheist and Edguy in 2006, a couple-hundred-in-The- Underworld at best like Armoured Saint, Fates Warning etc. Tesseract have been going for ages and are hardly 'flavour of the month'.

[Soze]

But you could put it the other way. Which band has songs that people know? I would probably know all of Metal Churches songs but wouldn't know one of Tesseract's.

Would Rainbow headline? They've not released an album since the year dot. When was the last album anyone bought by the Scorpions? I haven't bought a "new" one for decades. Certainly the 1980s.

A bands heritage should be taken into consideration much more than whether they are currently flavour of the month. Remember The Sea Hags? Album of the year in all the magazines, sold by the bucketload, yet nobody remembers them.

Rainbow and The Scorpions, in their prime, were significantly bigger than Metal Church or Death Angel ever were. They had massive hit singles, hell, it wouldn't surprise me to hear Since You've Been Gone or Winds of Change walking around my local co-op or at a wedding disco. I'd be pretty shocked to hear Mistress of Pain! Most young people aren't familiar with the second tier thrash bands from the 80s and it's the youth and the current state of popularity that a festival booker considers.

[metalicbear]

I put Tesseract in the same category as Sylosis (remember them?) a band who were on the rise nearly a decade ago, but didn't do anything significant. That would have been the time to book the likes of Tesseract. Its not just them that are the problem, there's also Raging Speedhorn, Sulphur, Cancer Bats.... Bands which aren't popular and haven't been for a decade and certainly nowhere near anyones wishlists.

Why are bands like these being booked? But bands like Beast in Black, Zeal and Ardor, Burning Witches, Stoned Jesus, Twilight Force etc nowhere to be seen.

As far as band placement goes, I believe things like record sales, live ticket sales, back catalogue and plays on YouTube/Spotify/last. Fm go in to it.

[someone else]

I put Tesseract in the same category as Sylosis (remember them?) a band who were on the rise nearly a decade ago, but didn't do anything significant. That would have been the time to book the likes of Tesseract. Its not just them that are the problem, there's also Raging Speedhorn, Sulphur, Cancer Bats.... Bands which aren't popular and haven't been for a decade and certainly nowhere near anyones wishlists.

Why are bands like these being booked? But bands like Beast in Black, Zeal and Ardor, Burning Witches, Stoned Jesus, Twilight Force etc nowhere to be seen.

As far as band placement goes, I believe things like record sales, live ticket sales, back catalogue and plays on YouTube/Spotify/last. Fm go in to it.

Putting Tesseract in with those bands is daft - they sold out the likes of Manc Academy 2 (This is where Opeth played before they were special guests a few years ago) and Shepherds Bush Empire at the end of last year whereas Cancer Bats, Speedhorn aren't selling out bottom rung clubs. These are same or bigger places than Zeal And Ardour played last year, and Stoned Jesus are one of the more tedious and derivative of the stoner rock bands so no idea why they would be so much better

[CharlesDexterWard]

On a more positive note, can we expect an announcement next week?

[houston4044]

After enduring Incite at Incineration fest, defiantly not seeing them at BOA now. After seeing Unholy Lust and Tombstoners I hope they get announced for BOA.

[robin8585]

Xentrix for the main stage Friday.

Karybdis and Control the Storm added to Sophie Friday.

Helheim, Guardians of Time and Odd Crew added to Sophie Saturday.

Not arsed about any of the new Friday bands, Helheim certainly make Saturday that little bit less shite, and I'll need to check out the other 2.

[EDIT] Actually scratch that about Friday, someone just told me that I really enjoyed Control the Storm last time they played. Clearly not enough to remember them, but I guess that means they'll probably be worth a watch again.

[CharlesDexterWard]

Don't mind Xentrix and will check the rest out.