Rules of the Game #2: Metal Clusters

[koganbot]

Rules of the Game #2: Metal Clusters

OK, second full column is up, brings up some things we talked about in the previous thread, about how there can be a chance element in which music you identify with socially.

(EDIT: Strangely, the link for the piece changed from the one I'd originally posted, so I've fixed it. I wonder how often this will happen. If you're looking for my pieces and the links aren't working, go to the Las Vegas Weekly main page and you'll probably see near the top something that says "Music: Rules Of The Game" followed by a subtitle, and that will be my latest column. Then, if you follow the link to the column, at the end of the column there's a link for "more articles from this author," which will take you to my previous columns.)

EDIT: Here are links to all but three of my other Rules Of The Game columns (LVW's search results for "Rules of the Game"). Links for the other three (which for some reason didn't get "Rules Of The Game" in their titles), are here: #4, #5, and #8.

UPDATE: I've got all the links here now:

http://koganbot.livejournal.com/179531.html

Comments

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

People say more when they're defensive but not necessarily more useful things, no?

And you can be provocative without using invective - "Classic Or Dud" is provocative because it's trying to force people off the middle ground, but it's still a neutral question. This is also a big reason I put marks out of 10 on Popular - I want people to engage with my review, sure, but if they DON'T engage with my review they can engage with the mark, by disagreeing and giving their own version.

Re. the column: the comments lag is REALLY annoying if you're used to ILX or LJ or any less moderated environment. I still commented though, maybe it will appear! Also, in terms of content, it might be that some readers are tempted to think "OK, I'll see where he's going with this" rather than jumping in immediately.

Maybe a contest to name the three metalheads would open up comments! I say Winken, Blinken and Noddy.

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

De Gautet, Bersonin and Detchard

[koganbot]

Arsenic, Antimony, Mercury

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

The reason Classic Or Dud is successful come to think of it is that it inviting participation not just through inviting provocation but also by allowing people space to post more reassuring content: a lot of people like posting that their favourite band is great because it's a comfortable and enjoyable thing to do. (I wrote about this here: http://freakytrigger.co.uk/old-ft/nylpm/2002/08/joy-division-an-ideal-for-listening/) (Similarly asking Why Music Sucks is risking attracting people who are comfortable with it sucking and like saying so, not that WMS did do this).

[koganbot]

Eight hours later and your comment still isn't up. I'll see what happens in the next few days and then talk to them, if necessary. The URLs for the pieces have been changing too, so I've had to redo the links. I wonder if there's some connection to that and the comments not going up.

[skyecaptain.livejournal.com]

Right now the easiest thing for me to do to access the column is to post your "more articles by this author" link and check back to that for comments.