How did you become a fan?

[sammi]

U drunk?

How can you say shuch a thing im not old enough yet!!!!!!! im just dumb

[johninblack]

How can you say shuch a thing im not old enough yet!!!!!!! im just dumb

You're plenty old enough to drink at home and you bloody well have been, and dumb, you're far from dumb and you know it
Totally bloody stupid.

[sammi]

You're plenty old enough to drink at home and you bloody well have been, and dumb, you're far from dumb and you know it
Totally bloody stupid.

i would rather be stupid rather that fat old and stupid.

[johninblack]

i would rather be stupid rather that fat old and stupid.

Me Too! But it's too late!

[Appelmoes??]

OMG, it runs in the family

[johninblack]

OMG, it runs in the family

Don't you start!

[PH]

The question was "How did you become a fan?".

And now people start talking about being drunk...

You guys (and girl) became fan while being drunk??

[keyboardistmatt]

You guys (and girl) became fan while being drunk??

Perhaps it was Jack Daniels...

[Saryna]

Stupidity should be painful.


None of us are immune at times.

[Saryna]

Although I hate to use that word.  Let's just say comfortably numb might be a better one.

[PH]

Although I hate to use that word.  Let's just say comfortably numb might be a better one.

A Pink Floyd referrence here?

This is the next topic which is influenced by alcohol. At least somebody is being honest and started a topic called 'beer'.

Let us talk about alcohol there, and leave this topic to the people who want to confess how they got into Arena.

Isn't that just a great idea?
Of course, who am I to say such a thing? But I felt the need to say it, because some topics went VERY offtopic lately.

[Obscyra]

I saw the Contagion cd for sale in a video rental shop that sells second hand cds and dvds as well. Had a look at some reviews in the internet and went back to the shop to buy Contagion than. I put it in the cd player and was blown away.

I'm about to order Immortal?, Contagious and Contagium. 

[Peter]

There you go, infected by the Contagion....em...kind of

[Obscyra]

Kind of...

[keyboardistmatt]

None of us are immune at times.

I am generally always immune... but I don't know what I'm immune to, because I haven't had it yet...

[keyboardistmatt]

But I felt the need to say it, because some topics went VERY offtopic lately.

Only some of them...?

[Nicky007]

A friend of mine had bought Contagion after being curious about the bands that lend their artist's to Ayreon. When I visited my friend I heard the album and bought contagion the week after. En then bought another album... And another... Etc.

Did you continue to buy a lot of albums by Tina Arena, Appelmoes?

Nicky.

[Appelmoes??]

Yes, but then I discovered that she wasn't in the band, so I stopped doing that...

[Smegal]

i became an arena fan after i found out i was going on tour with them!!

I first met Rob Sowden during one of his music evenings where he promotes local talent in Reading, England sincce then we have been very good mates.

Rob plays in my pub from time to time and one day i asked him about his main band (other than Solar) and that was that 2 weeks later i was on the peppers ghost tour!

In the mean time i decided to buy peppers ghost as i was passing HMV in Smack er Stoke-on-trent (visiting my bro who was on tour at the time WWW.ADAMLINSTEAD.CO.UK).

I thought peppers ghost was one of the most interesting albums i've ever heard (don't tell Clive or Mick i have to keep some kind of moral standing on tour)

So thats that then you guys saw me on tour,

Since then i've devoted myself to the 'Spreading' of prog music worldwide

One more thing come and have a pint when your passing!!

Smeagal
The Greyhound Inn,
High Street,
Wargrave-On-Thames,
Reading,
Berks,
RG10 8BU.

Power to the people     x

[wagner]

my story
Back in 1997  I was working for a venue in Quebec,  Bar Spectacle le D Auteuiil. My boss decided to put me on duty that weekend because we had a big Festival on the calender. My job was to make sure that all the bands was happy and had everything they needed. I was very ignorant on progressive music but know a bit of Marillion cos they supported my favorite band Rush in Quebec city... For 5 days, Made sure that Arena was enjoying them self  in the beautiful City of Quebec. Since then, I have been part of the Arena Family...

[bluepony]

How great, fathers are the best ones to introduce someone to progrock.
Or does someone got his/her musical taste from his/her mother?
That'd be good too of course.

Well, I think I "inherited" a good deal of my musical taste from my Mom's side - when she was young she used to be into stuff like the Stones rather than the Beatles (my Dad liked them very much) and even nowadays I drag her to a rock concert every now and then and she still seems to like it!   

[bluepony]

I just wanted to know how you have discovered Arena...

Now THAT could turn into a long story... 

I first "bumped into them" at the Röhre in Stuttgart when they were touring in 1997 (or was it '96?) because I knew the band opening up for them (Headstone) very well and back then went to almost all of their concerts. However, when Arena went on stage - still with Paul Wrightson on vocals, by the way - I was completely blown away from the first second! I hadn't listened to much prog before and actually thought I didn't like that kind of music too much, but hey, when I heard and saw Arena perform "The Visitor" that night I suddenly changed my mind!

As I was in the lucky position to write for a rock magazine at that time (thanks for the good times, Völle), I got the chance to come back on their next tour(s) and do some interviews with the band, and from then on I usually ended up in the tour bus drinking lots of JD & coke after the shows. 

[clacket]

i had heard of the band, but never actually heard them. one day ( i hope you're all sitting comfortably ) the free cd on the front of classic rock had a track called crack in the ice on it. i taped the tracks i liked and used the cd as a coaster.  whenever i played that tape i was ****ed off that it was the first track so gone straight away. after a couple of years i thought i really must get some more arena stuff, what  album is 'crack' on ( seemed a good idea to me ), then just got them all.

[maddox]

i had heard of the band, but never actually heard them. one day ( i hope you're all sitting comfortably ) the free cd on the front of classic rock had a track called crack in the ice on it. i taped the tracks i liked and used the cd as a coaster.  whenever i played that tape i was ****ed off that it was the first track so gone straight away. after a couple of years i thought i really must get some more arena stuff, what  album is 'crack' on ( seemed a good idea to me ), then just got them all.

Nice story, Claket. Glad to hear you got the Arena-virus. 
Anyway, welcome to the Shattered Room. Hope you'll enjoy your stay. 

[Teunis]

Yes, welcome. It is never too late to get that virus  .