NMA Obsession

[Pol]

Does anyone else have a partner,friends or family that think that your obsessed with nma. I keep explaining am not that bad and lots of the 'family' members are a lot worse than me. I only get to the odd gig due other commitments and lack of money 

[rick a.]

It's in our blood and there's nothing you can or should do about it. My wife has put up with my NMA fixation for years. Fortunately for me she likes the band too! My kids think I'm a looney when it comes to music anyway. I have spread the word as often as I can and have managed to convert a few of the lost to the NMA cause.

[Jibberish]

We all need obsessions. Some folk play golf every weekend. Some folk are DIY addicts. Some people spend their lives watch the tellybox. None of those is really any different from hauling ass to every NMA gig you are able to. That said, it must suck to be a golfer.

[mudgeek]

I am NOT! There's too many diverse musicians around to just be stuck to one band! I for one am into My Dying Bride, Godflesh, Nick Drake, Wishbone Ash (old), Ta-Dream, Zorn, Zappa, Zoogz, KJ, Nick Cave, Klaus Schulze (old) etc etc... It's just that I've been listening A LOT of New Model Army lately. I wonder why...

[Shush]

I probably am. But its not a bad thing. Obsession can be seen as a dirty word, like addicted, but look at the side effects. - great music, and great people -- this lot ere. 

[wilf]

I certainly admit to being obsessed with NMA. After all, they are the band I have seen live most over the years (30 odd times since 1993). Peanuts to you family members of the inner core, I'm sure. And I still haven't consciously met any other fans at Army gigs. Sure, you get to talk to people at gigs but I have only made an effort to meet with the man himself which he acceeded to gracefully. My vain hope is still that Justin will one day give my students and me a little interview before a gig at the Rockhouse in Salzburg. If it doesn't happen, so be it.

As for my own family, I have taken my wife to an Army gig which she sort of enjoyed (basically to show her what I'm so crazy about) but as a classical musician her interests lie elsewhere. As for the kids I harbour no great hope. The younger one has danced to Army songs but she is only 8 and my older daughter is rapidly approaching the age when anything connected to her dad is embarrassing her. Other parents know the feeling?

Anyway, I'm looking forward to going to Augsburg shortly. Let's just hope that MD's injury will have healed by then.

[rick a.]

As for my own family, I have taken my wife to an Army gig which she sort of enjoyed (basically to show her what I'm so crazy about) but as a classical musician her interests lie elsewhere. As for the kids I harbour no great hope. The younger one has danced to Army songs but she is only 8 and my older daughter is rapidly approaching the age when anything connected to her dad is embarrassing her. Other parents know the feeling?

My kids are in their 20's now and we still argue about music. The only thing I can tell you is to listen to their music, no matter how painful it may be, take 'em to few concerts of their groups, and let them hear some of your groups however you can.
One thing I've learned is that will come around to music you like eventually.

[Pazza]

Obsessed, of course, but like Jibberish says it's only the same as any other interest, and better than some we could mention. My wife can't understand my need to do runs of three gigs at a time, but like JS said about getting old, it just gets better the more you do. Rather than obsessing about how obsessed we all are and whether it's obsessive to be so obsessed we should be campaigning to get our trips paid for by the NHS, what's left of it bless it, as it's bloody good for you doing a run of Army gigs, I can tell ya. Character building and good for morale. Here's to a long life following the band til JS is coming on stage on a zimmer (soz JS). ;-)

[Adrian W]

Obsession is a very subjective thing.

Rather like Wilf (blame him on me by the way and a remaindered copy of Purity on sale for 50p in a record shop in Huddersfield in 1991), NMA is the band that I have seen most often in my time, probably about 50 times since 1989, but I regard myself as a rank amateur in relation to others. Unless you have been to a mid week February gig in Latvia, I don't  think that you make the "obsessed" grade.

My wife probably thinks that it is a bit obsessive and there is a certain amount of eye rolling when I say that yes I went to Bilston in November and now I am going to see ostensibly the same thing in Nottingham in December and I will do the same next year (and the next and the next again and again, but  you've got to have fun while you are young).

I have also tried to spread the word and have even introduced the band to the next generation in the family. Despite my best efforts, it is not wholly successful. There are however golden moments such as when my 7 year old son put Today is a Good Day on and went straight to La Push and announced that it was his favourite.

Obsessed though? I don't think so, but quite a lot of lunch hours are spent here on the Forum.

[Pazza]

You can be obsessed without doing all of the Latvian legs of the tours or ghat many gigs, obsession takes many forms this forum being another of em! But call it what ya will, passion, obsession, it's about how big the band are in your life - there is no other band I follow, listen to or go to see like it is with NMA

[rick a.]

where do you draw the line between obsession and passion?

[Pazza]

Good question - that'll be a whole new thread

[DannySan]

I probably am but I am like that about everything I am interested in. I don't see the point in finding something you like and then only scratching the surface you may as well immerse yourself in it and go with it.

[Guillaume]

Good question - that'll be a whole new thread

Interesting thread, the obsession, the addiction...in this case...NMAddiction!
Are we obssessed or passionate?

I probably am but I am like that about everything I am interested in.

Me too...i have many obssessions/addictions, more than the NMA one...aside of my passion for NMA  i am "obssessed" by watching movies and for example i'm "addicted" by a few directors like Dario Argento, Michael Mann, John Carpenter, i own all their films on dvd/blu ray, i own books, soundtracks, posters about their works etc
Same for NMA...i listen to the band since 1995 and i have seen them live 8 or 9 times since, i own all the albums, live and compilations, i own dvds, vhs, magazines about them, i am a member here on their official forum, etc
So yes i'm obssessed...the good side of an obsession is that it is a "goal" in your life, a reason to be passionnate about something in your life, the wrong side is that it leaves you less less time (i need more time!!) for others...obsessions

[Pazza]

Fair summary that Guillaume