Now I'm a Real Toy Soldier Geek (1 Viewer)

[REVWARBUFF]

It happened the other night when I was working on the computer at home. I am really into original filmscores and I was sitting at my desk listening to various selections from movies such as Band of Brothers,The Patriot, and Annapolis, just to name a few. After a while I got up to take a break from my work and I walked over to where some of my toy soldiers are displayed. I began admiring the figurines when I realized that the music I had on started to do something for me.

I can't quite explain it, but hearing this majestic orchestral, military-themed music while viewing my soldiers became quite exhilarating!! It wasn't too long before I stopped and noticed what I was doing and felt sort of odd. Here I am taking in these wonderful works of 3D art with war movie music in the background and everything in the display starts to come alive a little.

When the moment was over, I had to laugh at myself a little as I couldn't help but think that I've now added a new dismension to my toy soldier collection. Man, I've heard of computer geeks, but could I be called a toy soldier geek after something like that?

Worse yet, does anyone else admit to an experience like this??

 

[kilted vampire]

I think that is a pretty good experience. I may have to try that .

 

[woodenwarriors]

If that means your a toy soldier Geek then I am one too and proud to say so. Mostly I think it means that you love your little army and the hobby . I too might try some military music while setting up my dioramas might set the mood. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us and keep having Fun with your little army.
Get them in the dirt.
Charlie

 

[sceic2]

Ah, yeah. Although I never thought of the term "geek" applying to this hobby of ours I do think it is quite fitting.

 

[modwalls]

If that makes you a geek, then there is a whole fourm full of them.Mike

 

[Louis Badolato]

I have often referred to us as "history geeks", but as I have consistently stated, we outrank Sci-Fi geeks.

 

[Currahee Chris]

I have often referred to us as "history geeks", but as I have consistently stated, we outrank Sci-Fi geeks.

Amen to that!! At least we know something that really freakin happened!!

 

[Currahee Chris]

I began admiring the figurines when I realized that the music I had on started to do something for me.

I can't believe you clumped Annapolis into that list

Yeah, I do it all the time, though probably somewhat different. I think people don't appreciate this as an artistic hobby- look at the many artistic forms that surround us in this hobby-

-Painted and sculpted figures;
-Printed word- both non-fiction, fiction and poetry;
-Paintings and sculptures;
-Visual art- CG for computer games and historical re-enactments that are on the tv;

This is very much an artistic hobby and I am one of the worst culprits of missing that point- we all rush into spending our money, we try to guess what is coming out next, we try to guess how to better spend our money so we can maximize the number of pieces in our collection- heck, I even do that stupid Toy Soldier versus 401K comparison of mine

Some of my favorite toy soldier/ music moments- and it never fails- any night I have too many pints under my belt, I go find my Huey and blare the Ride of the Valkyries and entertain all my guests with my improv war movie quotes- yeah, it's a good time.

I am really into music- my avatar is one of the Iron Maiden zombies from their latest album cover. They have pretty much covered the gammit of war related music- here's a taste for those of you who aren't into them:

- Invaders- deals with Viking raids;

-Run to the Hills- great song recounting the Westward expulsion of the Native Americans;

-Aces High- deals with the air war over Britain;

- The Trooper- GREAT SONG!! Recounts the Charge of the Light Brigade-
"You'll take my life but I'll take yours too, you fire your muskets but I'll run you through.."

I saw them play this song live at OzzFest a couple years ago- the lead singer came out in a redcoat, napoleonic uniform and was running around stage waving the Union Jack- it was a RUSH!!!

- Alexander the Great- a biographical account of Alexander;

-The Clansman- Another GREAT song- deals with the Scottish Highlanders;
"It's a time wrought with fear, a land wrought with shame, if our ancestors could hear what is happening now they would turn in their graves, they would all be ashamed, the land of the free has been written in chains..."

-Paschendale- 9 plus minute song of that battle:
"In a foreign field he lay, lonely soldier unknown grave, on his dying words he prays, tell the world of Paschendale....Laying low in a blood filled trench, killing time till my very own death on my face I can feel the pouring rain never see my friends again..."

Two of their newer hits-

-These colors don't run- Far away from the land of our birth, we fly a flag in some foreign earth, we sailed away like our fathers before, these colors don't run, from cold bloody war.."

-The Longest Day
"Sliding we go, only fear at our side, to the edge of the wire, and we rush with the tide, all the water is red, with the blood of the dead, but I'm still alive, pray to God I survive."

I saw them play these songs live back in October. For the Longest Day they had a huge backdrop that showed all sorts of famous b&w pictures from WW2- Ike talking with the 101st, etc. The stage was setup like a WW1 trench.

While I don't listen to music with my toy soldiers, I recognize that it can stir up raw emotion. As I said on another post, I am planning on doing a 1:18th scale of a dustoff in Nam. The dio will be like in the museums where you can press a button and I am going to have it play "fortunate son" by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Well, I have rambled long enough.

 

[Louis Badolato]

I can't believe you clumped Annapolis into that list

I am really into music- my avatar is one of the Iron Maiden zombies from their latest album cover. They have pretty much covered the gammit of war related music- here's a taste for those of you who aren't into them:

- Invaders- deals with Viking raids;

-Run to the Hills- great song recounting the Westward expulsion of the Native Americans;

-Aces High- deals with the air war over Britain;

- The Trooper- GREAT SONG!! Recounts the Charge of the Light Brigade-
"You'll take my life but I'll take yours too, you fire your muskets but I'll run you through.."

I saw Iron Maiden warm up for Judas Priest live at the meadowlands (Judas Priest was the Screaming for Vengence Tour, Iron Maiden, the Number of the Beast Tour). I then saw Iron Maiden headline twice, once during the Piece of Mind Tour at Radio City Music Hall (the first hard rock performance there ever) and once for the Power Slave tour at Madison Square Garden (with Quiot Riot warming up). The Radio City Tour was about the best live performance I ever personally attended. The show started like this: the lights went out and the Radio City Movie Screen (the largest in the world) lit up with the enormous face of Sir Winston Churchill, giving his famous speech . . . "never in the course of human endeavor have so many owed so much to so few . . ." and then Bruce and the boys launched into Aces High. Absolutely unbelieveable. I yelled myself horse. When the 12 foot high Eddie came out on stage dressed in a red coat for "The Trooper" I almost lost it. I still have all the lyrics to just about every song off of these three albums (I was never a big Tommy Miano fan) memorized. I still think Steve Harris is one of the best bass players of all time. I used to have these albums on vinal, but they got scratched up over the years. I bought Piece of Mind and Number of the Beast on DVD a couple of years back. Now I want to pull them out and do a little head banging!

 

[Currahee Chris]

Bang away my General and your soldiers will follow.....

What an amazing experience that must have been. They are just an incredible band with such amazing talent and they are just musically beyond the reach of 99.5% bands out there. It's a shame that metal music has gotten stereotyped as evil or devil music because there is so much phenomenal music out there that it would really expose people to a much more entertaining listening experience than anything on the radio.

STANDS ALONE!!
CC

 

[Louis Badolato]

Bang away my General and your soldiers will follow.....

What an amazing experience that must have been. They are just an incredible band with such amazing talent and they are just musically beyond the reach of 99.5% bands out there. It's a shame that metal music has gotten stereotyped as evil or devil music because there is so much phenomenal music out there that it would really expose people to a much more entertaining listening experience than anything on the radio.

STANDS ALONE!!
CC

I didn't even know that Maiden was still together. I would love to hear all of the songs you listed from the newer albums. Is Bruce Dickenson still the lead singer? Still Nicko McBrain on drums?

 

[Capitolron]

Since we are admitting being Toy Soldier Geeks

When I am building a diorama scence with my guys in my Large Curios - play the same music to enhance the whole effort

 

[Rob]

I agree, rather be a Toy soldier Geek than a Sci fi Geek,there are limits to Geekeness levels!

Rob

 

[OldDragon]

Amen to that!! At least we know something that really freakin happened!!

Oh my gosh

are you trying to tell me that Luke did not blow up the Death Star ... ?
and L' Emperur is still out there

OldDragon

 

[Fubar]

Okay, So who out there is going to help me with imaging the Napoleonic wars set to RUSH 2112 Overture?

FubAr?/?/?//?//?/

 

[Capitolron]

ME ! FUBAR - ME !

Bring up the Artillery

 

[fishead19690]

Okay, So who out there is going to help me with imaging the Napoleonic wars set to RUSH 2112 Overture?

FubAr?/?/?//?//?/

Great album!!! I love the classic early rush stuff but whats with that newer music they do nowadays???? Are these the same guys??? The last good album was signals and that was already a turn in a different direction but still a great album.

 

[Fubar]

Great album!!! I love the classic early rush stuff but whats with that newer music they do nowadays???? Are these the same guys??? The last good album was signals and that was already a turn in a different direction but still a great album.

FISH, I HAVE NO IDEA AS TO ANYTHING EVEN REMOTELY NEW. I HAVENT BOUGHT A NEW CD IN YEARS. JUST THE SAME OLD STUF.

WHEN WE USED TO PLAY MASSED NAPOLEONIC BATTLES IN 15MM I WOULD PLAY THE 2112 OVERTURE, REAL LOUD. JUST TO DRIVE MY FRIENDS NUTS WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO MANUVER THEIR DIVISIONS.
WE ALWAYS HAD SOMETHING PLAYING, 1812 OVERTURE, SOUNDTRACKS FROM GLADIATOR , WHATEVER WAS MOOD MUSIC.
I STILL THINK ONE OF THOSE YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF MASSED NAPOLEONICS CAVORTING AROUND IN DIFFERENT SCENES TO THE 2112 OVERTURE WOULD BE COOL. I JUST HAVE NOT A CLUE HOW TO GO ABOUT IT.

FUB

 

[fishead19690]

FISH, I HAVE NO IDEA AS TO ANYTHING EVEN REMOTELY NEW. I HAVENT BOUGHT A NEW CD IN YEARS. JUST THE SAME OLD STUF.

WHEN WE USED TO PLAY MASSED NAPOLEONIC BATTLES IN 15MM I WOULD PLAY THE 2112 OVERTURE, REAL LOUD. JUST TO DRIVE MY FRIENDS NUTS WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO MANUVER THEIR DIVISIONS.
WE ALWAYS HAD SOMETHING PLAYING, 1812 OVERTURE, SOUNDTRACKS FROM GLADIATOR , WHATEVER WAS MOOD MUSIC.
I STILL THINK ONE OF THOSE YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF MASSED NAPOLEONICS CAVORTING AROUND IN DIFFERENT SCENES TO THE 2112 OVERTURE WOULD BE COOL. I JUST HAVE NOT A CLUE HOW TO GO ABOUT IT.

FUB

Come on harold, give it a try go for it!!!! I can see it now, SAVING PLASTIC NAPOLEON!!!!!! It would be great to do one of those videos with lots of conversions to get actual movement of the figures with frame by frame shots like how a cartoon is made and use painted figures also and some better back ground scenery and then blow them all to hell!!!

 

[kilted vampire]

Saving Plastic Napoleon . I like it ! Done to William Tell overture and the 1812

I can see them now cavalry running over a ridge into the jaws of certain destruction and everlasting glory!!!