For months I have been asking Metal bands, fans, labels and promoters to join my site, Kingdomz X Extreme Arts & Entertainment, and it only dawned on me now that you have no idea who am, or why you should join. I’ll try and make this as brief as possible.

Born Patrick Chappelle, I have had many aliases, and currently go by the nomenclature of Thunderbreath (I’ll explain that someday, or you can ask). Back in 2007, I became homeless. While living in the streets, I taught myself to design websites, learning basic HTML (hyper text markup language). Eventually, I built my own site, the original Kingdomz X. It was a social network for activism, focusing on politics and social issues. It became successful, though my name exceeded that of my site. There came a point when I was asked to assist in building sites and social networks for others, and my knowledge of Web 2.0, coding and viral marketing expanded rapidly.

During the Fall of 2008, I began using applications developed by a company called Scripts4Ning. Legal issues between them and another company forced them to change their name, their strategy and product line. They changed their name to SiteSuites, but they continued to create the most unique and awesome social applications anywhere in the world. I contacted one of the founders and asked their permission to use the company name so that I could market their products my way. They gave me their blessing, and I immediately created and maintained their blog and Twitter accounts. To be honest, I have no way of gauging the effectiveness my assistance, I only have the word of one of the team that it positively impacted their business. 

Kingdomz X is hosted by a company called Ning, Inc. It is a platform where anyone can build their own social network, and they are at the forefront of their industry. July of 2010, they made drastic changes to the company (new CEO) and changes to their platform. Technical problems arose as a result of these changes, and the staff became overwhelmed trying to rectify these problems. Without really thinking about what I was doing, I began helping out. One day I received a phone call and was asked to join the Ning Council, I was flown out to California for a conference where I met the CEO and staff, Since then, it has been my task (and that of my cohorts) to test new technologies before they are released to the general public. Members of the Ning Council are not permitted to speak of our work to anyone, as we are bound by a nondisclosure contract.

The current incarnation of Kingdomz X is the third. Last year I reconnected with a friend and business partner whom I had published a graphic novel with in the 90’s, and quickly formed Kingdomz X Media Group. We began working on an animated series that would have utilized revolutionary concepts, and the focus of the Kingdomz X site changed from politics and activism to promoting the independent arts (film, visual arts, recording arts, etc,). After months of development, the whole thing fell apart. Despondent over the situation (and other personal matters), I buried the Kingdomz X name, the site (and all of it’s satellite connections).

Spring of 2011, I befriended a wonderful young woman by the name of Manda Pendleton at Facebook. She was a Metal promoter from Pittsburgh, and a genuinely great person. Watching her rally Metal fans, and inspired by her dedication to the music and culture she loved, I decided to resurrect Kingdomz X. Manda became my partner in crime at Kingdomz X, but unfortunately passed away recently at the age of 34 before we could set the world on fire with our site. Regardless of the setback of not having a competent administrator, my mission remains true. I intend to make Kingdomz X the Myspace or Facebook of the Metal world without the politics and bullshit those sites subject their members to. My corporate connections do not reflect my character, personality or philosophy. I wholeheartedly believe in supporting independent and underground Metal. I like to think of myself as Prometheus who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mankind. Kingdomz X offers you free what the corporate entities charge you for. It costs to maintain our site, and we subsist solely on donations and anything sold at our store. We receive no corporate backing.

Metal fans are always screaming “support the underground”, but they forget the underground includes social networks like mine. Yet, they support the corporate sites like Facebook. I don’t expect everyone to join Kingdomz X, but to choose a Metal social network that caters to us. There are some great ones out there. It will be an uphill battle changing the sheep-like slave mentality of the Metal community, but I will not cease my endeavors. The horns on my head are made of bone, not plastic.