I'm going to see Paradise Lost on Thursday.
I started to hear Metal around 1988, as a cassette of Maiden's "Somewhere In Time" made its round in our classroom. Before that I was more the pop-type.
Since then a few bands joined, since I never really looked for something new.
Helloween, Blind Guardian (till 1997. "Nightfall In Middle-Earth" was the beginning of the end), Running Wild, Manowar, Apocalyptica, Rage (NOT against the machine). I also like some of the mainstream stuff like Linkin Park or Evanescence. Oh, and The Birthday Massacre (Gothic-Metal for Girls ;)). And the german language bands J.B.O. and Knorkator (both more on the funny side).
Some of my all time favourites: Black Sabbath's "Headless Cross" and "TYR", Blind Guardian's "Somewhere Far Beyond", Apocalyptica's "Cult", Metallica's "S&M" (although I never really liked Metallica except for the black album), Paradise Lost's "Icon".