Jump to content


Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

Facing the music (sort of)


skipclone 1

Recommended Posts

You know...

 

You can cut your hair...grow your hair...put on makeup...change your clothes...change your accent...go from youth to old age...

...but inside...it's always ...YOU.

 

Same thing with any music you write/play.

If you have to adjust/change it a bit to help it fit in more with what is being asked of you...

...as long as your music/playing has a strong/defined "soul"...it will always shine through no matter how much you adjust things. :thu:

 

I think it's better to TRY and see how far you can push YOUR musical soul into other styles/genres....rather than cling to something singular for fear of loosing your musical soul.

 

Some people call it selling out.others call it adaptability, image reinvention, personal growth.etc.

miroslav - miroslavmusic.com

 

"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Replies 44
  • Created
  • Last Reply
I think it's better to TRY and see how far you can push YOUR musical soul into other styles/genres....rather than cling to something singular for fear of loosing your musical soul.
Are young bands even allowed to do that today? It seems more like they're forced to conform to whatever flavor of the day is selling, and when the trend peters out they're left twisting in the wind, replaced by the new sound.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by Kramer Ferrington III.:

Originally posted by miroslav:

Some people call it selling out.others call it adaptability, image reinvention, personal growth.etc. [

Playing a lot of rap metal, are we? ;)
Far from it.

Why...is that something a rap metal person would say? :)

 

Or are you just bustin my chops 'cuz I'm not much a rap metal kinda' guy? ;)

 

Hey...you can do "classic rock" in a pure "classic rock" way 'til the cows come home...

...but you can also take "classic rock" and spice it up with some more modern/different flavors...

...and it really isn't "selling out".

miroslav - miroslavmusic.com

 

"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by Justus A. Picker:

I think it's better to TRY and see how far you can push YOUR musical soul into other styles/genres....rather than cling to something singular for fear of loosing your musical soul.
Are young bands even allowed to do that today? It seems more like they're forced to conform to whatever flavor of the day is selling, and when the trend peters out they're left twisting in the wind, replaced by the new sound.
Well...that may be the case for some...

...but I think also, that many new, young bands are just "one trick ponies"...and they don't have anything else to offer.

So yeah, once their trend peters out...they fade away. There's a LOT of those bands/artists.

 

If you are going to keep up with trendsthen you need to constantly reinvent yourself, but in a way where your true music soul is always maintained.

 

If you are going to be a trend setter/creatorthen you get to ride YOUR trend as far as it will go.

Some last a long timesome last a few months.

miroslav - miroslavmusic.com

 

"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by miroslav:

Or are you just bustin my chops 'cuz I'm not much a rap metal kinda' guy? ;)

No, I'm just wondering how far you're willing to go with that "adaptability, image reinvention, personal growth.etc." ;):D

 

Originally posted by miroslav:

Hey...you can do "classic rock" in a pure "classic rock" way 'til the cows come home...

...but you can also take "classic rock" and spice it up with some more modern/different flavors...

...and it really isn't "selling out".

No, of course not, and that's stuff that I would probably do anyway.

 

I was talking about following trends for their own sake. You know... all of a sudden a Death Metal band is on the cover of Q and Rolling Stone and so you ditch your piano playing lead singer who looks and sounds like the guy from Coldplay and you all start wearing leather and halloween makeup. THAT's selling out. Selling out, you know, trying to be like some band you hated until yesterday just because they're doing well.

 

Remember the White Stripes thread? How many of us are willing to BE a copy of the White Stripes for the sake of success?

 

The quote that started this thread was IIRC, about how musicians weren't willing to change and follow change. I'm asking how far we want to go with this change bizzo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by Kramer Ferrington III.:

I'm asking how far we want to go with this change bizzo.

Well...you take someone like David Bowie (OK, he is a true exception)...the guy reinvented himself so many times, in very extreme ways...and often he WAS the trend setter and a lot of other folks tried to be like him.

 

Of course...he was very comfortable in his chameleon skin.

There's lots of guys that would rather "die" (or worse, stop playing ;) )...than even consider ANY change.

 

So...would you say that Bowie "sold out" every time he made a very drastic change...?

Plus, with him, it wasn't like with Madonna.

He didn't just change his costumes...he actually redefined his music direction. :D

Of course, a lot of his fans felt he was selling outwhen he made a big direction change.

 

I dont think Bowie ever gave it any serious considerationand if he wanted to go from glam-rock to disco/pophe did it with conviction. He believed in his choices.

So while someone else may accuse you of selling out just because you use to play punk rock, and now you are doing dance/pop

hey, if it feels right, go for it.

 

But I do know what you are getting atthe blatant Well do ANYTHING to succeed! mentality.

Howeverif some local band realizes that big hair, arena rock is kinda played outand they reinvent themselves as a more current flavor

is that selling out or is that just being smart and having your finger on the music pulse???

I meanjust bangin away at that square peg even when the hole becomes round

is kinda dumb...even if you say Im, maintaining my artistic integrity by NOT changing.dont you think???

 

I really feel that most bands CAN do a good amount of adjustment/reinvention in order to fitto make it

WITHOUT losing their music soulwithout selling out.

miroslav - miroslavmusic.com

 

"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Keep in mind also, that the music itself is ONE part of what the guy was talking about-it also refers to those who hate networking, aren`t interested in music publications other than GP, think new music technogy is a bunch of B.S.-not cause they prefer vintage stuff but just can`t be bothered, write off all music other than theirs as crap-that sort of thing. The industry HAS changed. For example, people who don`t even play an instrument have gained amazing amounts of influence, there are new channels for getting music to the listeners, home recording is more sohpisticated than ever. What does all that add up to-I have no idea. But to sit in a cave and ignore all of it does seem pretty stupid.

Same old surprises, brand new cliches-

 

Skipsounds on Soundclick:

www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think there was an undertone in the original question about being business-savvy: taking advantage of resources and technologies. I think that a talented artist who understands business and marketing and the Web has a greater chance of success and of controlling their own career, more-so than an artist who cares only about the music and everything else be damned. Self-reliance is a great asset in today's music marketplace.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by miroslav:

Howeverif some local band realizes that big hair, arena rock is kinda played outand they reinvent themselves as a more current flavor

is that selling out or is that just being smart and having your finger on the music pulse???

The clincher is whether you WANT to change or not.

 

Put it this way... it's one thing to turn on the radio one day, be fascinated by some music you've never heard before and change styles because you're sincere about it. That's cool by me, and that's what all sorts of artists do.

 

It's something else altogether to say "everything seems to be going electronic, I've got this CW ballad here, but I'll chuck in 'some sampled crap' and get someone to rap whatever over a few bars". That's rather cynical and it's not exactly art.

 

 

And Bowie... well, Bowie was something else altogether. I liked the way he kept changing. And the Disco thing..? HE was even cool enough to pick the "right" disco. Bowie's fine by me. More than just "fine", actually :thu:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyone see David Lee Roth on Leno?? He was playing VH songs with a bluegrass band..

 

I enjoyed it cuz he looked like a dummy, but he is certainly out of his element. But the fact that he did it makes me think he rocks.

 

He just does what he wants.

 

The topic of this thread is tough analyze. There are lots of angles you can take. I think doing it your way is admirable. Copying others of trying to fit in just makes you another schmo. There are SOO many bands trying to jump on the bandwagon of whats big now.. Trying to fit in and copy someone else only makes you less likely to be noticed in my opinion.

 

If I see a polished band that can play a generic style, I am bored.

 

Being musicians maybe we aren't objective tho

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think today we're all kidding ourselves by thinking we can make it with chops and great playing.

I'll tell you a hard fact about the music industry today.

Here's what happens. A band will have a sound that the record companies want. They might win a battle of the bands for a record deal or whatever. In comes the band to record the song. The execs come in, tell the band that they own the song now, pay them whatever the deal was for. Then, either the band looks like they want, or if they're in their late 20s early 30s, everyone gets fired except who the execs think looks the part. In will come a handful of young 18-22 year olds to learn the songs. That band will then be created to go tour the album filled up with songs bought from some other non-marketable writers.

 

This is why even though people like Joan Jett still rock, their albums are import from Japan because the US record companies won't market people who aren't 'hot', as in looks. Obvious exceptions aerosmith, the stones. HUGE supergroups.

There's a couple killer bands from our area, one who tours regularly with BB King who will probably never 'make it' because they don't look like pretty boys.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/sixtoedkitty/Miaroxsig.gif

I've got my ship, and all her flags are flying. She's all the I've got left, and MUSIC is her name!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...