General Music Chat

Slacker, this post really had me thinking:Musicians can follow the trends, or they can play what they want to play as musicians. Even if you follow the trend the odds are against you of making much $$$.

If I'm going to be a part of the Spinal Tap world of music, I might as well play what I want, rather than follow any trend...I don't do that so well anyways(follow trends). I believe if you stay true to your "brand" of music, then you'll last longer, or should I say marinade a lot better in people's minds.

Some people would think I was crazy if they knew of some of the offers I've had to be in different bands. Truth is, I didn't want to play what they were playing. First things I ask myself when I listen to a band who asks me to play is 1. do I like it? & 2. would I buy it? Most of the time the answer is 1.Yes & 2.No. If I'm not a fan then why would I play it? Really, what's the reason to play at all? For me, I have to believe in what I'm playing to dedicate myself to it enough to join in as a member. In order to make money you have to spend it, so I would rather risk losing $$$ on something I wanted to help create.

The key to staying out there is being the last one to leave in many cases. Bands often go through a series of members. Once you get out there and build a name, you need to be willing to stand behind it even if everyone else takes off...just find some new members. I mean,being in a band can be frustrating, and hilarious. Just recently I tooted my horn about forming a band. Well, I've been flaked on tremendously. So far, I've only jammed with one person. I have a drummer I've been sending files to, who I haven't heard from in two weeks and haven't met in person since he contacted me about 3 weeks ago. Isn't it ridiculous? I have a lot to laugh about from just the past two weeks. Why am I still looking at this point? Well, cause not only do I want to play, but I'm positive that if my next band gets even a decent small following then I'll be able to continue on if anyone leaves the band. Every band changes its members until the right ones decide to stick around. Every season requires pruning shears.

I think the 'sound the same' is partly because bands hear each other too easily and too much these days.
Intentional or unintentional cross polination.

Bands were much more isolated in past decades.

Not only are some bands really sounding the same, but some are deliberately taking album names and naming their bands, i.e. Bonded by Blood, Nothingface...etc.

Yeah, but bands sounding the same isn't new. I mean, look at the 50s with all the doo wop groups, then the 60s where there were all these Beatles knockoffs, then the 70s with the lame disco, then the UK invasion of the 80s.

Now, we have this new disco (which honestly, this is nothing but Europop, they were playing this same music with the same chord progressions in the late 80s overseas and the US (late as usual) is just now getting it 20 years later. Even in the late 70s and 80s, I hung out at the gay clubs because I'd have music like a year ahead of before the straight clubs would get it.

The music business has always capitalized on a trend and kept going with it until the next trend hits. The reason that it hurts so much now is at least back then, people bothered to sing, now they just run your voice through an Antares and most of the instruments are sampled and looped, so you really don't have to do any real playing.

However, there are some great indie bands out there. I listen to mostly undergrown indie artists who are very creative, they can play and they can sing.

The problem is the people (not you guys). The average music-buying public get on forums and bitch about this artist and that artist, how the music is sh*t now, but then they'll get suckered into buying what's on the radio. They won't bother to check out indie bands and if you come on and try to say "hey check me out" you get ignored or rudeness about how you're spamming their boards. Then when you play out your original material, you get these folks who want to come up and ask you to do a request, like you're a human jukebox, like that's the only time they can pay attention is because you're playing something they know. Me, I love listening to bands do their music because I wonder what they're gonna play next, and I wonder if I'm gonna like it.

Still, there's a lot of people who stay away from the mainstream. There are some bands out there who are doing well, but the world doesn't even know who they are.

Maybe one day, the world will get a clue, or then maybe it's a good thing that it's kind of underground and a secret.

Chaeya

I never quite looked at it that way. Suppose if I had lived in the 50's, I might be glad that, that scene for music was over...maybe not? I guess the reason I claim to see so many posers is because I've never seen so many in my lifetime. Also the fact that there's more genre's than ever in musical history and every style seems to be overplayed.

I would love to get turned on to some new Indie bands. Even the new internet media seems to be keeping the good ones from surfacing. I know they're buried somewhere. Lately, I've been checking out a lot of mid 70's Fusion that I've never heard before. This bassist that I jammed with last weekend is sending me something in the mail to check out. As a listener, I seem to be going back in time. Been listening to a lot of Woody Guthrie again.

@ Klugmo. Not a good scenario at all, but at least you are getting on with things. If there was one person, that I didn't think had their head in the clouds. It would be you Klugmo. Kudos, hope it works out.

I think that is a good point on looks. They are NEEDED these days. I think this is one area where we perhaps can all agree?
The market place, needs a look for it to be hyper successful, I think anyway.

Is anyone photogenic here?

I never quite looked at it that way. Suppose if I had lived in the 50's, I might be glad that, that scene for music was over...maybe not? I guess the reason I claim to see so many posers is because I've never seen so many in my lifetime. Also the fact that there's more genre's than ever in musical history and every style seems to be overplayed.

I would love to get turned on to some new Indie bands. Even the new internet media seems to be keeping the good ones from surfacing. I know they're buried somewhere. Lately, I've been checking out a lot of mid 70's Fusion that I've never heard before. This bassist that I jammed with last weekend is sending me something in the mail to check out. As a listener, I seem to be going back in time. Been listening to a lot of Woody Guthrie again.

Kru,

I agree with you and Klug. Selling your original material would be great. Playing music you didn't like in any band sucks.

I was asked to audition for a gospel band that was doing very well and was booked solid. They had about 4 albums out at the time and did a lot of touring for really good pay. They wrote good songs and were a pretty tight group.

After we jammed for about an hour they asked when I would be ready to go on the road with them. I said I wouldn't. They asked why. I said I didn't
like their music. It was funny because a lot of musicians had tried out before me.
The guys looked at me and said: "Could you be a little more to the point? I hate it when people beat around the bush." Then I had to explain that it was the style of music that I want to play, not the quality of their music.

Way too much piano. I don't care for all the unnecessary passing chords piano players want to throw in even when they don't fit.

LOL SLACKER, I feel your pain.

I just got done with a nice group of people that wanted a side project. They were tight, good musicians and team players.

I just can't stomach THAT female vocal setup and the TWANG is enough to make you want to drink the kool-aid that JIM JONES made.

To make things worse, the band leader was a hellava guy and even complimented my fractural guitar playing. He's a blues man down deep, that much is sure.

No, if you can't stand the heat get the hell out of the kitchen and what they were playing smells like roadkill surprise.

(I don't need no fork, thanx)

I have to say that I have never really explored the Blues genre much.
I have been listening to Gary Moore and man I want to learn to sing
that stuff in the worse way. I've been working on "I Need Your Love So Bad" and I am all over it. For me as a singer the trick is to sing it with
deep emotion from the heart as opposed to the Country stuff which is
texture and vocal acrobatics.[/b]

Just out of curiouslity, Klugmo, Why is there always a [/b] after all your posts Been like that forever

In the last 4 years I have turned down no less thean 7 well paying and/or touring gigs. I just can not (yet) bring myself to play something I do not beleive in. That is called a Job. I already have a "job". (Ok, I am more owner than employee now but still...) I play music for the sheer love of what I do. I will occasionally jam outside my own comfort zone because that is fun too... but when it is time to sit and write, I have to do that from the soul.

Very little of modern music allows that. I think i would have to develope a serious heroin habit if I were to be in a band like Nickleback or Saving Able or puddle of mud, and that is my choice. They are popular and by definition cater to the lowest common denominator.

Does this make me a superior artist? No, it makes me a picky bastard who is happy in relative obscurity having fun. So i did not get to tour, go to Japan Australia and Europe with that dance/pop/rap band that offered to pay all expenses and touring bonus. That also means I can tell my daughter to live for herself, and not choke on my own hypocracy.

Just my two cents.

I ahve been indie all my life and happy.

Just out of curiouslity, Klugmo, Why is there always a [/b] after all your posts Been like that forever

/b like a 4chan cookie?

That's my ultramegasuperundercoverinfiltrationinterceptorsotware[/b]

html (hillbilly typed markup language)

check your meds jimmy.
cofrontational lately.