United States

Seems like almost all the "bands seeking members" are "Metal," "Thrash," "Deathcore" and the like.

Are there any bands that make "pretty" music (melodic, rhythmic, etc.). I'm not talking elevator music. I'm talking Dire Straits, Boston, Styx, George Strait, Dr. Hook... music you can learn and tap your feet to.

Is all the money in the "metal" or "discordant" bands? Or have we all forgotten how to make music that is musical?

Let the flaming begin.

No, it's just that metal bands that have a higher need for replacement players!

Popular with the younger generation. Especially those whom feel at odds with the establishment much like we did back in the seventies when we packed out the arenas.
Country / pop country ( yuck ) is likely the big money maker in our area in comparison.
Walk into a bar playing "metal" you might find 10 - 20 tweakers . . . the rest will be outside spending their money on dope not music.
Meanwhile the pop country venues with a frightening regularity will pack in
+ / - 300 buying alcohol till closing time.

Things may well be reversed in the larger metropolitan areas.
But as for my "neck of the wood" the 20 something year old and up wannabe cowboys are the musical goldmine.

Check out Nightwish and various folk metal bands in Europe. You may have to start you own though - the US doesn't seem to have as much vigor in that department.

Talbot

Hair metal bands still trying
http://www.metalinjection.net/video/jac ... seat-venue

Elraque Yeah there are plenty of bands and musicians making good music but some cities just have a more diverse scene and larger numbers of musicians. Take Memphis for one... seems everything and anything musically is happening there.
No offense but you're in Orangville Utah... I don't imagine odds are in your favor. Small town and probably everyone knows everyone. Once you've cycled through the crowd you're back to square one.

Good luck in your search.

I guess I have a new tagline: "Have drums, will travel... "

In SoCal the ratio of Metal bands/Metal band gigs is about 1000/1 so it isn't pretty and there is very little money for gigs if that is your thing.

In SoCal the ratio of Metal bands/Metal band gigs is about 1000/1 so it isn't pretty and there is very little money for gigs if that is your thing.

Sounds like the "metal" bands are in it for the "art." Either that or every one of them thinks they are the ONE band that is going to make it really big on the metal scene and get the high dollar gig.

It's just a curiosity for me... I prefer not to play metal. Or elevator music. Or Celine Dion. Or the Bieb... I guess I'm an old fuddy-duddy relic from the country and rock days of the 20th century. I'm okay with that.

In talking with these guys, they are mostly all waiting for that big break into stardom and fame. Meanwhile their shows are filled with ticket sale fans like Mom, cousins, and girlfriends. I don't think that break is coming anytime soon.

They do spend a lot of money on gear, recording CDs, and pro photography so I guess it's good for the economy and hey, if they are having fun power to em.

It's really no different than in the past. I'm sure every hair-metal band in the 80's didn't make it. For every Van Halen or Ratt that scored a record deal, there were countless others in the scene that didn't make it. Same thing happened to the heavy metal bands of the late 80's and early 90's. For every Metallica or Slayer, countless other bands didn't make it.

It's really about influence; about what you're listening to when you're growing up, and learning your instrument. When I was growing up I was listening to Ratt, Dokken, Van Halen, so naturally when I got a guitar, that's the direction I went in.

Kids today are being brought up on Opeth and Cannibal Corpse. It's just where their influences are, so they gravitate toward that style when writing music.

I may not care for some of the music, but I'm glad the kids are playing.

for sure most of what has already been said.........
plus 99.999999999999999999999999999% of todays Generation either "CAN Not" or Just "Unable"
to play anything else?........
what I mostly call nowdays..."Slop-Metal" just fast "Bar-Cords" with 7 string Guitars.........
with "Hyper-Fuzz Distortion" with no "Definition" not like in the 60's 70's and 80's where if you heard
a Song or Band? you "Knew Who they Were or what Style"even for the Thousands "Unsigned" you heard a Individuality about them...?????? but not now...????????????????????

nowdays, you hear say linkin park? I can click off 100 bands that sound "Just like them" or someother band?
"EVERYONE" sounds the same...???
so I think they just are playing what they kinda heard most of?
Unlike like the Musicians of before 1995 etc. etc.(1435 to 1989 mostly) after that something "Changed"

It's the image, and your George Strait has the same hangup. George Strait did not just come in off the cattle drive. He does not work in the sun. There is absolutely no reason for him to wear big pointy boots and a big floppy hat. It's image, and the public falls for it every time.
I am from the south, so I pose the opposite question: What is it with all the country bands?

From the south eh? Well - country music led to Southern Rock, which is in fact, the genesis of Heavy Metal. (I'm not talking death metal growlers) Zak Wilde is a classic example. Metallica - you should see James Hetman play Waylon songs!

Metal is often more difficult to play at a technical level and I wouldn't say that using bar chords on seven strings makes the sounds. Those cats know their way around the finger board. However, just knowing how to start a car doesn't make you a driver.

The problem everyone seems to be talking about here may have something to do with production - my pal listens to contemporary country in his car and I swear it all seems to sound like the same band to me. Hair metal went that way and I won't even mention pop. All growler bands sound the same to me as well.

In the sixties / seventies you knew in two measures what band it was you were hearing - Stones, Zep, Airplane and yes, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Willie and so on. Even pop was better and the Motown sound was certainly unique - unlike today's plodding Rap efforts.

I think a lot of that had to do with them using different gear and being recorded without all the fancy, soul destroying techniques in the studio. And of course, they were raw, young and hungry. They didn't go into with preconceptions based on decades of YouTube and videos and boring articles on mixing sounds. They just cut loose and the ones that could get it done, got it done.

I also think, and it pains me to state this, that originality is way down in the US. i often find myself trolling the EURO markets for something that actually sounds like something I haven't already heard nine times. Particularly with metal - there is a requirement for some thoughtfulness in the songwriting (think Iron Maiden). Folks aren't so well educated these days and confuse 'guitar hero' with making music.

Talbot

What happened to TAngerine Dream and all the good music?

I swear if I have to suffer through another Hatebreed tune, I'm going to jump. lol (right into the kiddie pool)