DISCLAIMER: This is a thread about what you think the music industry is becoming today.

First, I will start my thread with a poll.

I miss the days of bands like Rage Against The Machine, when even bands that weren't entirely mainstream were widely popular. I miss bands like RATM that put so much energy and emotion into their songs and performances and wrote songs that had real meaning in them.

Take Papa Roach for example, in the days of Infest they wrote songs that had meaning like "Between Angels and Insects," "Infest," and "Broken Home." I still listen to those songs to date. Now that Papa Roach has released commercial success they have stopped writing songs with any real meaning like that.

So, who do you think is to blame, consumerism, or the record labels themselves?








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"A cult is a religion with no political power." - Tom Wolfe

Eventual Acoustic/Ambient/Stuff band

whenever I think something like that I'm comforted by the fact the crap is universal, there was horrible music before me and in all cultures and it will exist after I'm dead. The reason's are many though the main driving force is money, once you have companies that come in and buy record companies because they see them as good ways to make money as opposed to finding great artists to record this sort of thing happens, history repeats itself and so eventually we will find a backlash (internet, corporate fraud, civil war, etc.) in some form that kills off what is going on and after awhile poeple will get tired of that and we'll be back to where we are.








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M.U.S.I.C.- Make up something interesting and complementary- Neil Peart

Without music, Life would be an error- Friedrich Nietzsche

I let lose with my prickly and curmudgeony opinion regarding this subject on this thread
http://www.drumsmylife.com/viewtopic.php?t=3157

I will try to keep this brief (although you have opened up my favorite topic to bitch about)

The present generation of the coveted 18 to 34 demographic probably has more disposable income than any other generation
Due to digital information gathering techniques, techniques, the recording industry can tell you pretty much everything it takes to get them to buy
Since this generation consumes information at an accelerated rate, trends are accelerated as well
After they are used up, they are quickly thrown away (would any band dare to call themselves GRUNGE right now?)
Since culture has become so disposable, record companies will squeeze the juice out of any and every genre until it is dried up and useless
If you cannot change for the latest trend, you will become a tax writeoff
The problem is, the contract you signed means that they still own you even if they can't use you

The good news is that the internet also levels the playing field as far as accessability goes
Yeah, MySpace is cheezy, but I have found tons of artists and fans who will appreciate the very specific genre I occupy
You would never have been able to reach those people before without a lot of advertising money

Botom lne is this
We will always have to suffer through crappy trend hopping bands because that's what makes it on the radio and on TV
Word of mouth and constant touring (yes, you still have to tour) is what will make you a success
If you still wanna be a rock star, then you have my sympathies








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You say irritant, I say catalyst

I completely agree Rocklua.

That crazy emo trend has kicked in and caused many of my favorite bands to go that way. This has also caused political and meaningful music to lose its edge in ways. Hopefully the reforming of bands like RATM will help amend that.

The process you mentioned has also mad it extremely difficult for any speed metal (my favorite genre) bands to even be considered today.

Whatever happened to music being an art form?








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"A cult is a religion with no political power." - Tom Wolfe

Eventual Acoustic/Ambient/Stuff band

Don't get me wrong
I don't think the music industry is TOTALLY co-opted
Local and grass roots music scenes are thriving in every city
Here's how you can stick it to the man
-If there is a community radio station in your town, listen to and support it when there are pledge drives
-Buy music direct from the bands you like (if you can't, they're not really indie)
-Don't buy music from national artists (the artist barely makes any money off the CD, the record company gets most of that-Artists make most of their money through tourng and merch, so go ahead and buy that T-shirt)
I never feel guilty about burning a CD from someone on a major

The bottom line is that you give money to those who need it
The little guys are the ones taking all the chances and living very slim to do it








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You say irritant, I say catalyst

I believe that many of the record companies mold and shape their artists to the music trend that's "In" at the moment, that is if the artist doesn't have unique & innovative writing abilities. Because most of the corp big wigs are only concerned with the money aspect of the biz. They are the one's corrupting the music scene, and reason for what is currently happening in the biz, a serious overflow of emo crap. Don't get me wrong, I do believe some of these bands are or could be capable of better things, music wise, but the record companies are taking the freedom of creativity from the artists when it comes to writing the music. Record deals are all too tricky in today's time. Its difficult for bands to even start earning an income from a label, because of the whole recouping issue. Many bands claim that they never even recoup from the initial advance that they receive when they first sign. Just some rambling.........








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Pearl Drums
Pork Pie Snare & Throne
Evans EC2 Coated, EMAD 2 & Aquarian High Energy
DW Pedals & Pearl Hardware
Zildjian A Custom & Wuhan
25" Vintage Ludwig Timpani
Vater 3a Fatbacks NT & Ahead

LadyThunder wrote:

I believe that many of the record companies mold and shape their artists to the music trend that's "In" at the moment,

Many bands claim that they never even recoup from the initial advance that they receive when they first sign. Just some rambling.........

a close 'friendband' of ours had the very thing you describe happen to them, as far as being molded/forced to go in the direction the label insisted.
It eventually killed the band as they either didn't want to or couldn't provide what the label was looking for. One album, a major tour, then it was all over.

My band has refused several label contracts because of the other factor you mention; they want to 'give' you all this money upfront, but it's really just a loan you'll possibly never be able to pay back. A typical record label contract is basically indentured servitude and is hopefully becoming less necessary.








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analog missionary
M=yspace

TheYardstick wrote:

I completely agree Rocklua.

That crazy emo trend has kicked in and caused many of my favorite bands to go that way. This has also caused political and meaningful music to lose its edge in ways. Hopefully the reforming of bands like RATM will help amend that.

The process you mentioned has also mad it extremely difficult for any speed metal (my favorite genre) bands to even be considered today.

Whatever happened to music being an art form?

[list=]

Oh! speaking of emo i found this awsome vid (cant find again or ide post url) But basically it has a part in it where this emo girl sees some chalkboard dust and says,"You know... Every time i see chalkboard dust i think about how many times love has been erased." HAHA....

I dunno why I posted this, but it made me laugh I thought someone might appreciate it.

The end[/list]








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Falling down the stairs at the age of five was my first drum solo.

"They arn't dirty pants dude... That film is a protective barrier from all other bacterium" Quote from my roommate approx 1 month ago.

I'll say my opinion on that comes to money. Back to that selling out thing by the band or musican. They must want the money more than they want to stay true themselves in life and in music.
You have to understand what a producers postion is....he gets to pick from the puppets on stage with how much money he can make by having his hand up thier a$$es at the FOREFRONT of his mind.
Producers are usually in that postion of power because they can find and create things err music that sells to the very short attention spanned consumers.
Nothing that isn't overly hyped in the media doesnt seem to catch on very well and or when the media finally catches on to a new trend and embraces it thats when "it must be ok."

Bottom line do they alienate themselves and the music that they want to do and listen to the producer to make $$$ and possible lots of it.
Or do they maintain who what they are musically and maybe make nothing.

What would you choose?

TheYardstick wrote:

DISCLAIMER: This is a thread about what you think the music industry is becoming today.

First, I will start my thread with a poll.

I miss the days of bands like Rage Against The Machine, when even bands that weren't entirely mainstream were widely popular. I miss bands like RATM that put so much energy and emotion into their songs and performances and wrote songs that had real meaning in them.

Take Papa Roach for example, in the days of Infest they wrote songs that had meaning like "Between Angels and Insects," "Infest," and "Broken Home." I still listen to those songs to date. Now that Papa Roach has released commercial success they have stopped writing songs with any real meaning like that.

So, who do you think is to blame, consumerism, or the record labels themselves?

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"It is far more impressive when others discover your good qualities without your help."

At least we still have Iron Maiden! But you know, for a few months Dragonforce was my second favorite.. until they started becoming crazy and this newer album came out... it is disgusting... they seem to WANT the scene/emo fans more....








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I play drums with the following items: Tama Superstar SK Hyperdrive, Sabian, Paiste, Aquarian Heads, Vic Firth sticks, and Latin Percussion. Nicko McBrain(Iron Maiden) deserves FAR more respect than he recieves!!!