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Topic: Article: "Why Country Bands Suck" |
Greg Simmons
From:
where the buffalo (used to) roam AND the Mojave
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Greg Vincent
From:
Folsom, CA USA
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Posted 10 Nov 2004 12:33 pm |
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| There are country bands??? |
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Greg Simmons
From:
where the buffalo (used to) roam AND the Mojave
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erik
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Posted 10 Nov 2004 3:00 pm
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| The article didn't load. The address bar does say the above title. |
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Greg Simmons
From:
where the buffalo (used to) roam AND the Mojave
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Doyle Weigold
From:
CColumbia City, IN, USA
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Posted 10 Nov 2004 9:05 pm
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| Greg, Maybe we ought to write an article to the editor of the Nashville Scene, about why columnist (Michael McCall) sucks. |
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Mark Herrick
From:
Bakersfield, CA
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Posted 10 Nov 2004 10:45 pm
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I thought he, and those he interviewed, made some very valid points...
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 11 Nov 2004 4:33 am
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| I'm not sure what his point was - he was comparing modern country bands of the magnitude of Emerson Drive and Rascal Flatts to rock bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Eagles? All of the rock bands he cited formed in the 60's, 70's or 80's. Have you tried to listen to modern rock bands lately? Please pass the asperin.... |
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Fred Shannon
From:
Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 11 Nov 2004 5:14 am
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[This message was edited by Fred Shannon on 06 December 2004 at 01:41 AM.] |
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Bill Llewellyn
From:
San Jose, CA
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Leroy Riggs
From:
Looney Tunes, R.I.P.
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Posted 11 Nov 2004 9:37 am
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| Quote: |
| ...the Scene interviewed more than a dozen of Music Row's top executives... |
It's interesting that Michael McCall went to the source of the problem trying to analyze the issues and problems. I don't think that the executives and producers are where the Scene will find objective analysis.
[This message was edited by Leroy Riggs on 11 November 2004 at 10:03 AM.] |
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Tom Olson
From:
Spokane, WA
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Posted 11 Nov 2004 1:08 pm
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The author simply doesn't know what he's talking about -- he's making stuff up to make his point, because he can't come up with any facts to back him up.
For example, the author says this in the article:
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| At a time when bands again are energizing rock 'n' roll and filling the sales charts, country music has fewer bands creating hits than at any time in the last quarter-century |
The problem with this statement is that the author fails to provide even one single fact to back up that statement.
Bands are again energizing rock'n roll and filling the sales charts? Really? I freely admit that I'm not an expert in the current music scene, but I honestly don't think I could name a single rock'n roll band that's started up in the last 10 years. Oh, wait -- I can. Audio Slave. But, then again, that band is made up of members from earlier grunge-rock era bands, so I don't think that really counts, does it.
Anyhow, apparently, the author can't think of any rock bands that have started up within the last 10 years either, because he certainly doesn't name any.
Another thing that bugs me about this article is that the author talks in circles. First he says there are no country bands like there used to be, then he says country music has always been set up so that bands can't make it in the genre.
Another thing is that I can't really think of many famous country "bands" either. When I think of famous country acts, I think of front men(women) with backup bands: Buck Owens, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, on and on and on.
So, I guess I don't even get his point  [This message was edited by Tom Olson on 11 November 2004 at 01:09 PM.] |
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Randy Pettit
From:
North Texas USA
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Posted 11 Nov 2004 9:06 pm
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| I thought the title of the article was completely misleading. To me, it read like more like a primer or "white paper" on the Nashville "Star System", which has always emphasized the singer and the song - not the backing musicians. It's always (and continues) to be that way with a few exceptions like Alabama and a few others... |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 11 Nov 2004 11:30 pm
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New rock bands being listened to by the new generation of listeners,
and yet still coming to my aging attention.
Oasis and Green Day are still around, maybe a bit old,
No Doubt / Gwen Stephanie, Good Charlotte, Rammstein, The Corrs,
Evanesence, Rage Against The Machine, Slipknot, Nickleback,
Linkin Park, Dido, Blink 182, System of a Down.
And Alanis Morissette can be quite rocky.
No there are no huge long term icons, or at least we aren't sure yet,
but to say the scene is un-energised is wrong.
Compared to :
Top singles :
1. `` I Wanna Talk About Me, '' Toby Keith. DreamWorks.
2. `` Love Of A Woman, '' Travis Tritt. Columbia.
3. `` Riding With Private Malone, '' David Ball. Dualtone.
4. `` I'm A Survivor, '' Reba. MCA Nashville.
5. `` Run, '' George Strait. MCA Nashville.
6. `` Where The Stars And Stripes And The Eagle Fly, '' Aaron Tippin. LyricStreet.
7. `` Angry All The Time, '' Tim McGraw. Curb.
8. `` I'm Tryin', '' Trace Adkins. Capitol.
9. `` Wrapped Up in You, '' Garth Brooks. Capitol.
10. `` Only In America, '' Brooks & Dunn. Arista Nashville.
Top albums :
1. `` Scarecrow, '' Garth Brooks. Capitol Nashville.
2. Soundtrack: `` O Brother, Where Art Thou? '' Mercury. (Platinum)
3. `` The Road Less Traveled, '' George Strait. MCA Nashville.
4. `` Pull My Chain, '' Toby Keith. DreamWorks. (Platinum)
5. `` Greatest Hits, '' Martina McBride. RCA (Nashville). (Gold)
6. `` Greatest Hits Volume III _ I'm A Survivor, '' Reba McEntire. MCANashville.
7. `` Set This Circus Down, '' Tim McGraw. Curb. (Platinum)
8. Soundtrack: `` Coyote Ugly, '' Curb. (Platinum)
9. `` What A Wonderful Christmas, '' Anne Murray. StraightWay.
10. `` I'm Already There, '' Lonestar. BNA. (Gold)
Mostly old tried and true names, and a few new faces... but energised.. I think not.
Sadly...
[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 11 November 2004 at 11:33 PM.] [This message was edited by David L. Donald on 11 November 2004 at 11:34 PM.] |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 12 Nov 2004 3:43 am
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Interesting read..
I do agree with him on the BAND thing..
t
[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 13 November 2004 at 12:34 PM.] |
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Nicholas Dedring
From:
Beacon, New York, USA
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Posted 12 Nov 2004 6:26 am
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| You know, I sort of think that there were probably lots and lots and lots and lots of really lamentably bad bands in the 60's 70's etc. who we don't remember; the stuff we remember can't be put in one hat and compared to modern product... they were the one in a thousand that stuck around and made some sort of real impact. For every Rolling Stones there were a bunch of hacks and corporate shills who we have suppressed our recollection of. |
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Tom Olson
From:
Spokane, WA
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Posted 12 Nov 2004 9:39 am
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Well, I guess if we really want to get to some facts, and compare apples to apples, let's look at the current Billboard top 20:
quote:
Top 20 Positions /Issue Date: November 20, 2004
"Title," Artist
Imprint | Catalog No. | Promotion Label
1. Over And Over, Nelly Featuring Tim McGraw Derrty-Fo' Reel/Curb | UMRG
2. My Boo, Usher And Alicia Keys LaFace | Zomba
3. Lose My Breath, Destiny's Child Columbia
4. Breakaway, Kelly Clarkson Walt Disney | Hollywood
5. She Will Be Loved, Maroon5 Octone/J | RMG
6. Just Lose It, Eminem Shady/Aftermath | Interscope
7. Goodies, Ciara Featuring Petey Pablo Sho'nuff-MusicLine/LaFace | Zomba
8. My Happy Ending, Avril Lavigne RCA | RMG
9. Oye Mi Canto, N.O.R.E. Featuring Daddy Yankee, Nina Sky, Gem Star & Big Mato Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam | IDJMG
10. Drop It Like It's Hot, Snoop Dogg Featuring Pharrell Doggystyle | Geffen
11. Let's Go, Trick Daddy Featuring Lil Jon & Twista Slip-N-Slide | Atlantic 11
12. I Don't Want To Be, Gavin DeGraw J | RMG
13. On The Way Down, Ryan Cabrera E.V.L.A. | Atlantic
14. 1985, Bowling For Soup Silvertone/Jive | Zomba
15. Dare You To Move, Switchfoot Columbia
16. One Thing, Finger Eleven Wind-up
17. Baby It's You, JoJo Featuring Bow Wow Da Family/Blackground | UMRG
18. Broken, Seether Featuring Amy Lee Wind-up
19. Lean Back, Terror Squad SRC/Universal | UMRG
20. Step, Ciara Featuring Missy Elliott Sho'nuff-MusicLine/LaFace | Zomba
Now, the question is: which of the above are rock bands and which are country bands?
To be honest, I can't answer that question because I've never heard of most of them. However, there appears to be quite a few "frontmen/frontwomen" as opposed to "bands" in the list.
--edit-- by the way, I'm not sure how Billboard came up with the "November 20" date. What are they doing, predicting the future?[This message was edited by Tom Olson on 12 November 2004 at 09:42 AM.] |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 12 Nov 2004 10:44 am
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Well there IS Tim McGraw guesting with Nelly.
beyond that there is not to much rock let alone country. |
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Chris Lasher
From:
Blacksburg, VA
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Posted 12 Nov 2004 10:45 am
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| by the way, I'm not sure how Billboard came up with the "November 20" date. What are they doing, predicting the future? |
Isn't there a rule of marketing along the lines of "Declare what you want to happen as if it's already happened"?
Some of those names on that BB list are hillarious, in a sad way.
I would like to call into question the following excerpt:
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| Budgets also are a factor in developing country bands. In bottom-line-conscious Nashville, rosters are much smaller than in pop and rock, so each new signing is chosen more carefully and investments are more tightly considered. "With a band, everything costs more," Gleason says. "When you go on a promotional tour, you're looking at more hotel rooms, more plane tickets, more meal costs, more clothes to buy, more hair and makeup people to hire. |
Correct me if I'm wrong, but road band members still require places to stay, transportation, food and sometimes ridiculous outfits if the diva requires them to wear them, last time I checked. About the only item that correctly would not apply are photo shoots--only the diva has to be done up and pranced about.
Also:
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| Country fans tend to be loyal to solo performers, not bands, mainly because it's easier to imprint the image of one person, as opposed to, say, five, onto the popular consciousness. Rock fans identify with rebellion and defiance. Country fans tend to see their stars as an idealized version of themselves; most want them to be heroes, not outcasts or outlaws. |
From Avril Lavigne to Ozzy Osbourne to Prince to Janis Joplin to Elvis, the Rock genre is littered with solo performers, too.
The author does raise some interesting questions in his article, but several of his points are moot or invalid. Additionally, he could have interviewed some of the successful bands he mentions for a different perspective to give his article a more complete look at the issue, and flesh out what does work to get onto Music Row as a band, rather than just stating, "Well, the system's against you." Most of us are well aware of that, but few know that there are ways to beat it, too.[This message was edited by Chris Lasher on 12 November 2004 at 10:48 AM.] |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 16 Nov 2004 1:22 pm
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He's right, though. These days, it all about the singer. Bands that have a personality are a thing of the past. It's much easier for a producer to mold a "star", and sell a line of bull to one person than it is to try and cajole five people with different personalities to do exactly as he says. Music today is all about the quick buck.
Back in the old days, it was more about just doing what you liked to do, and then hoping people liked it. Singers today will embarrass themselves to no end publicly, and do whatever "the man" says just to make it big. It's called "selling your soul for the almighty dollar".
Pity, isn't it? |
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Jerry Warner
From:
Charleston, West Virginia, USA
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Posted 16 Nov 2004 11:05 pm
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| where have all the good singers gone, they have tryed to put them out on pasture, these assholes singing today and calling it country and most of it is yelling if you call that singing these assholes don't know what singing is until they listen to george jones--ray price--merl haggard, mel street, mel tillis, george straight, connie smith, and so on. if most of these guys didn't have a first class band backing them they would sound like s*^t, so lets hear what you have to say on the subject, come on now! |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 17 Nov 2004 4:00 am
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| I think there may a fundamental difference in the reasons bands form nowadays. We used to get together in high school and play because it was a lot of fun, we were friends,and we shared interests in music - in my case, the Allman Brothers, Zeppelin and whatnot. Of COURSE we were all going to be rock stars - yeah right - but first and foremost we liked playing. I'm not sure if the trend hasn't shifted more and more towards capitalism uber alles, for example all the rock musicians who bought a cowboy hat and have infiltrated country as an investment. I know that even in the 60's, bands like the Monkees were assembled from total strangers by a manager intent on profits; I think this is now the norm for video-oriented pretty-boy rock and country bands? I used to play music with my FRIENDS, I think this is now a dead puppy. |
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Ray Minich
From:
Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra
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Posted 17 Nov 2004 1:52 pm
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Ain't no new voices been created like those of Jim Reeves, Patsy Cline, Billy Walker, Buck Owens, Dave Dudley, Faron Young and that genre.
Hats off to Mark Chessnut, Alan Jackson, & George Strait. (They keep PF busy too.  ) |
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Geoff Cole
From:
Marrara N.T. Australia
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Posted 21 Nov 2004 3:46 am
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That's right Ray,no distinguishable great voices leading their own bands on record.
Pretty much they all sound very much the same today. One time a single note and you could tell who was about to sing, sadly this has all gone. Will it ever return? I think not. |
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