Do bands sell out, or do some simply mature?

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   910chrisposted 12 years ago

   
   This is a question that I have been asked many times. I say the answer has a lot to do with the band itself. Like with a lot of things, every band is different. I would like to ask what are your viewpoints and answers to this question.

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      The Music Manposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      My favorite answer all time to "Did you sell out?" was given by Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich. When asked if Metallica sold out, he said, "Yes, we sell out every seat in the house, every night."

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         910chrisposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         To bad he helped put the nail in the coffin of Napster.

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            The Music Manposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            Agreed. lol

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   knolyourselfposted 12 years ago

   The nature of the business is sell-out.

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      Stacie Lposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Eventually everyone has to grow old and mature...acting like a 21 year old  kid ,gyrating your hips as a 60 year old bald man ,is not attractive!

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         910chrisposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         That's good stuff! Kinda like Mick Jagger.

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         couturepopcafeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Unless you have the moves like Jagger.

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         Pearldiverposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Oh tell that to the 20 - 70 year old groupies who think musos like Mick Jagger and Englebert Humpyadink are still worthy of patting their cats!

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   TheMagicianposted 12 years ago

   It doesn't completely depends on the band alone.
   
   When it comes to entertainment companies, they're (95% of the time) looking to turn a profit and squeeze a band's 15 minutes for all they can get out of them before needing to find a new act or totally revamping their image/style/genre. Like I said though, not EVERY label is looking to do this. There are quite a few who are looking to just share their music with the rest of society and are alright barely making a profit or just getting by (I'm more into the alternative, ska and punk scenes of music, and many small-scale labels that revolve around this music are of the good 5%, namely Bridge Nine Records). Either way, when record companies get so big, they HAVE to turn a massive profit in order to survive, so... just how it works, unfortunately.
   
   As for bands, they're another story, and can greatly be influenced by the record companies. Lots and lots of musicians start out just to make music and enjoy playing it, but after receiving attention and offers from major labels with promises of big bucks, it's hard for them to turn away. They might try all they can to retain their original image and sound, but more often than not they lose, in turn pissing off a lot of their fans. This happens a lot in the punk music world. Way too often.
   
   An example that comes to mind right off the top of my head is the band Against Me... you've probably heard their single on the radio a few years back called "Thrash Unreal", it's hard for anyone not to have heard it since it was played so much. They were an anarchist-punk band from Florida, and were one of the biggest bands in the scene, but in time they joined major labels who tried to change their sound. It began to work until they realized they were being changed, and left the label to pursue their own label to put their music out on. In the past couple of years they've gone from large label-funded world tours to self promotion and playing shows like they did 10 years before. I'm proud of them

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      910chrisposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I found them with their single "Losing Touch". They are a great band. It is very hard to find a band with a real message in there lyric's. "From her lips to God's ear" is my all time favorite from them.

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         TheMagicianposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         They're one of my alltime favorite bands, and you're right, it is hard to find bands with real messages in their lyrics. Thankfully they've got enough to spare   "Losing Touch" is favorite of mine. That album was during their more "label-oppressed" times, but oppressed or not, they've always had great music... even though their really early messages mostly just involved hating the government   They grew out of that though, reformed-anarchists

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   couturepopcafeposted 12 years ago

   Like most of us, "They started out so young and strong only to surrender."

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   TheHeavyReviewposted 12 years ago

   Yes, they sell out.  It's plain and simple.  Metallica are a prime example because they sold out after their most progressive album, therefore they didn't mature.  Another example would be Nightwish.  They used to play around with their song structures a lot more, but since "Century Child" they've used simpler riffs and poppy structures.
   
   Despite all that I've written, a true sell-out band is one who still tries to have crossover appeal.  Both of the bands I've mentioned still maintain heavy riffs, although they're extremely polished, which is an example of trying for a crossover appeal.
   
   My final point is that selling out doesn't make a band bad... it just makes them sell-outs.

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      910chrisposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, like Mudvayne or Korn, SLIPKNOT!! I get what your saying, and I think your right. At the same time, I do believe that some bands actually do mature, I guess like Blink-182 (or maybe they grew out of it) or even the deftones.  Some are in it for the money to begin with, so for some bands, they preemptivly sell out.

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         TheHeavyReviewposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I agree, lots of bands do mature.  Many of them mature before they sell out, which makes it even more noticeable.  I also agree that many bands are in it for the money to begin with.  I can't necessarily blame them, but they are sellouts to begin with.

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