(NOT TO DO WITH GAMES)Why do most bands suck when they sell out?

[The Franco]

I find that when a band/performer stops having fun playing music, plays music just for money, and/or stops playing music to challenge themselves that it starts to become the bland, monotonous (for lack of a nonoffensive word) stuff. The first few Metallica albums are so good because the band played music to have fun, and really only made new albums as an excuse to go on tour again. But once Burton died, things went awry and they realized that this was a serious business.

But a good album to me combines some progressive elements with previous musical footing in order to try and expand the bounds of what that genre of music is typically known to sound like, think Iron Maiden's pretty yet rocking "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" album. But remember that experimentation also suffers from diminishing returns, see: The Mars Volta. Now, I don't want every band to be mathcore/grindcore/corecore (or whatever the hell the indie metal kids are calling things now) but some blend of progressive elements and melodies would be appreciated. My friend loves Jimmie Buffet and has a job doing covers by the pool at this high end yuppie resort, and he tells me that nearly every song is the same 4 chords. As a music nerd I just laughed and tried to walk away from that conversation without becoming pissed.

 

[Alphavillain]

Bands ALWAYS suck when they sell out because selling out means doing what you used to love (making music) for money rather than enjoyment.
Most bands that are even moderately popular go on to suck in quite a serious way, although not necessarily due to chasing the fat and dirty dollar (i.e., selling out). They are bands which just run out of things to say. Examples of these types of bands include U2, Pearl Jam, Metallica, R.E.M. (my own favourite band)...oh, there's too many to name. The biggest example must be the Rolling Stones, who made four awesome albums up to 1972, but have done very very little since, except go on endless world tours...and if anyone says "Some Girls" is as good as "Exile", well, you're a a fool to yerself.

 

[Copter400]

Post some examples here, and before you critise my music, I like rock, metal and nu-metal as the linkin park example shows.

Okay, I won't criticize Linkin Park, even though I think they're so boring they make me want to shoot myself in the foot.

I don't think that how much a band has sold out should be directly linked to the quality of their music, but I should point out that U2 has lost all its previous edginess in favour of joining the Steve Jobs Collective.

 

[Lukeje]

But a good album to me combines some progressive elements with previous musical footing in order to try and expand the bounds of what that genre of music is typically known to sound like, think Iron Maiden's pretty yet rocking "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son" album.

Before you start praising Iron Maidens prog efforts, try listening to some 'Queensryche', as they did it much better...

I would also like to point out that Dave Mustaine cowrote Kill 'Em All (before he was fired...)

 

[Rendellious]

Truly great bands, on the other hand will manage to consistently make great music even if they do change their style. System Of A Down, Rage Against The Machine, The Living End, Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Sublime, Nirvana...

omfg new album soon!
*regathers himself*
sorry about that

 

[Colton Caramihalis]

The lower the budget, the better the music.

 

[Logan Westbrook]

The lower the budget, the better the music.

I can bang pots and pans together while humming a cheery ditty for free, so by your 'argument', that would be the finest music in the world yes?

 

[cleverlymadeup]

The lower the budget, the better the music.

not always, you can make some pretty kick ass music with a big budget but it usually involves a symphony playing with the band

i mean to make good techno music yeah sure low budget all the way, for the cost of reason and a laptop you could make tons of hit techno songs, tho you might have to have a few samples of a girl moaning and saying "you know you want me" or something like that or a dude begging for sex, and you got a money making juggernaut in the dance scene

for rock, sometimes lower budget can make better music, definitely gives it a bit more raw sound with a lower budget but doesn't always make it better

 

[Logan Westbrook]

The lower the budget, the better the music.

I can bang pots and pans together while humming a cheery ditty for free, so by your 'argument', that would be the finest music in the world yes?

No. It would be you making an arse of yourself with kitchen utensils.

I resent that, I have a really nice hum!

Clearly I was being facetious, but to make such a sweeping generalisation just gets my goat.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

Personally I can't wait to hear Chinese Democracy. When an album costs $15 million dollars to make, you know it's going to be pretty overblown and full of pomp. Can't wait.

chinese democracy is the musical equivalent of duke nukem forever

not to mention all the good ppl left gnr and axel is a massive blue whale phallus

 

[Frosk]

I think the answer to the question is in the lyrics to the song "Hooker with a Penis" by Tool:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fIRo-UtdOU

I met a boy wearing Vans, 501s, and a
Dope Beastie t, nipple rings, and
New tattoos that claimed that he
Was OGT,
From '92,
The first EP.

And in between
Sips of Coke
He told me that
He thought
We were sellin' out,
Layin' down,
Suckin' up
To the man.

Well now I've got some
A-dvice for you, little buddy.
Before you point the finger
You should know that
I'm the man,

And if I'm the man,

Then you're the man, and
He's the man as well so you can
Point that fuckin' finger up your ass.

All you know about me is what I've sold you,
Dumb fuck.
I sold out long before you ever heard my name.

I sold my soul to make a record,
Dip shit,
And you bought one.

So I've got some
Advice for you, little buddy.
Before you point your finger
You should know that
I'm the man,

If I'm the fuckin' man
Then you're the fuckin' man as well
So you can
Point that fuckin' finger up your ass.

All you know about me is what I've sold you,
Dumb fuck.
I sold out long before you ever heard my name.

I sold my soul to make a record,
Dip shit,
And you bought one.

All you read and
Wear or see and
Hear on TV
Is a product
Begging for your
Fatass dirty
Dollar

So...Shut up and

Buy my new record
Send more money
Fuck you, buddy.

 

[windfish]

When people sell out, it means that they stop writing/performing songs based on their artistic decisions, and instead let record label executives (ie, people who are NOT musicians) make musical decisions for them based on carefully calculated observations on what music people can tolerate long enough to not change the channel/frequency, and takes no artistic risks. People like original bands with original sounds. When a band sells out, it betrays their experimentation for something static and stable, and ultimately boring.

It's not a sin for a band to change their sound. That's called developing. It is a sin if the decision to do so has nothing to do with artistic integrity and everything to do with money.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

All the good people left, then then the god that is Buckethead joined (and promptly left as well). I dunno, apparantly the songs are meant to be pretty good.

i tried to forget that black spot in buckethead's career, thanx for reminding me and undoing all the therapy i went thru cause he joined gnr

another primus tie-in they had was brain (the drummer) joined gnr for a bit

 

[Erana]

Almost everything that sells out is modified to better fit the needs of the masses. Even then, everyone has their favorites, and the negative connotation of, "Selling out," makes post-signing creations seem to eminate curruption.

 

[redstar alpha]

yeah it sucks when bands sell out. why the hell would they want to make more money? they should cocentrte on us the fans.
god! there so insensitive *goes and cries in the corner*

 

[Natural Hazard]

its not the fact that they suck, its just that most people can't except change, bands like to change their music, but most of the people who have been listening to their stuff since they formed, get pretty angry if they record differently just to note, bands generally do that to make money which i think they care about more than some shoddy fans opinion.