A Bands Image

Image does play a huge role with me. What really slays me is when I see the band and then hear the music and it doesn't line up. Alot of country stars now look like rock stars a few years ago and some of the rock stars now look like country artist from the 60's...kinda confusing.

Generally no, I usually could care less. The exceptions are many of the newer bands being churned out, namely the XM Radio friendly types that either look like crybaby Emo poets or are doing their best Eminem impressions. I cannot take a band serious when they're wearing girls jeans, hoodies with some effeminate combover covering their eyes nor can I take a band seriously when they're sporting baggy jeans hanging below their a**es, backwards ballcaps and wifebeaters.

Although on the plus side when I see a band looking like that there's a 90% chance they're some lame Core band that I wouldn't be interested in anyways and now know to avoid.

a few examples of what I mean:

[quote="Phoenix Reign Drummer"]

Quote :

Since I heard how big Kiss got after Alive came out I always wondered why? What was just so great about that album that made them so popular after all that time? All those songs were on the previous albums so why didn't take a live album to make them popular?

The biggest reason Alive hit was because of the cover. That cover defined the band and gave perspective buyers a glimpse into what the band might sound like. The first two covers left big question marks. The packaging was fantastic for Alive and jumped out at you in the record store and in the mid-seventies that was super cool. The second part of the success was what Eddie Kramer did for the band's sound. The album sounded great and had an energy that echoed the cover. Word of mouth at that point took over.

[quote="wmcollis"]

Phoenix Reign Drummer wrote:

Quote :

Since I heard how big Kiss got after Alive came out I always wondered why? What was just so great about that album that made them so popular after all that time? All those songs were on the previous albums so why didn't take a live album to make them popular?

The biggest reason Alive hit was because of the cover. That cover defined the band and gave perspective buyers a glimpse into what the band might sound like. The first two covers left big question marks. The packaging was fantastic for Alive and jumped out at you in the record store and in the mid-seventies that was super cool. The second part of the success was what Eddie Kramer did for the band's sound. The album sounded great and had an energy that echoed the cover. Word of mouth at that point took over.

Interesting....

Quote :

I do see some bands these days and they look like the geeks that got beat up in high school when I was in school and I wonder when it became 'cool' to look like a nerd. Just a confession of an old guy I guess.

Yeah, I never quite understand the whole nerd-rock thing. Rock 'n' roll was always about bravado, about toughness. Then the 90's happened.

I don't even want to comment on all that weird Emo trend that is going on now, the "hair over one eye" and looking like you get beat up every day. The whole Screamo-, Emo-, Whatever-core scene where the 'singer' screams and cries while the guitarrist sounds like he penetrates a cat. It's a weird hype, it will go over.

I think a certain image is important to reach the masses, i don't think that metal bands necesserarily need to have long hair and leather clothes but something that makes them special. Like Iron Maiden and in the 80's their great album covers and of couse Eddie.
KISS stood out because of the face-paiting. Alice Cooper got famous because of the stage show (same as W.A.S.P. later) and Jethro Tull became known for the stage behaviour of Ian Anderson and his flute.

I don't care about the look of musicians, they can look like crap or a bad joke as long as they make good music...i don't give a smurf poo. Halford and Judas Priest completely overdid the leather look to a point where they look like a caricature but that doesn't take away anything from the awesome music they created.

when i hear dudes who came up with the whole 80's metal scene talking about how geeky & weird metal guys these days look it makes me laugh.

JaguarBlaze wrote:

Yeah, I never quite understand the whole nerd-rock thing. Rock 'n' roll was always about bravado, about toughness. Then the 90's happened.

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