Question about bands...

detuned wrote:

metalinmyveins...that was a GREAT post!

Thanks, I read the initial post this morning, and then thought about what I wanted to say the rest of the day. I knew I had something to say on the matter, but wasn't sure how it was going to all come out.

Clearly tho bands like the Beatles and Led Zeppelin were and are so poplular that they could change style and experiment and oh instead of selling 3 million lps they'll move 2 or maybe 7 million....

Trully they might alienate a segment of their audience (i.e. Metallica) but last time I checked the Beatles and Zeppelin and 'Tallica still sell a bus load of back catalog... Tallica has already moved more than 1 million of Death Magnetic.

There have been several great posts here Ult and Metalinveins....

Of course Rush changed direction a bit after Moving Pictures and alienated a lot of older fans. My cousins who turned me onto 'em refused to even open his cassette of 'Signals' when he got it for Christmas that year.

Yet the guys in Rush have stated that that was the style of music they were all listening to at that time, just like in the 70's when they listening to Crimson, Yes, ELP and so on....

Personally I like the AC/DC and Iron Maiden approach.... I know what I'm gonna get most of the time.( 'Blow Up Your Video' and 'No Prayer for the Dying' anyone) They've had some misfires but I know what to expect...

To me it all depends on what I think of the sound change. Even if it is clearly selling out, if I like it, I'll listen to it and to hell with the naysayers.

I just now got around to reading all of metalinmyveins' post...this part rules:

Quote :

I tend to think in most cases there's more free
will among artists in the heavy metal community, so when they choose a
stylistic change, it for the most part is not met with open arms. Their
core audience (who are usually small) simply doesn't understand why
someone who they've been following since day one (when nobody cared
about them), is going after a bigger audience. I totally understand why
someone would feel that way, though it doesn't mean I agree with their
position. I think it's easy to be a fan of pop music, if one grows up
on that exclusively, because you accept wholesale change. Artists in
that genre are treated like cattle. With heavy metal it's always about
going against the grain, fighting the establishment, and staying true
to a cause. When those ideals change, and those groups become friends
with the establishment, those who have been faithful from the beginning
are let down. I think this is what makes metal heads so special,
because of the passion/gumption we exhibit. If we didn't have those
intense feelings regarding this genre known as heavy metal, then we
would all simply be pop fans.

Good observation...

Now days I believe the bands write what the labels tell them to and not really what's in their heart and soul. Its become a huge money machine and the money machine is failing now for the most part. Also someone mentioned earlier about the way radio was in the 70's and 80's which is true as well. Radio was ran by music lovers and not set on a play list that music directors make the DJ's play.