What happened to our favorite bands?

You've been there. You've told someone how you like some band, but only back then, when they were good. What's one of your favorite bands that really turned around into an awful one that you are embarrassed to say that you listen to.

There's a little bit more if you click "Read More"


{And really, how often does a band or musician go from unlistenable to one of your favorites? It doesn't happen much. It usually goes the other way, which is a shame. It's like they run out of ideas and are just trying to force them out.}

Where did country music come from...

...and why is it so popular amongst everyone that I come across? Is it just because I live in the Midwest and not on the coasts? It's really aggravating. I don't understand how the same music can be remixed over and over again and still be appealing to people that listen to it. That's basically what country is: the same G C D combination that's existed from the beginning of country music's existence (with a weak little solo thrown in occassionally). Please tell me why when I listen to the radio, all I can find is country with an easy listening station here or there.

The Tragedy of the 9 Volt Cell Battery

Shouldn't merchants be required to say that a bass requires a 9V battery before you purchase it? I bought a bass awhile ago and much to my surprise, the sound quality kept getting worse and worse. I thought it was just because it was a bass plugged into a guitar amp. I was starting to wonder if I got ripped off. Had I spent all that money just so the thing could f*&% up on me? I knew just a little about bass guitars when I was buying. I certainly didn't know they needed a battery to help power the electronics. Today, I decided to open up the cover on the back to see if there was a wire loose or a dead mouse in there clogging up the works. As soon as I took the plastic piece away from the back, there, staring up at me, was a bright green battery with Asian words all over it. (Sorry, I don't know the difference between Asian languages.) The tongue test revealed that it had no power left. I would like to start a movement, I don't know if anyone's with me on this, that requires musical instrument sellers to tell you whether or not your potential purchase must have a battery to operate properly. If anyone is with me, please sign up below.

Does a woman lead sell music?

Coming home from work tonight, I was listening to the radio because I left my CD's at home. Because a local radio station is promoting its fall concert (X Fest), they decided to play a song from one of the acts that will be performing (albeit on the second stage). The song was from Megan McCauley. I thought she and her band sounded way too much like Evanescence. I don't even like Evanescence but they should be kind of pissed. Which brings up a point: Evanescence and that guy from Seether had a duet. Are Megan McCauley and the guy from Weezer going to make one also?

Read on-->

Sorry. I just feel that female lead singers are often just put there to fill a role. All-woman bands are never really interesting. I don't know why that is. Besides the fact they sing about love too much, they don't really seem to make their own style. The only thing that sets them apart is the vocalist. As a musician, I don't think the vocalist should be the only thing that makes a band. Out of all the great bands and musicians, how many have had a woman lead? I'm not saying that girls are terrible. Many women are great at singing. They have such rich and beautiful voices. Their place shouldn't just be in pop or country or christian. But I think they need to try stylistic differences. Courtney Love is the prime example of a terrible lead woman. A lot of song ideas she stole from Kobain (who I don't like at all by the way).

If a band with a woman (that plays her own instrument) emerges that has a distinct and very musical style, I would gladly take a listen and have absolute respect for them (and her as well). But because they so often use status quo musical styles, I try to stay away as often as I can.

Re: Comment in "Scorpions"

As I'm writing this, I'm listening to Dream Theater, a band my former music instructor introduced me to. Anyways, I am sure there are good bands around today, but they are so hard to find amongst all the rap, pop, country, and christian stuff out there. I personally think that most major label bands are conforming to a formula of playing music that was developed from the 60's through to the 80's and ended in the early 90's. A lot of stuff I've heard on the radio sounds like lesser known bands of the early 90's. Unless a band is seen as a money-maker, record companies don't even bother anymore. To them it's about getting more $$$. So most bands are forced to try to promote through independent or small labels and that is very localized. A person could go through all the local music they want and not find what their looking for. Yet they don't know that a couple hundred miles away there's a band that plays exactly what they want to hear.

What I want to know is: where is the progression in music that happened so much during the late middle part of last century? We seem stuck. I mean, rap basically is the same stuff it was at the beginning, just with more bass, but is the most popular form of "music". You can create whole records of rap on your computer. Here's something I wrote in a comment on my first post to this site:

What if the future of music is without human interaction? What if it's just a computer that receives input on what is popular, creates songs, and then spits them out to cd for release to the public? A terrible future that would be.

When I thought of that, it started to scare me. Musical abilities are becoming fewer. Few aspire to be the next great guitar, bass, or drum player. Practically no one wants to play the classical styles of instruments, which makes me believe that as soon as the current players age, there will be less orchestras across the country. I think it was competition that drove the faster and harder styles of the past bands and that competition is basically dead because no one can hear that fast anymore. It doesn't turn people on to hear great musicians. And that is almost depressing.

But, there are those people out there still working hard even though there's virtually no chance these days of finding a good way to get your name around. I just wish I could find them and go to a good show.

Scorpions

Does anyone know anything about the Scorpions? How do they relate in your mind to other bands of the era? I just found this CD of them (unopened) and decided to listen to them. I thought they're pretty good. Not the best ever, but certainly not bad. Better than what we have today.

I have other questions: What about metal bands? I've been interested in the history of metal lately and have been wondering: what are some good true metal bands? (Not hair metal. I hate that stuff.)

Example of a Good Music Article

Here's something good about a "musician" that I can't stand.