New band, old name
Metal Mark's post about the Rocklahoma nostalgia fest got me thinking about how so many of these bands continue on in name only with only one original member or proceed without a crucial member. One or both of two things can be true here:
I suppose the fans who fall for the former get what they deserve. I'm not a big fan of laissez-faire economics, but at some point you do have to say, "Let the buyer beware." That doesn't let these bands off the hook, it just means that their fans might deserve them if they can't tell the difference between real and fake when it's that obvious.
The fans of the latter could be excused under the "guilty pleasure" rule. The bands will just have to live with the fact that they suck, which I'm sure many have been in denial about for years.
This trend seems to be a particular problem for hair metal. I suspect it's because maybe more than any other genre, hair metal wasn't about music and soul as much as it was about makeup and hairspray.
- The latest version of the band is a disingenuous attempt to cash in on past success by fooling fans who are willing to be blinded by nostalgia. (I suspect Bang Tango and Faster Pussycat are good examples of this from the lineup Mark posted).
- The original version of the band wasn't that good in the first place, because members are interchangeable with other musicians meaning there there was no real chemistry in the first place. (I'd think the Bulletboys are the best example from the lineup).
I suppose the fans who fall for the former get what they deserve. I'm not a big fan of laissez-faire economics, but at some point you do have to say, "Let the buyer beware." That doesn't let these bands off the hook, it just means that their fans might deserve them if they can't tell the difference between real and fake when it's that obvious.
The fans of the latter could be excused under the "guilty pleasure" rule. The bands will just have to live with the fact that they suck, which I'm sure many have been in denial about for years.
This trend seems to be a particular problem for hair metal. I suspect it's because maybe more than any other genre, hair metal wasn't about music and soul as much as it was about makeup and hairspray.
posted by bob_vinyl at 10:58 AM
3 Comments:
Another part of the problem is some of these guys have to hide behind the band name or they won't get a record deal or sell, many albums or get booked at as many venues. Vince Neil or Stephen Pearcy have had record deals and cut albums under their own name. However Joe Leste or Marq Torien can't sell on their own so they have to go by the band name of Bang Tango and Bulletboys. This isn't anything new though. In 1985 Tony Iommi had a record deal with Warner Brothers and he recorded the Seventh Star and was going to release it under his own name. Just before release, WB told him they thought it would sell more if it had the Black Sabbath name on it so it did. In 1987 Twisted Sister were pretty much through. However Dee Snider was assured by Atlantic Records that he could record a solo album for them. He hired a pre-Winger Reb Beach to play all guitars and bass and a guy to program a drum machine. He recorded Love is for suckers, but the label said they wouldn't release it unless it was a Twisted Sister album. So Dee had to get the band members back and it was listed as Twisted Sister despite the fact that only Dee played on it. Last year there was a bill of Bang Tango, Adler's Appetite and Faster Pussycat. Joe LeSte sang for Adler as well as Bang Tango. That's kind of like he sang for two cover bands on the same bill.
Oh, good point about the Bulletboys because even in their "prime" they were just a copy of Roth-era Van Halen. The Faster Pussycat name is still being contended by the Taime Down side and the Brent Muscat side. LA Guns have two versions and both will be touring this summer.
Oh, the version of LA Guns without Tracii has a guitarist named "Stacey Blades". Glad they didn't do something stupid like try to give their guitarist a name similar to "Tracii Guns".
I remember that about TOny Iommi. That's a good point about the labels, especially if there's the opportunity to be on a major. But with the smaller, more specialized labels, I'd think these guys could get deals since they market to people who would know htese guys by name already. Bands make most of their money on tour, so I think these guys are trying to cash in on the name to get a few more people at the show. I liked Bang Tango, but I wouldn't have immediately made the connection to Joe Leste, because I haven't followed them after Dancin' on Coals. I'd remember Bang Tango and, if I thought it was something close to the original band, I might even think about going to the show. That's why it's so misleading.
Nice one about LA Guns, by the way.
Post a Comment
<< Home