Dave Matthew's drummer is like a machine, and in a technical sense he's one of the best drummers out there today... but again, he's a human metronome and that doesn't impress me very much. Phil Selway of Radiohead is a fantastic drummer, never loses the beat, but like the rest of the band he explores a bit while playing and doesn't sound like a recording. A lot of bands in the 90's were like that, but today, everyone just sounds like the CD because (A) they think the audience wants to hear that, or (B) it actually IS a CD (like Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears and all of those talentless people). Sad, but true: Music is dying right now. People have become too lazy to write good music (or even write it at all), and most of the non-musician people under the age of 20 today don't realize how great music CAN be if they spent their money on good stuff because they're too busy looking up naked pics on the internet and doodling with their ipods to give a dang. As was pointed out before, music isn't about talent anymore, it's all about songs about sex written by sexy people. Sex sells... again, sad but true. When was the last time you heard a guitar solo in a top 40 song? I'll bet it's been a while
That's because people don't care about musical content anymore... it's all about lyrics and flash. Our only real hope is that a talented band from yesteryear should release an album with market appeal that makes people realize just how crappy everyone else is. But that probably won't happen again in this decade.
I think there's a fine line between "raunchy awesome" live and "omfg what are they doing up there?" live. Some bands perform like the latter, but usually those are crappy local bands that you paid $5 to see and afterwards you're sour that they didn't print you a receipt. You know... the bands that rhyme every line with the word "love" and play with a "power-chord's till you puke" rationale. Radiohead, Sonic Youth, and even Weezer (before they sold out) all had that "raunchy-awesome feel", that feeling like you're in the studio with them hearing a song for the first time that you just happen to know all the words to. It's what seeing live shows
used to be like, before Korn and Limp Bizkit showed up and ruined everything. Even Green Day, who I absolutely despise to the tenth power, were really awesome live before they sold out a few albums ago. But money makes the world go 'round, and as long as record execs and A&R Reps have the notion that a band shouldn't play live unless they sound like a recording, that's exactly what we're going to have to put up with.
I agree with Saikoro. I don't think the number of shows a band has played live is a good determination of how talented the band in question is. But I do think it's extremely valuable in the experience department to play live, and arguably more important than recording imho. Without playing live, how can you tell if you suck or not? If you play a song and people clap, keep doing it. If you leave a show with glass in your hair and beer all over your instruments... well... in that case, I hope you still have your dayjob
I think the most solid advice I could ever give to any new band is this: Don't start imagining your "behind the scenes" video in your head until VH1 calls you and let's you know they're doing a special about your group. Visions of fame and grandure are good because they give you hope and inspire you to keep striving... but if it settles in too much and you start thinking "yeah, I'm gonna be famous," then chances are you'll end up being 40 living in your parent's basement working at some fast food joint and playing R. guitar for some crappy classic rock cover band. Okay, maybe that's a bit much... but you get the idea, hehe. That's just some advice for anyone whose reading this thread and saying "hmm, maybe I should start a band!"
And yeah Saikoro, I saw that Radiohead comment coming while I was posting the first one, lol. I can't help it if they're AWESOME
"In an interstellar burst, I'm back to save the universe"
