[Music] An open letter to Pop bands: Please stop pillaging Post-Punk/New Wave

[enjoi]

As I've been listening to more pop music lately, or just hearing new bands from my friends who think they listen to independent music a few names have come up.

She Wants Revenge
Head Automatica
Angels & Airwaves
The Killers
etc.

Now i have no issue with being indebted to the people who came before you. of course I can't I'm a fan of hip-hop otherwise I would be a hypocrite.

But please... PLEASE INNOVATE A LITTLE! It doesn't have to be a lot. Pillaging the sounds of the days past is okay every once in awhile but if you don't innnovate the whole music scene will become stagnant, and then who will you pillage? She Wants Revenge is an album essentially full of Joy Division covers. Daryl Palumbo (who had a good hit with Dan The Automator for Head Automatica - Decadence) totally shot himself in the foot with Popaganda, a mediocre attempt at covering Elvis Costello circa 1980. Angels & Airwaves is just a combination of U2, New Wave and Prog Rock. The Killers might as well have called themselves "We cover XTC all the time!".
What really sadens me is when I've been told by these same "indie" people stuff like: "Hey you know if you like She Wants Revenge I just heard of this other band called Joy Division, they're like the british She Wants Revenge!" HA HA :banghead:.

I'll be honest, I like The Killers. I liked Head Automatica - Decadence... but I'm starting to notice a trend in music and its just stealing what the independent artists do, dumbing it down and pushing it out for mass consumption. Which is essentially what pop music is but what happend to the days of real soul music? What happend to the Do it yourself damn em all feeling and ethics of punk/post-punk? Why won't pop bands INNOVATE. Theres a whole slew of innovative popular bands so the excuse that it won't sell is simply false.

this article is just my opinion and you are welcome to share your opinion its just to start a discussion

[livin4lax09]

i used to like the killers as well. then their music got boring to me. check out the lovemakers. they sound a bit like the killers, but I find their music to be much more interesting. plus, it's all about lovemaking. haha.

[enjoi]

i used to like the killers as well. then their music got boring to me. check out the lovemakers. they sound a bit like the killers, but I find their music to be much more interesting. plus, it's all about lovemaking. haha.
Yeah...

My point is that these people are just doing covers essentially of every post-punk/new wave group I've come to love.

Its dis-heartening to know bands can't come up with something original, and when they do they are not given the grammys, some schmuck Kelly Clarkson is given a grammy for some mediocre power-pop.

[livin4lax09]

yeah its a shame that our media culture focuses on the same mindless crap over and over. that's my whole reason behind never listening to the radio. If I am without my ipod, i will go in silence. But after a while, you have to realize it becomes kind of hard to make something completely new and original. I mean, it's possible, but it gets harder and harder. and the fact is, a lot of bands out there are just out to make the buck.

[roycegracie47]

yeah its a shame that our media culture focuses on the same mindless crap over and over. that's my whole reason behind never listening to the radio. If I am without my ipod, i will go in silence. But after a while, you have to realize it becomes kind of hard to make something completely new and original. I mean, it's possible, but it gets harder and harder. and the fact is, a lot of bands out there are just out to make the buck.
When it gets to that stage there is always NPR...

"Hey you know if you like She Wants Revenge I just heard of this other band called Joy Division, they're like the british She Wants Revenge!" HA HA .

I think if I had heard that in person I would have to slap some sense into the speaker of said quote. There are too many bands like that today claiming to come from those roots but without the actual substance...The Bravery comes to mind...

Oh art rock, where have you hidden thyself?

[BTlaxripper]

The Bravery makes me want to vomit.

Seriously.

It's like they aren't even original enough to rip off a talented group, so they rip off a rip off (Nine Inch Nails and The Killers comes to mind).

And then they throw in a bunch of pseudo-goth-glam.

Excuse me while I lift my head from the toilet bowl.

[roycegracie47]

The Bravery makes me want to vomit.

Seriously.

It's like they aren't even original enough to rip off a talented group, so they rip off a rip off (Nine Inch Nails and The Killers comes to mind).

And then they throw in a bunch of pseudo-goth-glam.

Excuse me while I lift my head from the toilet bowl.
My friend Sean's band opened for them at the Ottobar in Bawlmore before their major label debut and we are still demanding our $10 back as well as to know why were weren't included as +1 on the guess list. I spent the entire show with my friend Sanden making fun of the bassist's pompadour and and his "too cool for school" attitude while he dry humped his instrument in front of everyone...great now I want to vomit for remembering that....

Sean actually wound up leaving his band because they wanted to go in a similar electro-pop direction, abandoning his style of play and writing which was heavily influence by My Bloody Valentine. Of course this new plan got them immediatly signed but he was glad to not be a part of that.


Speaking of covers. As a part of the Spaggetti Incident liner notes following the credits for each artist that was covered is a quote from pre-reclusive Axl Rose, "A great song can be found anywhere. Do yourself a favor and find the originals."

[enjoi]

When it gets to that stage there is always NPR...
Or KEXP in seattle! And tons of other podcasts on iTunes.
edit - KCRW
Stones Throw Podcast
Definitive Jux Podcast
Stereogum MP3 Feed
The Bravery makes me want to vomit.

Seriously.

It's like they aren't even original enough to rip off a talented group, so they rip off a rip off (Nine Inch Nails and The Killers comes to mind).
Nine Inch Nails is definetely NOT a rip off. Trent Reznor (so I am told) was one of the first people to really mold the Industrial sound merging metal, rock and hard dance beats.

[roycegracie47]

Nine Inch Nails is definetely NOT a rip off. Trent Reznor (so I am told) was one of the first people to really mold the Industrial sound merging metal, rock and hard dance beats.
Really he was the guy to bring it out of the underground Dance scene to the radio/mtv masses. Ministry, KMFDM, Skinny Puppy and other notable contemporaries had figured this out long before Trent and he admits it as a major influence (though Raymond "PiG" Watts was really rather indifferent to find out he was such a huge influence on Reznor).

Another fun fact about Trent, the worst job in the sound engineering world (before he took off) in the Cleveland scene was called "Trent Reznor Duty" because he was well known as a nuisance at almost every show and it was some poor schmoes job to keep him from climbing the stacks or breaking something. Now he can do it all he wants...

[enjoi]

Really he was the guy to bring it out of the underground Dance scene to the radio/mtv masses. Ministry, KMFDM, Skinny Puppy and other notable contemporaries had figured this out long before Trent and he admits it as a major influence (though Raymond "PiG" Watts was really rather indifferent to find out he was such a huge influence on Reznor).
Hrm. I need to research more... Thats not my area of strength.
Another fun fact about Trent, the worst job in the sound engineering world (before he took off) in the Cleveland scene was called "Trent Reznor Duty" because he was well known as a nuisance at almost every show and it was some poor schmoes job to keep him from climbing the stacks or breaking something. Now he can do it all he wants...
That my friend is the funniest thing I have heard in a long time.

[roycegracie47]

That my friend is the funniest thing I have heard in a long time.
Yeah my college boss got stuck with it more than he cares to remember. The subject was brought though at hip-hop shows because we always needed an extra hand to keep people from sitting, standing, climbing on or making coasters out of our amps and it was like dealing with 5 year olds. You'd warn a few a few and sure enough 5 minutes later you'd be going back to pull 'em off again.

[Krypt0M4g!c]

some schmuck Kelly Clarkson is given a grammy for some mediocre power-pop.

Yeah and someone wrote most of her songs. All she has to do is sing. I hate pop because ANYONE can sing. Singing isn't a talent as much as it is "luck". Some people grow up with a great voice..... ok.. so do 10 million other people. Pop artists get millions of dollars to sing what someone else composed (because those bums can't write their own material, they have to get a professional;which write crappy songs as well)

Instrumentals>vocals