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TarTar
* Dog in the Sand *
1965 Posts |
 Posted - 12/17/2003 : 02:29:24
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I spend a great deal of my time writing songs, and usually get around to recording lo-fi versions of them with my friend Nate. The two of us have been playing for years and usually end up creating some interesting music. However, as satisfied as I am with much of what I've written and recorded, I find it difficult to settle into one style and one sound. Of course, I consider this to be a positive thing, since I don't like to segregate styles, and all of my favorite bands over the years have never stuck to one style, both from song to song and album to album. Pavement, Pixies, Queen, Replacements, Smashing Pumpkins, Beatles, Ween, Frank Black, Bran Van 3000, these are all bands that I have listened to heavily, and all of them have a great shift in both dynamics and stylistic-approach from song to song. What's frustrating about this is showing material to people, cuz it's difficult to know what to play first. It seems that many people out there want a band to create a single mood that they can slide into the grooves of and not have to worry about shifts, and so many people are set on a certain style to the point that if I play a few songs that don't hit close to what they're into, I get written off as sucky. I know I shouldn't give a fuck, cuz I am just writing for myself, writing the songs and the sounds that I want to hear when I put a record on, but goddamn, it frustrates me how many people want one thing specifically and are afraid of anything that ventures outside of their desires.
Turned everything black by spitting on the sun |
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Bryan Shepherd
- FB Fan -
USA
126 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2003 : 05:02:21
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Stay true to what you do...a good song is a good song. Keep in mind most people won't like what you do. Every band you mentioned has plenty of haters (even the Beatles). If you like it, fuck 'em!
 I'm the guy from wonderland...& you will never understand... |
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STITCHES
= Cult of Ray =
USA
915 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2003 : 06:08:42
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I guarantee that if you've been playing together for years, the two of you do have a style that identifies you, even if it's just the lo-fi sound. That was the only thing that really defined Pavement's style, since like you said, their songs were all over the map. It's probably harder for you to notice that identifiable style because your too involved, but trust me, unless you write a street-punk song followed by a symphony, your songs are alot more coherent as a group than you can tell.
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MAMASAYMAMASAMAMACOOSA |
Edited by - STITCHES on 12/17/2003 06:09:18 |
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11687 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2003 : 06:31:41
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A lot of your style will come just from what instruments you have and moreover, how they're played. You have a style, which in part is eclectic. You just don't have a genre. Who needs them?
We're in the same boat as you TarTar, all sorts of different stuff and what do you play when someone asks to hear one of your songs? Or what do you say when they ask a genre? We've sidestepped the latter by inventing a fake genre for our stuff, which people always nod and go "Oh yeah" to but the former is always a problem. I don't have a solution there.
 "Join the Cult of Frank / And you'll be enlightened" |
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cvanepps
= Cult of Ray =
USA
442 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2003 : 14:15:35
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Tartar, I so hear you. My CD last year was the same way. It had styles from folk, to ska, to punk, to pop, to dance, etc. simply because that's what the way they turned out. I didn't plan it that way, but that's what came out of me. Trouble is, as you discovered, such an arrangement tends to alienate audiences because they can't fit your square peg into their round hole. Genres are spoon-fed to audiences these days and if you don't put out albums like Weezer (where you know exactly the kind of music you'll be getting) then you're seemingly sunk.
Consider this: could you make a CD full of songs you couldn't get behind and believe in? Or would you be happier making songs that were "you?" Just like Mr. Shepherd said, be true to yourself and you'll never be disappointed.
True to my word, I've written about 30 new songs and they're all pretty different. I'm going to pick 12-15 of the best and put them on a new CD, due late 2004 / early 2005. The Eardrums & Airplanes tune (from a much earlier thread) will be finished well before then. I haven't forgotten, Dean.
-= It's not easy to kidnap a fat man =-
http://christophervanepps.iuma.com |
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11687 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2003 : 14:28:46
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Heh, I was wondering...
"Join the Cult of Frank / And you'll be enlightened" |
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STITCHES
= Cult of Ray =
USA
915 Posts |
Posted - 12/17/2003 : 14:34:57
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I definitely don't think you're doing anything wrong.....you dont want to limit yourself and force your creativity....that will cut down not just on your productivity, but on the number of GOOD songs you produce
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MAMASAYMAMASAMAMACOOSA |
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