Anyone else changed musical direction just like that?

[mysterymonger]

Coincidently, I'm trying to finish this thrash song for killzone's drumjam. It's killing me right now that I can't get it down perfectly. My speed picking technique is so out of shape. I'm hoping to have something up by tomorrow evening.

[knucklefux]

That's exactly how I feel in regards to songwriting. But, as far as record labels are concerned, you need to have a defined genre to get a record deal. I had an argument with a A&R rep about this once. She said record labels need to know how to advertise a band/artist. Something to do with demographics I mentioned a few bands like Faith No More and Mr. Bungle who don't really fit into a specific genre and she started saying "well, for a debut album, you really should stick to one genre. Then, after you've made it you can start experimenting with your music and the label would have no problem with it." That's when I said "{censored} the music business!!" Well, actually I didn't say it, I just thought it.

and, after a new band has written some songs that fit into genre X, call it that. it's the determining the genre first thing that i don't agree with

[cavemanic]

That's exactly how I feel in regards to songwriting. But, as far as record labels are concerned, you need to have a defined genre to get a record deal. I had an argument with a A&R rep about this once. She said record labels need to know how to advertise a band/artist. Something to do with demographics I mentioned a few bands like Faith No More and Mr. Bungle who don't really fit into a specific genre and she started saying "well, for a debut album, you really should stick to one genre. Then, after you've made it you can start experimenting with your music and the label would have no problem with it." That's when I said "{censored} the music business!!" Well, actually I didn't say it, I just thought it.

for my main project I jump from elvis ballads to coldplay type stuff to U2/Vast to hard rock to industrial to Metal ......I dunno hows its gonna go over live if I ever do it

its not all in one song like Bungle either

[mysterymonger]

for my main project I jump from elvis ballads to coldplay type stuff to U2/Vast to hard rock to industrial to Metal ......I dunno hows its gonna go over live if I ever do it its not all in one song like Bungle either

I used to be in a band like this too. You'd get the metalheads moshing to the metal stuff, then the teeny boppers would get up and dance or stand there bobbing there heads. At least no one would say that they didn't like at least a few of your songs. Something for everybody.

[Exocaster]

what i'm getting at is, why even bother trying to put a nonexistent band into a genre?

The band, in this case, = a solo project, though.

I don't think it's unreasonable to try to or want to put a band together to play a specific style. Ultimately everything's going to wind up the sum of its influences, or at least those it finds work together in context, but I don't feel there's anything inappropriate about having some sort of conceptual vision. For example, I have pretty versatile chops as a guitarist, but I have no desire to play, say, classic rock (for the most part, though here I don't mind re-interpreting things), emo or hardcore, and would dismiss the prospect entirely. Again, though,

[knucklefux]

yeah, once again i wasn't talking about you. re read the OP....6 years of trying to put together a thrash band. didn't work. that's where what i'm saying comes in. now he's decided to do the same thing with a different name. what i'm suggesting is that a paradigm shift may be necessary to prevent future failure.

 

in your case, a solo project, what you're saying makes sense. there aren't other people who need to be satisfied, so you may wander where you heart desires.

[Exocaster]

I'm talking about the OP here, though; my apologies. I get the impression here he's doing something that's starting out as a one-man industrial project versus attempting to put together a thrash band so he can do his thing in a live context.

I actually managed to find a band to play post-punk electro-rock noisiness after years of playing in metal bands.

I think what he's doing is a legitimate paradigm shift, even if it's one that means he's repackaging or repurposing his playing to fit in a different context. My guitar style and writing style just changed entirely into something else over the course of time. If one considers one's self primarily a thrash guitarist and wants to ply their trade in another style to play out, I don't see related things like death metal, hardcore, punk or industrial being inappropriate. It fits there, and if that's what lets him do his thing, who am I to argue?

[knucklefux]

i didn't get the impression that it was going to be a "one man industrial band", so that's probably where we got our wires crossed.