I don't hate bands for becoming popular. I listen to a lot of non-metal bands that sell tons and tons of records, and have no problem with popularity at all. The thing I don't like is when bands start to suck, and change their music/lose their edge in order to sell more records, or as a result of becoming more popular and losing the mental anguish and frustration that drove them early on.
It's not just music- look at modern art. Many, many artists who were vital early in their careers began to truly suck and churn out loads of mediocre crap once they could sell paintings for a half million bucks to corporate collections.
I don't resent them for seeking success and going after the money. If someone dangled that cash in front of me, I can't say I wouldn't take it and fall prey to the same dynamic. But just because I'd do it myself doesn't mean I'm going to continue to like the bands and artists who do it.
Back on the topic of metal, I've been listening to the Opeth discography chronologically, and I do think they've improved over time. PTH is similar in my book- I *don't* like their earlier record. Not all bands move in the arc from great to suck. Some bands to improve over time and with success.
Art is a different game all together. Musicians make a record and anyone can pick it up for free or willingly pay 15 bucks or whatever for it. The songs last forever in all sorts of forms.
Artists make a work, sell it and move on. If they work is successful they generate more work to sell to the many levels of the market: big expensive things for museums and corporations and private collectors, moderately priced work for collectors who want in on the work, and then lower priced big numbered editions for schmoes like us.
An artist does not profit again and again from a work in the way that a musician does from a hit song.
I'm not seeing a major difference in your argument. While there's a difference in the exact nature of the transactions (art being a single large sale versus music as lots of small sales), there's not much difference in the way commercial success affects inspiration and the external financial pressures that cause both artists and musicians to make "safe" choices whether consciously or subconsciously.
You could also argue the capital issue given that artists typically use galleries as sources of capital, while musicians/bands use labels to capitalize their expensive projects. Both in art and music now, though, the creators are funding the production in exchange for much larger chunks of the sales. Hirst and Radiohead have a lot in common in that respect.
That's a pretty major digression from the topic at hand, though. 😉
JB
(Art Director for a group of art magazines. 😉 )
Back on the subject of metal, I was reading Pitchfork today and came across Hammers of Misfortune. Holy shit. I can't believe I'm so late to the game on that band. Mind blowing prog metal.
but i LOVE clutch, and they put out fantastic albums. i think i have 10 of them now. i've seen them live 11 or 12 times too. they have ONE album which is mediocre, elephant riders. and what do you know, thats the album they got the most label support on. they made up for it though, all the new albums after that were great again even though their sound is constantly evolving.
Back on the subject of metal, I was reading Pitchfork today and came across Hammers of Misfortune. Holy shit. I can't believe I'm so late to the game on that band. Mind blowing prog metal.
Back on the subject of metal, I was reading Pitchfork today and came across Hammers of Misfortune. Holy shit. I can't believe I'm so late to the game on that band. Mind blowing prog metal.
Word. Though I've got nothing but respect for them, I've never gotten into Trouble very much. For whatever reason, Eric's voice doesn't grab me. Maybe I need to go there again. I'm a big fan of Earth, the latest one is wonderful stuff. We're going to see them in Philly in two weeks, playing with Sunn.Been listening to a lot of Trouble lately. Earth too.
Venom "Black Metal" is up there too...and:
Morbid Angel "Formulas Fatal to the Flesh"
"Black Metal is certainly a classic, Buried Alive is still one of my favorite songs. Dont burn the Witch is up ther too.
My personal favorite Morbid Angel was Alter of Sacrifice. Suffocation is a great song.
Heres a little bit of Jersey metal trivia, where did Morbid Angel's Eric Rutan get his start. Hint-Huge NJ gore metal band late 80's early 90"s