Pushing band gimmicks over the top

[wideload]

Originally Posted by vishuddha

Which stuffed animal for metal?

Python or wolf, you pick 'em.

[mcnach]

Originally Posted by TopBillinBass

Hey fellow TBers

So I've recently had an issue with my band pushing gimmicks over the top. First of all, we are a ska band (as in ska-punk aka reel big fish style) and I understand ska bands are supposed to be fun.

It started off with our horn section doing crazy dance moves and choreography to our songs when they weren't playing, which is fine with me.

Then for one of our shows we all wore sports team jerseys and I was hesitant but didn't care enough either way so I gave in and wore a sports jersey.

Then for this coming show our lead singer wants everyone to wear pajamas and bring a pillow and stuffed animal...

His reasoning is that we have a small loyal fanbase that keeps coming to our shows and wants to have something different for them every time. For one of our shows he suggests that in one of the songs we all have our pants around our ankles by the end and everyone seems to be ok with this. I am not.


Is this over the top or am I just being a grinch? At this point I feel uncomfortable inviting my own friends to the show!

Some of our songs for reference,

https://soundcloud.com/youandalltheblindpeople

Thanks guys!

Hmmm. It sounds like fun for the band (well, you clearly don't agree) and something "different" for the audience. It's silly, but I would not say it's over the top. I am in favour of those things. If I were the only one not in favour, I'd accept the rest of the band wants to and I'd go along.

Why do you think it's so wrong?

[TopBillinBass]

I think my big problem is that we do all of these gimmicks but we honestly aren't that good as a band. People are more concerned with these things than actually practicing. Since a lot of our band is dispersed throughout the state, it makes it difficult for us to practice. That being said, whenever it is reasonable for us to practice (say, the day after a gig when we are all still in the same town) people have the lamest excuses to skip practice (oh i have stuff or oh i'm busy). I don't think I would mind if we were a band that was tight and spot on.

[Arial Bender]

Originally Posted by vishuddha

Which stuffed animal for metal?

Bat

[mellowinman]

There is no way I'm doing any of that stuff.

I'm as willing as the next guy to clown around, and have some fun, but that's only if the next guy isn't your singer.

[SnowCal]

Originally Posted by vishuddha

Which stuffed animal for metal?

Stuffed cthulhu. Duh.

[BryanM]

I keep a stuffed giraffe on my mic stand. For the past year or so we've drummed up support for upcoming shows by promising just as much rock and roll, hookers and possibly a giraffe. My lead guitarist won a stuffed giraffe at the arcade a while back and gave it to me, so it sits on my microphone and actually kind of hides my face sometimes, but it amuses me.

For style comparison, we've been described as sounding like "The Velvet Underground decided to form an alt country band" and we all wear suits or formal dress on stage.

[electracoyote]

Sounds like fun to me. Your band leader has a marketing angle, and I for one support that. It's better than "let's just show up dressed any old way we please and stand there doing nothing, just play the songs."

[Red_Merkin]

Pick one:

1. Ska music.

2. Dignity.

[LiquidMidnight]

Originally Posted by Kmonk

With the exception of KISS, none of the groups you mentioned enjoyed success for more than a couple of years.

...and Devo were the only band on that list to ever really be taken seriously as artists. Not saying that music always has to always be about highbrown artistic merit, but I really don't think anyone has respect for the Village People as singers, performers, or artists. I was really glad when Mudvayne dropped that cheesy ICP-wannabe makeup crap and the alien stuff. I knew they would never be taken seriously as a band as long as they looked like people who got Christmas gift cards to Hot Topic.

Good music will outlast gimmicks every time. There is a difference between having fun and embarrassing yourself. Drop the gimmicks and play music.

+1

I'm one of the first people who will tell you that if you want to really succeed in music, you need to...

A). Have a good image
B). Brand yourself

Both of those two things aren't necessarily the same as having a gimmick, though. A gimmick is something that completely overshadows the music and it's almost always cheese. For instance, I've noticed that lately there's a trend of bands covering 80s hair music and the shtick is to wear really bad wigs and other props. Uggg.

Nothing wrong with doing something fun every once in a while, especially if it's an important gig. Ska does have a history of not taking yourself too seriously, but there comes a line that you have to say, "I don't think I'm going to cross that!" Me personally, I wouldn't be dropping my pants on stage.

[mellowinman]

Originally Posted by LiquidMidnight

I've noticed that lately there's a trend of bands covering 80s hair music and the shtick is to wear really bad wigs and other props. Uggg.

Uggg is right. We have some locals doing this, and they are the biggest deal in town. "Kids" in their twenties, they have "real" projects of dark, modern, angsty rock, and when they put on the wigs and go out as that 80's parody, with their fans and giant hair dryers, the crowds love them, and I can't get to the door fast enough.

[LiquidMidnight]

When my rock band broke up, my guitarist had an offer to play in a band that did that. Good money and some good players, but he just couldn't bring himself to wear a goofy wig and ripped denim in an "are they being serious or ambiguously ironic" kind of way.

[bluewine]

Every band has a gimmick.

If it's a fun dance band and you guys are young pjs are fine.

Blue

[ibateur]

I can think of Stryper with their, uh, stripes
Iron Maiden with Eddie
Kiss
Poison
Alice Cooper with his bloody stuff
Ozzy with the Ozzy shuffle and the same shouts/chants every concert
Yngwie J Malmsteen with his kicks (had to put the J to differentiate him from the other Yngwie's - Spinal Tap quote)

I think gimmicks are cool only if the music is cool. Gimmick with no good music is difficult to appreciate.

[AaronMB]

Originally Posted by johnson79

Sounds like your singer is the governor of Lamesylvania.
It's one thing to have fun, another to bring a stuffed animal to a show.

+1.
Quirky, different, use of gimmicks: OK. But there's a line that even fans won't want to see crossed - that's up to you guys to determine where that line is.

Pajamas - I could picture some plaid, flannel things, with cool house slippers. Make it a mockery of the elite wearing fancy pajamas, etc. But pajamas, a pillow, and a stuffed animal: 3rd grade, girl slumber party. No offense, but that'd make me laugh and not in a good way - your music better be damn good.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Kmonk

With the exception of KISS, none of the groups you mentioned enjoyed success for more than a couple of years.

And neither did America, Orleans, Pablo Cruise, and a whole host of other bands with no real identity who just got up there and played. Fact is, it's unpredictable what will have long lasting impact and what won't.

Anyway, if this dude doesn't want to do it, I will. Been looking for an excuse to wear my new Pillsbury "Bringing Home The Dough" jammies onstage, and the pants around the ankles is brilliant!

[DWBass]

Ok, coupla issues for me. Not so much the costume thing. How are the gigs paying? Grown men don't have stuffed animals so you'd have to buy one. right? Pants around the ankles? HELL NO! Not gonna happen! But that's me!

My BL wanted to do different costumes but mostly 70's disco style or afrocentric style which requires buying this stuff. I questioned it because basically the gigs pay 'gas money'! I'm not going to invest a lot of money for little return!

Pant's down to the ankles? Really?

[pklima]

Originally Posted by DWBass

Grown men don't have stuffed animals so you'd have to buy one. right?

I wouldn't buy costumes or props for a specific band, either, unless it pays well and is very stable so I can expect it to keep paying. The only time I bought something for a specific band (a pair of black boots) I never played another gig with them, so I learned that lesson. At least they were cheap and I could wear them in non-musical contexts or for other bands.

Needing a stuffed animal for a gig, though? That's just one more great excuse to talk to a pretty girl.

[RitchS]

What!?! Finally a chance to play pant less and you wanna shoot it down!? The Chili Peppers have their infamous "cocks in socks" shows. Seems kinda tame in comparison.

[jungleheat]

Ska... for when good taste and great music are absolutely NOT an option!

Originally Posted by JimmyM

And neither did America, Orleans, Pablo Cruise, and a whole host of other bands with no real identity who just got up there and played. Fact is, it's unpredictable what will have long lasting impact and what won't.

It's not really that unpredictable. The bands you named are some of the more generic out there, both musically and visually.

Typically, great songs will stand the test of time. Gimmicks will get you "remembered", but they won't get you listened to. I would consider it a mark of shame as a musician to suffer that fate. Kiss GOT famous in large part because of the makeup and stage show, but they STAYED famous, because in all reality, they actually wrote some pretty damn good hard rock songs.

And I must say, I have no idea who the "rubber suit/power rangers" band is, unless you mean Slipknot maybe. And again, they will be "remembered" for their look, but can you even NAME a single song of theirs? I couldn't hum you a slipknot song and I've SEEN Slipknot (not by choice, it was ozzfest and I was there to see Sabbath).

On the other hand, a band like Rush, more or less dresses in street clothes and look like normal rock dudes. And they play to packed amphitheaters to like 15-20k people EVERY SUMMER and have basically been at that level of success for 35 years or so. Because their music is awesome. Now lately, they have added some "gimmicks", like the chicken roasting thing, but those stemmed from a very real logistical issue of balancing the look of both sides of the stage, so they came up with a clever way to address it. And no one goes to see Rush just to see that stuff, it's an EXTRA, just something else to talk about after you get bored of talking about the 2 or 3 hours of killer music they played last night.

So yeah, a gimmick might GET you noticed, but you need great music to have something worth STAYING noticed for.