• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Selling out

#61
well in the perfect case id be in a DIY band, and wed charge 5 bucks a head for our shows with like a few other bands, getting enough money for Gas, a little food, and maybe some beers.

and to do anything in this society either something has to be bought for me, and given to me as free or i must buy it. so clearly not making money of some kind is not an option.

so having my band play a show in someones basement for like a few bucks or less is not selling out.

and i at least am doing it this way becuase i think its the most ethical way of doing it, being a beliver in marx and somewhat of a socialist.

ALSO, when the clash made rock the casbah it was about people not being able to disco cuz it got banned in iran, so thats pretty "punk" if u can call something that. and anuyone who would complain is just a whiny bitch imo of the clash making a not 3 chord song.


changing music is not selling out, but doing something for not the love but the monetary gain i can see as selling out.

i mean look at the beatles, they played 50's RnB and went into psychadelia, thats not selling out. although the mass amounts of money bother the **** out me.
 
#62
I'd say it was before that. Specifically, after Steve Hackett left and "...and then there were three" was released. "Three" has some interesting songs (Scenes from a Night's Dream, Deep in the Motherlode), but they are all short, don't build like their earlier material and that has to be one of the worst produced albums ever. Tons of compression, no definition of the instruments in the mix, yuck! It's as if the idea was to make Genesis radio friendly.

To address the OT, selling out is a rough topic. First, there are many too many musicians that know what it's like to struggle in the industry. It's difficult to make a comfortable living in music. Even if you're famous, it's feast or famine financially. So, you live with this uncertain career and having to do without a lot of things in life. All of a sudden there is a chance to make things a lot better by "selling out". What is a musician to do? Keep living poor or go for something bigger?

Marco A. Mayer said:
Genesis. They lost all the mojo they had left when "Duke" came out.
Click to expand...
 
#64
Hutzbordello said:
playing for food on the table is different
Click to expand...

The second you pick up an instrument with the intention of making money, even if it's for reasons like "putting food on your table", it ceases to become pure art and becomes commerce, so I thikn the idea of "selling out" becomes moot.
It's pretty simple. I'm not saying that there aren't bands out there who tend to be inclined to sacrifice a great deal of their original artistic flavour in order to sell more records because there are. There are also bands like Fugazi who demand that they have a hand in that kind of thing at all times so that their methods stay true to their own, personal commercial ethics. However, my point remains: all of these people have one thing in common. Whether they appeal to a large demographic or a small, extremely exclusive one... whether they're making money to gas up their private jets or their Econoline Vans, their intention is unanimously to "sell" something in order to make their goals possible.

Invalid Link Removed
 
#66
Catch 22....

If a band evolves with the times to make a buck and satisfy ther artistic desires they are selling out.

If they don't do the above they are playing the same old thing.

I know it's not that cut and dry but maybe you can see my point. Some bands just like to play different music. It's not going to make all their fans happy but it may make some new fans.

I know with my band we have come full circle with our music. We been together for 15 years....playing the same stuff got boring.
 
#71
JimmyM said:
i can think of a lot worse things to do than play music you're not fond of in order to put food on the table. i've done it, too, and i think i have an assload of personal integrity.
Click to expand...

+100000000000000000

I always have to laugh when people talk about integrty and music. I love music, obviously. I'm a musician. I believe in the cultural significance of art. I can wax some literary theory with the best of 'em. However, it's just freakin' music, people. To me it's like people who take sports way too damn seriously.

People, playing classic rock covers when you'd rather be performing your orignal indie-rock tunes is not analogous to being a general and selling your country's secrets to a terrorist organization, so quit trying to make it seem like it's more than it is. It's just music.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back