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Stoner/Doom Bassists 54: Big Cabs and Nerd Bombs

#122
Lazarus.Bird said:
Well sure, if you're gonna bring Europeans into it... haha.

So that's one band. Yes, there are a decent amount of European 70s retro-rock revival bands that shoot music videos that look like they're 40 years old. That doesn't mean it is the norm for our entire "genre".
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I think what you are talking about is the exception, Laz.

As cool as these guys are, they still fit the same mold (most of them atleast) Long hair? check. Facial hair? check. Bummy clothes? check.

Maybe it's coincidental. But, there is an image. Let's not kid ourselves. Now, you don't have to fit the image to play the music, but if you have the image, it's almost certain where you "belong" and that's what I am trying to get away from. People should like me because I am a good musician, I have a sense of humor, and I like walks on the beach. Not because I don't have long hair, or a righteous beard, or whatever.

Just like what Corey is saying with punk. And I lived that since age 12. It's like to be punk you have to be broke. So how did you get the $100 pair of bondage pants? Ghost is different because they are in costume. A costume is different than a genre defined "uniform", which is what those guys from craigslist were looking for.

You guys should argue about cabs some more and agree that music is (whether you want to acknowledge it), partly defined by look.

You are going to like what you like, but you can't deny the imagery associated with this style of music.
 
#123
beebassdude said:
whats confusing? i said image was huge, you said:



i posted one pic of a band that adheres to the rule (and if you seriously dont think theres countless others, we'll just agree to disagree because im not taking the time to just post countless pics of doom/stoner bands that all look similar). image might not be important to you, it isnt to me either. but clearly its important to a lot of bands or it wouldnt exist. or i guess they accidentally end up looking that way? lol
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There are 2 groups of s/d fans, those that like the music and don't care about anything else, and then there is the majority of "mainstream" s/d fans do care and expect the torn up denim, long hair, slightly anorexic look. Look at any successful s/d band they all look the same from Acid King to Witchcraft.

While probably all of us in this thread dont care about the image, I would say most non-musicians do, regardless of genre.
 
#124
beebassdude said:
100% agree with all of this. image is stupid but i still acknowledge that it exists because it blatantly does. all genres have a look that go with them, just the way it is. whether a group decides to look that way is their choice, but a lot of them do.

grunge, thrash, punk, stoner, euro metal, rock n roll, black metal - i could drop all of these names and id bet everyone in this thread could rattle off at least 5 visual aspects that define the genres. and again, not everybody adheres to them, but a lot of the time they do.
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This is the band I think of when I want a genre-uniform free band.

You'd never know these guys play pop punk. Can't judge a book by something...

But, the cover can give some hints as to what the book is about. ;)
 
#129
Image is EVERYTHING. Whether you want to admit it on not. Decisions you make are always based on how things look. Your friends, your food, etc. It's super cool to say you don't care about image but why is it that people who look/act the same gravitate towards each other?

You can show me a group of people and I can not only tell you which ones friends or in bands but I can also tell which ones would get along and which ones I'd most likely want to be friends/in bands with.

I'm fat and I don't dress well but you know what...people seem to keep me around. I may not have the coolest "look" but my body language fits right in.

So...I agree that image SHOULD be pointless but it drives so much of what we do that it would be asinine to deny it's existence and grip over any and all communities.

And to be able to claim that image has no effect on you then I insist you post the picture of the last guy/girl/horse that you ****ed.
 
#130
I roll out of bed and get dressed every day in a similar manner to Red Fang in that picture, regardless of what kind of band I'm in. That's because I'm a white middle class dude who doesn't really care what I look like. I'd hardly call that a stoner rock uniform.

Like I said, I'm not arguing there isn't an image, just that it isn't important.
 
#132
Lazarus.Bird said:
I roll out of bed and get dressed every day in a similar manner to Red Fang in that picture, regardless of what kind of band I'm in. That's because I'm a white middle class dude who doesn't really care what I look like. I'd hardly call that a stoner rock uniform.

Like I said, I'm not arguing there isn't an image, just that it isn't important.
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i guess it depends on who's shoes you are in.

Labels? Most definetly looks matter. probably the most important thing regardless of genre.
Fans? In many cases yes, I know people who only started listening to a band because they "looked cool".
Other Bands? Maybe. If you are looking for an opener a lot of bands want openers that look like they have cred.
 
#134
Lazarus.Bird said:
I roll out of bed and get dressed every day in a similar manner to Red Fang in that picture, regardless of what kind of band I'm in. That's because I'm a white middle class dude who doesn't really care what I look like. I'd hardly call that a stoner rock uniform.

Like I said, I'm not arguing there isn't an image, just that it isn't important.
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I would personally never put it in a craigslist ad (I think that's how this conversation started) but I can't deny that the way the person looks will have an effect on my opinions (good or bad). They don't have to look "cool". Hell...I don't know what cool looks like. But, I'm not sure I'd give Nerdlinger the job just because he can do it.
 
#137
I definitely wouldn't deny image is important to most people. Most auditions I've lost over the years, the guy who got it was thinner, better dressed and a mediocre player. When I waited tables I got less tips when I wore short sleeve shirts and my tattoos showed. I just think it's stupid and reinforces how much I don't understand the thought process of most people. I like EW's music, but I think it's hilarious that they're supposed to look "cool". I remember it used to be very typical on doom metal forums 10+ years ago that everyone from the UK trad doom metal scene made fun of the way they dressed (many of those people cringed that EW were even called "doom metal"). Which I think is just as stupid, honestly, but it just goes to show you how random the prevailing taste can shift. Depending on how popular a group in question is at the moment.
 
#138
Lazarus.Bird said:
And once again, beebass and I argue over something pointless for multiple pages. We'd be on like Part 12 if it wasn't for us.
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I love you guys.


And I'm not saying that we don't just roll out of bed and throw on whatever t-shirt is in the closet (that's exactly what I do). I'm just saying that people do go out of their way to fit the look. I (personally) have been written off because I didn't look a certain way (punk band), didn't even play one note. That is why I am so anti genre uniform. If jeans and a t-shirt are a uniform, then I am guilty...

I mean hell, our first show, I wore my Black Flag shirt. No shame in my game. I still love punk, I just have a growing disdain for the "fans" of punk (moreso, the douchebag uniform police).

On topic:

So, have Wino and Pike ever played in a band together?
 

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