Bands And Solo Artists

A discussion on bands and solo artists

I’ve always had this childlike fascination for progressive rock bands like Rush, Dream Theater and Queensryche. Operation Mindcrime, Images and Words, Different Stages are albums that are ‘timeless’ for me.

So what do these guys have in common?

They’ve been playing together for decades now, apart from the one-hit wonder bands that you’d miss if you probably needed to sneeze. In contrast, another complicated example is Guns ‘N Roses whose groundbreaking music was nothing short of a revolution and they lasted together for about a decade… and well, have taken another decade to get over it. And we all know that the ‘magic’ is lost in the ego clashes, the mindless yammering about who was right or wrong as well as the contractual obligations that continue till this day.

But who lost out the most?

The fans, of course… but do you think these guys care?

Hardly.

Another classic case was the David ‘Diamond’ Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen rivalry… their replacement vocalist Sammy Hagar has come and gone… Gary Cherone didn’t quite make the cut either… and time and time again, the lessons learnt by so many bands in the past haven’t been understood and avoided! Well, with arrogance in their talent comes stupidity and I guess, that’s what makes these guys so appealing, which also involves the ‘shoot yourself in the foot’ syndrome. And somewhere ‘Down under’, Darwin turns in his grave yet again.

Yet if we go back to the three bands mentioned earlier, these guys knew that they had something really special! It’s what they call ‘chemistry’, and no, we’re not talking ‘girlie’ stuff here. They had this ability to gel together and create music that redefines the boundaries in their respective genres. And in my opinion, that was what it was about… the music!

I recently watched a band bio video of Aerosmith… and of course, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry definitely don’t need an introduction. Ironically, Aerosmith went down the Guns ‘N Roses path that most egomaniacal, bloviating musicians take, with childish behavior that suggest a complete dissociation from reality. And of course, it took them a while before they realized that they had completely lost sight of the reason why they were together in the first place. And then came ‘Walk this way’ with Run DMC which gave them their second wind, so to speak. And it’s been ‘amazing’ ever since…

Another interesting band: U2. These are guys who aren’t necessarily as talented as the lot mentioned above, but they really stuck together whether in the music or the fishing business. The music made before and after the fishing expedition, if you will, will always remain special for folks like us who grew up on U2. When they’re together, it’s ‘magic’. Nothing or no one else will do!

What I’m trying to say is that what makes a ‘band’, are all its members who play an integral part in the making it what it is. Not just one guy. That’s why you have the classification of ‘artists’ to make that distinction.

The 80s have come and gone… so have the 90s… and now we’re in the New Millenium. Yet Dream Theater, Rush, Queensryche, Aerosmith carry on making the music they love the most, with the people who bring their talents like no other.

History might be a bit boring as a subject in school, but its primary objective is to prevent you from making the same mistakes again. And sadly, most of us haven’t quite understood that yet!

As for me, as stated rather unpretentiously in this piece, talent and chemistry is pointless without the teamwork and commitment that is imperative in ‘making it happen’. When a band possesses these qualities, it’s only then do they leave their mark on the Hollywood Walk of Fame or in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or most importantly, in the hearts of their fans. Histronics and tantrums serve no purpose for the greater good. For its not important as to how fast you can go, but how far actually!

Now whether you are a budding indie band or an established band for a while now, the internet as a global medium which has helped nu-metal bands like Korn spread the ‘word’ very effectively, is an excellent way by which you can promote your music. Alterhit, a music download community site, has been designed so that you can play your music for a global audience, one which can help you in the direction that you wish to move towards, keeping the music and its fans in mind, while giving complete ‘creative control’ to the band in order to pursue its artistic vision and future goals.

Well, it’s all about keeping the magic alive… not just for the money, fame and the groupies… but for the music!