What makes you hate an artist?

[randy]

We talk a lot about why we like an artist--but why do we hate them?

Artists of the era that I cant stomach?
ABC
Morrisey
Spandau Ballet
Wham

Why? ABC and Spandau Ballet are actually just their sound--does not appeal to me. I know--not a good reason.
Morrisey--I think what got me to really hate him--not just that I dont care for 95% of his music--but it was how every "alternative" station of the 80's ADORED HIM and played him every hour!!! Whats the deal?
Wham!--do I need a reason?

[Frau_Blucher]

If they have man-hands or eat their peas one at a time.

Okay seriously, if Frenchmen and Filipinos like them. [:0]

Okay seriously, if they're from Canada. [:D]

Okay seriously, there is no common rhyme nor reason unless they can't shut their pieholes and just make music without spewing about crap they know nothing about! [}:)]

[deethelurker]

I dislike the following in a musical artist:

1. When their playing is all about being noodle-y and extended organ solos and the like. I cannot stand '70s prog rock for this reason. It all seems so pointless, all of that endless wandering about in search of a tune. I liked what punk did to that, smashing away at all that artless pretention and bringing music back full circle to its poppier roots.

2. When all the music is full of its own self-importance. If an artist attempts to build a career on trying to tell its listeners what to think of the world, that turns me off. Don't get me wrong. I love when artists try to do their part to make the world better, but I'd rather them not literally sing their own praises while they're doing it.

3. When the artist is all about artifice and little to nothing about substance. The "hair metal" acts of the '80s did such a thing by their overreliance on musical cliches just so they could get the recording sessions done in time to "pick up some chicks, man". And the assembly line teen popsters of the past several years have built their whole careers on this -- or rather have had their whole careers built for them. Which brings me to...

4. When the "artist" is a prefabricated act and nothing else. No "credibility" searching from Justin Timberlake or Robbie Williams will get me to forgive them for making their filthy lucre in formulaic boybands directed by career Svengalis. You can't convince me to divert the monies I'd spend on true artists such as Goldfrapp or Camera Obscura (ooh, forgot to finish the thought here) and spend it instead on Timberlake or Williams.

5. When the artist is revered by hippies. If they played the original Woodstock, you can bet all the money in your bank account that I am never even going to take a second look at any of their recordings at the music store. Modern-day hippies, too. This means no Phish in my musical diet.

6. When the artist is just too boringly AOR for me to get into. I am one of the few members of my generation who's never cared for Pearl Jam, because they made me yawn. And I was never ever ever going to listen to Grandaddy no matter how many glowing reviews they gathered throughout the first part of this decade. I'd have preferred Scritti Politti and Alphaville to have the boffo sales receipts Journey and REO Speedwagon had in the U.S., instead of the way things really played out. And I think I've made mention of how WTF? I find Bruce Springsteen to be.

7. And finally, if the artist gets far too many accolades from the music press. I lost my taste for Franz Ferdinand because of this, although it pains me to admit that their music still gets to me. (Maybe they can be a guilty pleasure of mine.) It's all because of how Duran Duran have historically been treated by the music press. It is because of my huge fanhood of that band that I became interested in developing my own musical tastes away from my parents', which eventually led me to this site. Because of this and because I don't really think they've ever put a foot wrong music-wise, I couldn't stand the nasty reactions they elicited from people in the "Serious Music Press". Finally I got to the point where I got used to being a fan of artists that didn't get a lot of praise, and now it strikes me as HUGELY wrong for me to get into any groups that are critical darlings. It hits all the wrong notes with me.

Whoo this was a long response. If you're still reading, thank you.

[drsevrin]

I agree, Blir. I might be showing my age here, but other putoffs for me are some of the Next Wave bands who ruin a perfectly good lick with the boy-soprano vocals of a 12-year old. Specifically, Death Cab for Cutie, and of course The Postal Service come to mind. I prefer my music sung by Men or Women - not boys. No doubt some of the 80's music we all love sounds like this, but it seems to me there is a preponderance of the boy-soprano sound today.

I suppose Andy Bell or perhaps Jimmy Somerville would come to mind from the 80's, but for me, their vocals sound essentially mature female - not like a young boy. Further, their vocal range seems quite broad compared to some of the newer artists - they are essentially extremely gifted falsettos.

Really, any band that has a snot-nosed juvenile sound has the same effect for me. I think back and wonder, what 80's artists could fit the bill? Sure, Gordon Gano maybe sounded a bit like that, but the sheer cleverness of the Femmes' music overcame it.

Maybe this is just my age or period bias creeping in - I do like many contemporary bands with an 80's sound: Editors, The Bravery, The Killers. Anyone else bugged by boy-vocals?

[waldnorm]

Radio stations overplaying the artists--easily! I had to like DuranDuran again after the way they were overplayed. Erasure, as well. In the 90s, it was Alanis--for a while, the only female artist KROQ seemed to play was Alanis. I still haven't gotten to like Pearl Jam again yet.

[deethelurker]

[quote][i]Originally posted by drsevrin[/i]
<br>I agree, Blir. I might be showing my age here, but other putoffs for me are some of the Next Wave bands who ruin a perfectly good lick with the boy-soprano vocals of a 12-year old. Specifically, Death Cab for Cutie, and of course The Postal Service come to mind. I prefer my music sung by Men or Women - not boys. No doubt some of the 80's music we all love sounds like this, but it seems to me there is a preponderance of the boy-soprano sound today.
[/quote]

Interesting you should mention those two bands, because the lead singer is one and the same in both. Ben Gibbard is the name of the lead singer in both Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service. And I do agree with you that this is a generational thing; I personally don't mind Gibbard's vocals and in fact kinda seek that kind of thing out, as it's indicative of an "indie rock" sound that I am attracted to. (In fact, virtually all of the new music I listen to is indie rock.)

waldnorm also touched on a generational difference. I didn't get to experience the time period when Duran Duran or similar artists were overplayed on the radio. In fact, I didn't get to hear a single Duran song until about 1996, and that was on a syndicated program.

[SwampThing]

I've always been turned off by bands who get into "costume" or when all members agree to have a certain style. Sure there are exceptions, and in the 70's I liked Kiss, and around 81 I liked Adam & the Ants and Devo, but by the time I reached my late teens I thought it was all lame. That's why I've always liked indie music, they show up to a gig with the clothes they put on that morning (usually just a jeans and a t-shirt). For me it should to be about the music, not fashion.

Also, when a band plays live I prefer them to focus on playing the songs well, not running and jumping around. I guess I'm one of those that don't mind when the guitarist stare at their feet [;)]

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[deethelurker]

[quote][i]Originally posted by SwampThing[/i]
<br>I've always been turned off by bands who get into "costume" or when all members agree to have a certain style. Sure there are exceptions, and in the 70's I liked Kiss, and around 81 I liked Adam & the Ants and Devo, but by the time I reached by late teens I thought it was all lame. That's why I've always liked indie music, they show up to a gig with the clothes they put on that morning (usually just a jeans and a t-shirt). For me it should to be about the music, not fashion.

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[/quote]

B-b-b-but it's ALWAYS about fashion! Even with the groups who just show up in lumberjack shirts, old t-shirts, and jeans! All musical artists decide on a particular image they want to project and what that wardrobe would consist of. No band ever just walks on stage and picks up instruments to play. They've usually spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out what they'll be wearing, even if said decision only pertains to a certain kind of t-shirt. It's OKAY for groups to do this. It's the thing that separates weekendish amateurs who have a regular 9-5 during the week and then go up during open mike nights to play their cover of "Sweet Home Alabama", and the groups who are REALLY trying to make it in the music business, who view music as their lives.

[SwampThing]

Sure everyone has their own sense of style (even if it's just jeans and a t-shirt), but having some sort of dress code or agreed upon look seems very lame. Maybe if a band is lacking musically they try to shift focus to their looks, cool fashion, or other gimics [;)]

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[deethelurker]

[quote][i]Originally posted by SwampThing[/i]
<br>Sure everyone has their own sense of style (even if it's just jeans and a t-shirt), but having some sort of dress code or agreed upon look seems very lame. Maybe if a band is lacking musically they try to shift focus to their looks, cool fashion, or other gimics [;)]

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[/quote]

Wow. You are what the people on this one forum I used to frequent would call "rockist". But to me I think that's a very boring way of viewing music. I personally evince a great thrill from viewing the exotica and dramaticism of the New Romantic genre. All of that peacock feathery is like getting a thrilling view of an Otheworld where people are fabulous and life is never bland or dull or boring. Sure, they knew at the time what was going on in Britain -- all that unemployment and conflict and the Cold War still raging on -- but the way they dealt with that time period was so UNIQUE and wonderful. In their own ways, they were saying "Hey, we know what's going on in the world but we are definitely going to provide you entertainment so when the bombs do drop, you'll be able to leave this world with a smile on your face." And "We know that there's terrible things happening with the economy, but we're choosing to rebel against the dour-makers by dressing up," a lesson they must've taken from the Teddy Boys and Teddy Girls of '50s Britain, who walked around with Victorian-era flash while their neighborhoods were still bombed out ruins.

ETA: I'm totally not arguing with you here. I recognize that this is what attracts YOU to what YOU like musically, just as what I'm attracted to musically belongs to ME. I'm just engaging in a discussion with you. [:)]

[drsevrin]

[quote][i]Originally posted by deethelurker[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by drsevrin[/i]
<br>I agree, Blir. I might be showing my age here, but other putoffs for me are some of the Next Wave bands who ruin a perfectly good lick with the boy-soprano vocals of a 12-year old. Specifically, Death Cab for Cutie, and of course The Postal Service come to mind. I prefer my music sung by Men or Women - not boys. No doubt some of the 80's music we all love sounds like this, but it seems to me there is a preponderance of the boy-soprano sound today.
[/quote]

Interesting you should mention those two bands, because the lead singer is one and the same in both. Ben Gibbard is the name of the lead singer in both Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service. And I do agree with you that this is a generational thing; I personally don't mind Gibbard's vocals and in fact kinda seek that kind of thing out, as it's indicative of an "indie rock" sound that I am attracted to. (In fact, virtually all of the new music I listen to is indie rock.)

waldnorm also touched on a generational difference. I didn't get to experience the time period when Duran Duran or similar artists were overplayed on the radio. In fact, I didn't get to hear a single Duran song until about 1996, and that was on a syndicated program.
[/quote]

Yeah, dee, your point's well taken - I'm willing to admit it could be a generational thing. But, as I reflect, most of my favorite bands of the 80's had vocalists with presence, depth, and power: Ian Curtis, Ian McCulloch, Matt Johnson, Joe Strummer, Gary Numan, Peter Murphy, etc. Those who didn't, made up for it with a wit and style that has been difficult to match - again I think of Gordon Gano and the Femme's first, 5-star album. I don't see as much of that today - maybe, as you say it's a characteristic of the Indie sound and simply boils down to taste.

I did realize Ben Gibbard sings in both groups and perhaps should have come up with another example. I actually quite like the Postal Service from an instrumental standpoint, I just can't get used to the vocals. I understand it's a popular sound these days - I've tried hard to appreciate DCFC but so far no luck. I try and try to understand why I love Jimmy Somerville but still can't quite come to grips with the higher-pitched vocals of today. Nostalgia, I guess.

I also agree with Waldnorm. Many of the pop-new wave artists did get overplayed. Like many folks I'm sure, I reach a point of saturation where I've heard something so many times I just can't stomach another spin. Used to to be a big Stones, Who and Beatles fan but I hit saturation sometime around 1983 and haven't been able to listen to them since.

Of course, The Who is making a stop in my neck of the woods and it's going to be tough to resist. . . .

[My Aural Stimulator]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Blir[/i]
<br>If they have man-hands or eat their peas one at a time.

Okay seriously, if Frenchmen and Filipinos like them. [:0]

Okay seriously, if they're from Canada. [:D]

Okay seriously, there is no common rhyme nor reason unless they can't shut their pieholes and just make music without spewing about crap they know nothing about! [}:)]
[/quote]

Goll, you crack me up!

There's a line in a Was (Not Was) song (Somewhere In America...)which I particularly like. It goes: "No show-biz beginners making global decisions." I like certain artists because they make music I enjoy. I drop them when they relentlessly spout thier political beliefs.

[deethelurker]

drservin: I too love the vocal stylings of "Ian Curtis, Ian McCulloch, Matt Johnson, Joe Strummer, Gary Numan, Peter Murphy, etc." If I didn't, I wouldn't be here in the first place. I just think that with different eras come differing dominant musical aspects that would add up to the best of music from said era(s). And while I disagree with you re: the lack what you'd consider to be strong positive musical attributes, I do recognize that that's what YOU feel and can understand why it is that you feel that way.

It's okay that you came up with both Death Cab and the Postal Service first. Actually, it's good that you did, because it shows that you've been paying attention to what the Kids Of Today listen to. You didn't say anything lame such as Dashboard Confessional or Bright Eyes (though Bright Eyes did do a cover of "O Little Town Of Bethlehem" that I like). I guess it's no accident that you like the Postal Service, with their patently nu-'80s sound, and dislike Death Cab, with their more modern-day, traditional indie sound. Oh, and Jimmy Sommerville et. al. sing with a near-countersoprano-like falsetto, while Ben Gibbard et. al. sing with a breathy vulnerability. Maybe you respond more to stronger voices.

And aw man. I wish I could've gone through the time period when "many of the pop-new wave artists did get overplayed". Instead I had to avoid the radio altogether and rely on my trusty Walkman during my high school days (except for when the '80s syndicated radio programs aired and even then that was just during the weekend). Oh well. I experienced a tiny bit of overplay from watching VH1's "The Big '80s". They had a tendency to repeat the same thing over and over again too, but hardly any of it was from New Wave artists.

[Frank_Chickens]

When they're overblown, self-righteous full of pomp (though more likely full of shit) and thinking they're god's gift when the opposite is true. For some reason U2 and Simply Red seems to fit this category very well..

"Worthy" policitical bands who think that the message is more important than the delivery of the message. Midnight Oil is a prime example of this and having sat through "10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1" I can safely say this is one of the most excerable listens I have endured in the last five years. If you're going to do political songs do it with a sense of humour like Billy Bragg.


Morrissey. Never has there been a better example of "don't believe the hype". Trite lyrics for "sensitive" people not "aware" (to be polite) enough to think for themselves and think that Morrissey speaks directly to them because they haven't spent a lot of time outside their parent's house. It's not surprising that his fanbase has stuck with him all these years as the sheep haven't deviated to a new thought yet. If he ever had to concentrate on singing, music or lyrics he would have been stuffed years ago. Still, aren't sheep wonderful?


--

"As chairman of the Cradle of Filth fanclub I'm the most insensitive man in Britain, but even I can see there's tension there"

[empyrean]

When the "artist" becomes too commercialized. And they converted themselves into mainstream. Like what U2 did. When the "artist" lose their sense of artistic values. Well it depends on how you define art right?

Death is the beginning of a new life. If you believe in reincarnation.