"exclusive" music listening

[satan665]

I'm not sure if my subject exactly makes sense, but I think you will all know what I'm talking about. Hearing all of Semjazza's bands he likes (cause I haven't heard of 50% of them) reminded me of me and my friends back in the day.

We were all big into music, and buying CD's. The funny thing is that we would try to find bands that no one else had heard of, and somehow that was cool. For example: One of my friends bought a suicide machines CD and played it for us, then a week later one of my friends buys the same CD and gets accused of copying teh other kids music taste. The kid was genuinely pissed off!

All of us tried to define our identity with bands, and were really protective about what we listened to. Its really silly now thinking about it, why would I not want other people to enjoy a good band?

Does anyone else feel protective about music like this, or used to? Its hard to believe that we had such strong feelings about that sort of thing, I think in the one story I gave above it almost came to a fistfight.

What other sorts of things are you protective about if not music?

[future girl]

I'm a really huge fan of Spanish Rock. Surprisingly down here in South Florida it has been very hard for it to pick up and become popular. I've introduced a few friend to certain bands like Molotov or Los Fabulos Cadillacs, but I have to admit I've always done it with a bit of hesitation. What I like about Spanish Rock, or at least the bands that I listen to, is that they incorporate a lot of their folkloric sounds into the music, as well as the message. A lot of these bands are from places like Mexico or Columbia where things like extreme poverty and warfare are common. So many of the bands are trying very hard to put the word out there and although I'm sure there are other bands that do this, they've experienced this first hand and their message has a stronger impact in my opinion. Although I know that by introducing the music to ppl I'm helping to spread the message, my fear is that too much popularity will make them lose sight of the real message in their music. I've seen it happen before and not just in music, fame changes ppl and their art. So to a certain extent I do fear the possibility of Spanish Rock becoming mainstream, but not to the point where I'll fight someone to keep it a secret. When the message at hand is taken into account I suppose it's worth it.

[Arie]

I prefer to have more people likeing the bands that i like because it will give the band members more money. More money means more music right? But I also see what you mean about how you dont want to do was the masses do because then you'd be just like them. Now that I think of it...I'm not sure what I think....

[satan665]

My all time favorite band, Modest mouse, was on an indie label forever and has a big following. For their last full album they signed to Epic (major label). A lot of people I know were disappointed with them for signing to a big label, and also a lot of people said they didn't like it and it sounded too "produced" rather than their more raw sound.

I'm torn on it, they want to be on a major label to reach a bigger audience, but I cringe hearing a clip of one of their songs on a minivan commercial.

Its kinda like when there is an album you really like, and a single comes out on the radio and they play it to death and you end up skipping it when you listen to the CD. Of course I solve that one by not listening to the radio much. (Outkast "hey ya" is a good example)

[Queen Asuka]

[color=hotpink][size=1]I'm selfish like that, but I find myself wanting to share my musical tastes with others. Now that I am obsessed with Mindless Self Indulgence, I've been trying to get people to listen to them for the past few years and open themselves up to something new. Heh, I don't know...[/color][/size]

[Semjaza]

Well, nothing I listen to is really all that "unknown" in my opinion. At least compared to other boards I go to to talk about music. The only possibility is Menomena, because as far as I know, you can only order that CD from one place... CDBaby. I've never seen it elsewhere. There were actually a few imports in my list as well heh.

Anyway, I don't really choose these lesser known bands simply because it makes me feel special. In reality, if I were to list what I consider the best bands, I'm sure that most would be very well known. There's a reason why some bands are as successful as they are. I'm sure 99% of the people here have heard of David Bowie (although I met a 19 year old girl who had no idea who he was... I have no clue how that's possible).

It's just a matter of finding stuff that works for you. When I find a band I love, I do everything I can to expose other people to them. I've done it with Apocalypse Hoboken, for example, and actually had some success. Same with Muse, which is relatively unknown in the US compared to Europe where they are apparently rather popular.

I don't care about label switches in general. The actual thought of them going on a label and reaching a bigger audience is not an issue. It's something I feel most fans would want, but there are also people who would rather their favorite band had to work at McDonald's forever instead of actually making it somewhere. They like the idea that the band is "their's", so to speak. I find this rather selfish, personally.

The main problem with moving to a new label is a change of sound. It's rarely as huge as people want you to think (like these people who use the term "sell out" for EVERYTHING), but it can be substantial. Like you said, Modest Mouse perhaps lost some of it's rawness due to better production. In the CDs I mentioned in that other thread, On the Might of Princes lost that raw quality... but I feel that they got more back through production. It's hit or miss.

Labels also have a massive say in what makes it on the CD and what doesn't. This was an issue with the Deftones in the past. They were forced to leave something off one album and stick it on another, which they didn't want to do. Of course, in the face of the label that feeds you, there's not much you can do.

However, barring that, I feel that deciding to ignore a band or whatever else simply because of the label they go to is moronic. I have to question what these fans were into the band for in the first place. I've seen this happen many, many times too... so I know it's not that uncommon.

Not much can be done though. I just listen to what I want to listen to and leave it at that.

[Outlaw Melfina]

i think it's annoying how you have to have "exclusive" listening. all the bands i listen to, no one has ever heard of them.
i'm a black girl but I LOVE ROCK!! i'm the only girl, practically that listens to just rock.
i do know the people that they're talking about, like B2K, ja rule etc. it sets me apart from the whole year!
i don't really show off my music because they think i listen to Metallica. i hate them! i listen to brit rock mostly, but i also listen to american rock!
my father doesn't really call it rock. he calls it "the music you listen to Amaris....." i find it so annoying! can't he just call it rock? i do!

[superfreak07]

I like Ozma and most people have never heard of them. I don't try and keep them to myself, I try to tell people to listen to them. Ozma is pretty good, but they aren't a solid rock.