Nevermind The Posers

See ya in the pit.

Can’t Be Mad At MADBALL July 21, 2011

Filed under: CD Reviews — NVMP @ 7:50 AM

By Oz Litvac


New York Hardcore music is alive and well.  Madball’s latest album, Empire, solidifies this theory.  Needless to say the DMS Crew, also known as Doc Martens Stompers, which includes several bands such as legendary Agnostic Front, Skarhead, Madball and other affiliates, set a standard for this genre and really stamped it with their own originality.

With chunky guitar riffs, solid breakdowns and raw lyrics that deal with real concepts and being true to themselves, Madball started as a side project to Agnostic Front, nevertheless quickly built their fan base and helped maintained the legacy of the New York Hardcore scene.

Over twenty years in the game and eight plus albums later, Madball delivers their latest creation proving these veterans are as solid as ever, just as they were when they first appeared on the scene in the late eighties.

Unfortunately many bands lose their edge after being in the industry, particularly in this scene for many years.  Not Madball.  Still as relevant as ever, and although Empire does not introduce anything new in terms of style or structure, it’s as hard-hitting as some of their best earlier projects.

It has good, angry energy and includes all the right ingredients necessary to make great hardcore music.  Bouncy breakdowns perfect for floor punching, with a touch of slam dancing feel to it.

The song “All or Nothing” really embraces the bands’ integrity in its lyrics and is an example and honest representation of everything they stand for.

Although maintaining the ‘don’t give a fuck’ attitude, Madball still manages to demonstrate maturity in their understanding of the responsibility they hold to the hardcore scene and the fans.  They are easy to relate to with their ‘blue collar’ values and mentality, and keep a positive spin on this angry genre with the morals in their songs.

In conclusion it is important to mention that any band that makes you feel a certain way, and does so consistently for twenty years, no matter what that feeling is, deserves respect.  Although it is only thirty-five minutes long and perhaps angrier than previous albums, Empire is another example of solid NYHC legendary music with no compromise on lyricism.

 

CD Review: Damnesia by Alkaline Trio July 18, 2011

Filed under: CD Reviews — NVMP @ 9:52 PM

By Alexander ‘Stigz’ Castiglione               

When I heard about a new Alkaline Trio album, I must admit I did a little happy dance in the privacy of my own home.  While in my joyous two-step, I hoped that it was more like their older stuff, such as Goddamnit, Good Mourning, or even Crimson.

Ironically, I was partly right, and mildly happy with the album.  An “acoustic” album as it is dubbed in i-Tunes, it only has two new tracks on it, one being a cover of The Violent Femmes “I Held Her In My Arms” and a new original track “I Remember A Rooftop.”  (Not to be confused with “Rooftops” off of Remains)

Despite it being an “acoustic” album it still possesses nuances of their angst and fervor from their earliest albums, the ones that any Alkaline fan has undoubtedly blasted at high volume and screamed the lyrics at unwitting pedestrians.  For instance, their new take on “Radio” still has the same unfettered intensity despite the tempo being reduced by at least 15 bpm.  Some of the vocals on certain tracks have “evolved” and become more melodic, leaving the grimy, guttural, almost growl-like phrasing behind (which, as a true fan, I love their unpolished and unique sound).

In my opinion a much better release than 2010’s Agony and Irony, this album revisits and takes a new perspective on some of their best tracks.  Some of them I truly enjoy, while other’s I found myself clicking “next track” because I felt their first cut was much, much better.  “Clavicle” belongs to the latter description, as their vocals are too melodic and lack that crude, unrefined vocal quality that made them a hidden gem in the world of obscure rock.

However, their new take on “This Could Be Love” I found to be absolutely brilliant.  Vastly down-tempo from the original, the piano work is haunting and mesmerizing with the vocals operating under the same descriptive qualities.  One of their hardest jams and the soundtrack to so many whiskey sours consumed, they made it sound like a completely different track with beautiful progressions.  The same description applies to “American Scream.”  On the flip side of that musical coin lays their new rendition of “We’ve Had Enough,” and I don’t feel at all like they’ve had enough, I feel more like I’ve had enough of some band playing the local coffeehouse, not even coming close to the passion possessed in the first mix.

In closing, I have hybridized feelings about the new album which dropped July 12th, 2011.  Some of their revisits I feel are not only great but possess a very unique and memorable quality missing on their earlier renderings.  With others, I have to admit, I feel they come up wanting, and would prefer the older versions.  However, this album was vastly better than their last release, Agony and Irony, as they went back to their roots and evolved at the same time, as paradoxical as that sounds.

Alkaline Fans: Give it a shot.

Newcomers: If you like indie-rock, you’ll dig this album; if you like your rock served a la carte with angst and a side of balls, check out the older albums in their discography.

 

What Album Best Illustrated Your Days of Teen Angst? July 7, 2011

Filed under: Music Questions — NVMP @ 8:07 AM

Which album or songs best illustrated or described your days of teenage angst?

TNT
The album that best illustrated my days of teenage angst would be The Living End, self-titled album.  I listened to a lot of punk music in my teenage days, but when I listened to The Living End, it just felt different.  Maybe because the band was just getting their name out there with the single “Prisoner of Society.”  Maybe it’s because I informed my friend about this kick ass punk trio.  Maybe it’s because every single song spoke to me, but most of all, it’s because it made me feel like I could do anything in the world at the age of 16. 

Oz
There were many albums from different genres that used to play a soundtrack to my long faded teenage years.  One specific album off top that represents days of teen angst is an album by a band called Vision of Disorder.  The album is self titled and the song name is “Suffer”.  The song challenges the generation gap and its pre-conceived notions and rebels through different type of thinking expressed in the lyrics. 

Daniel-Edward
The one album that best described my days of teen angst was definitely Simple Plan’s No Pads, No Helmets, Just Balls.  Songs like “Addicted” and “Worst Day Ever” perfectly evoked everyday high school teen angst and drama.  I listened to it constantly and knew the words to every song, but I haven’t really listened to any of their music in the past few years.

Mark
At the risk of sounding doom and gloom hacky, I will have to go with the first album that always comes to mind when I think of my teen angst, and that would be the album Violator by Depeche Mode.  It came out when I was seven, and although I was a fan then, the understanding of it would escape me for several more years.  But when I hit my mid-teens, the album as a whole began to take on a new meaning.  Every song seemed to speak to me, matching my moods and describing my pains and disillusionment in a lost precise and explicit detail.  It was almost the torch lighting my way down the path of feelings, which became more and more desolate thanks to girls and teen drama.  I still nearly fall apart when I hear “Enjoy the Silence,” remembering all the times that I listened to it incessantly through all the break-ups of my doomed relationships, and the loneliness that being a teen can bring.  Or “Policy of Truth”, when you deal with all the bullshit your friends can cause, or when you wish everyone would try to see things your way on “World in My Eyes”.  Or the blowing off of steam and having fun while dancing around, and mimicking guitar while listening to “Personal Jesus”.  Sometimes I think that if it weren’t for the Mode, making it through the teen years wouldn’t have been as easy. 

Orin Jones
Pantera’s “Fucking Hostile” takes it.  I don’t expect many kids to remember this one off  of the Vulgar Display of Power album, but maybe.  I must have played this song 900 times a day as loud as my headphones would go, as if by blowing out my eardrums, I was somehow getting back at the man.  (Epiphany: this is probably why I am now FUCKING DEAF.)  I tried listening to this song/album recently and just felt embarrassed…silly lyrics and predictable guitar lines.  Doesn’t mean, however, I won’t still see ’em if they ever come around again…does mean I say “What?” and “Huh?!” more than any other 31 year-old I know. ~R.I.P. Dimebag Darrell.

Angela
Maybe we all knew this was coming, but I searched my mental musical catalog and my pick for teen angst album is Green Day’s Dookie.  I know, typical, but this is the very reason as to why I am the die-hard fan that I am.  Even if I was a little young to quite grasp the meaning behind all the songs like “Chump,” “F.O.D.” and “Burnout” resonated somewhere inside my burgeoning angst and blossomed into the take-no-shit punk rock enthusiast you have today.

Hoverbee
The album that best illustrated my days of teenage angst is The Wall by Pink Floyd.  The core concepts of the album deal with the loss of a father figure, an overbearing mother figure, ridicule by peers and the end of a romantic relationship.  Although the album dealt with certain topics beyond my experience at the time (marriage, adultery, heroin use), the core concepts described the deep anxiety I felt during my adolescence.  I identified with the sincere wish to isolate oneself from the world by building a metaphorical wall.  

Klone
If I had to pick just one, I’d say it was Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream.  I may not have landed on that one during my teenage years, but thinking back, it’s the perfect mural to reflect my teenage angst.  The disc has a healthy dose of everything from seriously intense, rocking riffs that electrify your body into at least bobbing your head along with the beat, to slow, melancholy power ballads.  (Ahem, “Disarm” anyone?)  Smashing Pumpkins is the kind of band whose genius washes over you and overtime becomes a part of you, and for me, Siamese Dream always takes me back to a more angsty time in my life.  Alice In Chains’ Facelift was a very close second…so close, worth mentioning.

 

Brothers of Brazil: A Turd With A Splash of The Exotic = Still A Turd July 4, 2011

Filed under: New Music — NVMP @ 12:06 PM

by Orin Jones
Is it Soul Coughing?  Is it Mr. Bungle?  Is it nowhere even close to as good?  “Blinded by Fashion” might be an Aqua cover; “I Hate the Beatles” might be tolerable if I could cut the vocals.  At best, Johnny Knoxville and Beetlejuice (see album cover) swing from Beatlesy (trite) to Faith No More (their later, less-fulfilling lounge days); at worst, the singers’ struggles to rhyme are rivaled by those of the annoying kids next door.  If you’re a fan of Psychefunkapus, Fishbone, mid-90’s ska, and any local high school bands, you’ll love this mess.  Brothers of Brazil is as much quality music as Capoeira is quality martial arts — both seem at first to hold potential, but no…save your time.  Capoeira is just fancy aerobics and BoB will give you a fancy headache.  I’m sure someone loves this basura (or however you say it in Portuguese), but it sure ain’t me.  What happened Brazil?  You used to be respectable…now this?  Stick to “football,” meaty restaurants and insanely hot naked chicas.  Leave the awful pop music to us.

 

MTV CEO STEPPING DOWN…SHOULD WE CARE? June 26, 2011

Filed under: Can You Believe This?!,Rants — NVMP @ 11:39 AM

A response to the 5/11/11 Barbara Ortutay AP article found here.

Written by: Klone

So, on the one hand this Judy McGrath person should be commended for making MTV what it once was, but at the same time I feel like it’s ABOUT TIME the idiot who took MTV from being MUSIC television to MEANINGLESS television should NOT be celebrating a career of success.

I mean, seriously?  “Jersey Shore” and “16 and Pregnant” are accolades?  Why aren’t the conservatives trying to do something about the fact that MTV is glorifying ignorance on ALL levels by promoting “guidos/guidettes”, ruining a state’s reputation with the rest of the nation and making TV stars out of teens who become pregnant unintentionally and out-of-wedlock, or more likely intentionally, seeking celebrity.  Would seem a ripe target….

MTV doesn’t seem to know the difference between exacerbating a problem and bringing to light a scary new phenomena.  I think at one time it did know, which is why they put together their multi-chaptered documentary series called “Sex in the 90s”.  Now, there was a liberal approach to a socially taboo subject (at the time) that went out of its way to bring all sides of the debate to the table and let the viewer be educated.  If this series were done today, it would actually be an under-cover, mainstream porno show.  Somewhere between the 90s and the turn of the century, MTV completely lost its way, and began laying down with dogs to make celebrities of society’s fleas.
I remember a time when MTV was all about celebrating the fun side of life.  If America was the small town in the movie Footloose, MTV was Kevin Bacon, getting the entire nation’s youth to get up and dance.  We had ACTUAL MUSIC VIDEOS that were shown IN THEIR ENTIRETY all day long.  You had ground-breaking sketch comedy shows like “MTV’s The State” and even something for the comic book/art fans with their many animated shows like “MTV’s Oddities: The Head”, “MTV’s Oddities: The Maxx”, “Liquid Television” (a truly under-rated, yet amazing variety/sketch show), and who could forget all the fun game shows like “Remote Control”, “Singled Out” and “Idiot Savant”. The network literally had the world in the palm of its hand, when enter Mary Ellis-Bunim…the mother of reality television and the garbage program of which she was the executive producer, “The Real World”.  Nothing would ever be the same.

Now what are they?  The virtual graveyard for the leftovers from the last decade of decadence (how I miss Motlëy Crüe…I know they’re still around, but like all things of the old days of MTV, it’s just not the same.)  I actually pity today’s kids, who have no concept of a world not accessible through an iPhone.  The kids have no idea what it’s like to have a wide array of artists constantly on display, but never on-demand.  It’s a sad, sorry state of affairs, and I for one think Ms. McGrath failed one generation after helping define the previous one.  I may be a harsh critic, but I must have missed the memo where we pretend that failing to follow-up on your previous successes was the new “in”-thing to celebrate.  MTV…WTF?!  Oh wait, I know…it’s all about the money, stupid.  Ha.  Silly me.

 

Which two bands/musicians should mate to produce musical perfection? June 21, 2011

Filed under: Music Questions — NVMP @ 10:06 PM

Which two bands/musicians should mate to produce musical perfection?


TNT
Hard question!  So many ‘couples’ to theoretically mate for musical perfection.  But for my personal taste, it would have to be the best of both worlds- Jerry Garcia and Joan Jett.  The sound would blend rock, punk, folk and experimental jams.  Yes, the offspring of these musicians could cause a clashing sound, but I am so curious about what that sound would be.  From Jerry Garcia, I would like his phenomenal guitar playing and talented songwriting skills to carry over and from Joan Jett, it would be her attitude and raw vocals with punk influences shining through.  In case you were wondering, I’m hoping for a male offspring.  

Hoverbee
I would like Cake and Duran Duran to musically mate and produce a sound like no other.  I’ve always loved the funky rhythms and bass lines of Duran Duran and the way in which almost every song is somehow pure sex.  Cake can be funky, but has never had that sexual undertone.  I love the crazy, lyrical concoctions of Cake much more than the ambiguous, sometimes confusing lyrics of Duran Duran.  Both bands have horn sections which should stay, but lean more toward the Duran Duran saxophone than the Cake trumpets.  The music should be more toward Duran Duran’s electronic sound yet still have tons if vibraslap. 

Orin Jones
Two musicians who should mate to produce musical perfection are Ana Vidovic and I.  From her site’s biography: “Ana Vidovic comes from the small town of Karlovac near Zagreb, Croatia, and started playing guitar at the age of 5, and by 7 had given her first public performance…Ana’s reputation in Europe led to an invitation to study with Manuel Barrueco at the Peabody Conservatory where she graduated in 2005…[Since,] Ms. Vidovic has given over one thousand public performances…[and] has won an impressive number of prizes and international competitions.” Not only is Ms. Vidovic one of the greatest living classical guitarists, but she is also really, really hot.  I have played guitar for a few years and don’t want kids.  If we were to produce a child, it’d be average looking, and of average intelligence and musical prowess.  However, together, between her touring and financing my new life of luxury/laziness, many times each day, Ana and I would create music to make doves cry.

Angela
Ok, not for nothing, but watching Davey Havok of AFI run on stage and take over lyrics on Green Day’s “Holden Caulfield” was a pretty fucking sweet musical moment I got to witness as a fan.  Otherwise, this question is really hard for me to answer.  Honestly, I think Daniel Johns of Silverchair in all his underestimated and overlooked talent would be a fantastic pairing with someone like the Dresden Dolls.  I like the wild mash-up concept of the artistic meeting the punk and cabaret.  I’ll probably think of something awesome later and smack myself in the forehead.

Klone
If the Gods of Rock were good and just, I’d love to see the musical offspring from the combining of the original line-up of Alice in Chains and early Stone Temple Pilots.  A mainstay of the Seattle sound combined with the Led Zepplin-esque repertoire of STP would serve to redefine Rock in terms that just might transcend the poppy no-man’s land that music has become.
 

Views on YouTube don’t reflect the truth about you dude! June 15, 2011

Filed under: New Music,Rants — NVMP @ 9:16 PM

By oZ Litvac

I heard about this unsigned rapper by the name of Childish Gambino.  My first reaction was, ‘what a silly name, I hope he can rap.’  Then I watch the video for “Freaks and Geeks” and decided quickly I am not impressed.  I kept an open mind and gave some more tracks a listen.  There was a small amount of lyrics that caused me to raise an eyebrow, that’s about it.  Although the dude can flow, he portrays an image of a young kid with lame metaphorical references about uninteresting things such as his penis and girl ass’s that he fucks.  The problem is, he is not a kid nor is he that young to capitalize on childishness.  Besides, Bieber already did that.

The desperate attempt to rhyme like the influences that birthed his courage to rap is at best pathetic.  Even though he swears he reinvented the wheel with that corny dance in the video, I am sure I have seen someone else do it before.  The beats sound like every other Lil Wayne beat, and the flow sounds like every rapper getting plenty of spins on the radio, but lacking originality and imagination.  It is safe to say he will have his fifteen minutes of fame because he has some talent, and his live performance (on you-tube) seems to have some good energy, at least the one or two live videos I’ve seen.  But just as fast as he popped out of nowhere, he can be forgotten by next year.

We don’t need another Kanye West or Lil Wayne, that is for sure.  So if Gambino has nothing new to bring to hip hop, it is only a matter of time before he becomes the next has been.  Because if he plans on making it based on skills alone, it is thrice as hard as if he actually knows the right people plus puts in the work it takes to evolve into a respectable rapper, and even then it will take years which will require him to stay relevant.

 

Which Song Has The Most Powerful Message? June 14, 2011

Filed under: Music Questions — NVMP @ 11:43 PM

Choosing just one song to award the title of most powerful message is no easy task.  Millions of songs have been written with overt and cryptic messages intended to convey emotion to a particular audience.  On top of that, anyone can find personal meaning behind the lyrics of a song.

So, what song has the most powerful message?

TNT
“Give Peace A Chance” by John Lennon.  That is pretty much the song; powerful and to the point.  There are a ton of songs I could have chosen, but in the end I belted out ‘All we are saying, is give peace a chance.”  This was Lennon’s first hit away from The Beatles and was credited to The Plastic Ono Band.  Another powerful messages from this song: you don’t need to leave bed to make a hit song, literally. 

Hoverbee
John Lennon’s “Imagine” is the song with the most powerful message.  It’s a song about breaking down the barriers that exist among people, which keep us from coming together to work for a common goal.  Lyrically, it tackles religion, politics, war, poverty and world peace.  Musically, it is both beautiful and sad.  It is a song that moves people to deep emotion and feeling.  It also stands the test of time by being relevant in any era. 

Orin Jones
I’m going to go with Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings, Op. 11,” written in 1936 and first performed in ‘38.  Whatever it meant to people back then, since Oliver Stone’s homage to America’s Vietnam war, Platoon, in ’86, it’s represented the suckiness of war and unnecessary death.  There’s a Charlie Sheen PTSD joke in here somewhere. 

Daniel-Edwards
The most powerful song I can think of right now is “Born This Way” by Lady GaGa.  Love her or hate her, “Born This Way” is simply about loving the life you’re living regardless of what labels people apply to you.  Love who you love, be who you are.  It’s a simple message, and it’s an awesome, high energy song.

Angela
I’m particularly fond of John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero.”  The lyrics appeal to me and it doesn’t hurt that Green Day covered it.  Being a twenty something American kid who happened to hit maturity right as we went to war and recession, when the video came out, despite it being for Darfur, it rang out in my brain and stuck close to home.  There are tons of songs that bear powerful messages for myself and society at large, (“Ohio” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young is a good one too) but “Working Class Hero” has a bit of a defining quality for me.

Klone
In a bit of an effort to be bold, I’m going to go with “Prison Sex” by TOOL.  “Do onto others, what has been done to you.  Do unto me now, what has been done.  You’re breathing so I guess you’re still alive, even though signs seem to tell me otherwise.”  There’s a lot to think about there, the psychology of abuse and perpetuating a cycle of continued abuse.  On top of that, the song actually rocks so hard, that most people often miss the lyrics or any discernible meaning behind them entirely.

 

Do you feel that fashion should play such a large role in musical genres? May 25, 2011

Filed under: Music Questions — NVMP @ 7:06 PM
Do you feel that fashion should play such a large role in musical genres?  For example, the looks shown on yourscenesucks.com

TNT
No, never.  Music is not fashion.  I think fashion plays too big of a role in music today.  I dress how I want to dress and I listen to anything I want.  How exhausting would it be if I had to change my ensemble every time I changed a CD or put my iPod on shuffle?  If I was a fan of Insane Clown Possie (key word “if”) I would not dress as a Juggalo to show my pride for the group.  Besides, that is someone elses fashion expectation for a fan of a particular musical genre.  There are many ‘scenes’ that music fans could choose to fit in to today, but there is no rule that states you have to dress the part.  Yourscenesucks.com is a fun way of pinpointing the folks that feel differently about this question.  If you are not in high school, it’s childish to think you need to dress a certain way to show your musical tastes.

Hoverbee
I feel that fashion should not play such a large role in musical genres.  I can’t really say to what degree scenes start because music lovers wish to emulate their musical idols or fans set the standard of dress that becomes associated with certain bands.  Although at one time in my life I wore flannels, ripped jeans and converse to emulate my grunge idols, in retrospect it seems silly to me.  Perhaps it had something to do with the search for an identity or individualism.  What’s ironic is that instead of individualism, scenes create a herd mentality.  All of a sudden there are droves of people running around all wearing the same fashions that act as signal to others that they like a certain band or bands.  I suppose it’s a visual, non-verbal way to let others know what music you’re into.  Still, I simply don’t like the idea that if you like a certain genre of music, there’s a look to accompany it.  All of these “looks” or fashions get in the way of what is most important: the music.
Mark
Absolutely not.  While it is completely unavoidable for every style of music and its corresponding scene to develop its own look and mannerisms…it definitely has no place within the genres.  To me, the more effort that a band puts into it fashion sense, the more of a distraction that the so-called artist is trying to create to take the public’s attention off of their obviously sub-par, cookie cutter, shitty music.  For a perfect example, look at Lady Gaga.  Her wardrobe and show set pieces get more attention than her music.  And for those artists that actually have talent, it completely takes away from the music that the artist is trying to create in the first place.  Realistically, music is about SOUND, not looks.  Groups like Duran Duran have always been extremely fashion conscientious and stylish, but even so, it admittedly does become distracting; constantly having their visual images shoved down your throat when it’s the music that is supposed to matter.  I love the New Wave genre, which had one of the most distinctive fashion styles within the realm of music, and yet it would be just as amazing without the visual aids.
Orin Jones
I may be the wrong person to answer this because I don’t dress the part…or at least, I don’t stack neatly into any of the scenester caricatures (praise Allah!).  I’ve got some tats and avoid shaving at all costs, but shucks, I contend I was doing it before the hipsters.  Yeah, I don’t particularly care.  If you wanna dress up like a clown, who am I to judge?  Who knows—could be fun.  And then you move out of your mom’s garage, begin your career as a “Sandwich Artist,” and finally start making it to those group sessions.
Stigz
After a colleague of mine turned me onto yourscenesucks.com, I truly realized how we as a social collective actually dress to “rep” our scene.  However, and I partially (and almost entirely) blame my generation, the 80’s babies, for taking this notion and running with it.  Since we were the ones to first denote labels like skaters, punks, goths, wiggers, etc., as we dressed in collusion with the music we listened to, as if listening to it wasn’t good enough.  As if blasting the stereo and driving around windows down with the volume pinned wasn’t enough, we had to wear the skater jeans, or the tight chick pants (PS if you have balls and you wear tight jeans, you should be beaten with a sock full of batteries-you’re not cool, you’re two ovaries shy of being a woman) to show everyone what scene we were into.  Gladly as we all grew up, most of us grew out of it, and dressed how we wanted to.  I hope, or at least I think, that we realized that it’s about the music not the fashion, and that’s the way it should be.  Music should be about the music, not about the image and the clothes you wear.
Klone
As much as we wish it wasn’t, the simple fact is that in 1979, with a little help from MTV, Buggles basically hit the nail on the head when they said, “Video killed the radio star.”  No longer was music a faceless art-form, the visual void filled only by album liners and theater playbills.  As soon as the music biz went visual, all bets were off.  Not only did the artists’ looks come heavily into play, as far as sell-ability was concerned, but the icon of the “rock star” was created.  You not only had to have the pipes but the packaging as well, from the fashion to the personality and flair.  That’s not to say that certain famous people like Meatloaf and Joe Cocker, as well as other famously fugly mugs like Mick Jagger and Keith Richards didn’t bring their own flavor to the looks department.  Looks alone didn’t define the artist though…one only needs to look at current fugly demi-Goddess Lady GaGa to see that.  (That’s right, I said it, the bitch is HIDEOUS.)  The balance that seems to come into question though is when does the spectacle of the fashion and beauty begin to overshadow or completely overtake the credibility of the artist as a musician?  You could argue that The Go-Gos or The Bangles weren’t amazing musicians, but that they were groups of hot chicks certainly didn’t hurt their claims to fame.  I think it’s when you get into “Juggalo” territory and the likes of Ke$ha that you start to run into the widely spouted “WTF?!” moments.  Do I feel this is how it SHOULD be?  No.  Unfortunately, this is how it is.
Daniel-Edward
I think fashion and music can have a really beautiful and interesting symbiosis when they’re playing off of and inspiring each other, but when fashion becomes a prerequisite to feel like part of a music scene, I think it can be off-putting and overshadow the actual music.  In some cases I think stigma attached to a scene’s fashion can turn someone off to the genre altogether.
 

What is the worst name for a band you’ve ever heard? May 18, 2011

Filed under: Music Questions — NVMP @ 8:01 AM
What is the worst name for a band you’ve ever heard?
TNT
Hands down, the worst name for a band that I’ve ever heard is Anal Cunt.  I don’t mean to sound like Jimmy from South Park, but come on.  I have reasonable doubts that merchandise is flying off the shelves, as I cannot see people wearing a shirt that has the words ‘Anal’ and/or “Cunt” on it.  Other band names I’m not too fond of are The Devil Wears Prada and Panic! at the Disco.  And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead, yes that is the entire name of one band, is a great group but who are they kidding with that name?  Everyone knows it’s just too long.  There, I said it.
Hoverbee
I dislike the band name Lady Antebellum (not to mention the music).  At first I disliked it because it made me think of Lady Gaga.  How many Lady-somethings are there going to be?  Then I disliked it because I confused the Latin word acetabulum (the socket of the pelvis that the femur head fits into) with the Latin word antebellum (oops…my bad) which makes absolutely no sense.  Now I dislike it because upon further investigation; the name is a reference to a woman living in the pre-Civil War culture in the slave holding southern states.
Mark
Here are a few of the shittiest band names that I have ever seen, courtesy of Australia’s SOUNDWAVE REVOLUTION festival:  Altar Bridge, Versa Emerge, The Pretty Reckless, Dashboard Confessional, Hollywood Undead, Street Dogs, Reliant K, Face to Face, Attack Attack!, Framing Hanley, Watain, Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows (D.R.U.G.S), Steel Panther, Thursday, The Dangerous Summer, Set Your Goals, The Damned Things, In This Moment, White Chapel, Every Time I Die, The Acacia Strain, Story of the Year, Terrible Things, The Swellers, Young Guns, Four Year Strong, This Providence, We Are The Ocean, Make Do and Mend.  YUCK!
Orin Jones
Smart money’s on “Putrid Stench,” “Bile,” or “Cannibal Corpse” (popular 90’s death metal bands).  Wonder how much money I spent and how much I personally killed the planet sucking down and discarding batteries blasting this awful noise on my Walkman personal tape player?  Probably a fuckin’ lot.  I know this is not a question about the worst band—rather, just a name—however, my vote is still for “Lady Gaga,” because every time I hear it—just her name—my mind is besieged by that song…I don’t even know the name…GAH GAH GAGAHGAAHHH….quickly followed by ideations of too personal a nature to speak here.
Stigz
I can’t think of a band name that really ticks me off specifically, however, any band that has the word “experience” in it truly irks me.  It’s almost the lazy man’s way out, and simultaneously screams of egotism and pomposity.  Also, any band that makes up a word to call themselves really pisses me off.  There are a billion words in the English language, why can’t you use a word (or series of words) we all agree on?
Klone
I love this question.  So much of a musical group’s identity is tangled up in its name, as much as it is in their sound.  Having been in a number of musical groups and projects, coming up with the band name can be one of the best, most fun parts of the entire endeavor, but more often than not that fun is short-lived.  All it takes is for a couple of members to throw out their ideas only to have them shot-down, and slowly this process devolves into inner band turmoil.  So, keeping in mind that band names are arrived upon by committee in most cases, unless you’re name is Dave Mathews or Lady GaGa, let’s look at some that are so bad it’s amazing that a group of people actually agreed to them.  #1: Hoobastank – Yeah, I always think kick-ass music when I hear a word that combines tuba and a past-tense notice of stench.  #2: Butthole Surfers – Okay, these days this name probably isn’t so shocking, but in the late 90s this name conjured an image of someone on their couch fingering their bunghole looking for the perfect wave…really gives “Cinnamon and Sugary” a new twist.  #3 Vagina Panthers – you may not believe they’re a real band, but they are…and that’s all I know about them because why the hell would I listen to a band called “Vagina Panthers”?
Daniel-Edward
The worst band name I’ve heard is D.R.U.G.S. (Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows).  It sounds like some kind of weird progressive christian rock band, and the name makes me immediately hate them.