Pop and the idea of bands

[mostlyconnect.livejournal.com]

I don't really listen to bands or groups. I think poptimists has something to do with this - I certainly don't see many bands featured here, and I think they still get a bad press even among those who have rehabilitated pop to themselves? Maybe even rightly!

Do you? I feel these days like having more than one focus distracts and confuses the focus of music, making it weaker - but then I'll make exceptions for moments like golden-age Girls Aloud, when it sounded like 5 solo artists all recording at once, leading and pulling in different, exciting directions. Or at the very least - you knew who they were.

What do people think?

Comments

[mostlyconnect.livejournal.com]

Also I think "which single artists are really entirely individual all the time anyway" is a total red herring! It's not like there aren't other people on Bright Eyes records, in fact Bright Eyes is technically a band! The point is that I don't listen to the bass part and learn more about Bright Eyes The Band or about Mike; I listen and think I'm learning more about Conor, rightly or wrongly. And the same with Britney, I think!

[atommickbrane.livejournal.com]

Why 'technically' a band?! They *are* a band! There's always been other people! And whilst you may not, I am sure there are people who do (identifying majorly with one person in a band over 'the boring one' happens all the time, whether the appeal is looks, personality or HORRENDOUS EMO THAT COULD SINK SHIPS)...

It may be a bit of a red herring yes fair enough... but...

[mostlyconnect.livejournal.com]

Hmm but but! I mean when Tanaka raps there are elements of 'This is an expression of Tanaka' and elements of 'This is an expression of kat-tun', I reckon about half half. The drum parts in Bright Eyes are like 90% 'THIS IS HOW I FEEL, LIKE THE SURFACE OF THE MOOOON' even though C.O. doesn't actually play them! I dunno, isn't a big part of the pleasure of pop pretending that Sophie Ellie Bextor is modern and sophicated but fun too, why, just listen to that synth line?