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Re: Radio friendly

In a message dated 2/10/01 11:13:21 AM Central Standard Time, 
teamccloud at yahoo_com writes:

<< Why is commercial success
 for a band considered bad in some camps? There
 always seems to be a tenuous balance of art vs.
 success among long-time fans who feel a sense of
 ownership over a band. I'm of the opinion that
 any music that OTR records/releases/performs is
 far better and has more lasting value than the
 Backstreet Boys/Brittney Spears crowd. And if OTR
 or any other similar band/artist is a commercial
 success, it's that much better.
  >>
 One good reason some people knee jerk (myself among this lot) is that an 
artist needs to put his/her personal vision first.  When they become 
concerned about whether this or that song is radio friendly,  appeals to a 
large amount of people, is liked by the critics, industry, etc., then they 
often blur or even lose that vision. 
  Not that it doesn't happen -- there are bands that became huge that didn't 
compromise their vision but they seem to be more the exception than the rule. 
   The two bands you mention won't have lasting value simply because they are 
industry constructs put together for the sole purpose of making a buck.  
That's a totally different thing.  They never did follow a vision as artists. 
 A better example of *going commercial* would be a band like say...Asia.  
Here is a group of people who came from once cutting edge bands like Yes, 
Roxy Music, King Crimson, and ELP that got together for the sole purpose of 
making *hit* music.  What they ended up creating was some neo-progressive pop 
fluff that the fans hated but did get a bit of radio airplay.  Historically 
they weren't even a blip on the map as far as creating something lasting.  
You can say the same of Yes and ELP for that matter when they tried to create 
something more commercial.  The music suffered greatly.  It was only when 
they regained their vision that they again made something of lasting value.
  But, like I said, it does happen occasionally that an artists vision 
happens to fall in line with the *masses*. If OTR are still putting 
themselves first then I think it's great if the new one have some radio 
friendly tunes. They certainly deserve the success. But whether or not they 
get that they have already created (and I'm sure they're not finished!) some 
music that has more lasting value than a zillion + Britney Spears!

peace,
kevin
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