Well, EMI does have a point. That said, 'THE STEAMPUNK ALBUM THAT CANNOT BE NAMED FOR LEGAL REASONS' is a great name.

WTF is Steampunk music?

Wow. TFA managed to typo the bands name twice...

WTF Indeed: WTF is Steampunk music?

Whatever music steampunks like. Seriously. "Steampunk music" is all over the map, from industrial to rap to folk to punk to electroswing to whatever. Since the genre wasn't founded on a musical style like many other subcultures, musicians have felt free to do what they like. And is healthier for it, IMHO; a lot of good and diverse music out there.

Honest Bender: Wow. TFA managed to typo the bands name twice...

Yeah, I noticed that. The writer needs to go back to grammar school.

/subby

WTF Indeed: WTF is Steampunk music?

Listening to these guys on Youtube and it's some punk, some metal, some schoolboy and sea shanty melodies yammering about Victorian times. I've heard better metal/punk acts in college bars.

FeedTheCollapse: bands who spend too much time on uniforms/personas for their band suck. FACT.

Disagree:









In rock, persona and stage presence are a major part of the show. Not having any means you're only half-trying.

Came here for the 'Ripper' references. Leaving satisfied.

Kraftwerk Orange: FeedTheCollapse: bands who spend too much time on uniforms/personas for their band suck. FACT.

Disagree:

In rock, persona and stage presence are a major part of the show. Not having any means you're only half-trying.

Indeed.

Kraftwerk Orange: FeedTheCollapse: bands who spend too much time on uniforms/personas for their band suck. FACT.

Disagree:

[1.bp.blogspot.com image 510x335]



[www.riprense.com image 476x321]

[blogs.laweekly.com image 460x365]

In rock, persona and stage presence are a major part of the show. Not having any means you're only half-trying.

Also would like a word:

...and here to wish you a Happy 2-1-12:

Kraftwerk Orange: FeedTheCollapse: bands who spend too much time on uniforms/personas for their band suck. FACT.

Disagree:

[1.bp.blogspot.com image 510x335]



[www.riprense.com image 476x321]

[blogs.laweekly.com image 460x365]

In rock, persona and stage presence are a major part of the show. Not having any means you're only half-trying.

Are you aware of what year it currently is?

The only thing that comes to mind when thinking "Steampunk Music" is 90's era Tom Waits, but that had as much to do with his image/videos at the time than anything else. If I were to guess now, I'd say it involves an accordion. But what doesn't these days?

At any rate, that page and that article sucked. I'm fairly certain Drew gives any new TFer a freebie green, and that was one of them.

Fabric_Man: Kraftwerk Orange: FeedTheCollapse: bands who spend too much time on uniforms/personas for their band suck. FACT.

Disagree:

[1.bp.blogspot.com image 510x335]



[www.riprense.com image 476x321]

[blogs.laweekly.com image 460x365]

In rock, persona and stage presence are a major part of the show. Not having any means you're only half-trying.

Also would like a word:

[userserve-ak.last.fm image 252x233]

Also would like a word:

jaylectricity: They sound like a British Dropkick Murphys.

Someone is going to want to kick your ass for saying that. I'm not sure whom, but someone.

Honest Bender: Wow. TFA managed to typo the bands name twice...

I'm glad I'm not the only one that noticed this...

FeedTheCollapse: Kraftwerk Orange: FeedTheCollapse: bands who spend too much time on uniforms/personas for their band suck. FACT.

Disagree:


In rock, persona and stage presence are a major part of the show. Not having any means you're only half-trying.

with the exception of Gwar, the other 2 were established acts previously. The band in TFA I'm sure thought up the idea of their look before the actual music and likely their appeal however limited, will be based entirely on how they look. Gwar's look is at least part and parcel with their sound; you hear the music and you can imagine a band looking like Gwar making the music.

Whether or not those bands stick with a single uniform/persona through out their entire career is not the issue.

You can say the band in TFA article sucks, if you want. I've never heard them so I have no opinion. But your initial comment was completely off-base, which is why I pointed out how obviously wrong you were. Plenty of great bands put a lot of time and effort into their stage persona/uniforms.

Steampunk Music (new window)

Steampunk Music (new window)

Steampunk Music (new window)

Just a few examples so you can see what I mean by the musical styles being all over the map.

Also a good example of bands that put a lot of time into their personas and not sucking. (Of course, YMMV.)

Jake Havechek: EMI lyrics

Rumor has it that TMTWNBBFN plans to cover that song on their next album.

rikdanger: Unironic - in fact, the headline makes perfect logical sense, Smitty.

Beat me to it.

Kraftwerk Orange: FeedTheCollapse: Kraftwerk Orange: FeedTheCollapse: bands who spend too much time on uniforms/personas for their band suck. FACT.

Disagree:


In rock, persona and stage presence are a major part of the show. Not having any means you're only half-trying.

with the exception of Gwar, the other 2 were established acts previously. The band in TFA I'm sure thought up the idea of their look before the actual music and likely their appeal however limited, will be based entirely on how they look. Gwar's look is at least part and parcel with their sound; you hear the music and you can imagine a band looking like Gwar making the music.

Whether or not those bands stick with a single uniform/persona through out their entire career is not the issue.

You can say the band in TFA article sucks, if you want. I've never heard them so I have no opinion. But your initial comment was completely off-base, which is why I pointed out how obviously wrong you were. Plenty of great bands put a lot of time and effort into their stage persona/uniforms.

I'm the exact opposite. There are several bands I'm a fan of almost purely because of their presentation. (Jane's Addiction, Mushroomhead, Mudvayne, etc.) Thought they were okay bands until they blew my socks off at a live show and I've been a die-hard fan ever since.

I hate the bands which are just a few dudes standing around a stage speeding through a set list. Ministry was the worst concert I've been to for precisely that reason. Barely any light display, Al barely took 3 steps the whole time and they only played 30 minutes. Never bought another one of their albums.

jeanwearinfool: rikdanger: Unironic - in fact, the headline makes perfect logical sense, Smitty.

Beat me to it.

I was wondering when the Irony Police would show up. Took you guys long enough.

Not so much irony police as pointing out subbie's lack of ability to know a double negative when he sees one.

jeanwearinfool: Not so much irony police as pointing out subbie's lack of ability to know a double negative when he sees one.

Actually, the fault for that would probably lie with Jack the Ripper.

FeedTheCollapse: Pancoaifo: I'm the exact opposite. There are several bands I'm a fan of almost purely because of their presentation. (Jane's Addiction, Mushroomhead, Mudvayne, etc.) Thought they were okay bands until they blew my socks off at a live show and I've been a die-hard fan ever since.

... but listening to a band in a live setting or on a CD/album/whatever is 2 different things. I find the ones who cultivate an image, by and large with few counter examples, generally put their music second. They may be enjoyable in a live setting I guess, but they're pretty soulless elsewhere. Call it Lady Gaga syndrome, if you will.


i'm certain Jane's Addiction has plenty of stage presence, but their studio albums suit me just fine.

But there's no excuse not to put effort into your showmanship.

Heck, even mo-town acts coordinated their outfits decades ago so it's not like it's a recent trend.

And that showmanship can be incorporated into the musicianship; e.g., Mushroomhead has 6 or 7 guys in the band. At one show, they had two kettle drums at the front of the stage. For one song, 2 of the guys did a synchronized drumming bit. There was water on the drumheads which splashed up on every beat and the strobelights caught it beautifully. Even though it was a total dive joint venue, the band still did their full costumes and put on a real show.

That gets serious respect from me.

And since album sales don't actually make the band a lot of money (the real scratch comes from touring and merchandise sales), a band is falling down on the job if they don't consider their showmanship as just as important as their musicianship.

Now I'm not saying every band needs ridiculous costumes but they do need to connect with the crowd. I caught one of Jaimi whatshisname from Hatebreed's side acts opening for Fast once. Jaimi saw a concertgoer who had an 8-10 year old kid with him. Jaimi brought the kid on stage for a couple songs and gave him the foam cover thing off his mike. I'm still not a fan of Hatebreed but I'll support the band just for that.

Now the bands who get up on stage and have all the excitement of a studio session bore me.

I'm a guitarist myself so I'll agree there needs to be some musical competence but, come on, most bands are just average, technically speaking. And it's those performances that get the band the cash to record more music.

JonnyBGoode: a lot of good and diverse music out there.

12349876: I've heard better metal/punk acts in college bars.

Well, that settles a lot.

Pancoaifo: I hate the bands which are just a few dudes standing around a stage speeding through a set list.

True, but skill beats frill every time. The most intense live performance I saw in recent memory was the Yoshida Brothers. Their music is distinctive but has an ambient feel if you listen to it on YouTube, and all they did at the concert was sit down and play. They didn't move much and the lighting effects were simple. But when they started playing, the intensity was incredible. It's no exaggeration to say the audience was completely enthralled.

In other news, these guys are actually kinda rude.

fusillade762: In other news, these guys are actually kinda rude.

[upload.wikimedia.org image 250x375]

Their musical (almost-)namesakes, the Unextraordinary Gentlemen (a steampunk band that crossed over from goth), are actually rather cool.

Even more steampunk music. (new window)

puckrock2000: Even more steampunk music. (new window)

Those guys are fun. They need to come out west. They are, after all, Emperor Norton's band...