Kings of Leon (frauds?)

[simonhpieman]

So I'm gonna give it the "I liked their early stuff but they went off the rails from album 3" schtick but they've never offended me particularly.

However, just caught 10 minutes of them on the TV just now and lead Followill has a massive screen built into his monitor that scrolls all the words for him.

I don't know how you all feel but I don't feel like you can perform properly if you're reading worda or even notes. And if you're getting paid well for it and it's your main job, have a little self respect and learn the words to your own songs.

I dunno, just didn't sit right with me.

[Singlebladepickup]

I heard they were kind of bad off with their alcoholism. Maybe it's in case he gets trashed and forgets

[mediocreplayer]

Most artists on that level do this.

They are a shit band though.

[017493816]

I always have cues at my feet. Nerves will do it to you - I pour my soul into my lyrics but it's easy to space under any pressure.

I like their earlier stuff, some good singles. They remind me of needtobreathe, occasional favorites of mine.

[leokula]

Most artists on that level do this.

Pretty much this.

Forget the romantic notion that mainstream bands go about things the same way we do in our garage. I don't really blame them, if they make a mistake it'll be on youtube tarnishing their image forever and they won't sell anymore records. You go to indie bands concerts and they make mistakes all the time and that's alright, but if the Foo Fighers screw up a song on TV, it's gonna be turn into a big deal.

[Grey]

Forget the romantic notion that mainstream bands go about things the same way we do in our garage. I don't really blame them, if they make a mistake it'll be on youtube tarnishing their image forever and they won't sell anymore records. You go to indie bands concerts and they make mistakes all the time and that's alright, but if the Foo Fighers screw up a song on TV, it's gonna be turn into a big deal.

Seems to be a lot more common now than 10-20 years ago, seen a lot of 90's-era concerts on YouTube with big name bands that have no such "safety nets."

[shadowplay]

I've never really cared about any notion of authenticity, being able to play, pay your dues or even remember the words. If the music's good, it's good, everything else is mere bagatelle and best left to the likes of; hawaiian shirted bloozedaddies, goateed jazz messengers and bandanaed rawkists, who generally seem to care about such things.

The go to example for the fallacy of authenticity is IMO Rasputin; all miming front puppets and yet still a genius to me.

I personally think that The Kings of Leon have bigger obstacles to my interest than not knowing the words. Btw do they still wear those fucking awful half mast flares? Those are the first thing that pops in my head when I'm reluctantly reminded of their existence.

D

[DesmondWafers]

I personally think that The Kings of Leon have bigger obstacles to my interest than not knowing the words

D

For example, being the Kings of Leon.

[spacecadet]

Not a KoL fan myself, but I don't think just using a prompter makes them "frauds". They're still performing the music. So the singer doesn't have the best memory. I don't think that disqualifies someone from being a musician. Go play in an orchestra and you're going to be reading sheet music at all your performances - I don't see the difference, and nobody calls those musicians frauds.

Rock music has certain expectations that go along with it that don't apply to really any other form of music. Some of those expectations I don't think are very fair to the musicians themselves, and I don't think they matter. Having to perform live without any sort of safety net is one of those things IMO.

[windmill]

Forget the romantic notion that mainstream bands go about things the same way we do in our garage. I don't really blame them, if they make a mistake it'll be on youtube tarnishing their image forever and they won't sell anymore records. You go to indie bands concerts and they make mistakes all the time and that's alright, but if the Foo Fighers screw up a song on TV, it's gonna be turn into a big deal.

Seems to be a lot more common now than 10-20 years ago, seen a lot of 90's-era concerts on YouTube with big name bands that have no such "safety nets."

The old style ones have been around a lot longer than that

[Unicorn Warrior]

Forget the romantic notion that mainstream bands go about things the same way we do in our garage. I don't really blame them, if they make a mistake it'll be on youtube tarnishing their image forever and they won't sell anymore records. You go to indie bands concerts and they make mistakes all the time and that's alright, but if the Foo Fighers screw up a song on TV, it's gonna be turn into a big deal.

Seems to be a lot more common now than 10-20 years ago, seen a lot of 90's-era concerts on YouTube with big name bands that have no such "safety nets."

Bands in the 90s and prior had no choice but to be good. It's hard to explain what I mean by that. But it has to do with historical/cultural context of the musicians from that era vs this one.

It's both easier and harder to be a musician now. While the same could be said for the 90s. The same goes for more than just music but not here to get all philosophical.

[saxjag]

If the music's good, it's good, everything else is mere bagatelle and best left to the likes of; hawaiian shirted bloozedaddies, goateed jazz messengers...

I sometimes wear Hawaiian shirts; I appreciate the blues; I am a dad; I have a beard; I have performed & recorded jazz tunes. Does this make me an object of your disdain? I'd prefer to think that our shared love of music might make us friends. And, shadow, I'd hardly think it would be necessary to remind you how foolish it is to stereotype people.

[shadowplay]

If the music's good, it's good, everything else is mere bagatelle and best left to the likes of; hawaiian shirted bloozedaddies, goateed jazz messengers...

I sometimes wear Hawaiian shirts; I appreciate the blues; I am a dad; I have a beard; I have performed & recorded jazz tunes. Does this make me an object of your disdain? I'd prefer to think that our shared love of music might make us friends. And, shadow, I'd hardly think it would be necessary to remind you how foolish it is to stereotype people.

Fair enough but you left the end of the sentence off the quote which is the important part. However with the greatest of respect I seem to remember you dissing disco due to lack of musicianship which was actually factually wrong but you said it nonetheless.

I don't like a lot of music but only because I don't like how it sounds.

I'm a dad too, we sure could be friends and I've long thought you were a good poster and forum member but I live and work in culture where we generally say what we think and are never too serious about it. I was indulging in hypebole but it doesn't mean that there isn't some truth in the cliche. Perhaps I went broad brush but on the other hand i'll say I'll never resort to a meme or a +1 Brodude.

D

[FrankRay]

I must say I'm going to disagree on this one. To me, the ideal rock gig would be one where anything might happen; from the band playing a song requested by the audience, through the singer going off on one whilst the band backs him/her up, through to Bono taking the camera off the photographer at the stadium and photographing him with it.

Anything that gets in the way of that sense of danger and spontaneity breaks the contract between band and audience, ultimately presenting totally scripted theatre that demands the audience to be passive and docile, thankful to just watch 'talent' perform.

I have no time for the KOL, and one of the reasons is that you always know what's coming next. Maybe the age of genuinely unpredictable rock stars is over, but if it is, using click tracks, midi and prompters are among the things to have killed them.

[FrankRay]

Edit. Sorry, I seem to have posted the same thing twice