Morals in metal?

[DuchessOfDork]

Okay, so I have a question for all of you, regarding tactics in the music industry.

In reference to women in metal, it's pretty obvious that a lot of bands sell sex rather than music. Sometimes, the music is very good, so the sex part is cool. Like.. a girl is a really good singer, and she dresses sexy on stage. Sometimes, the band is "okay", but the singer dresses sexy on stage. Sometimes the band really sucks, and still, she's dressing sexy on stage to help sell the band.

And sometimes you have really outrageous tactics to get people to see the band, like... the girl flashing the audience her boobs, putting naked chicks on the album cover, singing about sex sex and more sex.. ect.

Does it make a difference to you, if the band is good or not? Does the blatant sex-selling annoy you? Or are you cool with it? I know some guys who are either "A-OKAY!" with it all, or it annoys the piss out of them.

How do you personally feel about it? Because honestly, I can't tell if I'm offended or jealous. XD I'm not the type to sell my ass to make a buck, but I don't have a problem with strippers. So why should I have a problem with singing strippers? I'm not exactly sure. If the woman is comfortable with her body, she should do whatever she wants with it, right? Or, is it completely selling out and degrading?

I'm not sure.

What do you think?

 

[dcowboys311]

Well to be honest I can't really think of any metal bands that fit that description...

 

[Mardoch]

The way I see it is...if the music isn't good, not amount of T&A is going to sell the album or the live show. It also bothers me when a full band is talented, but the only person on any of the promo material is the pretty girl. Don't get me wrong, I could definitely sit around and gawk and pretty women all day (if someone would pay me for it), but bands are about music, and it takes more than just the pretty girl to make said music.

 

[DuchessOfDork]

The way I see it is...if the music isn't good, not amount of T&A is going to sell the album or the live show. It also bothers me when a full band is talented, but the only person on any of the promo material is the pretty girl. Don't get me wrong, I could definitely sit around and gawk and pretty women all day (if someone would pay me for it), but bands are about music, and it takes more than just the pretty girl to make said music.

I absolutely agree with you. It's hard to find a balance between "you're obviously the front man, you go on the cover!" and "you're obviously the front-woman, you go on EVERYTHING".

Well to be honest I can't really think of any metal bands that fit that description...

I see it more with local bands. There is also a local radio station that does "Jugs for Plugs", where anyone from any business or band can get air-time for getting a woman to show her "jugs" to the radio DJs. One of the bands I know utilizes this, and while it's cool that they get radio-play, I feel like it's kind of a degrading way to go about it.. but then again, it's also working, right?

 

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

Getting bad memories of

 

[AngraRULES]

I don't know... I have mixed feelings about it. The music-integrity side says it's unacceptable. The sales/promotional side says go for it. I used to ask about this topic to pretty much every female musician I interviewed in the past, and 95% of them would answer the same:

"Every girl likes to look pretty and feel pretty. If it's done in a way that's not vulgar, but helps the band to gain more attention and potentially new fans, then I'm all for it."

Now does that mean there are some changes coming to the live show of A Sound of Thunder?

 

[DuchessOfDork]

Now does that mean there are some changes coming to the live show of A Sound of Thunder?

*hides tassles* Absolutely not!

And I agree, being pretty is fine. It's the blatant "ass selling" that I think about.

Getting bad memories of

Who is that??

 

[mëtålspëd]

Lauren Harris, Steve Harris' daughter. I refuse to listen to female fronted anything these days, because 95% of it is commercial crap. Musical integrity is key with me. In the beginning, there was The Gathering, Nightwish, Within Temptation, and maybe a small handful of others. Every other damn band out there now is selling this watered down bullshit. Thanks, but no thanks. Take your swill somewhere else. I'm not interested.

Its a fad, and I'll hide my head in the sand till it passes.

 

[ApolloFC]

What bands would fall into this category? The only bands that come to mind are bands like Epica/Simmon Simmons Nightwish/Tarja etc. Unless I'm blind they don't do what you are describing though. Don't get me wrong I think there are some albums out there that are boring after bands have opted for more of a pop/mainstream route and gained success but they don't "flash boobs on stage" and etc..cleavage and sexy outfits yes, but thats about it afaik...

I'd find that any band that has to resort to that would sound like shit. Similar to the parental advisory sticker.

 

[DuchessOfDork]

Its a fad, and I'll hide my head in the sand till it passes.

Yeah, this is the problem I have too. And I am in a female fronted band.. but we're trying to do it more like... we have a band, and I just so happen to be a girl. Not, we have a band, LOOK AT THIS GIRL HOLY SHEET.

I remember reading a post from someone on this board recently, where the dude was like,

"Oh you have to see this band! The lead singer is this smoking hot chick, and she's so hot, and she's so sexy.." ect.

Nothing wrong with a singer who just so happens to be hot, but apparently her being hot was a HUGE DEAL.

 

[DuchessOfDork]

Oh! And in case you're curious about a band's singer flashing the audience, this is what I meant:



I was talking to a dude about her, a guy who books for a place in Baltimore, and he's IN LOVE with this girl. Says she's an amazing vocalist, so talented.. and all I could think of was, yes. Her breasts are very talented. XD

 

[ApolloFC]

Oh! And in case you're curious about a band's singer flashing the audience, this is what I meant:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjbPTxV176k

I was talking to a dude about her, a guy who books for a place in Baltimore, and he's IN LOVE with this girl. Says she's an amazing vocalist, so talented.. and all I could think of was, yes. Her breasts are very talented. XD

I rest my case (she isn't that hot either imo)

I'd find that any band that has to resort to that would sound like shit.

 

[mëtålspëd]

Yeah, this is the problem I have too. And I am in a female fronted band.. but we're trying to do it more like... we have a band, and I just so happen to be a girl. Not, we have a band, LOOK AT THIS GIRL HOLY SHEET.

I remember reading a post from someone on this board recently, where the dude was like,

"Oh you have to see this band! The lead singer is this smoking hot chick, and she's so hot, and she's so sexy.." ect.

Nothing wrong with a singer who just so happens to be hot, but apparently her being hot was a HUGE DEAL.

Lacuna Coil ruined it for everyone, IMO

 

[AeonicSlumber]

How much of it do you think is your personal opinion warping your perception of how the band presents itself, and how much do you think that it's just some chick whoring herself out to "sell" sex? In other words, why is it that just because it's a band you don't like that it's automatically just a front to "sell" sex?

I mean, don't you think there are a lot of easier ways in this day and age to sell sex than to be in a band? Like for example... I don't know... become a hooker (where it's legal) or stripper? Like DCowboys said, I don't think I've ever heard of a band whose female singer strips for the audience regularly as part of a gimmick. No offense, but the local scene matters even less, because they're REALLY not making any money.

 

[DuchessOfDork]

Like DCowboys said, I don't think I've ever heard of a band whose female singer strips for the audience regularly as part of a gimmick.

I only know of 1; The Pretty Reckless.

Now, Halestorm annoys me because all she sings about is sex.. but that's another story entirely. XD I mean, KISS did the same thing! They just cleverly used the word "rock" instead of "fuck".

 

[dcowboys311]

I only know of 1; The Pretty Reckless.

Now, Halestorm annoys me because all she sings about is sex.. but that's another story entirely. XD I mean, KISS did the same thing! They just cleverly used the word "rock" instead of "fuck".

Ehhh but there are lots of male rock artists who sing about sex! Girls shouldn't be banned from singing about it because they're girls.

Plus when people comment on a band and start talking about the hot lead singer, I'm sure that's not ALL that draws them to it. Think about movies. You don't watch a movie just because a person is attractive, do you? (well most kind of movies anyway...). It's just an added bonus to good acting/story/etc. I think the same thing can apply to music. Nothing wrong with commenting on it.

 

[AngraRULES]

I only know of 1; The Pretty Reckless.

Now, Halestorm annoys me because all she sings about is sex.. but that's another story entirely. XD I mean, KISS did the same thing! They just cleverly used the word "rock" instead of "fuck".

Come on, she doesn't even strip all the way! It's not like her boobs aren't covered when she lifts her shirt. She does try to "sell sex" but in my eyes, she's more of being a "rebel" than anything.

 

[booB]

I was talking to a dude about her, a guy who books for a place in Baltimore, and he's IN LOVE with this girl. Says she's an amazing vocalist, so talented.. and all I could think of was, yes. Her breasts are very talented. XD

If she had done that on Gossip Girl, I might not have stopped watching it.

 

[AngraRULES]

And as we discuss this, username boob comes on.

You win the award for perfect timed post! hahahaha

 

[BenMech]

Nina - Unless you yourself perform in ,say, a nun's habit and/or burqa, I'd say there's a fair amount of hypocrisy in your point.

Females wear what they want, and because it's what the audience can handle.

About Taylor Momsen and The Pretty Reckless - Girl's got a damn good rock voice. Sure, she takes after the former Mrs. Kurt Cobain. So what?