New topic: My theory on Scandanavian music.........

Heliotropic_Rose

Heliotropic_Rose

in the soil beneath
Nov 17, 2004
561
0
16
40
Austin, Texas
..........being so good.

So tell me what you guys think. To me it seems like bands like Kat, Opeth, Dan's music, and the many other scan. bands put out tons of releases, and for the most part when it comes to Opeth, and Katatonia I love all their muisc. I think it's because, well fuck they have to keep writing in order to make a living. Americans bands can have that one single and make enough money to say fuck it, or take their time making a new album. I mean look at TOOL, (we won't discuss if you like or hate the band, not the issue) a huge american band with an immense following, they are Uber fucking rich, and in most part it is because their fans are drawn to their music, american radio stations play them, but mostly because they came about during a time of a music revolution, and "Sober" was their song that ignited their stardom, same thing with Alice in Chains "Man in the Box," Pearl Jam "evenflow/jeremy/alive" a lot of these bands are good and ahve a following, but they still had what Scandanavians never had, that catchy hit song that was dark, much like Sober or Man in the box, having that hit song doesn't necessarily mean they're a one hit wonder band, but it ignited that stardom and made all their singles thereafter easily accessible and playable on radiostations.

But the Scandanavians just right epic albums that don't cater to those massess or needs (not saying that TOOL or AIC were trying to do that, its just how it happened). So in my theory survival and pure passion for music is what drives the scands, and there constant pumping out of quality albums.....i mean come on TOOL fucking waits 5 or 6 years every release since Aenima, it sucks and it some ways it makes me a lot less of a fan, cuz its like "who they fuck knows? or even fucking cares anymore?"

comments?..................:puke:
 
Well......I'm lean more towards another way of looking at it. The market here is just different from the american market. I don't believe bands over here have more pure passion for music...just another view on it and different lifestyles etc. When you make a hit over in the U.S you punch through a huge brick wall and on the other side is money. Here in Europe it's more of a pile of money, but not much more. Of course, a HUGE pile of money will change a person..and some will change a lot while others won't change more than a little bit. Sometimes it can make the artist produce better music for a while and other times it will do the oppocite...either way, most bands run into a wall sooner or later. I don't think we can compare TOOL to any of the bands over here...cause there's too many different aspects. I still believe in Tool though...but then again, I've never been a huge fan..

You seem a bit fed up with the Tool comeback that never quite happened..and it has left you frustrated?... and now think that the grass is greener over here, but...it's not. It's just a different shade of green ;)
 
I was kinda hoping for a rant on how scandinavian music is beginning to become insipid but I'll just reflect on what you presented. Sure those first bands you mentioned are extremely consistent. Though, those bands are also played on the radios in Scandinavia, and who are we to assume that some people can say the same for those bands opinions aside. Look at Caliban or Soilwork, they're pretty consistent in writing the same thing over and over just like Pearl Jam or Lamb of God, but they're popular for some reason. As far as Tool goes, Sober is one of their worst songs off a pretty poor album, so if that ignited their popularity that says something about the questionable tastes of the general american idiot. Alice In Chains on the other hand is certainly not a one hit wonder as the following two records, Dirt and Jar of Flies, are packed with raw emotive songs, just like Katatonia does just in a different context
 
Well maybe it is about struggeling to get somewhere? I've red an interwiev with Jonas in Katatonia a while ago (Dunno where though) and it told alot of what is going on and things that were. They constantly lack of money even though they are a big band that has been since 1987 but are still a pretty unknown band.
When it comes to scandinavian music I think many love the bands but not so many are in the state of supporting them (This though can be really wrong, its just an option). This has things to do with downloading.. Since downloading exist they don't buy their albums and if we are gonna compare to the outer and bigger bands, they have good paying gigs (and lots of them), they have paying photosessions and ofcourse they have really obsessed fans.
 
It's just the general mentality of music today, especially in America.
Americans are stupid when it comes to music, that's why all this garbage music is hugely popular over here.
Generally, Americans want instant gratification for everything and music is no different. Why would they take time listening to get into Katatonia when they can just listen to Coldplay (lol) and immediately understand every song because that's the way they were produced to sound. Although Coldplay is from the UK, they are wildly popular in the US, same goes for Radiohead (a band that has brainwashed their fans into thinking any trash they come out with is actually good, still living on the success of OK Computer over 10 years later, an album that wasn't even very good to begin with.)
 
I never thought I'd defend Radiohead but Kid A was actually a decent record...other than that they're useless. I have a feeling that the way american audiences thoughtlessly throw money at major labels is hurting the musical forum in a manner where insipid has become a standard for any new band
 
as I'm swedish I'm pretty sure the swedish culture takes a great piece of the cake. In sweden it's ok to believe whatever you want, and pretty much perform whatever you want and such.
and like 99% of sweden is covered by pine forest, which is dark and mysterious, and therefor very metal. Göteborg=melodeath and heavy metal.
Stockholm=death metal.
we leave our fellow neighbors, the norwegians to perform blackmetal, while Finland takes care of the eyeliners and guitarsolos.

EDIT: you are probably right about making a living out of the music. hard to make a living from the biggest music genre in sweden.
 
But it is also quite accepted, society-wise. Here in germanland metal is often looked down at, regardless of genre, even tough its maybe easier to make a living..
 
what always surprises me is the quality of english literature that seems to flow from the muso's of those places, its better than ours over in the UK.

It seems to take the best of the "nightwish" eurotrash sound and turn it into fantastic timeless music.

I love it, butits a shame that our country seems unreceptive. Everyone I play katatonia to loves it, even if they love the chart dance pop stuff, its just like their ears have to be opened and forced o hear it, and then they like.
 
Sdob said:
It's just the general mentality of music today, especially in America.
Americans are stupid when it comes to music, that's why all this garbage music is hugely popular over here.
Generally, Americans want instant gratification for everything and music is no different. Why would they take time listening to get into Katatonia when they can just listen to Coldplay (lol) and immediately understand every song because that's the way they were produced to sound. Although Coldplay is from the UK, they are wildly popular in the US, same goes for Radiohead (a band that has brainwashed their fans into thinking any trash they come out with is actually good, still living on the success of OK Computer over 10 years later, an album that wasn't even very good to begin with.)
Click to expand...

*cough* MASS GENERALIZATION *cough*
 
I am American so I see it first hand.
The mainstream consists of easily digestible garbage music that can be completely understood with one listen. There is no depth, there is no meaning. It is only designed for the average musically incompetent person to enjoy with little thought. It is designed to appeal to certain demographics to make money and it accomplishes that perfectly.
 
Antyman said:
Finland takes care of the eyeliners and guitarsolos..
Click to expand...

I wanted to say something against that opinion but when I tried to say my argument I realized that what you said is pretty much true (about the most popular bands here). So sad.. so sad.
 
Nothing if they are done right, like Eddie Hazel or Stevie Ray Vaughan, but not like some CoB shit.
 
I believe the issue is the vast popularity of hip hop, which seems to dominate radio play for the most part. As an American, I can find plenty of classic rock stations, which is good, but hardly anything that will play actual metal as it exists today. Occasionally I can find an hour long metal segment on a local station, but they usually play Pantera, Slipknot, etc. It might not be obvious, but metal is still very popular in the U.S. The issue is lack of radioplay.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

L
A Question About Music Theory
Replies
42
Views
982
General Metal Discussion
AjDeath
A
5
Music Theory
Replies
5
Views
553
Bar
53Crëw
5
S
Music theory, musicianship and exposure in relation to technical music
Replies
54
Views
3K
Spastic Ink/Watchtower
Bobby_Blunt
B
S
On Germany Tour with VE
Replies
16
Views
708
Katatonia
Swany
S
F
If Mikael knew music theory
Replies
124
Views
12K
Opeth (Archived)
hensum
H
Top Bottom
Back