What are your insights into pop writing? Where do you draw the line? Are the kind of bands Bloodsword described pop writers? Are ND pop writers? Are Nightwish pop writers? Are Unexpect pop writers?
What does one have to do in order not to be a pop writer? If one listened to the acoustic gig you did, one could say you were pop writers, right? Are you suddenly not a pop writer anymore when you turn on the distortion?
To me, the word "pop" can be both broad and specific I guess. I wouldn't call Unexpect's songwriting "pop" in any way, because they're approaching their song structuring, melodies, etc., from a more progressive, avant-garde perspective. As for our songs......that's a tough call, really. I think certain stuff we do could never be construed as having that formula I mentioned, but certain things can. Would it be completely inconceivable to hear "Twilight Innocence" on the radio? I don't think it's impossible, as the song isn't terribly long, the structure of it is fairly standard (verse-chorus-verse-bridge, etc.) and while it's a somber tune, it's certainly not too dark or heavy for the general population to possibly appreciate. So, no I wouldn't consider ourselves as "pop songwriters" but I do think we have more of an element of that present in some of our music than say a band like Unexpect, Cynic, or Winter.
As for the Beatles being pop writers at the core, I mean that's almost a direct quote I'm taking from the mouths of Lennon and McCartney themselves. Even when doing an odd song like "I Am The Walrus" or whatever, there's still a definite sense of trying to keep things within the accesible pop realm in terms of structure, melody, etc. It just so happens that those guys were the kings at pushing the boundaries of that realm, along with some of the other bands from that era like The Byrds, The Doors, etc. Whereas bands from that general era, like Van Der Graaf Generator or King Crimson, might've had some hook-y tunes and moments but overall their focus seemed to be more on capturing performances that were in the moment and jazzy/progressive in nature, and not so much focused on the verse-chorus hook that I think is a predominant component of pop-songwriting.
Plus, just to be clear, when I'm referring to "pop-songwriting" I'm not talking about just "pop" music, like Avril Levigne or Green Day, lol. I'm referring to a specific formula and structure for writing a song. Obviously what constitutues being labelled as "pop music" can't really be narrowed down to just own specific sound anyhow, when you consider that at one time or another, artists as diverse as Buddy Holly, The Doors, The Bee Gees, Duran Duran, Foo Fighters, and fuckin' Hannah Montana have all been lumped in or considered as "pop artists" of their time.
Yeah I said it. lol
