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2/17/2024, 3:09 AM
musical identity, is it necessary to have one?
As you probably know if you've listened to my songs over the years, they often come from totally different places. For instance the band's last 3 releases have been a Motownish dance song, a grungy rocker, and an americana folkrock song. I find some of our fans like only our political songs, or only our non-political songs, or mainly the ballads, or mainly the rockers. Lately I've been wondering if it would be better if we focused, gave folks a style, a box to put us in so to speak. I am considering focusing strictly on Motown style music cause I love it for one and also because i find those songs fun to write, and feel we can do them better than anyone else can, really. Does musical identity as much as it seems it might?
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2/22/2024, 4:49 AM
I don,t think it really matters about identity what matters is the music. Sometimes i am so far out there i don,t think anyone will dig it. But have been surprised on many occasions that i got a reasonable response.
2/20/2024, 11:12 AM
I have never been able to put myself in one box. My life j=has been all over the plav=ce and so has my music. Yes, having an identity is important but sometimes your identity can be variable. No matter what a person may be into there is no doubt tht somewhere in my catalog I have mined that vein. The cool thing about being an indie is the fact that you can be anything and play any style of music you want. Just be who you are today and don't worry about an identity. We all know you!
2/18/2024, 1:32 AM
This is a very subjective topic. Versatility is an important element in songwriting but consistency is also essential to establishing fan loyalty. Frankly, it might be best not to overthink it. To paraphrase Ricky Nelson, you can’t please everyone so you just gotta please yourself. The goal should be to make the best music you can make and not worry about the number of fans who are going to like or dislike certain genres. Being all things to all people is a tall order which very few artists or bands are able to achieve. Most successful bands like R.E.M, Coldplay and others seem to strive for a vastly different sound from album to album but there’s a thread that connects them all and fans of that thread will stick with the band throughout the changes. Be versatile, be consistent, be true to your influences but above all, be yourself. Build a brand. If you build it, they will come!
2/17/2024, 9:30 AM
I understand you having this issue because there is so much of so many things going on in your songs that it's a minor miracle they come out sounding so coherent. For me I've always just recorded em like I heard em in my head. I even have country songs and a jazz instrumental. heh but I think it makes it harder to bring people in as fans when they get things they may not expect. I'd love to hear you with a band, you should try to find people you can work with. I went years without a steady band and then amazingly hooked up with 2 guys I've known for years and that's how Negative Tendencies happened.
2/17/2024, 7:25 AM
I relate to that. My discography is a hot mess genre-wise haha. I usually simply call it pop or alternative pop, but it's a mix of whatever sounds good when put together. I never really pay attention to genres, because I do not really believe in them, sometimes I find them limiting, but perhaps also because I have such a hard time identifying genres in general, I'll admit. Although at the same time if I had bigger resources, a band, etc. I would strickly do rock music. Still more alternative type, but my main genre would be rock and I would experiment around that. Perhaps it's not really the genre that gives you musical identity, but the personal touches within the song. You could do 10 songs in 10 different genres and yet your audience could still say "yup, that is so Father Time" because it's the lyrics, the mannerism or writing style that makes you stand out. I used to think my music had no personality and anyone could sing it, but them I realized that it does have its identity. My music has always a sad undertone to it, my lyrics are often sarcastic and cynical, my songs have the anger and roughness of rock music, so to speak. The most important thing, in my opinion, is doing whatever makes you the happiest and most satisfied. If motown is what gives you the biggest musical freedom and advantage, then go for it. It doesn't necessarily mean you will never write in any other genre ever again, right? ?? I am not sure if I answered your question, just like my music, my answer went all over the place????