Will Pop Eat Itself?

[Chienmortbb]

I am no fan of much modern music and was surprised to see the angst in the thread on the insolvency of Native Instruments. I must also add that the practice in the “covers” circuit of pubs and social clubs calling professional Karaoke singers “Solo Artists”. 
 

I am also thinking back to my realisation that some of the best singers are now “Solo”.  This has, in my opinion, really badly affected the quality of singers in bands. From the financial

point of view, it makes sense, A “Solo” singer can make £150 in a night whereas a band charging £250 means each member gets £50. 
 

Of course we have to avoid the filter of nostalgia, a quick listen to any retro radio of TV station will prove that a high percentage of 60/70s music was awful, despite being probably the most innovative period in my lifetime.

 

Changes in music seem to come in strange ways, witness the way that white people from here, (re)introduced the Blues to America. It is probably one reason why we should all consider the History of Music to give ourselves a real understanding of why we do what we do.
 

As a creator of electronic music, you need the basics that training coming from a long apprenticeship. The alternative is some soulless, brain crunching morass that sounds akin to my own early experiments  on electric guitar, bloody awful. 

So as someone from a guitar based band, struggling to get gigs in a world where the “empty orchestra” is Emperor and the only real live music is the clinking of  glasses at closing time, I don’t understand the chagrin over the feared demise of Native Instruments but I can empathise with it. 
 

On reflection may be I should be more accepting of Valve Amp  purists. They worship the failings on the technology for what it adds to the music and as music is our religion, perhaps I/we should all be more tolerant of the different denominations. Of course the devil AI music must be rooted out at all costs. 

The old ways are the best of course so initially I suggest ducking the servers in water. If they fail and die, they are innocent, should they still work, they are evil and must be burnt at the stake. 
 

In the  words of the great Ozzy Ai, AI,AI,AI all aboard the Crazy Train. 
 

Edited 6 hours ago by Chienmortbb

[Al Krow]

A well trodden discussion topic!

 

Covers bands range from hobbyist musicians for whom playing once or twice a month live for fun is the goal, and they're in no way dependent on the income and are happy to accept £50 a head.

I have several band members in my crew whom I would term "semi-pro", and for whom income from the band plays a key part of their earnings. We do a mixture of pub and function work and we don't accept pub bookings for less than £100 a head. We've pretty much got weekly bookings already in the diary for 2026 from our pub residencies. Function work pays considerably more and some BC'ers are in bands doing purely function work, some making a full time living from it.

Quality tribute bands can often command very good money too - reflecting the time in and effort into their product.

Solo artists are providing their own kit and transport and having to entertain a crowd without the energy we can get from bandmates and a live drum kit behind - they deserve their pay and good luck to them!

 

It's not one size fits all. 

[Supernaut]

No. 

[Lozz196]

Music goes in cycles, loud guitars for a while, then pop with just singers for a while, then solo performers for a while, whatever the "in thing" is. I reckon we`re due some scallys with guitars again soon.

[Dad3353]

31 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Music goes in cycles Hertz, loud guitars for a while, then pop with just singers for a while, then solo performers for a while, whatever the "in thing" is. I reckon we`re due some scallys with guitars again soon.

 

Fixed. 

[BassAdder60]

I’m waiting for the Swift / Sheeran bubble to burst