Top 5 Atrocities of Music
Paramore.
This band embodies everything that I despise about the current state of music. They have written and perform bland pop-rock tunes, and for some reason or another have sold millions of albums and been nominated for a Grammy ? are you serious? I've suffered through their album on several occasions in an effort to understand what makes this band so popular. I cannot for the life of me figure it out. Well actually, I take that back because I can clearly see the marketability of a so-called cute female frontwoman signing angsty songs to teenagers. She is the female Gerard Way, but worse. Why? Because not only do the boys think she's cute, the girls look up to her as some kind of role model. If your goal in life is to be in a crappy pop-rock band that is idolized by moronic teenagers following the trend-line, then you should be euthanized. There are so many more important things you could be doing with your life. So stop buying into this band and make something of yourself. You can thank me later? financially?when you've made something of your life.
Atreyu's cover of "Epic."
Anyone that knows me knows that Faith No More and all things Mike Patton are among my highest praised musical endeavors. So, when I caught wind that Atreyu was covering a Faith No More song for their latest full-length, I was instantaneously worried, and yet intrigued. I knew it was going to be bad, but just how laughable was the real question. The song chosen was "Epic," and the result was, as expected, pretty ridiculous. By no means is "Epic" the best example of Faith No More's musical prowess, nor is it Patton's best vocal performance. However, if you're going to cover a song, you should be skilled enough to perform it in adequate fashion. Atreyu failed in the aspect. Finally, if you're going to cover a song, at least attempt to make it your own.
Myspace Hype Bands.
If there is one thing that I hate more than a horrible band making it big over the years, it is a band getting popular and signed solely off of Myspace. If you're a band and you put your time in with extensive touring and rising up through persistence, I can respect that. Even if I hate your music, I have respect for you. However, if you're a "band" and you "release" your music only via Myspace without playing a show outside of your hometown, or any at all for that matter, in an effort to get signed, I despise you. If there is one adverse byproduct of the downfall of music industry, it is bands getting popular off of Myspace and other sites of the same ilk.
Nu-metal.
How is this genre still alive and breathing in 2007? Who out there is still buying records from artists like Korn, Otep, and Disturbed? If it were a few thousand people, I wouldn't be so concerned, but when there are millions of individuals on planet earth listening to this crap, I begin to worry about our existence. I bet the same people purchasing these albums as the same ones that voted for Bush, don't believe in global warming, believe 9/11 was a hoax, and are glad that we're at war in the Middle East. For all the spite that I have of screamo/faux-hardcore bullshit, I have tenfold for nu-metal.
Excessive violence at shows.
I know hardcore, punk, and metal music are about expressing yourself, no matter what, through music. I am well aware of this style of music being used as an aural release of anger, frustration, and other pent up feelings. I completely understand the relationship between the music AND lyrical messages and how a listener can relate, thus being able to release similar feelings from your psyche. But lets be real here, there is no way that such a release results in the physical manifestation that occurs at hardcore, punk, metal, etc? shows nowadays. If you listen to [insert any band here] and think, "Hey I want to punch someone in the face" or "I'm going to climb that wall and jump on those people" because of the music and lyrics you hear, then you're an idiot. I'm not going to justify my feelings any further, just cut that shit out. Respect others and enjoy the music while you still can. You're only going to ruin the experience for others and get venues shut down.
(Michael)