He's a really nice guy - Do You Care?

Motley Crue

So last night I was thinking about this, and felt it might be interesting to put a topic here for discussion, as it's a long standing argument amongst a lot of music fans I know - especially in Rock and Metal

There are plenty of examples of rock stars and musicians who people seem to say are nice guys (Joe Elliot and Brian May for example) and assholes (Dave Mustaine and Axl Rose for example) based on various hearsay that occurs when a friend of a friend meets them backstage at a gig, outside a bar, in a shopping centre or wherever....

The question I'm asking is, does a persons personality mould or shape your opinion of their music, whether you want it to or not? For example, when you hear a bad report about a musician apparently ignoring some fans or saying something offensive (that's captured on YouTube) does it lower your passion about their music.

For me, the person and the music have to be one in the same, and I struggle to actually have any great admiration for someone musically if they are reported to be (or generally come across to me personally) as a bad person. On the other hand, if I meet someone whom I've admired for many years or listened to their music and find they are a nice guy/girl, I'd be more inclined to listen to their records more regularly in future. That personal and friendly approach means a lot to me....and I'm sure I'm not alone on that....

In the same way, when I attend a gig, a bad performance (not technically bad but if the artist looks uninterested, bored or just upset) makes me less inclined to go back and listen to a band's studio albums then if I feel the artist has made a connection with the audience and really engaged them in the performance. That can be based on personal mood as well but you can go to a gig feeling down and leave feeling the same or feeling a lot better as a result of the show you've seen. When you leave a lot better you know it's because the band put on a great show and you're likely to buy their album if you don't already have it because of that.

Malice

Motley Crue wrote: »

The question I'm asking is, does a persons personality mould or shape your opinion of their music, whether you want it to or not?

Personally I like to think it doesn't. Incessantly having to hear about the difficulties people have had with Axl Rose or Dave Mustaine doesn't stop me loving Appetite for Destruction or Countdown to Extinction.

Motley Crue wrote:

For example, when you hear a bad report about a musician apparently ignoring some fans or saying something offensive (that's captured on YouTube) does it lower your passion about their music.

No, it just makes me think they are an ass.

McCruiskeen

It depends on the type of music but generally yes.

If someone is sincere and has integrity their lyrics and the emotion in the music would mean a lot more to me.

If I know they are a dickhead and they are writing deep lyrics and I would tend to view this as insincere.

But with electro or dance music, I wouldn't really care too much as it's more about technical ability and not so much about emotion.

And on concerts, yep. I saw someone live a few weeks ago who just so didn't care or make any effort. He sat down on a stool for the whole gig too so nobody could see him except the front row and I just lost my love for thie guy and music since then (as did friends who saw him a few days before).

nyarlothothep

I was completely put off Radiohead after seeing them in Malahide in 2008, it was a revelation of sorts, I realized that the music they had been making for the past 10 years was extremely mediocre crap dressed up to sound profound with funny electronic noises, warbly "singing" and deliberately obscurantist lyrics which on further inspection mean nothing at all which in turn generated an emperors new clothes syndrome among fans and the press whereby if you didn't get Radiohead it meant you weren't an intellectual music listener, or you were missing the point. However I do get the point, their music is just sh1t after Ok Computer and seeing them at Malahide revealed that to me. In Rainbows was a collection of Coldplay esque lullaby over produced nonsense songs and don't get me started on the travesty that is dubstep and their incorporation of it into their musical repetoire with the King of Limbs.

Malice

nyarlothothep wrote: »

they're music is just sh1t after Ok Computer

Uh oh, now you've done it....

Somnus

I don't think it would put me off unless I had expected the person to be nice and they weren't. For example, I'm fairly sure Maynard James Keenan would be a c*nt. But that's ok, I love what he does with Tool and APC.

On the other hand I met Gavin Harrison lately when he did a clinic here. On vides he seemed like a sound guy, and if I had have found out he was a dick when I met him I would have been let down (He's a gent by the way).

So for me it would be more about my expectation.

RayCon

Tough one alright .... I tend to go with 2 trains of thought on the subject :

1. Never meet your idols

...... failing that ....

2. Kill all idols.

Angron

Generally I don't care too much either way. I listen to mostly extreme metal, where there are quite a few outspoken band members, so if I took all of them far too seriously, and stopped listening to them because of it, I wouldn't have too much music left to listen to.

120_Minutes

Dr.Poca wrote: »

I'm fairly sure Maynard James Keenan would be a c*nt. But that's ok, I love what he does with Tool and APC.

I'm in agreement with you there.

It doesnt matter to me what they're like onstage, or in person, if i like the music, i like the music.

dont be quick to judge though, when i went to see karnivool, from the stage ian kenny came across as a weirdo maynard type persona, and i actually remarked to a friend that i wouldnt like to go for a pint with him, but he couldnt have been nicer when i met him afterwards.

lord lucan

Malice wrote: »

Personally I like to think it doesn't. Incessantly having to hear about the difficulties people have had with Axl Rose or Dave Mustaine doesn't stop me loving Appetite for Destruction or Countdown to Extinction

This. 2 artists i've remarked on myself over the last number of years. Whilst Mustaine has calmed down a bit there was a time when he wouldn't stop talking ****e in the press and whining about about how it was all **** for him. It never stopped me enjoying their music over the years though.

Long after the personalities leave the music will still be there. It'll be interesting in 20 years or so when a whole new generation of kids get into the likes of Megadeth and GN'R without knowing or living through the personalities and only have the music as reference.

Executive Steve

nyarlothothep wrote: »

I was completely put off Radiohead after seeing them in Malahide in 2008, it was a revelation of sorts, I realized that the music they had been making for the past 10 years was extremely mediocre crap dressed up to sound profound with funny electronic noises, warbly "singing" and deliberately obscurantist lyrics which on further inspection mean nothing at all which in turn generated an emperors new clothes syndrome among fans and the press whereby if you didn't get Radiohead it meant you weren't an intellectual music listener, or you were missing the point. However I do get the point, their music is just sh1t after Ok Computer and seeing them at Malahide revealed that to me. In Rainbows was a collection of Coldplay esque lullaby over produced nonsense songs and don't get me started on the travesty that is dubstep and their incorporation of it into their musical repetoire with the King of Limbs.

It's perfectly all right to stop liking bands as soon as they become interesting and culturally relevant.

bigbadcon

Well I met one of my idols (Vinnie Paul - Pantera) in an Irish bar while I was on honeymoon in new york.

Myself and the missus went on the piss with him and a couple of other lads from Hell Yeah and they were some of the soundest most down to earth people you would ever meet.

Best night ever...

Executive Steve

McCruiskeen wrote: »

It depends on the type of music but generally yes.

If someone is sincere and has integrity their lyrics and the emotion in the music would mean a lot more to me.

If I know they are a dickhead and they are writing deep lyrics and I would tend to view this as insincere.

But with electro or dance music, I wouldn't really care too much as it's more about technical ability and not so much about emotion.

And on concerts, yep. I saw someone live a few weeks ago who just so didn't care or make any effort. He sat down on a stool for the whole gig too so nobody could see him except the front row and I just lost my love for thie guy and music since then (as did friends who saw him a few days before).

I like to think of it like this - if I were a real fan of someone's work and met him or her socially and they turned out to be complete pricks, well I wouldn't worry about it too much.

If I were to meet someone whose tunes I really rated and they were really sound people I'd continue to buy their music and it would certainly banish any thoughts of illegally downloading their tunes.


As the wise man once said - "be nice to the people you meet on your way to the top, you'll be meeting them again on the way back to the bottom"

seachto7

nyarlothothep wrote: »

I was completely put off Radiohead after seeing them in Malahide in 2008, it was a revelation of sorts, I realized that the music they had been making for the past 10 years was extremely mediocre crap dressed up to sound profound with funny electronic noises, warbly "singing" and deliberately obscurantist lyrics which on further inspection mean nothing at all which in turn generated an emperors new clothes syndrome among fans and the press whereby if you didn't get Radiohead it meant you weren't an intellectual music listener, or you were missing the point. However I do get the point, their music is just sh1t after Ok Computer and seeing them at Malahide revealed that to me. In Rainbows was a collection of Coldplay esque lullaby over produced nonsense songs and don't get me started on the travesty that is dubstep and their incorporation of it into their musical repetoire with the King of Limbs.

I saw them at that gig, and enjoyed it. I really like In Rainbows, but I know a guy who turned down a free ticket to it, as he got an email in his inbox a week before, a Radiohead gig email, urging fans not to use the car to go to the gig to help the environment. He is in Limerick. Why don't Radiohead just stop touring if they want to help the environment??

Executive Steve

seachto7 wrote: »

I saw them at that gig, and enjoyed it. I really like In Rainbows, but I know a guy who turned down a free ticket to it, as he got an email in his inbox a week before, a Radiohead gig email, urging fans not to use the car to go to the gig to help the environment. He is in Limerick. Why don't Radiohead just stop touring if they want to help the environment??

You're mate's an eejit, I was gigging in Limerick over the weekend, they have a bus station AND a train station there.

Nailz

I couldn't give a flying fuck. Examples; Phil Anselmo, Varg Vikernes.

Somnus

Nailz wrote: »

Varg Vikernes.

Thought of that as well. Ok, the guy is murderer... but Filosofem is an amazing album!

I think lord lucan put it very eloquently when he said the music is what wiull live on after the people who wrote it are dead and gone. So the personalities shoudln't influence you too much.

seachto7

Executive Steve wrote: »

You're mate's an eejit, I was gigging in Limerick over the weekend, they have a bus station AND a train station there.

lol, I know, but what would the fuel consumption on the train or bus be? Once you go past the red cow, a car is the only way most of the time. I think he was just peed off at Radiohead being a bit "preachy" about how to get to a gig...

lord lucan

Another example just popped into my head. Back in 1993 i went to a record signing by Aerosmith at HMV on Grafton St. The band were very cool,especially Steven Tyler who had all the time in the world for the fans. Joe Perry however was a ponce,looked to be put out by being there and was completely disinterested. I remember leaving thinking what a poser he was and that he thought he was too good to be doing stuff like that.

Fast forward a few hours later and they're on stage at the Point and i'm doing air guitar solos along with Perry and i'm thinking he's a guitar god. The memory of how he was still sticks with me but it didn't stop me loving the band or appreciating his guitar work.:)

ronan45

Was in town a few months ago and bumped into Ian Astbury. He was so rude and obnoxious. I actually did say to myself to hell with him I aint buying their next album! Ill download it for free lol He aint getting my money.

LH Pathe

Absolutely not, I like a good combination of musicianship and a bee in one's bonnet can't be having no nurds nor conversely thick cünts, but what the person is about is of utmost importance to me then comes the music.. Which it usually loudly translates to anyhow so music first?!

But they better be nice to me on an individual basis, didn't wait in this alley an entire lunchtime for nothing you know? no failings yet

Overheal

Take David Grohl: good music, attitude, and...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl9GMOTaqtc