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May 25, 2005 In the 70’s there was a phenomena called "faceless groups." It was when an R & B band didn’t have a lead singer or star that fans could readily identify. As examples I note Slave, The Bar-Kays, Starpoint, Brass Construction and arguably Kool and the Gang prior to bringing in James "J.T." Taylor as lead vocalist. Today R & B bands are obsolete, and the only other "soul" acts are solo artists like Joe, D’Angelo, Brian McKnighth and Teddy Riley. Rap is the dominant art form and more bands are blending it with rock. These bands are built around one personality, and are white acts like Limp Bizkit (Fred Durst) and the Red Hot Chili Peppers (Anthony Keidis and Flea), among others like Papa Roach. In fact, the few straight R & B bands remaining can be ID’d by the one bandleader left—Prince, who fronts the NPG (New Power Generation).\ Today’s bands are more tasteless than faceless. None will attain the longevity of say, Aerosmith or the Rolling Stones. For one, they all sound alike and two, I can’t see any of their songs standing the test of time. Meaning there will still be more people humming, "Reasons", than say "Give It Away". We don’t ask much of our singers any more. You can be the lead "singer" of a band without being able to carry a note, write or read a note. In the old days, most bands wrote their own music: Junior Walker, Felton Pilate and Michael Cooper of ConFDunkShun and Lionel Richie, Walter "Clyde" Orange et al. Of the Commodores. But today all you need is a pretty face, big breasts, or an enticing belly-button. There are vocal machines that can make a screech owl like me sound like Smokey Robinson. Technology has come a long way—talent hasn’t. Truly talented people are often ignored because they are "visually unpleasant" or "less photogenic"—two less than clever euphemisms for calling someone "ugly." Britney Spears is a fair singer and can shake it a little bit and therein lies the rub. Twenty years ago she wouldn’t have even warranted an audition. In this new Millli-Vanilli-ennium, talents such as Luther Vandross, James Taylor and Barry White might be kept behind the scenes as writers and producers. One such example of a marginally talented singer undeserving of pop icon status (albeit, short-lived) was Jennifer Love Hewitt. She parlayed her sexuality into a recording contract, which led to her appearance on the cover of Rolling Stone. She wore a dress shirt and panties, which should have been an indicator as to how much "talent" she had as a singer. Most critics—including those in Rolling Stone—panned her singing. The music industry like every other American enterprise is more interested in glamorizing the product. It’s better to be "sexy" than "good". This is another reason why rap is so popular: You really have no need to sing, and if you do, you just bring in a talented vocalist to make a featured appearance. In music producers opt for pretty packaging over perfect pitch. Madison Avenue’s new slogan is, "If it looks good, the public will think, ‘it must be good’." You might be able to bring an audience to a frenzy with your voice, but if you have a face that would crack a mirror, can’t write songs where a rap can be inserted, you’re outta luck, laddy buck. You’ll probably have to work as a writer for people more "aesthetically gifted." ------------ About the author: Timothy Stelly is the 45-year old author of "Tempest In The Stone" and the upcoming, "The Malice of Cain". He resides in Pittsburg, California with his three youngest children Dante, Kimberly and Lawrence. I have a new website: stellbread0.tripod.com Email: stellbread@sbcglobal.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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