What Defines A Band? A Feature by Dave Christy

.Especially in the rock music world, the debate persists over what defines a band.
A band isn’t the same since this member left. Original Kiss vs new version,
Van Halen vs "Van Hagar", etc.
It’s a constant debate that will always bring up a fight. The fact remains that bands don’t always get along, so sometimes they will change members when someone leave for a solo career or due to circumstances like a death or accident

It’s true that the band members can define the band, but I believe they are more than just the sum of the parts. The sound, the song writing, and the vocals, all play key parts in my book. You can have the best musicians in the world and the best song writers but if you decide to hire me as the singer, the band would suck! I cannot sing! And sometimes the vocals don’t even have to be perfect. Slash's Snakepit got Eric Dover to sing. He used to pay guitar in Jellyfish. Good voice, not perfect and polished, but it fit the sound. 

via GIPHY

When the singer leaves a band there is always a risk. Some fans may not like the new singer as much as the previous. If the new one tries to sound too much like the original, there will always be a comparison. It is a lose-lose situation. It’s too similar or its too different. There is no middle ground for some people. If the singer was the main songwriter, the group can be in for some drastic changes for the next record. That could change the whole direction.

Sometimes, they don’t even have to change members to irritate the fans. The band’s sound could change all on its own. If the first Metallica song you hear is "Nothing Else Matters" from 1991 and then someone plays 1983's "Whiplash" for you, you may be completely confused. It doesn’t sound like the same band could have such a different sound. But there is an almost 20-year difference between the 2 recordings. 

When a band has a hit record, a lot of fans want to them to stay the same, never grow and the next album to be "Part 2". You can’t stay pigeonholed into that, stuck in a constant loop. Change is inevitable. Sometimes it can work out, sometimes it won’t. When the alternative music scene was taking over in the early 90's, some rock and pop-metal bands changed their tune (literally). Def Leppard recorded "Slang", which has a completely different sound as their previous efforts but it worked for me. I still love that record. Warrant tried a few different things on "Ultraphobic" with good results but then I think went a little too far with "Belly to Belly" for a completely different sound. 

I believe when you sign up to be a fan of a band, it is as a whole, not just for one member. Yes, you can have a favorite but if they change members, all I am asking is to give it to a chance. Don’t automatically say you won’t like it, give it a listen. It may surprise you.
​Peace.

Dave Christy loves horror, music, documentaries and more.  He is also the co-runner of several fan based groups including Morningstars (THE Lucifer fan group also run by Melanie), and now is a member of the VIPers Spotlight Lounge team for Melanie's Muses.  Other than "In The Spotlight" Features -check out his "31 Days Of Halloween Movies"

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