The black keys are just jingle writers.

[chiimba]

Originally Posted by Chris Lago

Well there was the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Kind of the same vibe really.

See thats a completely different band to me. Different use of instrumentations / compositions / musicle influence / style. Keys are much more stricly blues imo.

Silversun Pickups has had some success too and I remember at one point i thought they were indie. Does "indie" just mean you haven't made $$ yet? Because that band has been awarded mainstream success and their music hasn't changed much.

I like Arcade Fire's last few CDs more than their originals because imo the singer found how to better utilize his natural voice and they made better / more efficient use of their orchestral compositions and recorded more focused quality songs. But are they sell outs because their sound now attracts a broader audience and generates more revenue?

[Chris Lago]

Originally Posted by chiimba

See thats a completely different band to me. Different use of instrumentations / compositions / musicle influence / style. Keys are much more stricly blues imo.

Silversun Pickups has had some success too and I remember at one point i thought they were indie. Does "indie" just mean you haven't made $$ yet? Because that band has been awarded mainstream success and their music hasn't changed much.

I like Arcade Fire's last few CDs more than their originals because imo the singer found how to better utilize his natural voice and they made better / more efficient use of their orchestral compositions and recorded more focused quality songs. But are they sell outs because their sound now attracts a broader audience and generates more revenue?

Hmm how about Kings of Leon, The Fray, Modest Mouse, Kasabian etc, are they in that kind of style as Black Keys?

[kennybro]

Originally Posted by elambo

None, but that was in no way the point I was making.

Yeah, I know. Came out unintended snarkie.

[chiimba]

Originally Posted by Chris Lago

Hmm how about Kings of Leon, The Fray, Modest Mouse, Kasabian etc, are they in that kind of style as Black Keys?

Not to me. Each of those bands I can recognize a few seconds into the song because of their unique distinctions from one another.

When i think of Kasabian I think more electronic influence / darker tougher agressive riffs / ambient moments / completely different vocal approach.

Kings of Leon may be the closest thing but I'd have to think more to their early CD; which had more blues / rock influence but there is still a big vocal distinction between singers for me; their compositions incorporate more bass melodies and their music ventured way outa blues early on. Even looking at a song like Mollys Chambers; it is more upbeat and rockier than most the BK's stuff.

The Fray? I feel like you are just messing with me...

Maybe I have a different formula for what I think it is to obviously sound like someone else.

For example; Jet, minus the singing, sounds like ACDC. Whenever I hear one song (can't remember the name) I have to wait for the verse because I can't distinguish the guitar riff buildup intro from ACDC to Jet. Same tones / style / chord structures.

Or the American Idol Rock-style singers..Daughtry to David Cook and others in that genre of writing "rock" power ballads. Singing styles and sound all blend together for me.

[dbgear]

I don't know the BKs personally very well as I haven't seen them in years, but I played several shows with them before they started doing BKs. One thing I do know is that they were always trying new stuff and I'm pretty sure the latest incarnation was just another project for them. I always assumed that they started this as a semi-satirical take on The White Stripes, as they are from the same region and run peripherally in the same circles. All that said, they are "indie" and "hip" because they broke this little band with basement recordings and it has been DIY all the way. They have since maintained the integrity of the original project and I'm sure they're laughing all the way to the bank. I'm pretty sure they had no idea this would make them multi-millionaires, but now that it is they're just riding it for what's it's worth. Greedy? I don't think so. Hard working for many years? Yes.

Just because they sell songs for commercials it in no way makes them comparable to talentless *****s like Nickleback. It's like another poster said, we live in a multimedia world and commercials are the new radio. As long as they aren't promoting Walmart or Hummer or similar, commercials are just a way to get to the masses that don't search out cool music. The masses have to be pummeled from all directions before they actually realize that they like something. In other words, they wouldn't be nearly as big and we wouldn't be discussing this had they not sold songs commercially, it's all part of climbing the ladder.

As for show ticket prices... I would have expected them to try and keep those lower, but if they were Nicklecrap the tickets would be double and all you would get is a cheesy show that has zero artistic value.

Seriously if I hear the term "sell out" again, I'll scream, get real. Just go ahead and try to make a living in the modern music industry without selling something sometime. It is in fact the only way that most "indie" bands make any money at all and most of these bands wouldn't be able to continue without it.

To Dan and Patrick I say, I'm laughing with you and keep up the good work.

[mattqualls]

Just to add, 6 months after Brothers came out they played a completely free show at a college here for less than 200 people. How's that for greedy commercialized garbage rock?

[Hollywoods]

All i care about is that they brought back Fuzzy blues guitar sounds and songs with melody. That can't be all bad.

[dbgear]

Originally Posted by Hollywoods

All i care about is that they brought back Fuzzy blues guitar sounds and songs with melody. That can't be all bad.

Good point! The whole thing really is a coup. It's a pretty novel thing to have a popular artist actually be really good and doing it all on their own terms. We should actually be praising them for saving modern rock music, even if it is with throwback sounds (which I much prefer anyway).

[feck]

I'm just happy to see a relatively new rock band doing well. That is becoming something of a rarity these days.

[mrfortune]

They do blues an rock pretty good

[nucelar]

I just listened to some tracks on itunes (didn't know the band). Is it just me or does everything sound extremely distorted? I thought something happened to my speakers... Although the songs seem catchy I couldn't stand the dirtyness.

[kennybro]

Originally Posted by nucelar

I just listened to some tracks on itunes (didn't know the band). Is it just me or does everything sound extremely distorted? I thought something happened to my speakers... Although the songs seem catchy I couldn't stand the dirtyness.

I bet many hours were spent getting that distortion just right for a proper & authentic low-fi retro vibe.

Like in a feature when dude gets out of bed and his hair's all messed. 3 hours in the chair for that.

[rockyoreilly]

Between labels, publishing, co-writer/producer & management, I'd say the band are lucky to see 45% of the fee, if they're recouped at that stage. When they even get the fee is another matter. I couldn't call it greedy.

I heard a band called Mates Of State (a band I've loved for 10+ years) on a commercial for Cruise Ships last year, flipping amazing! So happy for them as a band and happy myself as a fan of their band.

I don't care who else likes the music I like, as long as I like it.

A bands got to do what they deem best for their careers, things aren't as clear cut as they seem from the outside.

None of it's easy, at this stage if any band or company are able to maintain it and release music that they love making, then I think it's fantastic for them.

[Traintrack]

God Bless them. There is a small window to get paid in the Biz. Get it while you can. Not everyone can be The Rolling Stones.