24th April 2012
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#1 | | Gear nut
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 133
Thread Starter | Why the self-titled album?
Have you seen Pedro Almodovar's new film, "Pedro Almodovar", or Tom Stoppard's new play, "Tom Stoppard"? How about Renzo Piano's new building in Frankfurt? - he calls it "Renzo Piano".
Exactly, all that sounds damn silly. Yet popular music abounds with self-titled albums. It's crazy how many artists and bands have released one. What explains the self-titled album? Why do musicians think that's a good idea? I happen to find it irritating, because it makes referring to things confusing. But it's also just bizarre and I don't get it. Ever taken a gander at Chicago's discography? WTF. Is it boredom? Laziness? Stupid record companies? Some weird kind of narcissism? An industry-wide aversion to creative titles? What's your theory?
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24th April 2012
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#2 | | Gear Head
Joined: Jul 2011 Location: Southern California
Posts: 68
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I think it's laziness bundled up with a lack of creativity.
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24th April 2012
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#3 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Oct 2002 Location: LA
Posts: 3,116
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It sort of makes sense for a debut release, just to ensure that there is no confusion between the artist's name and the album title. I think some bands just did it because the beatles did it, and others because the velvet underground did it. And then it became a weird, gimmicky thing to have multiple self-titled releases (weezer) or to have a s/t album later in an artist's career, which kind of signals a "rebirth" feeling since it's usually done on a debut album.
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26th April 2012
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#4 | | Gear Head
Joined: Sep 2011 Location: Barcelona
Posts: 57
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It can be useful when making a musical statement: We are the Beatles and here's our album called "The Beatles" which basically shows what kind of music we make.
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1st May 2012
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#5 | | Gear nut
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 133
Thread Starter | Quote:
Originally Posted by AnalogModelled  It can be useful when making a musical statement: We are the Beatles and here's our album called "The Beatles" which basically shows what kind of music we make. | But do we ever doubt that NON-self-titled debut albums are musical expressions of the band? "This is the kind of music we make" is implied in the fact it's THEIR album. Again, in no other art form does this weird convention exist. And even if the album is meant really as a manifesto, a declaration to the world, "This is who we are" -- there are creative titles to express that! For instance, Maya Angelou's autobiography "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings". I've never read it, but that's a brilliant title - thematic, moving, unique.
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9th May 2012
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#6 | | Gear nut
Joined: Oct 2011 Location: Black Hills of South Dakota
Posts: 135
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How about: ME
Then: ME TOO
THEN:Thrice ME
Then: ME BEE FOUR
I'm out of songs now.
__________________
"It's not a performance...It's an experience." ...Janis Joplin
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9th May 2012
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#7 | | Banned
Joined: Mar 2011 Location: Portland, Maine
Posts: 1,553
| Quote:
Originally Posted by initialsBB It sort of makes sense for a debut release, just to ensure that there is no confusion between the artist's name and the album title. I think some bands just did it because the beatles did it, and others because the velvet underground did it. And then it became a weird, gimmicky thing to have multiple self-titled releases (weezer) or to have a s/t album later in an artist's career, which kind of signals a "rebirth" feeling since it's usually done on a debut album. | I like this post.  | |
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9th May 2012
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#8 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Oct 2002 Location: LA
Posts: 3,116
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Originally Posted by rnaple How about: ME
Then: ME TOO
THEN:Thrice ME
Then: ME BEE FOUR
I'm out of songs now. | Gimme Five
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15th May 2012
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#10 | | Lives for gear
Joined: May 2011 Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 1,257
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I feel like self titled albums help hammer the name into people's heads, as a mechanism to help branding. Curious to hear other's thoughts on this though, could be some other reasons that are important too.
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Gearslutz App
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15th May 2012
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#11 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Mar 2012 Location: Los Feliz/Hollywood
Posts: 547
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And alas the OP setups up another possible troll thread. LOL OP seems not believe mixing is an art and sets up a straw man situation around it in a thread. He know claims he can't stand self titled music. Yet self titling has been going since probably before he was even born.
OP must have lots of time on his hands to dwell so much on these topics. Perhaps OP needs to get a job? Or find something creative to do with his time?
Really a thread discussing self titling? Dude give it up.
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16th May 2012
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#12 | | Gear addict
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 433
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Dpro U ever heard the adage 'if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all' ?
Its been interesting to hear other people's viewpoints on this so get off your high horse mate
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18th May 2012
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#13 | | Lives for gear
Joined: Mar 2012 Location: Los Feliz/Hollywood
Posts: 547
| Quote:
Originally Posted by getmethough Dpro U ever heard the adage 'if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all' ?
Its been interesting to hear other people's viewpoints on this so get off your high horse mate | dude the guy is trolling. If you want to let him troll bait you great. I am not on any high horse.  I just call it as I see it.
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19th May 2012
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#14 | | Gear Head
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 49
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I think there are three primary instances..
1) the self-titled album is a cop-out. this results from apathy.
2) the self-titled album is a debut. this results from desperation.
3) the self-titled album defines the sound of that band better than any previous work. in the band's eyes, this album is so them, that it must be named after them. this results from pride.
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19th May 2012
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#15 | | Gear maniac
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 259
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Its weird I usually tend to like self titled albums more than other albums from artists.
Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G using Gearslutz App
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19th May 2012
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#16 | | Banned
Joined: Mar 2011 Location: Portland, Maine
Posts: 1,553
| Quote:
Originally Posted by initialsBB It sort of makes sense for a debut release, just to ensure that there is no confusion between the artist's name and the album title. I think some bands just did it because the beatles did it, and others because the velvet underground did it. And then it became a weird, gimmicky thing to have multiple self-titled releases (weezer) or to have a s/t album later in an artist's career, which kind of signals a "rebirth" feeling since it's usually done on a debut album. |
well said,
/thread
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