Does what a band wears/looks like matter?

[LG]

What a band looks like has no bearing on how I feel about their music.

Good lord the Rolling Stones could win the "Ugliest Band Actively Touring" right now in a landslide, but that won't stop them from making more millions when they tour again.

An artist has to do something spectacularly stupid or ignorant to affect how I feel about them, but how they look has 0 effect on me.

 

[TheSound]

Best entertainment I think I've had in years was seeing Seasick Steve last year, he's around 70 and used to live as a hobo, and apparently has lived in about 60 different locations, he also plays a guitar which he made himself out of an old cigar box...most probably you'd think he lives in a doorway somewhere, but his music is incredibly alive and authentic, so like LG I could care less what he (or anyone else) looks like, same way as I don't care what the food I eat looks like as long as I enjoy it.

 

[Mr. Shadow]

David Johansen



transformed his looks



to fit the genre.

 

[AboutAGirl]

If I hear the music and it's good, nothing they look like could change my mind.

But image is a conscious choice a band makes to help craft their message and music. It can benefit my opinion of a band in certain circumstances. I like how Varg Vikernes downplayed the corpsepaint thing and I like how he looks like Father Time right now, fits in very much with his music.

Ya I know.. They don't care about being rock stars it's all about the music..

Oh my yes, god forbid they would focus on the music instead of their appearance. Every true rock artist is as image conscious as Lady Gaga.

 

[gcczep]

To me? Not really if the music really rocks. If they do look b**t ugly and are quite slovenly onstage then it would take away from the music even if it is good. I mean a majority of the paying audience will take notice obviously. Unless of course it is PART of their stage act and EVERYONE knows it.

 

[Death on Credit]

It's not all that important, seeing as how it's very rare that you look at an artist while you're listening to them.

However, a band/artist's personal aesthetic is often related to the music. I can think of a lot of artists...Alice Cooper, David Bowie, the Sex Pistols, Bob Dylan, KISS, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Nirvana, the New York Dolls, the Doors, etc etc...who look exactly like what their music would look like if it were walking around.

 

[LG]

I've never really bothered thinking about what anyone looks like when I used to listen to the radio or play my records George. Live in concert...well I guess you make a valid point if a band looked slovenly that might affect the reception. But from the Hippie days of the 60's to the bell bottom jeans of the 70's and Punk rock invasion of the late 70's early 80's bands have all followed the trend.

I will admit that when I saw the latest pictures of Ann Wilson I was shocked at how much weight she's gained. But that doesn't stop me from enjoying their old music and as Susan Boyle has proved more recently you can succeed even if you aren't drop dead gorgeous in the music business.

 

[gcczep]

I've never really bothered thinking about what anyone looks like when I used to listen to the radio or play my records George. Live in concert...well I guess you make a valid point if a band looked slovenly that might affect the reception. But from the Hippie days of the 60's to the bell bottom jeans of the 70's and Punk rock invasion of the late 70's early 80's bands have all followed the trend.

I will admit that when I saw the latest pictures of Ann Wilson I was shocked at how much weight she's gained. But that doesn't stop me from enjoying their old music and as Susan Boyle has proved more recently you can succeed even if you aren't drop dead gorgeous in the music business.

Agreed... We are though a visual society. One case in point where matters can throw you off is the case of Rick Astley. When I first heard of him and his song, I thought he'd be one of the slick, polished R&B brothers then lo and behold, it's this little English guy who some described as a cross between Opie Cunningham and Howdy Doody. It does make you do a double take naturally.

As far as looks, I can bring up Mama Cass or Aretha Franklin whose voices rivet you to the point where everything else is irrelevant. Then you have the Chili Peppers. Good band, good music...wacky guys who play in their birthday suits onstage. What one sees visually appealing or not is how you associate them with their music good or bad. Samantha Fox...Holly Valance... Great eye candy which I associate with not so memorable music.

 

[DaKillerWolf]

What I care about is whether or not I like their music ..however a look usually indicates a certain sound ( in Metal atleast )..looking like chicks usually means glam. Dressing in high tops and jeans, Thrash, Sweat pants Death Metal etc. ....

I would rather that my bands don't look like dorks but whatever if they play some awesome stuff that I really like I will still listen to 'em. I just won't look at them while they play

 

[Mr. Bob Dobolina]

My answer is no, it doesn't matter. During the summer of '76, my cousin took me to see The Band in concert. I was 11 years old and had never heard of them. At the time cuz was a metal head, his faves being Alice Cooper and Black Sabbath. Knowing this, I fully expected a crazy group to burst on stage and blow it apart. What I got was five guys with beards and dark suits, who proceeded to play some of the best music I'd ever heard. I've been a fan ever since.