We were busy writing songs for...You!
Mar. 27th, 2009 01:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oritsu_luvI've been thinking and reading a lot about fandom/bandom recently, what with the release of the new Panic record, so I though I'd try to get my thoughts together a little bit. Mostly this was brought on by an entry I read on LJ about how being in a fandom effects your reception of a band's new album, which is pretty much just a reiteration of that old issue: do you like a band/group for the music or the members?
Usually, it comes full circle, I think. I like a group for the music, and then grow to love the members and then as time goes by and they release more music, eventually there's going to be some music I like because I like the members. MAX, of course, is the best example of this. I got into them because of Namie, because I wanted to check out what the new group formed by the girls she used to be in a group with. And then I got *into* them because of Namie, because into Namie at the end of 1997, which was right before she went on her maternity leave. (At the first show I ever saw her on, she was pregnant.) With Namie out of the spotlight, and no new material to be a fan of, I fell head over heels for MAX. And of course it's easier to be really involved in fanon with a group - I was converted by their warm and obviously real friendship and group chemistry just as much by their singing and dancing - and I was a MAX femslasher from the very start. (And there used to be a great community for it.) I loved the music, and I loved them. And then, time went on, and the quality of the music started to go downhill a bit - and I will always, always maintain that they have never been able to reach their full potential - but I still bought it and loved it because it was MAX and I loved *them*. But the dynamic was definitely different. I loved the music because it was MAX, instead of loving MAX because of their music.
I think you need a very strong quality of love to be able to do this. Here's the thing: I LOVED Panic's first album. I loved everything about it, the 'punk dance rock caberet' sound, the clever biting lyrics... I got into it before I knew *anything* about the band members, when the band was just three songs on Purevolume. Then, when I got to see who was in this band...I loved their aesthetic: I loved their music videos, I loved their stage costumes, their stage personas, their stage show. I loved all of it. I loved that special DVD box set they put out with the fake 1900s newspaper and the painted circus poster. I loved the whole kit and caboodle. And as I got to know the members, through interviews and tv and all of that, as I got to know Brendon and Ryan and Spencer and Jon...I loved them too. (And then, through addictedkitten, I found the panic fic, and I loved that too.)I loved everything about Panic!at the Disco.
And therein lies my problem: Panic!at the Disco and Panic at the Disco, regardless of what they say in 'We're so Starving', are NOT the same band. Yes, they've got a new image (Although it seems like they're wavering in that, with a new leaning a bit towards a more pastoral early 20th century look which is okay by me) but more importantly completely new music - *cough* thebeatles *cough*, and new lyrics - for the most part 60s style pot addled nonsense. And I do feel the members have changed - I mean, I've heard several reports of them being stoned at shows. I don't want to be one of those OMG Ryan drinks and does pot, he's a horrible person now! because whatever, but...I take issue with using drugs to foster creativity, and with being high while performing.
(Also,speaking of shows, they said they didn't want to be just boys in t-shirts on stage with guitars, which I heartily supported, because that's great, but how about something more for a change? I can't speak much to their stage shows now, since I haven't seen them, but they do seem more stripped down, with less theatrics.)
I don't know. Would I care about that stuff if I liked the new record the way I like the first one? Probably not.
The thing is, I feel bad not liking it. My FL is expolding with squee about the new album, just people who thousands of hearts and oodles of love for the new album and the boys and...I wish I could be like that. I wish I loved it to pieces.
But I don't.
Do I like the guys enough still to stay in the fandom? As of now, the answer is yes, because I still have this affection for them I can't shake. But I feel like it's almost a Good Charlotte situation, like I'm waiting for the next album (god only know when that will be) to really decide my feelings.
I don't know, this came off as very negative, but I do like some of the songs, and I do love the boys still, so.
Yeah.
Usually, it comes full circle, I think. I like a group for the music, and then grow to love the members and then as time goes by and they release more music, eventually there's going to be some music I like because I like the members. MAX, of course, is the best example of this. I got into them because of Namie, because I wanted to check out what the new group formed by the girls she used to be in a group with. And then I got *into* them because of Namie, because into Namie at the end of 1997, which was right before she went on her maternity leave. (At the first show I ever saw her on, she was pregnant.) With Namie out of the spotlight, and no new material to be a fan of, I fell head over heels for MAX. And of course it's easier to be really involved in fanon with a group - I was converted by their warm and obviously real friendship and group chemistry just as much by their singing and dancing - and I was a MAX femslasher from the very start. (And there used to be a great community for it.) I loved the music, and I loved them. And then, time went on, and the quality of the music started to go downhill a bit - and I will always, always maintain that they have never been able to reach their full potential - but I still bought it and loved it because it was MAX and I loved *them*. But the dynamic was definitely different. I loved the music because it was MAX, instead of loving MAX because of their music.
I think you need a very strong quality of love to be able to do this. Here's the thing: I LOVED Panic's first album. I loved everything about it, the 'punk dance rock caberet' sound, the clever biting lyrics... I got into it before I knew *anything* about the band members, when the band was just three songs on Purevolume. Then, when I got to see who was in this band...I loved their aesthetic: I loved their music videos, I loved their stage costumes, their stage personas, their stage show. I loved all of it. I loved that special DVD box set they put out with the fake 1900s newspaper and the painted circus poster. I loved the whole kit and caboodle. And as I got to know the members, through interviews and tv and all of that, as I got to know Brendon and Ryan and Spencer and Jon...I loved them too. (And then, through addictedkitten, I found the panic fic, and I loved that too.)I loved everything about Panic!at the Disco.
And therein lies my problem: Panic!at the Disco and Panic at the Disco, regardless of what they say in 'We're so Starving', are NOT the same band. Yes, they've got a new image (Although it seems like they're wavering in that, with a new leaning a bit towards a more pastoral early 20th century look which is okay by me) but more importantly completely new music - *cough* thebeatles *cough*, and new lyrics - for the most part 60s style pot addled nonsense. And I do feel the members have changed - I mean, I've heard several reports of them being stoned at shows. I don't want to be one of those OMG Ryan drinks and does pot, he's a horrible person now! because whatever, but...I take issue with using drugs to foster creativity, and with being high while performing.
(Also,speaking of shows, they said they didn't want to be just boys in t-shirts on stage with guitars, which I heartily supported, because that's great, but how about something more for a change? I can't speak much to their stage shows now, since I haven't seen them, but they do seem more stripped down, with less theatrics.)
I don't know. Would I care about that stuff if I liked the new record the way I like the first one? Probably not.
The thing is, I feel bad not liking it. My FL is expolding with squee about the new album, just people who thousands of hearts and oodles of love for the new album and the boys and...I wish I could be like that. I wish I loved it to pieces.
But I don't.
Do I like the guys enough still to stay in the fandom? As of now, the answer is yes, because I still have this affection for them I can't shake. But I feel like it's almost a Good Charlotte situation, like I'm waiting for the next album (god only know when that will be) to really decide my feelings.
I don't know, this came off as very negative, but I do like some of the songs, and I do love the boys still, so.
Yeah.
