Genres are for kiddies! ;p

[g_string]

I was just thinking of this after reading that Ritchie Blackmore interview. I do identify as a Rock guitarist. I definitely identify as a Dino Rock guitarist =D I've always had mixed feelings on the term "metal" due to the angry aggressive nature of the music (and the fact that guttural vocals send the babes running in my experience), but heavy guitars have always resonated with me. Ritchie was saying the bar is set so high for rock/metal guitarists these days. I like that bar. It always challenged me to better myself. Chops. Speed. Metronome exercises. Scales. Stretches. However... the more technical the guitar work gets, the more difficult it is to relate to the rest of humanity.


Anyway... I dabble with recording when I have time, mostly instrumentals, but lately have been heavily focused on the songwriting/production of a solo project. Lot of vocals. I spend a lot of time with lyrics. Chorus hooks. Lots of attitude on both vocals and guitar, but I wish to keep the vocals radio friendly in terms of lyrics/mass appeal/ pop sensibility. I plan to select my favorites for a debut album and likely will pay to have it professionally mastered and see how far I can take it.


Which leads me to... marketing it. Calling it something. Naming it. With words. A label. A genre. I'd call it Rock & Roll at its core, that's me at my core, a ROCK guitarist. But I don't think it will sell as well as calling it something forward-thinking and unique. Future Rock? Nu-metal was already a thing. Shred already was a thing. Pop-Rock sounds so basic. I despise most sub-genres of "modern rock" Not many guitar-driven bands formed after the 90s that really inspire me. I wish to avoid the word metal. I almost wish to avoid "pop" because to me it invokes lacking guitar intellect. I don't want to be age-ist but due to the simplicity pop also seems to be geared for younger crowds which is fine, plenty of young people always are gonna be on Planet Earth, but labeling music seems to be a sign of the times. Must I appeal to the younger crowd to really have an impact?? Millennial Rock? Write 4/4 time signature 4 chord songs about relationships ending and reference pop-culture?... =(


I am just curious if anyone else spends a lot of time (probably too much time, mhmmm) thinking genres are for kiddies and that a good song is a good song and should be timeless! I wish people would focus on the SOUND and not the STYLE, even though I feel hypocritical in that I still approach my instrument like a pissed off Dino Rock Guitarist ;p

[Sirion]

"Muscle glam"? all jokes aside, it is a tricky question. I, too, think the term metal is tainted these days, if you want to reach a wider audience. At the same time, finding a progressive name for the rather old-fashioned styles we practice around here is difficult as well. Perhaps "dino rock" is as good as anything?

[Dinosaur David B]

I too tend to think of myself as a "Rock" guitarist. As opposed, to say, a Metal guitarist. As a rock guitarist, I dabble in metal, and other genre's too. But heavy rock is home for me. It's where I live, write, and play as a player.

[Seven Moons]

Lemmy solved the problem a long time ago. "We are Motörhead, we play rock'n'roll".

[bourbonsamurai]

Sirion said:


"Muscle glam"? all jokes aside, it is a tricky question. I, too, think the term metal is tainted these days, if you want to reach a wider audience. At the same time, finding a progressive name for the rather old-fashioned styles we practice around here is difficult as well. Perhaps "dino rock" is as good as anything?



[/quote]
one thing i am starting to think, pertaining sort of “exclusive” genres, like metal and electric blues, is that, while off-putting to many, the core base of these genres is extremely loyal, and that loyalty has translated into real $$ now, for many long suffering artists. the mainstream is very fickle.

[g_string]

Sirion said:


"Muscle glam"?



[/quote]
Love it =D


For real. In San Diego partying culture, we playboys (or wanna-be playas !! ;p ) refer to each other as "Bros." I wanna keep the music "Bro" friendly. Relateable lyrics & lingo, a method of greeting and communicating with fellow playboy
partiers. You know, if ya wanna go out & be a little player and
party at a ROCK concert! Can any Dino elders chime in in the babe-to-bro
ratio in the days of yore at a Bon Jovi or Motley Crue concert? Imagine, meeting
the wifey at one of my shows?! I'd be honored!! ;p Ben 11 LIVE @ REHAB Pool Party Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas! That's what I'm talking about! Ben 11 is my tentative stage name/solo project by the way. Up to 11 baby!


^ I'm not sure where I fit in between playboy & wanna-be playboy anymore, I'd like to think of myself as the type of man who could make a kickass husband/father but I've really had my heart broken and fear it's too late for me and that I'm condemned to a life of dating free-spirited festival gypsies for the rest of eternity. I'm freshly 31 and single as fuck, so... & yeah, this is all important in regards to my music... it's who I am.


Those types of partying bros ^ are usually found at events for other genres of music. EDM Bro! Clubs, festivals, raves. I've considered DJing no lie. I feel like I'd get bored up on stage though without my guitar. I see some DJs have a live guitarist get up there and just shred/improvise over the songs that come on. My old band incorporated elements of electronic music (128bpm house beats to get the club bumpin', flashy saw-wave synth leads). The sound fidelity just doesn't transfer though in my opinion. Something about the 808 drums & bass. Dino Dance Rock? I do feel like dance-feel grooves are integral to my sound.


Sexxy Trippy Funky Groovy Dancey Party Heavy Riffy Tongue-in-Cheek Cock Rock (with feelings!) =D


I wanna keep *the feels* for top 40 radio airplay and to not alienate myself from prospective female listeners. I wish I could sing like Tony Harnell I really do ("Perfectly," oh, the feelz...)


I'd love to lift the ~ Dino Rock ~ label from Dave, it's just too perfect, we all know it's the best genre ever to exist, ever, period but then I'd feel like I'd owe him royalties =D I know very much that all of us on this forum at least have a similar individual relationship with our guitars no matter how we ended up here or what other genres we enjoy.


"If Dinosaurs Evolved..." (song title anyone? album title?)


Post-Apocalyptic Dinosaur Guitar =D


Cutting Edge Next Gen Baby Makin' Blues Rock Metal =D


If anyone's still with me, thank you for taking the time to read my brainstorm and if ya think can help or know anyone that's in marketing etc or wish to have an actual listen to my creative soundstyle (with all this talk I still firmly believe that talk is cheap and have faith in my actual music), get at me...

[eduardoritos]

I'm too a rock guitar player, in the wider posible mean of the word.

I don't like the blues, but I love how blues can be melted into popier armonies; also, the uptempo boogies ala VH are fav for me.

Europe style metal is the genre where I live the most part of the time (MSG, UFO, Helloween, JP). But, a week ago, I listened to the whole BJ SWW album, and man, it's BIG.

And, Mr. Big, for me the perfect recipe of blues, rock, metal and pop, both guitar and vocal wise, all in the same glass.


So, if I would plan any new band, I could have the same problem, how market it.

[Sirion]

I kind of want to label myself a metal guitarist. That is the tradition I was the most strongly rooted in during my formative years, and most of the music I have written would be considered so from a non-revisionist perspective. That being said, there are a lot of people today who would find that use of the word incorrect. They deserve to be treated with scorn and derision, of course.

[g_string]

Power Metal \m/

[inmyhands]

I'm not sure what I am.


I write songs you might consider Pop, Blues, Rock, Hard Rock, Jazz, Big Band, Rock & Roll, Psychedelic, Folk, Country ..... sorry. no metal.