indo_mex wrote:ppinkham wrote:I think Metallica is a great example of that. Not only did they change how they wrote their music, but "OMG, THEY CUT THEIR HAIR!!!!" I think the hair-cutting caused more fallout than the change of music from those guys. Suddenly, the mighty Metallica didn't fit the expectations of what metal fans expected.
Imo the problem with Metallica around the time of Load was that they were denying they were a heavy metal band which many (including myself) were irked by - "We see ourselves as just a good rock band" was a common quote of that time. The Black Album got me into metal music at 15 years old and I found it pretty disgusting that 5 years later the same band were consciously distancing themselves from a genre of music they opened me and many others up to. It was a real kick in the teeth for anyone who felt like an outsider. Also the music was pretty shit so I really don't think it was as much to do with their image that people make out - bar the fact it was so obviously and shamelessly orchestrated by their panel of image consultants and marketeers, but that's a lesser point.
Which only reinforces the point I was trying to make. People expected Metallica to remain a certain way, and when they changed, people freak. The problem was not Metallica, it was the expectations the fans had placed on them. Instead of just going "Hey, these guys have changed and I haven't, maybe I should move on?," there was a huge backlash against the band. They were called sell-outs when they were only doing what they wanted to at the time. Selling out would be putting out another "Master" or "Justice" just to appease the fans.
It's the same scenario Dev faced with SYL. If he kept making albums like 'City' when his heart wasn't in it, then that would truly be "selling out." However, if he kept the band together and recorded the DTP stuff as SYL, people would have freaked.
People put their expectations on artists, and as much as they say they love and appreciate what they do, it usually isn't true. They just love and appreciate the part that fits their ideal of what they want the artist to look/sound like. It has to fit this certain genre, under this label, always. If it doesn't, then fuck those guys! They suck! lol