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Subject: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: midnite on 02/26/08 at 9:21 pm

I was listening to Japan which is one of my favorite 80s bands.  They released two glam/punk albums in the late 1970s where David Sylvian's voice was raw and punk-sounding.  They were also guitar-driven. Then in 1980, they changed their style to New Wave and released Gentlemen Take Polaroids.  The most interesting thing is that David Sylvian changed his voice from the raw punk to a smoother Ferryesque over-the-top style.  Their songs became keyboard driven with lush soundscapes and included horns and saxaphones as well.  They are known as a precursor to Duran Duran.

Not including singers/groups maturing and softening up with age, are there any other groups or singers in the 80's that made such a dramatic change in musical style?  Was this a good thing or a bad thing for their music.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: cinnabon on 02/27/08 at 5:12 am

Sometimes a change in lead singers can cause a slight shift in a band's musical style - a couple of examples for me are The Doobie Brothers and Van Halen:

When Tom Johnston was fronting the Doobies, their sound was more bluesy-country rock - when he was replaced by Michael McDonald they became more soft rock/adult contemporary (I know this is more of a 70s group but they had some stuff in the early 80s too)

And Van Halen started as mostly hard rock when David Lee Roth was in the group (with the possible exception of the 1984 album), then when Sammy Hagar joined they started sounding more mainstream pop.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: robby76 on 02/27/08 at 7:11 am

Sorry to go pop on everyone, but Five Star went from bubbegum pop to funky rock in less than 12 months. The result was a steady decline in the charts and the departure of many fans. :(

Needless to say the image changed drastically too.

1987

http://www.fivestarforever.nl/jpeg/fivestarfoto/5col.jpg

1988

http://www.fivestarforever.nl/jpeg/fivestarfoto/rockword.jpg

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: Bobby on 02/27/08 at 7:51 am


Sorry to go pop on everyone, but Five Star went from bubbegum pop to funky rock in less than 12 months. The result was a steady decline in the charts and the departure of many fans. :(

Needless to say the image changed drastically too.

1987

http://www.fivestarforever.nl/jpeg/fivestarfoto/5col.jpg

1988

http://www.fivestarforever.nl/jpeg/fivestarfoto/rockword.jpg


In the second picture they are trying to look like the band Heart, lol. I liked Five Star back in the day. Oddly enough up until 1988 . . .

I think Paul Weller changed styles drastically when he moved from 'The Jam' to 'Style Council'.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: ladybug316 on 02/27/08 at 2:18 pm

Paul Weller of The Jam (punk, new wave highly influential band) went on to form The Style Council (very smooth R&B sound).  I happen to like both of those bands.  I believe he also got into some electronic music well into the 90's and caught a bunch of crap for it. 

Ministry also springs to mind.  They started out as a new wave band and then were like a metal/grunge outfit.  I only really appreciated the older stuff and think Al Jourgensen is an a#@.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: Atari on 02/27/08 at 3:37 pm


Ministry also springs to mind.  They started out as a new wave band and then were like a metal/grunge outfit.  I only really appreciated the older stuff and think Al Jourgensen is an a#@.


Oh man.... you got that right. I was at the show where they recorded part of their live album "In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up" (Reptile House, Grand Rapids, forget the exact date and year) and that guy was the most strung-out, self-important POS I have ever met. After I put my hand out to shake his and he stuck his hand in my face as to say "I'm too good for you to shake your hand", I told him to go F himself and just walked away. Haven't bought or listened to that band ever since.

Someday I'll tell y'all about Rob Zombie  >:(

It's because of morons like those two that my attitude towards "celebrities" is, "Here's my money, now entertain me, loser."

Sorry if I got offtopic...

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: Bree on 02/27/08 at 3:46 pm

Alanis Morissette, though she was forced to be a pop princess though later became an alternative singer/songwriter in the 1990's

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: midnite on 02/28/08 at 12:19 am

Good ones....

Weller/Style Council
Alanis /Pop and Rocker
Van Halen - they did get pretty sappy with Sammy Hagar.

I am not familiar with Five Star.  I will have to check them out.  In 1988 they all look like Janet and Latoya Jackson wannabes.  Though the later is not much to aspire to.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: midnite on 02/28/08 at 12:23 am

Just found a Five Star song in my itunes called The Slightest Touch.  I am guessing it is from the cute pop group not the tough leather group.  Sounds okay.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: cinnabon on 02/28/08 at 6:12 am

I saw an episode of E True Hollywood Story about The Village People where their manager tried to reinvent them as a New Wave act for a while after disco fell out of favor.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: Marty McFly on 03/10/08 at 9:41 pm

One thing about Eighties music in general that I've noticed is that it seemed like the idea was to get as many people into it as possible. Like "poppifying" your sound and getting on MTV was the main thing. Lots of bands and singers had a more clean cut image and sound, and used lots of keyboards, synthesizers and guitar solos. Music was very mainstreamized from about 1982 to 1990, and I think that's what I like about it the most. That's what I've always tried to tell people. Regardless of the style or the type of songs, it was basically ALL catchy!

So yeah, there's lots of poppier songs in the 1980s by '60s and '70s artists (or even current ones who weren't pop per se) that I probably never would've gotten into otherwise, so that's a good thing.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: robby76 on 03/10/08 at 10:15 pm

That's what I've always tried to tell people. Regardless of the style or the type of songs, it was basically ALL catchy!


That's what I miss most too!

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: yelimsexa on 11/18/10 at 6:10 am

Usually, when the big change turns out to be "bad", it is often the point where the artist has "jumped the shark".

This even applies most recently with the auto-tune/electrotechnopop trend with former Nu Metal group Linkln Park, who jumped on the bandwagon on their latest album and critics/album sales have fared poorly.

Sometimes the change is gradual, such as Chicago, which gradually phased out it's jazz/rock/funk hybrid in favor of MOR pop, starting with If You Leave Me Now from their Chicago X album, and by the time Chicago 16 came out, the band had fully converted to an Adult Contemporary sound filled with your typical '80s production. Sometimes this can be an "at first it's okay, but now it's crap" kinda thing as well. After Peter Cetera went solo, Chicago's sales went into decline and the critics ratings kept getting worse and worse.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: tv on 11/18/10 at 9:45 am


Usually, when the big change turns out to be "bad", it is often the point where the artist has "jumped the shark".

This even applies most recently with the auto-tune/electrotechnopop trend with former Nu Metal group Linkln Park, who jumped on the bandwagon on their latest album and critics/album sales have fared poorly.

Sometimes the change is gradual, such as Chicago, which gradually phased out it's jazz/rock/funk hybrid in favor of MOR pop, starting with If You Leave Me Now from their Chicago X album, and by the time Chicago 16 came out, the band had fully converted to an Adult Contemporary sound filled with your typical '80s production. Sometimes this can be an "at first it's okay, but now it's crap" kinda thing as well. After Peter Cetera went solo, Chicago's sales went into decline and the critics ratings kept getting worse and worse.
"Chicago" still had a couple hits in 1989 which was after Cetera went solo but once the decade of the 90's hit their sales tanked of their albums.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: Shiv on 11/18/10 at 10:23 am

I like it. It keeps bands exciting. I can't stand bands that stick with the same style album after album (cough ACDC)


A good recent example is Panic! at the Disco. When they arrived on the scene in 2005 they were your pretty typical emo act, guyliner and all (remember "I Write Sins, not Tragedies"?). Around 2008 or so the guitarist/main songwriter (Ryan Ross) suddenly became obsessed with classic rock, and they completely transformed their sound and image to 60s-influenced classic rock. Needless to say they have a pretty divided fan base.

Also, a notorious example is Heart. In the 80s, they signed a record contract that forced them to use outside proffessional songwriters and doll themselves up for MTV, effectively turning what was once a hard rock band into a manufactured pop act. Luckilly, they changed back in the 90s.

Rush used to be known for this too, although they havn't had a radical style change since 1993. The two new songs they recently released for download have synths though, which had been missing from their music for quite a while.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: Davester on 11/18/10 at 5:57 pm



It's because of morons like those two that my attitude towards "celebrities" is, "Here's my money, now entertain me, loser."



  Nice... ;D

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: JamieMcBain on 11/18/10 at 6:26 pm

In the case of Alanis, it worked because she was getting older and couldn't be doing teen pop music, forever.

The best cases, are the ones slowly changing their styles, gradually over the period of time.

The worst or least successful, are like the attempts by Garth Brooks.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: Brian06 on 11/18/10 at 9:44 pm

Another modern example I could think of now is Usher hopping onto the electropop bandwagon this year.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: tv on 11/19/10 at 5:11 pm


Another modern example I could think of now is Usher hopping onto the electropop bandwagon this year.
Yeah I don't like Ushers stuff from the past few years. I liked his songs that he did from 1997-2004.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: tv on 11/19/10 at 5:28 pm

The 80's/90's band "Go West" they were synth-pop when they first hit the US Charts in 1985 with their hit song "Call Me" and than by 1990 they were A/C with their hit "King Of Wishful Thinking".

"Go West" was probably a key band that transitioned music from the 80's to the 90's but will probably never get the credit for it.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 11/19/10 at 5:44 pm

It depends on how good the artist is at a given style.

Linda Ronstadt, 1980: Hurt So Bad *
Linda Ronstadt, 1984: Lush Life **
Linda Ronstadt, 1988: Grey Cloud Over New York  ***

*Randazzo/Wilding/Hart
**Strayhorn
***Philip Glass, "1000 Airplanes on the Roof," performed with the Philip Glass Ensemble

Ronstadt was good at all three styles.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 11/19/10 at 5:49 pm

Revolting Cocks, 1985: Big Sexy Land Great stuff.
Revolting Cocks, 1988: Live! You Goddamned Son Of A Bitch (Druggies making dumb noises)

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: ladybug316 on 11/19/10 at 5:52 pm


It depends on how good the artist is at a given style.

Linda Ronstadt, 1980: Hurt So Bad *
Linda Ronstadt, 1984: Lush Life **
Linda Ronstadt, 1988: Grey Cloud Over New York  ***

*Randazzo/Wilding/Hart
**Strayhorn
***Philip Glass, "1000 Airplanes on the Roof," performed with the Philip Glass Ensemble

Ronstadt was good at all three styles.


Karma for the Linda Ronstadt!  Perfect example of how far talent can take you.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: ladybug316 on 11/19/10 at 9:21 pm


Linda Ronstadt also tackled Country in 1987 as a trio with Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton.

She also had a bit of '60s influence on her 1982 album 'Get Closer, which to me is her greatest album.


She did an album of Mexican standards as well, I believe.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: 80sfan on 12/29/10 at 2:52 am

For some bands/singers it works, but for some bands/singers it totally sucks! I think some people are just better musicians than others!

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: Atari on 12/19/11 at 1:18 am


Revolting Cocks, 1985: Big Sexy Land Great stuff.
Revolting Cocks, 1988: Live! You Goddamned Son Of A Bitch (Druggies making dumb noises)



Since you've moved into a bit of the underground, here's a couple:

Napalm Death- Scum (1986)- blasting, superfast grind
Napalm Death- Fear Emptiness Despair (1994)- groove-oriented extreme metal
Napalm Death- Time Waits for No Slave (2009)- groove-oriented extreme metal and grind with black metal influences. Kinda full-circle, eh? :)

As a side note, Bill Steer, the guitarist who played on Scum, went on to the band Carcass, playing what is affectionally known as "goregrind" to the genre kiddies these days, until 1996. He now plays in a 70s-influenced blues-rock band called Firebird. Bill is my favorite guitarist, and Firebird rocks!

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: AL-B Mk. III on 01/03/12 at 4:42 pm

In 1983 Neil Young was under contract with Geffen Records, who, after his experimental electronic album Trans sold poorly, rejected his follow-up album Old Ways which was primarily country music, and demanded instead that Young record a "rock n' roll" album.

So he did.  :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39VjfTW0Xys

The folks at Geffen were not amused and actually tried to sue Young (unsuccessfully, as it turned out).

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 01/04/12 at 1:06 am

Per above:

Ministry: 1981--1983 -- Paranoid funky synth pop: Cold Life -- Revenge (Cool)
Ministry: 1984--1986 -- Stygian quasi-industrial synth pop dub experimental: All Day -- Over the Shoulder (Awesome)
Ministry: 1988--2011 -- Screaming guitars, screaming Al, druggy misanthropic redneck crap fest: Stigmata -- 99% (23 years of why won't this asshole die or retire?)

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: MaxwellSmart on 01/04/12 at 1:34 am

Talk Talk:

1982-1984 The Party's Over -- It's My Life:  Artsy synth-pop (excellent)
1986 The Colour of Spring -- Well-crafted progressive pop (great)
1988 The Spirit of Eden -- Messy large ensemble prog rock experiment (okay, could lead to something better...but...read on)
1991 Laughing Stock -- Dreary squeaky-wheel drone rock by a band not up to the task (Mark Hollis and snob critics pleased, me bored)

Talk Talk broke up.  They did not deserve another bite at the apple.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: AL-B Mk. III on 01/04/12 at 7:04 pm

Robert Plant gets his Elvis on.  8)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc4fIQvr8e0

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: whistledog on 01/04/12 at 8:11 pm


Robert Plant gets his Elvis on.  8)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc4fIQvr8e0


Robert Plant getting his Phil Phillips on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd8WUJ9uT3o&feature=fvst

That whole album was great.  When Plant and the Honeydrippers toured live, Brian Setzer was a member of the band, but he does not appear on their lone album

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: Howard on 01/05/12 at 6:56 am


Robert Plant getting his Phil Phillips on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd8WUJ9uT3o&feature=fvst

That whole album was great.  When Plant and the Honeydrippers toured live, Brian Setzer was a member of the band, but he does not appear on their lone album


such a classic song.

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: Lindee on 01/05/12 at 2:14 pm

REO Speedwagon had more rock songs in the 70s. In the 80s they became a mushy ballad band.  8-P

Subject: Re: Bands/Singers Abruptly Changing Music Styles - Good or Bad

Written By: AL-B Mk. III on 01/05/12 at 2:40 pm


REO Speedwagon had more rock songs in the 70s. In the 80s they became a mushy ballad band.  8-P


So did Journey, Foreigner and Styx.  :P

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