Artists v. Personality

[JemGrover]

also, gotta say that seeing excision and datsik posting on these boards and being such nice guys (from what i've seen) has made me really appreciate them all the more. if you're talented AND down to earth, i believe that you should succeed. if you're a dick who has talent, i honestly couldn't care less. you may as well fuck off and die for all i care...

This.
Can't say I'm the world's biggest fan of either of these guys, But I thought Excision was very humble in his dealings with the a certain thread a few days ago. Major respect for someone who's got to that level yet keeps his cool when he could quite easily have offered some home truths...

Also, Morrissey is supposed to be a bit of a difficult character (Noticed a bit of a backlash on Facebook from people I know about his Anti-China comments recently)
there are genuine "characters" out there and you've just got to take 'em as they come.

[legend4ry]

I think if you're in the world of non-EDM.. Arrogance is good .. I find it more funny and just adds to their music... Thom Yorke, Morrissey, Dylan... Greats in their own right and notoriously known for being arrogant or completely pricks.. It just makes me like them more hahaha!

I just can't stand it when a EDM producer is like that though, don't know why?

[JemGrover]

I think if you're in the world of non-EDM.. Arrogance is good .. I find it more funny and just adds to their music... Thom Yorke, Morrissey, Dylan... Greats in their own right and notoriously known for being arrogant or completely pricks.. It just makes me like them more hahaha!

I just can't stand it when a EDM producer is like that though, don't know why?

Mmm, odd that. I know what you mean. I believe it might have something to do with the romanticising the Rock Star persona, yet in the world of EDM, I suppose a lot of it is born in the bedroom and which should suggest being down to earth? Ha.. the more I think of it, the more I agree. Strange.

[legend4ry]

Its that rock star persona for sure! When you want a band live its totally different from seeing a dj though innit? Ive never been moved by a dj's dance moves or the way he DJ's - just by the tunes he/she has played... In that sense, a arrogant performer can give such good vibes .

[ninjadog]

Come to think of it if the artist is a crazy genius type that spent their youth experimenting with shit normal kids don't do, and contributed something original and groundbreaking it's kind of ok because their usually socially inept anyway.

[craig]

The artists personality or ego doesn't phase me at all.

I listen to music to hear the music, anything else I don't give the slightest shit about.

[3za]

BUMP!!!

Hell, I can't stand certain traits (pretentiousness) in people. Some artists I have never gave them the time of day, because they piss me off. Some im on the verge of being a fan then they piss me off proper so I don't listen to them anymore. If im really in to a artist they have to do a lot before I don't give them the time of day anymore.

Im like this with everyone I know, the better I like you the more you can piss me off, before I will stop talking to you.

So your personality, and even more so the way you present yourself are key if you want success in music imo.

[tripwire22]

didnt read much of this thread but wanted to but this name

zomby

[3za]

zomby

Going by his post on here...

I ain't got nothing against him, he seems to be straight to the point, and don't give a fuck. I like that in people, it makes things so much easier.

[Dystinkt]

If the artist is a dick, I won't buy their music. Simple as. Cher Lloyd, is a horrendous bully (and thats not a wild accusation, its based on the opinion of people who went to school with her), therefore I won't support her and I hope she crawls back down the hole she came from. To bring them up again, Foals are incredibly friendly having met them, so I will continue to support their music and want them to do well. Talent is no excuse for being a dicksplash.

[JemGrover]

If the artist is a dick, I won't buy their music. Simple as. Cher Lloyd, is a horrendous bully (and thats not a wild accusation, its based on the opinion of people who went to school with her), therefore I won't support her and I hope she crawls back down the hole she came from. To bring them up again, Foals are incredibly friendly having met them, so I will continue to support their music and want them to do well. Talent is no excuse for being a dicksplash.

Saw Foals last summer the day the polls opened for the general election and was fucked off with Yannis going on and on about David Cameron being a new hope or some bollocks...
That put me off 'em.

[Dystinkt]

If the artist is a dick, I won't buy their music. Simple as. Cher Lloyd, is a horrendous bully (and thats not a wild accusation, its based on the opinion of people who went to school with her), therefore I won't support her and I hope she crawls back down the hole she came from. To bring them up again, Foals are incredibly friendly having met them, so I will continue to support their music and want them to do well. Talent is no excuse for being a dicksplash.

Saw Foals last summer the day the polls opened for the general election and was fucked off with Yannis going on and on about David Cameron being a new hope or some bollocks...
That put me off 'em.

Hes got an opinion, Id rather that than just saying he thinks their all good or something. Mind you theres a time for political debate and mid gig just isnt the time. I met him and Jack after their leeds show, he stage dived and got his shirt ripped to shreds and both his shoes stolen, which he took surprisingly well seeing as he didnt get both of them back and they were new:')

[3za]

If the artist is a dick, I won't buy their music. Simple as. Cher Lloyd, is a horrendous bully (and thats not a wild accusation, its based on the opinion of people who went to school with her), therefore I won't support her and I hope she crawls back down the hole she came from. To bring them up again, Foals are incredibly friendly having met them, so I will continue to support their music and want them to do well. Talent is no excuse for being a dicksplash.

Saw Foals last summer the day the polls opened for the general election and was fucked off with Yannis going on and on about David Cameron being a new hope or some bollocks...
That put me off 'em.

Same shit, different person to blame.

Edit: political views want put me off anyone, aslong as they don't try force them on people and are not extreme views.

[evil madmen]

If an artist I didnt know made a negative impression on me, it would probably affect the way I view his music.
But still music is music, if its good but the producer is a cock, well... what else is new?

[Siderealdb]

Well you can't please 100% of the people 100% of the time. That being said, there are plenty of people who see strength in personality types that can just flip on you without any regards to how you perceive them. That's what makes an artist desirable IMHO. Fuck what you, or I, think about them, music should never be a popularity contest based on personal relationships or here say. The more unpredictable the artists music, the better.

I mean, I'm sure Burt Bacharach is an awesome person, but I'm not just gonna run out and buy one of his fucking records because of it. I would also guess that 95% of people with some sort of musical obsession, great or not, have a penchant towards antagonizing people, It's what makes art interesting. Most art should make a negative impression on some type of group or individual, which will in turn, will make it enjoyable to the rest of us.

Artist v. Personality is simply the wrong question. Now Skill v. Creativity is a real argument.

[pete_bubonic]

I have had people I really look upto be massive twats. Proper hometown heroes of mine. Which was gutting. I still listen to their classics but oddly their new music is of no interest to me. Equally producers I thought were struggling a bit and have turned out to be good people, always get a second and third listen. I'm well fickle.

[step correct]

Super star or not, I always treat everyone equally. I think this can really annoy people with superstar mentalities that are used to being jocked everywhere they go lol..

[Mad_EP]

I think that it is just as legit to have an opinion on an artist's personality as much as their craft... however, I think that in most cases one usually only gets a snapshot of the personality. Let's be honest - there are plenty of good people who just have bad days from time to time.


Sometimes you can put your game-face on and be nice regardless... I remember once I was out (not even playing, but supporting a friend), and this guy started talking to me at the bar. I wasn't really in the mood cos I'd had a terrible day, but then said he was a bit starstruck as he was a big fan of mine... and I put it all behind me cos it was obviously a big deal to this person at that time.

On the other hand, there was another gig where I was on tour with my wife, and she had to be rushed to the hospital an hour or two before the gig. I still played, but obviously my mind was elsewhere and I don't remember a single thing about the evening. I am sure I played terribly and I vaguely remember some people trying to talk to me afterward that I totally blew off...but only because I was on my way back to the hospital.


So it is all about context. I agree... when you meet a dope musician who is super nice it is amazing. Daedelus comes to mind. Probably THE nicest guy in the biz... but there are lots of historical artists that I love who I probably wouldn't want to hang out with. Then again, some of my best friends were thought of as assholes by others, so go figure. As I said.... all about context.

[symmetricalsounds]

the problem with trying to judge artists by their character is unless you've known them for a while how can you ever be in a position to really make a judgement?

do you read one thread on a forum about some dude telling someone to fuck off and think you're gonna stop listening to them? what you don't hear is that said person got told to fuck off because he was shouting in dudes ear whilst he's trying to play his live set.

[SGN]

If I really like an artist's music, I don't give a shit what kind of a person he is. If I find out that 2562/A Made Up Sound likes to eat babies, it won't stop me from enjoying his music. In fact I may like it even more because babies are known to be delicious.

Especially in electronic music where, unlike pop, an artist's image isn't packaged with the music, it's of no concern to me what a musician is like personally. It's not like these guys are on TV all the time making asses of themselves like Kanye or whoever. You hardly hear from them except for the occasional interview and maybe at a gig if you're lucky. I can understand if an artist has personally been a c*nt to you and that stays in your head when you hear a tune of theirs, but even there I'd say it's about degrees ie a ratio of - how much of a c*nt he was:how much you love his music.

On the flipside if I really hate an artist's music, but then read an interview where he comes across as a really nice guy, then I'll probably hate his music less...I won't listen to it any more or buy it or anything, but at the same time I won't go out of my way to diss it. I think Deadmau5 is a classic example of the opposite reaction. A lot of people hate him more for the arrogant, pissy little bitch he is than for the songs he releases.