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When it comes right down to it, most bands have a schtick. There's obvious ones: Los Straitjackets wear Mexican wrestling masks onstage, Clinic wears surgical masks, The Knack wore white shirts & black ties, The Hives wear black shirts and white ties, Tribe 8 severs strap-ons, Nashville Pussy's old bassist blew fire onstage, The White Stripes wear red & white duds onstage and GG Allin did whatever anyone paid him $5 to do. But what about acts that are quasi-fronts for solo artists? Would Bob Pollard, Trent Reznor or Rivers Cuomo have less credibility if they weren't Guided By Voices, Nine Inch Nails or Weezer, respectively? And what about stage names? Would Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop or Prince be as big as they are if they would've stuck with their birth names?
Anyways, there's no denying the power of creating an image. In that light, I reckon one could make the argument that schticks or gimmicks are a way for bands to create their own image rather than have one foisted upon them. And I'm certain that there's a way to create a public image without any sort of hyperbole. But in these fast-paced times, is it possible to make you music heard without some angle to make you stand out from the crowd? What's your spin on schticks? |
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