Music Biz Recycling = Emo Vs Hair Metal

LIFESTYLE AND MUSIC SIMILARITIES

No, it’s not the same person at the 2 album covers! It’s not an illussion or a Photoshop effect, these 2 album covers were released  with a 18 years difference at the release date (Tigertailz 1990 / Tokio Hotel 2008 ) . But as you can see, the “wild face” pose and the hairstyle are almost the same in this picture.

Can you guess that the similarities are not only at the artwork but the music producers behind Tokio Hotel created a wannabe-80s rock sound for the youth of the 00s ? I can’t imagine that Tokio Hotel knew Tigertailz or most of the 80’s sleaze rock scene but if you listen carefully to their music, you can find out many common music clishes  such as sleazy vocals and an androgyn atmosphere.

If you don’t believe me, then just read an excerpt from Rolling Stone’s magazine at the latest album of Tokio Hotel :

“And then there’s Love Is Dead, which sounds like a lost Eighties hair-metal chestnut. With some strategically applied spandex, Kaulitz could become the rock god Bret Michaels always wanted to be.

“(Source: Jody Rosen, May 15 2008, http://www’>http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LnJvbGxpbmdzdG9uZS5jb20vcmV2aWV3cy9hbGJ1bS8yMDYzNTM1OC9yZXZpZXcvMjA1MzMzODIvc2NyZWFt”>http://www. rollingstone. com/reviews/album/20635358/review/20533382/scream)

If you’re  clever enough, then you can find many common music cliches between the following 2 songs. I do not mean that  Tokio Hotel ripped off Pretty Boy Floyd or that these 2 songs sound exactly the same. I only mean that the 2 singers adopt a  common “pussycat vocal style” through a power ballad and  probbably target at the same audience.

Isn’t it a strong evidence that the music producers behind Tokio Hotel used to be sleazy rock lovers many years ago and they transfer their oldscool memories i the music of today?

Pretty Boy Floyd  – Wild Angels

 
Tokio Hotel – Monsoon

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AND STREET WAR !

Even if Emo Rock looks like hair metal in various levels , the fans do not always share te same opinion. Hair metal fans used to adore the Sex, Drugs & Rock N Roll philosophy of their idols. Evil and sinful personas have always been  fan’s pleasure, so sleaze rock was always famous for the involved danger.

Tokio Hotel look like dangerous due to the strange hairstyle but they’re not dangerous at all! They write songs with messages against suicide or other social issues so they mask their posiible youth criminality through a safe looking glass in order to attract the parent’s community and religious people.

In other words, they kiss the ass of the mainstream people just for the potential sales!

This point of view is the truth according to the metal world, but sometimes truth encourages violence which is a sad thing but happens frequently. So a great number of angry hard rock / heavy metal people in Mexico decided to beat up Emos in the downtown.

Of course TV cameras were there and the whole even appeared in YouTube:

CONCLUSIONS

“I Created A Monster”
 If a music producer doesn’t want to invent a new music style then he uses the music biz recycling method by giving life in a music creature that includes the highlights of an ex-succesful music style.

“It’s Alive”
 The new music creature lives in  a life cycle and has the right to stay alive untill it reaches the age of 5 years old and  the point where the sales are good. When the sales are droping and the teenagers are older enough to understand the trap then a new phase begins…

“Bury The Dead”
The music producer kills his/her own baby by pressing the virtual Delete button and throwing the now – old music style at the Recycle Bin. Then  creates a new monster for the newbies in the teenage public that do not imagine Big Music Brother’s cruel intentions…

AND ON, ON, ON….WE JUST LIVE IN MUSIC BIZ RECYCLE SEASON MY FRIEND, DIG IT ?

Author: Billy Yfantis
Sources: YouTube, Rolling Stone Magazine, Imeem, Wikipedia, etc.