Re: Odp: Re: Creed on MTV
From: "Marc Levitt" <Marc_Levitt@BROWN.EDU>
To: <CREED-DISCUSS@WINDUPLIST.COM>
Date: Mon
5 Nov 2001 18:37:39 -0500
Re: Odp: Re: Creed on MTV no, i'm not saying that at all.  pearl jam and creed popped onto the national scene in much the same way, and i think pearl jam is wonderfully talented.  what i AM saying is that marketing played a huge role in both of the bands' successful careers.  the question remains as to whether creed (or pearl jam) would have been as beloved as they are without videos and without radio.  in fact, it is doubtful.  Note that as soon as pearl jam stopped making videos and had public relations issues, they stopped selling albums as before.  they still sold out arenas full of people, but that was the effect of enormous popularity (way, way more than creed will ever have) that still had not subsided.  And their amazing music probably had something to do with that as well.  Creed, by contrast...we'll see where they are when the commercials, videos, etc. stop running.  


on 11/5/01 6:21 PM, Agnieszka at agie_j@GO2.PL wrote:

Are you trying to say a band can't be successful (sp?) and play good music if they don't tour for example for 12 years,if they have some songs on the radio and some videos??  
Do you think Creed just came out of nowhere, in one second got a record deal and songs on the radio? There are some people here who have supported the band since their first shows in bars, small clubs, where they were playing before they got signed or anything.

Agie
~maybe if we are surrounded in beauty, someday we will become what we see~ jewel
----- Original Message -----
From: Marc Levitt <mailto:Marc_Levitt@BROWN.EDU>  
To: CREED-DISCUSS@WINDUPLIST.COM
Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2001 12:18 AM
Subject: Re: Creed on MTV

i haven't got my head anywhere near my legs.  i only wish i were that
flexible.  but that's still not the point...

many bands have developed their fanbase and renown the good-old-fashioned
way...touring.  Phish, for example, toured for 12 years before being
acknowledged on any radio station.  Soundgarden and Nirvana existed for four
years each before they cut a record deal.  I once saw a video of a concert
of Led Zeppelin performing Led Zeppelin I to a stone-faced, emotionless
crowd of 40. None of the audience had ever heard the album before.  It took
another two years of playing their music before anyone gave a shit.  Sonic
Youth celebrated their 21st anniversary this year.  They have never
marketted an album, and have only had one single ever play on radio.  yet,
no one would doubt that they are among the best, most influential artists of
their generation.  Same deal with the Sex Pistols, and with Fugazi.
Nowadays, a band just needs to be playing in the right bar at the right time
and they'll be stars by midday.  Pearl Jam, who I love, was by no means
deserving of a national following as quickly as they received it. NOR WAS
CREED!!!!!

There are TONS of amazing groups that have intentionally avoided the
pressures of marketing and corporate culture.  You've probably never heard
of them, but you could just as easily fall in love with them...IF you were
pummelled over the head with their songs every waking moment. Marketing does
NOT play a role in everything...just the things people are customarily
exposed to.