A lot of genres/artists have come and go. some have stayed, some just drifted away or have been reinvented. But the common thing about them is they were always blamed for stealing the attention of the newer crowd. After a year or so there will be yet another wave of music that will cater to the younger generation. It's an endless cycle so bitching about it won't do us any good at all. Maybe it's just hard to accept that the music we came to love is not as hot anymore but that's just the way this industry evolves. And it evolves according to its environment.
The fact is, we grow old and the kids stay young.
There's no need to bash people who tried but didn't end up loving the things we do. They were just looking for something that feels right for them. Aren't we all? If they went the other way then at least somehow they have an idea how it's like to be in our place. We don't have to judge them just for wanting to experience the scene. Nobody owns it anyway and there's nothing to gain from turning these kids away. Plus its definitely not a good time to be elitist and all because the local music industry has been on life support for years.
But someone must take the blame, right?
I say we all are somewhat guilty. Of course we must take credit for our work but it would be nice to have that extra push all the time. Get some materials out, play more often, support other bands and think of new ways to charm and lure more people into the scene. The state of unsigned/independent bands/productions right now is one heck of a challenge.
From my observation, I think one of the big problems is people don't want to spend their money on bands anymore. At least locally. It's like being cheap became a trend that just won't go away. I hate to admit it but money is a factor for the music industry's growth.
If you don't buy the merchandise, then we can't improve the merchandise.
We grew fond of illegally downloading/copying music, unknowingly stealing every cent from the people who worked their asses off to come up with great products.
There is this stupid assumption that "Well, these people can afford to make albums and buy these equipment and clothes and [gooey brown stuff]. They must be rich so not paying for this one album won't hurt them at all...". If you don't know yet, most bands pay for their own expenses. Not to mention the time and effort they put into this. Literally having to go through [gooey brown stuff] just to put everything into that 250 peso cd.
250 pesos? Man, if you think this is too much to pay for, then go find someone who will make you an album for that value.
250 is equivalent to a liter of ice cream. That's how dirt cheap it is.
How about live shows? the problem is not much people show up anymore. There are even some who do show up but don't pay at all.
And if they do, what? Pay 50-100 bucks a head? Cheap? Yeah, absolutely, with a free beer. But how are you supposed to pay for a good venue/sound equipment? So we end up having to deal with less, trying to squeeze in 15-30 bands through an 8 hour show just to reach the target ticket sales. Some don't care, they just want to be there and enjoy. That's fine but I don't see growth in that. Never will.
If you pay less, then expect to see less. I'm not saying all you're gonna see are so-so bands, but you'll be snatching away the opportunities for potentially great bands who are just starting out. Because all they will ever think of this is a hobby or just some phase in their teenage life. Not knowing the future it may bring if things were just done right. We may not be millionaires or rockstars, but at least we will have better stories to tell about.
There are also countless arguments about how the so called "Pogi or Masa Rock" came into being. Yeah, their songs may be too catchy or baduy for the "musically inclined" and they may not be as "challenging" for the more technical musicians. But it would be great if you would know the work ethic and stories of these bands. You may not consider them professional enough but they are, and maybe even more dedicated to music than you are. Because there are some of them who are full time musicians, compared to some of us who are, lets say, call center agents most of the day. I'm not saying it's a bad thing because we all have our reasons and situations. Its just that there are more to these guys and credit is hardly given to them in forums such as this. Not just because you are the more marketable type, doesn't mean you are less. Also, not just because you are the most technical player, doesn't mean everybody's gonna buy you. Those things are never the artist's fault. It's simply just public demand and the need to survive as working musicians.
Bottom line is, do what you do and do it good. You always have the choice to ignore anything you don't need.
And don't waste time bitching about the Wonder Girls because I have their videos on my phone and it kills me terribly.
