Image....

IN-BASS · Post by **IN-BASS** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

I was reciently reading an interview with a bassist for a leading rock act. This guy was dressed for success - ink, rings, piercings, dreads, you name it. The interviewer asked if he looked like that before he had the gig, and he said " No way, man . I got the audition, and once the music was all good, they asked me,' So, you think you could grow dreads and a beard, get all inked up, spit blood, that kinda stuff?' And I was like,'Hell Yeah!'"

So my question is..

How important is IMAGE to you?

Imgrimm01 · Post by **Imgrimm01** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

Great Topic... For the 1st year THE GRIMM was together we had NO Image and Kent really pushed the image thing hard and finally I gave in, and we all settled on a group look HOWEVER not everyone would play ball all the time, I however did and I have a look now that is very unique and i gotta tell ya people know me and THE GRIMM by the look, the nail polish and Eye make up are part of the show for sure. We do still have a guy or 2 in the band who refuse to be labeled by a look and I'm all about everyone doing and saying what ever they want so I don't push too hard BUT I do believe that having a nitch can't hurt, and if people remember you and your band for a look and use that to identify you so what man, they keep comin out and hearing what you got to say and you've won them over. To sum up i think Image is 50% really I do NOTHING is too wild man do it up !!

esa · Post by **esa** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

Yeah Bobby...I remember the first time I said..."You wear glasses?"

That always cracks me up when I see a band with (for example) three of the members have long hair, then the other one is bald. Or all of them have ink and one doesn't. Or all of them are wild and crazy and one is the introvert. It's cool to see that but in a way it's wierd too. When ya go to a show, it's nice to see uniform band mates, but at the same time, it's nice to see them being different too.

Great topic.
If it were me, I'd like to not have to change my image for a band, but at the same time, I'd hope I'd be in a band that would fit my image, so it's not that big a deal.

Guys in nail polish are sexy...

Imgrimm01 · Post by **Imgrimm01** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

I think in some strange not so direct way I was just called sexy... That may indeed be the first time that has ever happened in my ENTIRE life ?? Thanks Esa ... and if you didn't mean me don't tell me I wanna keep this big head even if just for a little while.

esa · Post by **esa** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

::giggles:: You said you had a big head.... ::mind gutters::

Well you are a sexy beyotch. You know that. One of these days I'm going to lose control and molest ya on stage. It's happened before...it could happen again. ::grins::

HurricaneBob · Post by **HurricaneBob** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

Im still pissed at Seattle for stealing PA's flannel look......

Imgrimm01 · Post by **Imgrimm01** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

OK !! Esa I will hold you to that , I won't even fight. That would also be a first by the way.

JayBird · Post by **JayBird** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

Image...50% of you product, if not more. This is off the track, but lets say you're looking to buy a house. Let's say they are askin $100,000 for this house. You drive up and the house looks like a huff and a puff could blow it down. Maybe the house's inside has gold trim here and there, stainless steel appliances, marble tile in the kitchen and bath, 5 bedroooms and 4 bathrooms, in house surround sound, etc. My question...would you even get to the point of walking through the front door...I doubt it. You first thought from you first image was bad, so you blow the whole thought of buying off. This holds tru for any business. Are you going to eat at a diner that has the paint chipping off the building, garbage laying in the parking lot, water spots on the celing...probably not. They may have the best food, but the image from afar is poor. So now to a band...they play metal music, but look like a bunch of frat guys, they play rap but look like hicks...it's hard to take people like this serious. It makes you wonder how dedicated they really are. It's hard to be in a local band with dreads and sleeves of ink and try being an attorney or doctor or working at a country club. There are still ways to create an after hour image for yourself though and still hold down a day job until the big break comes. Keep the hair short, but use a lot of gel, wear long shirsts during your day job, earrings can be removed, etc.

wake up drumming · Post by **wake up drumming** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

Just be yourself!! The bad thing with image is that it usually goes hand in hand with todays newest styles and trends. Your band may look "cool" now but as soon as something else becomes "IN" (couldn't resist buddy) then you end up chasing trends. It becomes silly seeing a band change image every week. I always respected the bands like AC/DC, Pantera, Slayer, etc. that looked like the dude sitting next to you at the bar, but would just level you when they hit the stage! Just seems more real.

stonekrow · Post by **stonekrow** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

Yes, Image is very important.....That's why I have dreads...err, aaa.....WAIT A MINUTE??!!!!! IM BALD!!!!!!!!! WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME???!!!

tornandfrayed · Post by **tornandfrayed** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

When did you become bald man!

I thought you were blond and blue eyed!

Oh wait a minute....

Image is important but it has to be real.

facingwest · Post by **facingwest** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

I have to agree that you need to catch someone's eye someway, somehow. What's funny is when people see me now, it isn't because of my musicianship...Those freaking Kiss bedroom slippers. However, it's a good thing because it's something that stuck in people's heads while we were playing. All the clothes I wore with Retro, you probably wouldn't catch me dead in them either. It was fun though because you felt like you actually WERE the band for a night and when the lights came up, you're normal again.

ToonaRockGuy · Post by **ToonaRockGuy** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

It's important to a small degree to me. I try to show up for shows dressed decently, and try (and mostly fail) to act responsibly.

But if someone expected me to get inked and dredded up and pierced for a band, I'd tell them to f*ck off. I am what and who I am, and the music is the most important thing. Tats or certain piercings ain't gonna make me a better drummer, practice and playing live will. Take it or leave it.

(Nothing against those who have tats, dreds, or piercings, BTW. I think that it's cool, but it's just not for me.)

esa · Post by **esa** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

That's it toona.. we're getting your nose pierced and makin' your hair green...

DMFJ03 · Post by **DMFJ03** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

Let's see...

Left boot: Spikes
Right boot: Chain
Left hip: 3 Chain
Studded Belt
About 30 or so black gel bracelts on left wrist
Leather wrist band on right wrist (when not playing)
Large wrist cuff (Static-X style) on right wrist (when playing)
Black nail polish
Crazy hair
Assortment of necklaces
Dark clothing
Tattoos

.............and that was before the band!

I haven't changed my image at all since highschool when I finally found an imagine. I don't try and keep up with all the new styles. I just do what it is I do and I try to rock it right. Do people come to see us because I dress with more hardware then Pendot has, no. It's choice. Like Jim said, be yourself!

Punkinhead · Post by **Punkinhead** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

We don't go for an image so to say BUT...we all have a bunch of tattoos, we walk around in chains, always wear black, have piercings...we have one but it's really just who we are...

but on the image side, we're all not cutting our hair again....

daveb · Post by **daveb** » Wednesday Jul 07, 2004

I too am going to go with that 50% image argument. I remember seeing Blues Traveler on TV a bunch of times and they always had that smelly, biker, hippie, New Oleans addict look (image). Not that there's anything wrong with that. Then I went to see them in Clarion. The guitar player had shaved his beard, dyed his hair bright blonde and was wearing a silk shirt and baggy pants. It took me three songs to convince myself that it was the same guy. He played great but looked really out of place next to the other dudes who were still representing with the original image. The rock and roll confidential website is awash with bands who are clueless about a united image.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Thursday Jul 08, 2004

Like it or not, image has been a big part of rock-n-roll from the get-go. Elvis had the whole androgenous "swishy-boy-in-eyeliner" thing, even at the start of his career, and I can't believe nobody called him on it.
In the hairband days, nobody took you seriously if you didn't have the big 'do. It was a symbol of commitment to your music... it meant you didn't care if you had a day-job or not, because it was way hard to get a job with shoulder-length hair then.
Even if you don't have an image, that in itself is an image. Oh, and be careful what you say about not wanting a visual image... remember Metallica? "We're so anti-image, we don't even do videos." a few years later, they're all silk shirts and makeup, oozing metrosexuality.
I'm comfortable with my stage image now. I call it,"middle-aged chubby guy who's wearing whatever was hanging up front in the closet." I'm too sexy, y'all.----->JMS

wake up drumming · Post by **wake up drumming** » Thursday Jul 08, 2004

Songsmith is right, you weren't taken serious if you didn't have big poofy hair in the 80's. Now those bands aren't being taken seriously at all. My point is just be careful what gimmick you use and don't jump on any bandwagon. The 80's were spandex and make-up, 90's flannel, then the whole baggy-pants, chain-wallet addidas thing. If your image is unique and represents who you are as a person, then fine go at it, but don't change who you are just to try and look "cool".

tornandfrayed · Post by **tornandfrayed** » Thursday Jul 08, 2004

I have to come and see Songsmith after that somewhat erotic description! I think there might be some other guys on this page that have that same image though!

Dad? Is that you Dad? Oh my God, Dad?

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Thursday Jul 08, 2004

Image can definitely be a good thing. It's an opportunity to communicate your message more effectively. Especially playing live, where the visual aspect is always there. May as well use it to your advantage, eh?

Not that you have to go berserk with it. You can have a great image by having no image at all. Like Anthrax, who came out and played thrashy metal in Bermuda shorts. How could you not like those guys? Or Pink Floyd, who just stand there and let the trippy light show and dreamy music wash over you; it's a perfect match.

Another way to look at it: you are supporting other artists by having an image. Tattooing is an art, as is piercing, clothing design, hair styling, photography, illustration . . . you are proudly displaying the work of a lot of dedicated craftspeople.

Heck, the human body itself is a work of art. Especially that yummy Johnny Stevens!

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Friday Jul 09, 2004

Dude, if my body's a work of art, it's an abstract Dali painting or something! My wife agrees that my body's yummy; but that's only because I dripped jelly on it while watching TV and eating doughnuts.------>JMS

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Image....

Image....

Great Topic

me??

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